​When we read for ourselves it is often at a time we are highly emotional and therefore overly invested in hearing the answers that we feel we need and deserve.  Nothing wrong with that, but when reading the cards it is important to stay objective so that the messages can come through clearly.  Tapping into Universal Wisdom and your own Inner Guidance System does not work at its best when we are feeling off and not grounded.
 
Another common mistake we make when reading for ourselves is to keep asking the same question over and over again.  Often, as above, this is due to wanting our thoughts and ideas about a situation validated and hoping that by asking again and again the answer will somehow be different, which I can assure you will not be the case!
 
Reading for yourself can mostly be kept fairly simple, so when you are new to it don’t jump straight into long and complicated spreads.  Start off by building your knowledge in a way to bring personal growth.  In the morning ask one card questions such as, “what do I need to be aware of today to be the best possible version of me”, “how can I manage the difficult situation at work today”.  Late in the day you can ask questions of reflection, “what worked well for me today”, “how could I have handled that better/differently”.
 
It is quite common when you are first learning (or a seasoned professional come to that) to check out meanings of cards online, and there are many resources available out there.  Again the thing is to not overdo this and read the meaning from many different places.  Each will have its own flavour and if you read too many you will just be in confusion.  Checking is good but always go with your gut feel first.

Have you heard the old wives tale about only being able to read effectively with cards that are gifted to you?  Do you buy into it or do you buy cards.. I know which of these is the way I go and I have a shelf of 50+ decks to prove it!
 
So if you are going to jump in and buy a deck for yourself how do you choose which to buy?  For me it is all about the way they look, the artwork and symbolism on them, which is not always easy to judge when they are on the shelf in a sealed box.  If my intuition is super strong then I may well buy on a whim and mostly the cards are as ‘good’ as I thought.  On the odd occasion though I have over-ruled my inner self and bought some just because I WANTED TO!!  You can guess how often those cards get used (she says rolling her eyes).
 
OK, back to the original question. 
 
Firstly do your research.  Use good old Google if you see some in a shop and are drawn to them, so you can check out at least some of the actual cards.  You can even search for reviews, though of course, the person reviewing may not be the same type of reader as you.
 
If you have friends with cards, go see them and feel the cards and perhaps try using them to read for your friend while you are there… proof of the pudding is in the using.
 
Depending on where you are buying, they may have some loose cards for you to get your hands on and look through.  Again don’t get swayed by others and their opinion.  These are going to be your cards – your tool, so they need to speak to you personally and perhaps even reflect some of your life journey.  Tapping into your own experiences is a good way to connect.
 
Something other things you may wish to consider are:  The size of the cards; some can be extremely difficult to shuffle.  Are they going to travel with you?  If so think about storage.  Do they come with a little white book (instructions, not that I feel you need this).  What is the quality of the cardstock, will it be durable if you are reading for others in a professional capacity.  At the very least you want quality that will last you many years of personal use.
 
I hope this gives you a few things to mull over before you jump in feet first and perhaps regret it later.  There is the perfect deck, or decks ;) out there for you.
 
Comment with your favourite deck as I would love to check them out.  Mine is the Robin Wood Tarot.
 
Happy Reading

 ​Do you remember your first ever Tarot reading?  That of course, is if you have previously had one!  My first reading by someone other than myself was in my early 20’s at a reading event a friend and I decided to go to for a bit of a laugh.
 
We got there, made the choice of who to go and see, not that I think I had any choice as many were booked out, little did I know then how things happen for a reason.  I have to admit that I was really disappointed in my reading.  I was told all about how I would be moving overseas and life would be quite different to how I thought.  Shortly after I met my now hubby and my mind went back to the reading, in fact I even searched out and listened to the tape recording the psychic had given me – total rubbish, I thought… no way would this home and family loving man leave our part of the world, his family and the friends he had known since birth to move to another country.
 
Oh, how wrong I was.  Fate played a part and some years down the track hubby came home from work and randomly asked the question, “have you ever thought about moving to Australia?”  Ummmm.  No, not particularly.  Less than 10 days later, having been offered a permanent job in Queensland, it was signed and sealed that we were moving to the other side of the world.  Whilst packing up the house for our big move I kept an eye open for the tape recording but it never did materialise, for whatever reason I was not meant to revisit it.
 
Just goes to show that when you have a reading, things do not always make sense or feel right at the time, but you never know what the future may hold.  I know that was a big lesson for me as a Tarot reader to always trust what the cards show me, even if it seems beyond the realms of reality for the other person.