A Little Known Secret About Using Tarot Books for Intuitive Readings

Lately, Tarot books have been getting a bad rap.

"Put the book down!"

"Learn to use your intuition, not the book!"

"Forget everything you have learned!"

But, I have to say, I am still a fan of using Tarot books to help me read Tarot. And here's why.

Books on Tarot provide excellent learning material and stimulus.

Tarot card meaning books give ideas and inspiration about what each card means, often in different scenarios and settings. They provide a perspective of the symbolism within the card and what this may potentially mean in a reading.

Tarot books also provide tips and techniques on how to read the Tarot cards for a more accurate and insightful Tarot reading. They encourage you to think deeply about what experience you are creating for your client and yourself as the reader.

On the flipside, Tarot books are often criticised because they become like a crutch to the Tarot student and can take away the intuitive element to reading the cards. And, we all know that no one Tarot reading is the same, so relying on Tarot card meanings from a book can be quite restrictive when it comes to accurate readings.

The secret, however, is in how you use the Tarot books available to you.

Use your favourite Tarot books to study the cards, to generate ideas, to prompt new thinking and to provide some structure or background knowledge.

But, when it comes to doing an actual Tarot reading, put the book down.

Instead of referring to your Tarot card meanings book during a reading, put it to the side and trust your intuition to guide you. I know it's tempting to quickly flick to the card in your book and find out what it means, but if you have already studied the cards in between readings, you will have all the knowledge you need. Now, it's just up to you and your intuition to provide the most insightful reading possible.

So, don't go burning (or deleting) all of your favourite Tarot books just because some experts tell you to get rid of them. Use them wisely, but also balance your learning with trusting your intuition.

Brigit is the owner of Biddy Tarot and is a professional Tarot reader, blogger, mentor and author. She has written The Ultimate Guide to Tarot Card Meanings and has seen it help hundreds of Tarot students improve their Tarot reading skills.