About Tarot — A Beginner’s Guide

On OneCardTarot, cards are drawn from the Rider–Waite–Smith (RWS) deck, the most widely used system today. This guide is RWS-friendly from top to bottom.

What tarot is (and isn’t)

Tarot is a 78-card picture language used for reflection, perspective, and decision support. Readers combine card meanings with the question asked and the context of the situation to build a story you can act on.

Tarot is not fortune-telling carved in stone, medical/legal/financial advice, or mind-reading. It mirrors patterns and possibilities; you make choices.

The structure of the tarot deck (RWS)

Tarot has 78 cards split into two groups:

Major Arcana (22 cards, 0–21)

Big archetypes and turning points in a life story—e.g., The Fool (new beginnings), The Magician (skill and agency), Death (endings & transformation), The Star (hope).
Think of Majors as the main plot beats.

Minor Arcana (56 cards)

Everyday themes, organized by suits and numbers:

• Wands (Fire): action, motivation, initiative

• Cups (Water): feelings, relationships, intuition

• Swords (Air): thoughts, truth, decisions

• Pentacles (Earth): body, work, resources

Numbers (Aces–10s) add nuance:

• Ace start • 2 choice/duality • 3 growth • 4 stability • 5 challenge • 6 progress • 7 assessment • 8 skill/effort • 9 culmination • 10 completion/transition

Court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King) can be people, roles, or attitudes:

• Page = beginner • Knight = action • Queen = integration • King = mastery

Why RWS specifically?
RWS imagery (by Pamela Colman Smith) is narrative and symbolic on every card—not just Majors—making it easier for beginners to “read the picture,” not memorize lists.

How a reading works (simple, repeatable)

1. Frame your question. Favor what you can influence:
   “What supports me in finding a new role this month?” > “Will I get the job?”

2. Set intention & shuffle. There’s no single correct method—be consistent.

3. Draw. One card for quick clarity (our default), or a spread for more depth.

4. Interpret. Start with upright meaning; if you use reversals, check them next. Connect suit/number/imagery to your situation.

5. Synthesize. Boil it down to one sentence you can act on: “Focus on skills (Eight of Pentacles): schedule daily practice and ship a portfolio piece.”

Upright vs. reversed cards

• Upright: the straightforward expression of a card.

• Reversed (optional): often signals inner processing, delay, blockage, or “too much/too little” of the card’s energy.

You don’t have to read reversals. If you’re new, read everything upright for a month to build a stable base.

Yes/No & timing (use with care)

• Yes/No: Some cards lean yes (e.g., The Sun), some no (e.g., Ten of Swords). Treat this as guidance, not verdict. Follow with an action question: “What helps this become a yes?”

• Timing: Readers associate suits with seasons/elements and numbers with time windows. Use timing sparingly; conditions change as choices change.

A quick example: one-card RWS reading

Question: “What should I prioritize this week in my job search?”
Card: Eight of Pentacles (upright) — a person steadily honing a craft.

Read: Practice + output. Polish your materials, build samples, and send targeted applications.
Action: Block 90 mins/day for skills + 30 mins for outreach. Track outcomes.

Try it now: One Card with AI → it will draw from the RWS deck and help you turn the card into a concrete next step.

Common mistakes (and easy fixes)

• Vague questions → Reframe to something actionable and time-bound.

• Card hunting (“What does this mean?!”) → Start with suit + number + picture, then check keywords.

• Over-focusing on predictions → Ask for advice and options instead.

• Reading in crisis → Pause, regulate, then read—or seek appropriate professional help.

Ethics & boundaries

• Readings should respect consent, privacy, and agency.

• Avoid diagnosing health/mental-health issues or telling people what to do.

• Offer support and perspective; point to professionals where needed.

Building a daily practice

• Card of the Day: pull one card each morning; jot a single action it suggests.

• Journal: capture the question, card, and what happened. Patterns emerge fast.

• Review weekly: which suits/numbers repeat? What choices moved the needle?

Glossary (quick reference)

• Arcana: the two groups—Major (22) & Minor (56).

• Spread: a layout assigning positions/meanings to cards (e.g., Past/Present/ Future).

• Significator: a card chosen to represent the querent (nice-to-have, not required).

• Elemental dignities: compatibility/tension between elements across cards.

• Querent: the person asking the question (you).

FAQs

Do I need to be “intuitive” to read tarot?
No. Start with the picture and basic meanings; intuition grows with practice.

Which deck should a beginner use?
The Rider–Waite–Smith. It’s readable, well-documented, and the basis for many modern decks.

Do I have to cleanse my deck?
Only if it supports your focus. Consistent intention beats elaborate ritual.

Are reversals necessary?
Optional. Many readers ignore them for months or forever—your choice.