Ask a Tarot Reader Archives

Ask a Tarot Reader – how do I learn tarot?

You get asked a lot of questions when you’ve been reading tarot professionally for twenty years. Most of the time, they’re the same questions, which leads to Frequently Asked Questions, which leads to a realization of hey, I’ve already answered this, so lemme go ahead and copy/paste that answer. And sometimes you get asked a question so often that the answer changes and evolves as you change and evolve.

The following question is the latter.

Hello! My name is ______, I am 17 years old, and I have been wanting to learn how to use and read tarot cards. I am super familiar with angel cards, and I have a few decks of my own… I’ve evolved a little just from my own intuition and getting a feel for what the cards mean. I’ve been really interested in tarot, I just don’t know where to start. I know they aren’t fortune telling cards, but rather alter alternative points of views, but what else do they offer? The tarot cards are also based off of your own current energy, but are they able to read into other peoples’?

Honestly, great questions (I doubt I was so in tune and intelligent at 17, kudos to you)! So, let’s rapid fire some answers to these specific questions, and then I’ll go into some more depth and offer some resources, yah?

Ask a Tarot Reader: I don’t like my final outcome card! What do I do?

This is another post in the “Ask a Tarot Reader” series. If you have a question for me that you’d like to see featured here, please email me at hilary@tarotbyhilary.com, Subject line: “Ask a Tarot Reader”. Please specify how you would like your name to appear or if you wish to remain anonymous.

So what I found when doing the Celtic Cross spread is that people really don’t like the final outcome card – or at least they end up not paying attention to the more immediate cards on the table because they are hyper-focused on that last card that is supposed to provide an answer to their future, wrap it up in a nice little bow. That’s not the way tarot works, of course, but I keep seeing it – eyes drawn to that final card when it comes out, instead of the other 9 cards that are in a Celtic Cross spread.

I love the Celtic Cross spread. There’s a reason why it’s a go-to spread for so many readers: it’s an excellent spread when you are looking for an overall snapshot of a situation that has many layers and forks to it. Do you have a situation where you feel your work is reflecting your love life is reflecting your family life is reflecting your health? Of course you do: we all have areas in our lives where if one is affected, it pulls on the threads of the other areas.

What I’m trying to say is there’s 10 cards and a Celtic Cross spread tells you a lot if you were to focus on all 10 cards – those positional meanings tell you everything from current situation to Crossing card (which lists assets and obstacles) to message from higher self to subconscious to past influences to present ones, etc. Many of the positional cards I just described come in the main Cross formation of the Celtic Cross spread. And yet… people look to the final card, and sometimes to the last 4 cards which I call the “flow line to the future”. Basically: let’s not neglect the entire spread in favor of JUST one card.… Continue Reading

[Vlog] How I receive psychic information: a video edition of Ask a Tarot Reader

This is another post in the “Ask a Tarot Reader” series. If you have a question for me that you’d like to see featured here, please email me at tarrytowntarot@gmail.com, Subject line: “Ask a Tarot Reader”. Please specify how you would like your name to appear or if you wish to remain anonymous.

Before we get into the video edition of today’s Ask a Tarot Reader, I have a PSA:

I am unable to answer all the phone calls, voicemails, and texts I receive, especially ones starting with or ending with any kind of “let me pick your brain” sentiments. Let the Ask a Tarot Reader series be my way of answering these kinds of questions in a public forum, rather than expecting individual responses back. Think of it this way: I’m still answering your questions, but publicly… as many of the Ask a Tarot Reader questions have been asked of me frequently!

In that spirit, here’s the newest Ask a Tarot Reader question:

Hilary, I am fascinated by what you do. How do you receive psychic information? How do you “know what you know”?

Category Archives: Ask a Tarot Reader

Ask a Tarot Reader – how do I learn tarot?

Ask a Tarot Reader: I don’t like my final outcome card! What do I do?

[Vlog] How I receive psychic information: a video edition of Ask a Tarot Reader