Beginner's Guide to Tarot: How to Read the Cards

Tarot cards are a 78-card divination tool with roots in 15th-century Europe, originally used as playing cards before evolving into a powerful instrument for self-reflection and spiritual insight. Today, they are used by millions worldwide. Each card's imagery and symbolism stimulates intuition, helping you explore questions about your inner life, relationships, and circumstances.

The 78 cards are divided into two groups: Major Arcana and Minor Arcana.

Major Arcana consists of 22 cards — from The Fool to The World — representing major life themes, soul lessons, and turning points. When a Major Arcana card appears in a reading, it often carries significant weight.

Minor Arcana comprises 56 cards split into four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles), reflecting everyday events, emotions, and practical situations.

Beginners are encouraged to start with just the 22 Major Arcana cards.

When a tarot card lands right-side up, it is in the upright position; when it appears upside down, it is reversed.

Upright cards express their core meaning directly, while reversed cards may indicate a weakened or internalized version of that meaning.

For example, The Sun upright suggests joy, success, and vitality, while reversed it can hint at temporary setbacks or overconfidence.

Whether to use reversed cards is up to the reader — many beginners start with upright only.

The One Oracle is the simplest spread: draw a single card. It's ideal for daily guidance, a quick answer to a specific question, or a moment of reflection. Shuffle the deck while focusing on your question, then pull a card when it feels right. Study the imagery, colors, and symbols on the card and notice what impressions arise. There's no single "correct" answer — the card is a mirror for your intuition.

The Three Card Spread uses three cards laid side by side. Common layouts include "Past, Present, Future" or "Situation, Challenge, Advice." This spread reveals more nuance than a single card, letting you trace a narrative across the three positions. Focus on how the cards relate to each other as you interpret the overall story.

PicoPost's tarot app lets you experience both One Oracle and Three Card spreads using all 78 cards, with upright and reversed readings. Available in Japanese, English, Korean, and Traditional Chinese, it works seamlessly on mobile too. Start by pulling a single card whenever you need a moment of guidance.