Pause the Past, Reveal the Future: Three Easy Tarot Spreads for Beginners

If you're looking for a way to connect with your intuition and tap into your own inner wisdom, tarot is an excellent practice to consider. Tarot is a deck of cards that can be used for divination and personal growth. It’s a powerful tool for gaining insights into your past, present, and future. 

Starting with a simple tarot spread is a way for beginners to get acquainted with the different meanings at their own pace. The rich symbolism of the cards is an entry point for the reader to apply those deeper meanings to their own life. It can act as a stepping stone towards incorporating tarot into your mindfulness practice as you gradually lay a solid foundation for more intricate spreads.

Understanding Tarot Card Spreads

A standard tarot deck consists of 78 cards and has two main parts: the major and minor arcana. The major arcana focuses on significant life events and can reveal a central theme throughout your life. The minor arcana explores the ups and downs of everyday life. It’s divided into four suits: cups, wands, swords, and pentacles—each representing different aspects of our lives. 

Cups: associated with emotions and intuitions.

Wands: associated with desires, growth, work, and progress.

Swords: associated with intellect, conflict, communication, and taking action.

Pentacles: associated with indulgence, coins, material goods, and abundance.

A tarot card spread is a specific arrangement of tarot cards that represents a unique perspective related to a question being asked. The meaning of each card can be influenced by the cards surrounding it in the spread, creating an interplay of energies and amplifying their significance. 

Choosing the Right Tarot Card Deck

The Rider-Waite deck is one the most popular decks, and many modern decks are based on its themes and symbolism, making it great for beginners. That being said, it’s important to find one that evokes curiosity in you. Find one that makes you feel seen.

While choosing a deck, it's best to use your deep intuition for what appeals to you. Look for a tarot deck that resonates with you visually and matches your aesthetic preferences, whether vibrant or minimalist. 

The art and visuals are such a huge part of tarot and can vary in tone. Some are lighthearted with playful animal themes, and some modern decks are thankfully becoming more inclusive. Some people prefer Oracle cards, which are similar to tarot but with fewer rules and more open to interpretation. 

Tarot has never been more accessible. There is something for everyone, and we love to see it. 

There is a myth that you should be gifted your first tarot deck. However, unless you’re very superstitious, we say ignore that rule and empower your own agency and intuition by choosing your own deck. After all, tarot is about bringing things into reality for yourself and pursuing your destiny. 

Three Easy Tarot Spreads for Beginners

One-Card Daily Guidance

For beginners, simplicity is key, and there's no simpler spread than this one. 

To give it a try, simply pose an open-ended question to your deck and draw a card. It can be as simple of a question as, “What does the universe want to tell me or want me to know today?” Draw an interpretation from that. Keep in mind that pulling an upside-down facing card can have an opposite or reverse meaning as well. 

Once you have the card in front of you, you can look up its meaning and even jot it down in a journal. 

If you're new to tarot, incorporating this practice into your morning routine is highly recommended, as it can spiritually infuse your day. 

For the night owls, it can be incorporated into your evening as a way to wind down in tandem with your nighttime skincare ritual. Lunar energy is often associated with intuition and cycles, making it a perfect time for weaving tarot into your regimen. 

Three-Card Tarot Spread

If you want to go beyond single-card readings and explore tarot in more depth, we recommend a simple three-card spread to reveal more nuanced messages. This spread provides a birds-eye view and offers insights into the topic or question on your mind.

While considering the individual meanings of each card is important, it's also crucial to consider the overall vibe and symbolism of the entire spread. Typically, cards are arranged from left to right, and their meanings all intertwine in some way. 

Start by pulling three cards in a horizontal line. The left card represents the past, the middle card symbolizes the present, and the right card indicates a possible outcome in the future. 

Another version of a three-card spread is a relationship spread, representing the partner you have in mind, yourself, followed by the dynamic between you both. 

Yes/No

Tarot cards are not primarily intended for straightforward yes or no answers. Instead, they serve as tools for guidance and gaining insights into murky situations. While yes or no questions are generally not encouraged in tarot, there is an exception with a specific spread.

To try this spread. Ask the tarot deck about the potential outcome of something. Then, draw two cards and place them side by side. Certain cards, like The World, may indicate a positive outcome. Others, like The Tower or Ten of Swords, are traditionally associated with challenges or obstacles, so they might suggest a negative response or a "no." 

Tips for Enhancing Your Tarot Practice

Set the Right Intentions

With tarot, you get out of it what you put into it. If you go into it with a scattered mindset, you’ll likely get a scattered, incoherent reading. 

Meditating on self-reflection plays a significant role in tarot readings. It’s what makes the practice special. It's a practice that involves connecting with your inner self, sitting with emotions, and persistent thoughts. 

To begin a tarot reading, keep a question in mind as you shuffle the deck while setting a clear intention for your reading. Really focus on changing your energy and meditating on a certain feeling or question that is on your mind. 

Create a Conducive Reading Environment

While clearing your mindset is key prior to a reading, consider the energy of your environment as you open yourself up to be more receptive. Creating a clear and uncluttered space can enhance mental clarity and allow for a more focused and insightful experience. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I cleanse my tarot deck?

One thing is certain; you’ll want to clear the stagnant energy of a tarot deck before every reading. You can cleanse a deck in the same way you would cleanse a space, using the smoke of sacred herbs like ethically-sourced sage or palo santo.

If you use other cleansing methods like crystals (such as selenite or clear quartz), you can apply those same methods to energetically cleanse your tarot deck before a reading. Selenite is purifying, while clear quartz is cleansing and will also hold positive energy. 

You can hold these crystals in one hand while holding the deck in the other and think about what you want to ask. 

Do tarot spreads predict the future?

Tarot spreads can provide guidance and clarity when we feel overwhelmed. 

Instead of predicting the future, tarot acts more like a mirror, reflecting what we already know deep down inside. It helps us make connections and articulate what we may be sensing intuitively. 

Can I modify tarot spreads to suit my needs?

It's perfectly fine to question the cards and explore how they relate to the original question. Sometimes, the cards may not make immediate sense.

Trust your own judgment and knowledge to make connections and find meaning in what you're navigating. Remember, tarot is about making sense of things rather than accessing secrets. If you ask the deck one thing and it shows you something different, it might suggest your subconscious was curious about something else.

Final Thoughts: Making Me-Time Mindful

Tarot offers a unique opportunity to delve into our inner landscapes by gaining insight into hidden perspectives. By embracing the small magic of tarot as a part of our self-care ritual, we allow ourselves space for introspection and an opportunity to reveal our inner alchemist.

Do a daily card pull and set your intention for the day while you let your morning skincare absorb into your skin. Or, you can apply a rejuvenating weekly treatment like our transformative Mystic Mask for 20 minutes and delve into a more in-depth reading. You’ll emerge both looking and feeling brighter.

We’re passionate about getting to know ourselves on a deeper level through self-reflection and self-care to reveal a tru radiance—inside and out. When it comes to renewal, Retinol Reset is about transforming and stepping into a new you, whether it's through supporting a collagen-rich complexion or by taking time to spiritually reset with thoughtful products that allow you to feel your best. 

As we weave tarot into our beauty and wellness ritual, we can cultivate a holistic approach to nourishing our mind, soul, and skin.