Tarot readings work by using a deck of 78 cards, each with unique imagery and symbolism, to gain insight into one's life, relationships, or future events. The Tarot deck is divided into two parts: the 22 Major Arcana cards, which represent significant life events and spiritual lessons, and the 56 Minor Arcana cards, which depict everyday situations and experiences.

Here are the basic steps in a Tarot reading:

1. Formulate a question: Before beginning a Tarot reading, you or the person you're reading for should think of a question or a topic to focus on. The question can be specific or general, but it's essential to have a clear intention.

2. Shuffle the deck: The reader shuffles the Tarot cards, often while concentrating on the question or topic. This process is believed to infuse the cards with the energy or intuition of the person asking the question.

3. Choose a spread: A spread is a specific layout or arrangement of Tarot cards that is used to address the question or topic. There are various spreads, each with its purpose and significance. Popular spreads include the Celtic Cross, the Three-Card Spread, and the Horseshoe Spread.

4. Deal the cards: The reader deals the chosen number of cards from the shuffled deck and places them in the positions specified by the spread.

5. Interpret the cards: The reader interprets each card's meaning, taking into account its symbolism, its position in the spread, and its relationship to other cards in the spread. The cards' meanings can be found in Tarot guidebooks or through the reader's intuition.

6. Apply the insights: The person receiving the reading considers the interpretations and applies them to their life or situation, using the insights gained from the reading as guidance or advice.

It's important to note that Tarot readings are not meant to predict the future with absolute certainty. Instead, they provide a fresh perspective, reveal hidden patterns, and encourage self-reflection to help individuals make informed decisions and better understand their life situations.

How Web-Based Readings Work

The basic process is just like what you would do with actual cards in your hands. The virtual cards are shuffled until you're ready to deal. Then you pick one card for each spot in the layout. After that, a meaning is retrieved from a huge database of interpretations, based on the card's position, its posture (upright or reversed), its place in the layout, and the theme of the reading. It's the same as if you shuffled and dealt paper cards and looked up their meanings in a book, but our "book" has over sixty thousand pages.

Some people dislike computerized readings because they think virtual cards aren't "real." But computers are real (just try dropping one on your foot if you're not sure), and there's no important difference between cards made of paper and cards made of silicon and electricity.

Whether you're doing a reading for yourself using paper cards at home, talking to a professional Tarot reader, or using this website, it all comes down to figuring out how to use the meanings in your life. You're always the one doing the reading. We just make it easier for you.