Learning Tarot may seem overwhelming at first, but by focusing on the basics and taking it one step at a time, the meanings of the cards will become clear.

First of all, learn which cards are the Major Arcana and which ones are the Minor Arcana. Take time to look through them and write down your immediate, instinctive feelings about them. Do the characters in the image seem happy or sad? Do they look as though they are adventurous or shy? Is the card filled with bright colours and energy, or subdued hues and serenity?

After making a few notes detailing your thoughts about the cards, pick up a Tarot book and look through some of the Tarot card meanings. See which of your interpretations match the standard, traditional ideas.

Learning the meanings of the suits is another straightforward step. All of the cards in the suit of Cups relate to the realm of the emotions. Pentacles are the suit of finance and business. The suit of Swords is all about the mental plane: your thoughts, worries, fears and decision-making ability. Wands are cards of energy, enthusiasm, and passion. With these key words you can fine-tune your interpretations and have an immediate sense of what the card is likely to be about.

The final stage to learning the cards is to look for the symbols on each card and discover how they help to refine the overall meaning of the image.

Tarot is not a process of instant wisdom, but becoming familiar with the cards and gaining intuitive insight to the symbols displayed in the images is not as hard as you perhaps imagine. Grab a pack of Rider-Waite Tarot cards and flick through them and you’ll be surprised at how much you already know about Tarot card meanings and interpretations.