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So, you’ve booked your first tarot reading. Maybe you’re buzzing with excitement. Maybe you’re lowkey terrified. Maybe you’re sceptical as hell but curious enough to give it a go. Whatever’s brought you here, I’m glad it has. Because I’m about to give you the kind of advice I wish every client had before sitting across from me or across the screen if we’re on Zoom.
This isn’t a fluffy crystal ball mystic fantasy. This is your no-bullshit guide to getting the most out of your tarot reading, especially if it’s your first time. Here are seven things you really need to know.
1. Don’t Expect a Crystal Ball in Your First Tarot Reading
Tarot Isn’t About Predicting the Future
If you’re expecting someone to tell you exactly what’s going to happen next Tuesday at 3pm, you’re going to be disappointed or worse, scammed. Tarot doesn’t deal in guarantees. It’s about insight, not certainty. And anyone telling you otherwise is probably trying to sell you something shady.
What tarot can do is give you a clear view of what’s going on right now and where things may be heading if you carry on down the same path. It can help you connect the dots, see what’s lurking under the surface, and understand the bigger picture of your situation.
If you’re looking for spoilers, this isn’t it. But if you’re looking for clarity and honest reflection, you’re in the right place. This is a chance to understand how tarot works in a way that helps you respond to your life, rather than predict it.
The Real Power Is in Pattern Recognition
Tarot’s strength isn’t in prediction. It’s in pattern recognition. The cards highlight what’s showing up, what’s repeating, what you’re avoiding, and what might be influencing your choices. It’s a mirror, not a script.
You might not get the answer you thought you wanted, but you’ll likely get something much more useful. You’ll get insight into what’s going on beneath the surface, what you might not be seeing clearly, and what you can actually do about it.
It’s not about what’s going to happen. It’s about what’s happening now and how you can respond to it. That’s one of the most important lessons in your first tarot reading.
Good Readers Don’t Sell Certainty
If a tarot reader tells you they can predict your future with absolute certainty, that’s not tarot. That’s grifting. A good reader will help you explore possibilities, reflect honestly, and empower you to make your own choices.
You’re the one steering the ship. The cards just help you read the map. That’s where the real magic lives.
2. Preparing for a Tarot Reading Means Dropping the Agenda
When You Want a Specific Answer, You’ll Be Let Down
If you’re coming into a reading with a fixed answer in mind, you’re not coming for clarity. You’re coming for confirmation. And if the cards don’t line up with the answer you want, that’s where people start getting annoyed.
I once did a reading for someone who wanted to know if things would work out with a guy. The cards were very clearly saying that now’s not the time for a relationship. She wasn’t having it. She started naming other people. It turned into a guessing game. Eventually, she walked out.
If you only want to hear what you want to hear, tarot will frustrate you. But if you’re open to being challenged, it can be powerful.
Yes or No Questions Are a Shallow Starting Point
“Will I get the job?” “Is my ex coming back?” “Will this relationship work out?” These are understandable questions, but they lead to shallow answers. Tarot is capable of so much more than yes or no.
When you shift the question to something like “What do I need to understand about my career direction?” or “What’s holding me back from love right now?”, you open the door to depth, clarity, and honest exploration.
That’s where the good stuff happens. It’s one of the most useful tarot reading tips I can give you when preparing for a tarot reading.
You’re Here for Guidance, Not Validation
Tarot is not a vending machine that spits out your ideal outcome. It’s not here to tell you what you want to hear. It’s here to help you understand what you need to hear.
Validation has its place. But if you’re clinging to a specific outcome and blaming the reader when that doesn’t show up, you’re not taking responsibility for your part in things. Tarot asks you to show up open, not just hopeful.
3. Come With the Right Kind of Tarot Questions to Ask
Open-Ended Questions Create Better Conversations
One of the best things you can do before your reading is come up with a few open-ended questions. These are the kind that start with “what,” “how,” or “why.” They invite reflection, not just answers.
Something like “What can I learn from this situation?” or “What do I need to focus on to move forward?” will give you way more insight than something binary. Open questions let the cards speak in layers, not just absolutes.
It’s one of the most important tarot reading tips I can give. Whether it’s your first tarot reading or your fiftieth, the right questions change everything.
Ask About the Situation, Not the Outcome
Focusing too hard on the outcome skips the part where you actually understand what’s going on. Instead of asking “Will I be in a relationship soon?”, try “What’s getting in the way of connection in my life?” or “What kind of relationship energy am I attracting?”
The outcome depends on how you show up. If you can explore the situation itself, you can do something about it. And that’s far more useful than crossing your fingers and hoping the cards say yes.
Get Curious, Not Controlling
Tarot thrives when you’re curious. If you’re trying to direct the reading, test the reader, or steer it toward a specific result, you’ll probably miss what’s really going on. The best readings happen when you let the story unfold.
You might be surprised by what comes up. That’s kind of the point. Don’t fight it. Follow it.
If you’re not sure what to ask, check out some beginner tarot reading ideas or browse suggested tarot questions to ask online. Write a few down before your session.
4. What to Expect in a Tarot Reading: Be Honest in the Room
Don’t Pretend It Makes Sense If It Doesn’t
Please, for the love of tarot, don’t nod and say “that makes sense” when it really doesn’t. I can usually tell. And it doesn’t help either of us. If something feels off, say so. It’s not an insult. It’s useful information.
Sometimes the cards are bang on, but the way I’m explaining it just isn’t landing. That’s fixable. But I can’t fix it if you’re pretending everything’s fine.
If It’s Personal, Say That Instead of Lying
If a card hits something sensitive like addiction, shame, or trauma and you don’t want to talk about it, that’s absolutely fine. You don’t owe me your whole life story.
But it’s better to say “Yeah, I know what that’s referring to but I don’t want to go into it” than to act like it means nothing. The energy still matters. And honesty, even in silence, makes the reading stronger.
Tarot Can Bring Up Uncomfortable Truths
Tarot sometimes shows you the stuff you’d rather not look at. That’s part of its job. It doesn’t mean you have to share everything or dive into something you’re not ready for. But be prepared for it to stir something up.
That discomfort isn’t a failure. It’s often a sign that something important is being revealed. Honour it. Especially if this is your beginner tarot reading and you’re not used to sitting with discomfort in this kind of setting.
5. How Tarot Works: It Won’t Do the Work for You
This Is Guidance, Not a Cheat Code
A tarot reading can show you what’s going on, what’s in your way, and what choices are in front of you. But it can’t make those choices for you. It won’t have that hard conversation, quit that job, or start that new thing.
It’s a tool. If you treat it like a shortcut, you’ll end up disappointed.
You Still Have to Make the Hard Decisions
There’s no card that’ll give you a magic green light and guarantee a perfect outcome. Sometimes you’ll leave a reading with clarity and still have to do the hard thing. That doesn’t mean the reading didn’t work. It means life is complex and change takes effort.
The cards don’t absolve you from the consequences of your choices. They help you navigate them.
Don’t Outsource Your Responsibility to the Cards
If you’re using tarot to avoid making decisions, you’re missing the point. The cards can reflect the energy, but you’re the one in the driver’s seat.
If you’re serious about preparing for a tarot reading that’s actually going to help, this mindset shift is everything.
6. Every Reader Is Different – Especially in Your First Tarot Reading
My Approach Is Grounded and Collaborative
With me, we start with a short grounding moment to help you settle in. I’ll explain how the process works, we’ll pull cards, and we’ll talk about what they’re saying together. It’s a collaborative process. Not a performance.
You’re part of the reading. Your energy shapes it. Your honesty deepens it. And we build meaning through conversation. Not mystery.
Red Flags to Watch Out For
If a reader tells you they can remove a curse for three hundred quid, promises to tell you the exact date your soulmate will arrive, or insists you’ll get sick if you don’t do something, that’s not tarot. That’s manipulation.
You deserve better than that. Tarot should never scare you into giving up your money or your power.
Choose Someone Who Makes You Feel Safe
A tarot reading can get vulnerable. You want someone who respects that. Someone who holds space without judgement. If a reader makes you feel uncomfortable, dismissed, or dependent, walk away.
You don’t owe anyone your energy. Trust your gut. You’ll know when you’ve found the right person to read for you.
7. The Real Magic Happens Afterwards
Give It Time to Sink In
Not everything will make sense straight away. Sometimes you need time to sit with what came up. You might reread your notes a few days later and suddenly everything clicks.
Let the reading breathe. You don’t have to figure it all out in the moment. That’s part of what to expect in a tarot reading that really sticks with you.
You Might Not Understand Everything Right Away
Some messages are seeds. You hear them now, but they grow later. That’s part of the beauty of tarot. It works on multiple levels. Conscious, subconscious, and energetic.
If something didn’t land at first, give it space. Don’t throw the whole thing out. Let it do its thing.
Reflection Is Where the Insight Hits
This is the bit people often skip. But it’s where the magic unfolds. Journal about your reading. Go for a walk. Have a conversation about it. Let it integrate.
If you’re not sure how to do that, check out my guides on what to do after a tarot reading and how to journal your tarot readings. They’ll help you take it deeper.
Final Thoughts on Your First Tarot Reading
A tarot reading isn’t about answers. It’s about awareness. If you come in with an open mind, the right questions, and a willingness to be honest, it can be a game changer.
Leave your expectations at the door. Don’t force the outcome. Let yourself be surprised. And most of all, remember this. Tarot doesn’t tell you what’s going to happen. It shows you what’s possible.
If you’re ready for a reading that cuts through the nonsense and helps you make sense of what’s really going on, I’m here for that. Let’s talk.
