The Tarot Court

The Tarot Court remains one of the hardest segments of the tarot for many readers. The sixteen cards can reflect people, characteristics of self, situations, and in some cases messages. The interpretation of these cards depends upon the reader, the client, and the reading itself.

So, how do you know what a court card signifies within a reading? It is really a case by case situation. But, by getting to know the court, you improve on your chances of getting it right and eliminate most of your confusion. Practice is also a good method of gaining knowledge of the court cards.

Exploring the insights of others can also bring about information to help you to explore and get to know the sixteen mysterious cards of the Tarot Court. Always remember when your intuition is the most important factor, but it never hurts to gain as much insight as possible from outside sources. If something resonates with you, then tuck it away for future references.

This leads me to my current reading material, Understanding the Tarot Court by Mary K.Greer and Tom Little.

The book begins with an introduction, which touches on the tarot court, suggests keeping a tarot journal, and an exercise of selecting your first Significator.

Chapter One - titled The Many Faces of the Tarot Court, explores the different ranks and elements of the court, along with multiple visions due to different creators. Methods of choosing a Significator and when/why to do so are offered. A few exercises are suggested in this first Chapter, but I’d like to share one with you here on the blog.

I found the following exercise insightful to both my choice of Significator and to who I am and where I’m going in my life.

Significator Exercise:

1. Choose your Significator 
2. Shuffle deck, including chosen card. Make sure cards are randomly reversed. (My method of ensuring this is to cut the deck in three stacks and flipping the middle pile to allow for reversals.)
3. Deal off the top of the deck until you find the Significator.
4. Place the two cards before the Significator, the Significator, and the two cards after in a line.
5. The next step gets a little tricky. Determine what direction your court card is facing. If the figure faces left or right, well that’s easy. But if the figure faces forward – upright equals right, reversed equals left.
6. Once this is decided, the first card in the direction of the card’s facing is (the next action), followed by (results of action), the card in the direction the card turns away from is (past action), and the one beside it (past cause).

I would normally share my exercise with you on the blog, but in this case the results were ‘very’ personal, an extreme eye opener to where I am, and who I am.

To be brief: Past experiences (emotional) have created who I am today and to move forward I need to find a way to release the pain which has built up over the years. The results will be a creative explosion, a huge awakening, and a tapping into my higher self.

Have you read Understanding the Tarot Court? Have you found other books helpful in your tarot journey? Have you tried this exercise? Were you impressed by the results? Feel free to comment below or contact me.

Intuitive Tarot - Tossing the Book Aside

As one begins on her tarot journey, she may find herself relying very heavily upon the little white book or other books focused on interpretations of the cards. For many, relying on others’ interpretations becomes almost addictive. You want to know everything you possibly can about the tarot cards. So, you busy yourself reading manuals and others’ interpretations. That’s how you learn right?

I’m not saying studying from others’ experiences isn’t a good practice, but it needs to be separated from the actual tarot reading. I continue to enjoy reading how others read and how they interpret individual cards. But when the two become inseparable, you form a crutch.

There comes a time to get rid of such a crutch and rely upon your own intuition to read the cards. When you do this, you become a more intuitive, reliable reader.

You may be saying: Sometimes I forget what a card means; I have to look it up. What if I interpret the card wrong? What if I guide someone down the wrong path?

It’s important to remember tarot reading is about reading the cards through your intuition, through your imagination, and through your own abilities. There’s no such thing as reading the cards wrong. Yes, you may make a mistake, but this is also possible while relying on others’ interpretations. Your intuition is much more reliable than involving something that has nothing to do with you. The cards react to your energies; therefore it is your interpretations which are important.

Different readers will interpret each card from a different angle. This is okay. The Tarot interacts with you and produces the card needed to answer the question being asked. The books are only guides. They are not manuals to follow, but suggestions to help you get a feel for the basics, the rest is all intuition.  

Exercising your intuition is important to becoming a tarot reader. This can’t be done by looking up meanings in a book. By doing this, you are muddling your abilities.

If you’ve already formed a habit of relying on the book interpretations, here is an exercise to help you break away.

Daily Tarot Pull

·                     Begin your day by pulling one tarot card as an overview or lesson for the day.

·                     Write down your thoughts and impressions, relying only on your intuition.

·                     At the end of the day, record further thoughts on your card.

·                     You may now take a look at the suggested meanings. Compare the similarities and differences between what you saw and what the book suggests. Are there some things in the book you feel reflected your day but you didn’t see? Write it down. Do you notice similarities, underline these in your text.

·                     Repeat daily for at least thirty days

This process will help break your habit of looking up the meanings. It will build your confidence through repetitive reading using your intuition. It will allow you to put the book on the shelf and leave it there.

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Do you have a question about the tarot? Would you like to see something discussed on the blog? Feel free to leave comments below or contact me. I’d be happy to answer any question and cover topics of interest.

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Do you have a question for the tarot? I offer tarot readings by email. Order information is available on the blog page – Tarot Readings by Email. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

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Coming soon! Tarot Guidance Website and more ordering options.

21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card - Wrap Up

21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card
Mary K. Greer

Last week, we finished up our journey of reading the tarot through twenty-one steps. Here's a link to take you to all the postings on the 21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card, in case you missed a step. I'd like to take a moment to reflect on our long journey.

From the moment we said the card's name aloud, we began to see the tarot card as more than a piece of paper, but an actual item within our journey of life. Through the many steps presented by Mary K. Greer, we looked at different aspects, explored the scene, and felt the emotions of the card. At the end, I hope you have found new light within your chosen card.

The Two of Swords has taken on new meaning for me. To take a look at each of the 78 cards in this manner would be eye opening, yet...

You may ask: How would I find time to do such extensive exercises for 78 cards?

My answer: You don't have to. Over the course of taking each step, I've noticed myself applying some of the techniques during my daily readings. I'm confident that you will also incorporate some of your newly learned insights into your interactions with the cards.

I hope you all enjoyed this series of posts and continue to stop by the blog for more exciting looks into the world of tarot and spiritual matters.

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I'd like to encourage you all, one last time, to grab a copy of the book and go deeper into each step through The Way of the Adept sections.  There is so much more to explore within the pages of Mary K. Greer's book than what was covered in the blog posts. Copies are available in both Print and Kindle.

21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card - Step 21 - The Possible Self

21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card
Mary K. Greer

In step twenty-one of our journey, we explore the tarot through the possible self.

It is time to turn the qualities and characteristics that you most admire in your card into affirmations describing you already being that desired self. You will also design and carry out a simple task that expresses these qualities.

Activity 21:1 - Take your chosen card and describe qualities you see in the card you most want to develop. Expand on one or two of your words. Change all negative statements to positive - removing "no," "not," and other forms of negativity. Write, revise, and edit your affirmation. Write it in first person present tense and be short and precise.

Using Your Affirmation

• Say it out loud, three times a day for twenty-one days.
• Print your affirmation on a card and keep it with you throughout the day.
• Apply your affirmation. Notice in life where this is true and acknowledge the alignment with the situation.

Artwork © Jennifer Galasso, 2011

Qualities - strong, determined, prepared, stable

Affirmation - I am strong. I can withstand any storm, because I am prepared. I will succeed in my tasks, because I am determined.

Rewrite - I am prepared to withstand any storm for I am strong and determined to succeed.



We've reached the end of our journey through the 21 Ways to Read the Tarot. There is much more to explore within the pages of Mary K. Greer's book and much more detail to each step. You can grab a copy of the book for a deeper understanding and further explorations of 21 Ways to Read the Tarot. Available in Print and Kindle.

Thank you all for joining me for this journey.