How Using Your Intuition Can Help You Get More Out of Your Tarot Readings

Intuition is a powerful part of yourself. It’s always there, deep within you, even if it’s been a while since you engaged with it. Use the tips and suggestions here to invite your intuition to your next tarot reading. Allow yourself to trust what it has to say. You may find that tarot has so much more to offer you than ever before.

What happens in your tarot readings? Do you trust your intuition, or does your mind race with judging thoughts, like:

  • Is this Tarot spread right?
  • Did I shuffle my cards correctly?
  • What does this Tarot card mean again?!
  • What if I mess this up and my reading is wrong?

This is your mind talking, and as you can see, it’s full of fear and judgment. Without trying, the mind can turn an enriching and enlightening experience into an anxiety-ridden and doubtful practice. Use your intuition to trust yourself and your tarot readings. This post will show you how.

What Is Intuition?

We use the word “intuition” frequently, so its true meaning gets lost in the shuffle. What is intuition? Intuition is a sense of knowing without any concrete evidence. It doesn’t have to be explained by reason or by conscious thought. You just know.

You could say your intuition is your sixth sense, your gut feeling, or your instinct. It’s how you read the energy of a room or the people around you. You’re probably familiar with this.

For example, have you ever observed something, but your feelings didn’t match up? Or, have you ever observed something or someone, and from the outside, everything looked good on paper, but something inside of you told you to run in the opposite direction? There’s no logical “reason” for this, but it’s a deep inner knowing that you can’t deny or un-hear. That’s your intuition.

The way intuition works in life is the same for how it works with tarot: Your intuition may not always match your rational thoughts. That might take some getting used to, but the tips and suggestions here will help.

What Gets In The Way Of Your Intuition?

The mind’s default behavior is interpreting, and then judging what it interprets. The mind is often dominated by fear, stress, and anxiety. They can all cloud over your intuition and block it.

But the rational mind isn’t “bad” – that would be your rational mind again! After all, there are many instances where you can use rational thought in tarot readings. Your mind is also where you have your memory bank and know the traditional meanings and interpretations of the tarot cards.

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But here’s the clincher. Tarot isn’t a game of memory where you flip a card and try to remember its assigned meaning. Tarot is a portal into your subconscious mind. It’s an invitation to think past your rational brain and into your wisdom. And for many, the rational mind doesn’t always help us when we’re trying to deepen our connection to intuition.

7 Benefits Of Using Intuition For Tarot

We’ve already tapped into some of the benefits of using intuition in tarot. Here are seven more reasons why intuition and tarot are a match made in metaphysical heaven.

  • Release the pressure to learn 75 tarot card meanings, plus all the reversed card meanings
  • Free tarot from being a “right” or “wrong” process
  • Widen the lens and expand what tarot can mean for you or another
  • Rediscover a knowing you were born with – a knowing that might have gotten censored from conditioning, trauma, insecurity or self-doubt
  • Give you, your inner knowing and your innate wisdom more credit
  • Free tarot from judgment and shame
  • Free tarot from expectations

How To Use Intuition And Trust Your Tarot Readings

How do you feel about using your intuition for tarot? Tentative? Insecure? This is a perfect moment to acknowledge these feelings and trust that you are one hundred percent capable of deepening your tarot practice with intuition.

Here’s how.

Make A Special Space For Your Reading

Creating a designated physical space is a wonderful way to get grounded before you start. Try to clear the space of any clutter or objects that distract you or negatively impact your energy.

You can set up crystals, incense, and candles. You can also burn palo santo or sage to clarify your space. You may also want to have a journal and pen at hand in case you need to jot down any inspirations that come up during your reading.

Ultimately, the goal is to set up a peaceful environment. Creating a special place also sends a clear message to the universe and to your intuition: something important is about to happen. That something is your tarot reading.

Introduce Your Tarot Cards To Your Intuition

In your reading, your intuition and tarot cards will be “working” together. Or perhaps it’s better to say they’ll be “flowing” together in perfect synchrony. Your job is to sit back and observe what you witness.

Before the magic happens, take a moment to hold your deck in your hands. Then, introduce your intuition to your cards, and ask your intuition to speak to you through them.

Breath To Quiet Your Body And Mind

To begin your reading, focus all your attention on your breathing. How does the breath feel in your body? Notice how it feels when you breathe in and out through your nose.

Now, turn your attention to your body. How do you feel? Do you feel tense, excited, heavy, or tired? If you have any overpowering feelings, watch them make their way down your legs as they drain into the floor beneath you.

As you refocus on your breath, let your body relax with each exhale. Set the intention that your intuition will read your deck. Set the intention to be open to your intuitive self. And tell your intuition that you’re ready to give it your full attention.

Let The Cards Be

Slowly open your eyes and draw your cards. Once they are visible to you, just let them be there with you. This means, try not to interpret them or assign meaning to them. Try to view them without judging them.

Have you ever gazed at something or someone – simply to look? Invite that same still, gaze into this practice.

  • What catches your eye?
  • What do you notice?
  • What strikes you as significant?

Remember, with intuition there’s no “right” or “wrong”. If you notice something, there’s a reason you notice it, and that reason is valid. As you observe the cards, check-in with your body, and notice any sensations you might feel.

If any insights or inspirations come to you, you might consider saying them out loud or writing a word or two about them in your journal. You can come back to them and explore them further after your reading is finished.

What To Ask Your Intuition

Another important part of intuitive tarot is asking questions. In the previous step, you may have already heard from your intuition. In this step, you can continue the conversation by asking your intuition more. Don’t worry if you didn’t hear from your intuition in the previous step. You can continue on to this step. Intuitive reading takes time.

In this step, consider asking your intuition these questions:

  • What message does this card have for me?
  • What do I need to know about [situation/person/outcome]?
  • What do I need to resolve this issue?
  • What are my real feelings about [situation/person/outcome]?
  • Am I missing something in this situation?

Remember: your intuition doesn’t always match rational thought. Be open to this experience with tarot, too.

How Do I Know If I’m Hearing My Intuition?

The intuition’s message may arise in your conscious mind like an idea, or like something you imagine. You don’t have to effort your way into thinking it. It will show up effortlessly and without you trying.

Your intuition may say something completely different from the card’s traditional meaning, and this message may arise first as an emotion or feeling, and then as a thought.

What If My Rational Mind Speaks Up?

There’s so much you can “do” if your rational mind wants to chime in and give you its two cents. Here are some simple guidelines to help you return to the present moment and to your intuition:

  • Feel any “negative” emotions that may come up, like frustration, impatience, or irritation. Then, choose to release them
  • Acknowledge that your rational mind wants to contribute to this tarot reading
  • Thank your rational mind for caring about you
  • Gently remind yourself that you can do a “rational mind tarot reading” some other time. Right now, you’re doing an intuitive reading
  • Tell your rational mind that it will be very helpful to you when your reading is done. You just don’t need it right now
  • Remind yourself that your intention is to tap into your intuition So, go ahead and return to the present moment. Ground yourself with slow, conscious breathing and begin again

Be Patient And Trust The Process

We spend most of our waking moments with our rational minds turned on and active. So, it can be hard to switch off, and it’s also unfair to expect yourself to be able to do that automatically.

Allowing your intuition to guide you and creating opportunities for intuitive consciousness doesn’t happen overnight. But it does happen with commitment and patience. Most importantly, it happens when you trust your intuition and the process.

Intuition is a powerful part of yourself. It’s always there, deep within you, even if it’s been a while since you engaged with it. Use the tips and suggestions here to invite your intuition to your next tarot reading. Allow yourself to trust what it has to say. You may find that tarot has so much more to offer you than ever before.