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Tarot cards offer a powerful way to learn about yourself by connecting with your unconscious mind through symbols and interpretations. It has grown beyond fortune-telling into a secular tool that enriches processes like therapy, coaching and personal development when you approach it purposefully. A paper from 2024 shows that tarot can be effectively utilised as a “projective technique” when approached from an expressive rather than diagnostic perspective in therapy. In other words, people can reach for tarot cards during tough times to learn about their current situations and they can be used therapeutically for this.
Tarot’s effectiveness in personal growth stems from its deep connection to Jungian psychology through archetypes and symbolism. If you can get over the initial feelings about tarot interpretations predicting the future you can find they reflect your current moment and help you understand your thoughts, feelings and patterns through the cards’ symbolic language.
Tarot’s versatility is what makes it so special. These cards act like mirrors that show parts of yourself you might miss. You can use them to aid with difficult decisions, find direction, or boost self awareness. This week’s article covers everything we can think of about using tarot cards for personal development. From how to pick your first deck, to understanding card meanings and building a meaningful practise that supports your growth experience.
Why Tarot Works for Personal Growth
We have long believed that tarot’s true strength isn’t about telling fortunes. It helps us find hidden parts of our mind. Tarot works as a psychological tool that brings unconscious thoughts to light and shows us what’s happening inside. In other words, tarot works like a mirror that shows our subconscious mind. It reveals thoughts and feelings we might miss in our daily life. This reflection lets us take a good look at our behaviours, patterns, and emotional responses.
Carl Jung is said to have viewed tarot cards as archetypal ideas that blend with unconscious streams of thought. The cards help surface our deepest feelings and lead to meaningful self reflection. The process of reading tarot makes us pause and think about where we are in life. It creates a mindful space where we connect with our deeper emotions. Archetypes are the foundation of what makes tarot work. These ‘universal symbols’ show basic human experiences that appear in belief systems of all types. Jung thought there was more than just our personal unconscious. He believed in a collective unconscious, a shared mental space containing archetypes and ideas that go beyond personal experience.
Major Arcana cards like the Magician, High Priestess, and Emperor carry archetypal energies that strike a chord with our collective unconscious. Working with these powerful symbols helps you:
- Direct life’s challenges with deeper understanding
- Find your place in your archetypal experience
- See areas that need growth or healing
- Change limiting beliefs and welcome new views
Each card shows an almost mythic archetype that helps you find yourself and grow stronger. Working with these archetypal images builds a stronger bond with your subconscious and spiritual self.
How Symbolism Triggers Reflection
Symbols in tarot cards work as bridges to reach the depths of intuition. They release energy from negative patterns and help us reach higher understanding. These symbols show us the changes we can become, changing how we see what’s possible. Looking at a tarot card creates an unconscious response to familiar archetypes. You can understand these archetypal themes and learn from the cards even without prior experience. This works just like psychological projection tests, your mind finds meaning based on your life, beliefs, and feelings.
Our brains naturally look for patterns to make sense of things. When you shuffle and pick cards, you think deeply about how the symbols connect to your life. This is about creating a way to learn about your thoughts, feelings, and dreams. Regular tarot practise helps you see your growth, understand your challenges and face life with more wisdom. The cards give comfort and support when times are confusing. They’re great tools for anyone who wants to grow and understand themselves better.
Getting Started with Tarot for Personal Growth
Starting your tarot trip needs a few simple elements: the right deck, a good grasp of its structure, and a suitable space for readings. These original steps are the foundations for personal growth through tarot practise.
Choosing your first tarot deck
Your first tarot deck should be a personal choice that needs careful thought. We recommend the Rider Waite Smith (RWS) deck for newcomers because most tarot books and online resources refer to this system. This classic deck has inspired most modern tarot decks and offers clear symbolic imagery that makes learning interpretations more available.
Here’s what to think about while looking at decks:
- Visual connection: Take a closer look at as many cards as you can before buying. Pay attention to how the imagery makes you feel, does it strike a chord with you emotionally? Do the symbols speak to you naturally? Trust your gut about which deck feels right.
- Representation: Traditional decks often show white, cisgendered people. If you want to see diverse representation, look for decks that show various body types, ethnicities, and gender expressions.
- Practical considerations: Look at the card size (some are hard to shuffle if they’re too big for your hands), card stock quality, and price.
Pick a deck that excites you both visually and energetically and one that feels like it belongs in your hands.
Understanding the structure of the deck
A standard tarot deck has 78 cards split into two main parts: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana.
The Major Arcana has 22 cards numbered from 0 (The Fool) to 21 (The World). These cards show important life themes, spiritual lessons, and archetypal energies that shape our personal experiences. They often point to major life events or psychological growth in readings.
The other 56 cards make up the Minor Arcana, divided into four suits of 14 cards each:
- Wands (sometimes called batons or rods)
- Cups
- Swords
- Pentacles (also known as coins or discs)
Each suit has ten numbered cards (Ace through to 10) and four court cards, or people cards. These are typically Page, Knight, Queen, and King but some decks refer to these in nuanced ways. The Minor Arcana shows everyday situations, emotions, thoughts, and activities that shape our personal growth, and here we have an easy guide to understanding the basics of the Minor Arcana.
Creating a quiet space for reflection
Your reading environment can substantially affect the quality and depth of your insights. Start by setting up a peaceful, distraction free space that lets you reflect and think deeply.
You don’t need a whole room just a small corner, tabletop or windowsill works perfectly as your tarot space. The goal is to create a spot where you feel at ease and can practise without interruption.
Here’s what helps create the right atmosphere:
Comfort: Your reading surface should be at the right height with supportive seating.
Lighting: Natural light works best, but soft light from candles or lamps can create a peaceful mood.
Sound: You might enjoy soft music (classical or ambient) to help calm your mind and separate your practise from daily life.
Simple rituals help many readers get into a reflective mindset. Try taking a few deep breaths, lighting a candle, or spending a moment in meditation before you start. Your tarot space will grow with your practise. Start with these simple elements, then adjust your environment based on what helps your personal growth through tarot.
Simple Tarot Spreads for Beginners
Learning the simple concepts of tarot and using them in straightforward spreads will make your personal growth experience richer. These well-laid out arrangements give you a framework that leads to meaningful reflection and personal insights.
One-card daily draw
A one-card daily draw makes a great starting point for beginners and helps build a consistent tarot practise. You simply draw one card each morning or evening and ask questions like “What do I need to know today?” or “What should I be grateful for today?”
Drawing a daily card brings several benefits:
- You learn card meanings naturally through regular practise
- A mindful moment becomes part of your day
- You can spot patterns in your thoughts and emotions
A tarot journal enhances this practise. Write down your card, your original interpretation, and reflect later on how the card’s message showed up in your day. This simple practise fits easily into your existing routines while you drink your morning coffee or wind down in the evening.
Three-card influences-present-action spread
The three-card spread ranks among the most versatile and insightful layouts, though it seems simple. The classic form assigns these meanings:
Card 1: Influences – Events and energies from your past that influence you today and either push you forward or hold you back
Card 2: Present – Your current situation, challenges, and opportunities show the energy of this moment
Card 3: Action – Your choices based on your current direction
This spread helps you see patterns and understand how your past experiences shape your present circumstances and the choices and possibilities available.
Four-card growth spread
Four-card spreads add more depth while staying available for beginners. Several variations help with personal development. Try a Mind, Body, Spirit, Subconsciousness spread that looks at these four aspects of yourself. Using one card for each area that needs attention.
Or you can try a Four Elements spread connected with earth (material aspects), air (communication/knowledge), fire (energy/passion), and water (relationships/emotions) giving you a complete view of your current state.
Your personal growth journey benefits from cards that show past influences, your current relationship with yourself, actions toward becoming your best self, and qualities you should appreciate more.
Celtic Cross for deeper insight
The traditional ‘Celtic Cross’ tarot card reading gives you detailed insight through its ten-card structure as your skills grow. Though it requires more skill to learn how to read it, it offers remarkable depth for self-reflection. Two sections make up this spread:
The Circle/Cross (cards 1-6) shows your current situation, and the Staff (cards 7-10) reveals how you relate to your environment. We have a basic guide to understanding the Celtic Cross spread but consider starting with simpler spreads first to build your foundation. You’ll soon be ready to work with this powerful tool that brings deeper personal insight.
Interpreting Cards for Personal Growth
Tarot card interpretation goes beyond memorising traditional meanings. You need to build a personal connection with symbols that strike a chord with your unique experience. Real growth happens when you let go of the book, the rigid interpretations and tap into your intuitive understanding.
Your relationship with tarot becomes powerful when you learn to trust your personal responses to the cards. Guidebooks lay the foundations, but your intuitive connections often reveal deeper meanings. The first things that catch your eye on a card are the symbols, colours, or facial expressions as these usually carry personal significance. Don’t ask “What does this card mean?” Ask instead “What does this card mean to me?” This simple change lets the cards mirror your unconscious mind rather than act as predictive tools.
Your emotional responses to the cards offer vital interpretive clues. Take a moment to notice your immediate feelings when you pull a card. Is this comfort, discomfort, recognition, or surprise? These gut reactions bypass rational thought and reveal hidden knowledge about your situation. A helpful approach starts with simple questions: “What emotions does this imagery stir up? Which memories come back? How do these connect to what’s happening in my life?” These emotional connections unlock personal meanings that standard interpretations might overlook.
Regular tarot practise shows recurring themes that clarify your growth path. Pay attention to cards, suits, numbers, or symbols that keep showing up in readings these patterns often point to:
- Ongoing life lessons requiring attention
- Core values or beliefs influencing decisions
- Unconscious thoughts affecting your actions
- Areas of potential transformation
A journal helps track these patterns. Writing down interpretations and outcomes reveals connections between different readings that offer deeper insights into your growth process.
Note that interpretation focuses on personal growth rather than divination. The cards don’t tell your future, they help you understand yourself better right now.
Building a Personal Growth Routine with Tarot
Regular tarot readings become life changing when you build consistent routines around them. A well laid out approach helps you spot patterns, gain deeper insights, and track your growth as time passes.
Journalling Your Readings
A tarot journal is the life blood of meaningful practise. Your journal does more than just record card meanings: it tracks your spiritual experience and shows you patterns that show up again and again. Here’s how to create an effective tarot journal:
- Write down the date, cards you pull, and your first thoughts
- Capture your emotional reactions and gut feelings
- Look back at old entries to see how you’ve grown
Most people find handwritten notes create a stronger connection between mind and body that helps them absorb insights better. Reading through your entries each week or month reveals important patterns in your growth.
Combining Tarot with Meditation, Therapy or Coaching
Tarot works even better when you pair it with other practises. During meditation, you can hold your chosen card, study its images, and let understanding come naturally. This method awakens your intuitive side, reaching beyond pure logic.
Therapy sessions benefit from tarot’s visual language that taps into deeper mental layers and helps reveal hidden patterns and thoughts. That’s why many therapists now use tarot images as tools to spark meaningful self reflection.
The same is true of coaches. Coaching sessions can springboard from a tarot card for personal development reading into structured, meaningful progress towards desired goals.
Tarot for Personal Growth
Tarot cards provide a powerful framework for personal growth that exceeds traditional fortune telling. These cards create a unique mirror of your unconscious mind through symbolic interpretation and archetypal imagery. They help you find hidden patterns and bring clarity about your life path. The practise of tarot also builds mindfulness and prompts you to pause and think deeply about your situation.
The practise remains valuable whether you pick a traditional Rider Waite Smith deck or one that appeals to your aesthetic sense. Many people start with simple one-card draws and then move to more complex spreads. This creates a natural learning curve that supports growth.
The real magick of tarot isn’t about predicting the future, it’s about revealing present truths. The cards are tools that activate your intuition and connect you with deeper parts of your psyche. This psychological aspect explains why tarot has lasted as a personal growth and self development practise throughout the centuries.
Your personal tarot practise grows stronger when you journal your insights, set regular intentions, and combine readings with meditation. Building any life changing routine needs consistency more than complexity. Reading cards becomes easier with time as you build your unique connection with their symbolism.
Tarot gives you a well laid out path to greater self awareness and personal insight. Your practise deserves an open mind and curious attitude. Let the cards guide you to understand yourself and your place in the world better. Your experience with tarot will grow as you do, becoming both a mirror and a catalyst for meaningful change.
References
Credit where credit is due, we aim to cite our sources because we value truthful content. 2 sources were referenced during research to write this, but you are encouraged to follow our other links as well.
- Clinton, Eileen, “Divining the self: Applying tarot as a projective technique in counseling” (2024). Educational Specialist, 2020-current. 97.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rider Waite Smith Tarot
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