So, you want to be an intuitive Tarot reader, but every time you go to lay out the Tarot cards, your critical mind switches on.

“Did I shuffle the cards in the right way?”

“Oh gosh, I don’t even know what these cards mean!”

“I think this card means a new job in my chosen field, but the book says something completely different. What’s the right meaning?”

“What if my Tarot reading is totally wrong?”

Argh! How are you meant to tune in and listen to your intuition when all you can hear is your ‘monkey mind’ (you know, that part of your mind that is restless, unsettled and totally driven by fear)?

Consider, for a moment, the definition of intuition:

Intuition is “the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning.”

That’s right – without the need for conscious reasoning. (“Thank-you conscious reasoning, but for now, I want to connect with my intuition, so please take a seat right over there.”)

Learning to switch off the critical mind is essential as a Tarot reader. If we only hear our critical mind, we shut down to the intuitive messages we are supposed to receive when reading Tarot cards. But when we let go of conscious reasoning, we open up fully to intuition and experience the full potential of reading Tarot cards.

In this post, I want to share with you 4 key practices to help you trust your intuition in a Tarot reading.

1. Create the Space for Your Tarot Reading

Creating a sacred space is an essential first step in connecting with your intuition in your Tarot readings.

Before you start a reading, create the physical space by laying out your favourite crystals, candles or plants, and clearing away any clutter that does not serve your sacred purpose.

On a spiritual level, allow yourself at least a couple of minutes to close your eyes, breathe, and ground yourself by connecting with the earth and the Universe.

Surround yourself with white light and ask your guides to help you connect with your intuition.

When you are in a peaceful, calm and receptive state, you’ll avoid a lot of the fear-driven self-talk and instead open yourself up to your inner wisdom and intuition during the reading.

2. Tune In to the Tarot Cards

When you lay out the Tarot cards for your reading,you may be tempted to reach for your trusted Tarot card meanings book and find out what each Tarot card is supposed to mean. Tarot books are great for learning in between readings, but if you want to read Tarot intuitively, you’ll need to put the book down when you’re doing a reading and listen to your inner voice instead.

How, exactly? Simply tune in to what they are telling you. Gaze at the cards for a minute or two, without thinking about what they mean. What catches your eye? What intuitive messages are you receiving?

You may also want to run your hand over the cards, feeling the energy flowing through your body. You may see something, feel something, hear something or instinctively know something as you do this.

When you tune in to the Tarot cards in this way, you might see something completely new or different in a particular card, that you haven’t read before in your Tarot books. That’s perfectly OK. In fact, that’s wonderful because it means you’re connecting with your intuition!

So, let go of the need to simply recall the traditional meaning of a Tarot card, and instead tune in to what the cards are really trying to say to you in this moment in time.

3. Practice Mindfulness

Even experienced Tarot readers are bound to have moments when the monkey mind creeps back in and messes with your intuitive mind! Self-doubt, criticism and second-guessing are the enemies of intuition, therefore to read Tarot intuitively, we need to have strategies to deal with these feelings when they arise.

That’s where mindfulness comes in. Mindfulness is “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.”

In a Tarot reading, you can practice mindfulness by:

• Noticing when your critical mind inadvertently switches back on. Don’t judge it or fret about it. Simply acknowledge it – “Ah, there’s my critical mind” – and soon it will disappear.
• Tuning in to your what you feel in your body to bring your attention back into the ‘now’. Notice any physical sensations – how your skin feels, or if there is any tension anywhere in your body as you read the Tarot cards.
• Bringing your attention to your breath. This is particularly helpful if you draw a blank in a reading and need to refocus. Simply feel the air moving in and out of your nostrils, and you’ll return to your place of peace.

Mindfulness brings you back to the ‘now’ and it is in the ‘now’ that your intuition is most clear.

4. Reflect and Get Feedback

One of the best ways to learn to trust your intuition is to reflect and get feedback about how effective your intuition really is. That is, how did your Tarot reading manifest itself over time?

Now, you can assess if a Tarot reading was ‘accurate’ directly after the reading is over. However, if you do this, what you’re really assessing is whether the reading is accurate for the present moment, rather than the future (because we haven’t experienced the future yet, have we?!).

What’s most powerful is to reflect and get feedback a few months after you’ve performed the Tarot reading. As time passes, the messages of the reading become clearer and you’ll be able to see exactly how the reading has come to fruition. You can then assess how well your intuition has served you and where you might be able to make some tweaks for future readings.

Intuition is Like a Muscle

Your intuition is like a muscle – the more you use it, the stronger it will become.

So, set your intention now to be open to your intuition in your Tarot readings. Every time you lay out the Tarot cards, create a sacred space, tune in to the Tarot cards, practice mindfulness and reflect and get feedback.

Do this and you’ll be reading the Tarot intuitively in no time!

Over to You

How have you learned to trust your intuition in your Tarot readings? Share your ideas and comments below.

Credit: biddytarot.com