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Tarot cards have undoubtedly become the face of divination and fortune telling. While the practice of reading tarot cards has been around for many years, popular culture and social media have recently renewed their popularity. Most people use tarot cards to connect with their inner selves and make sense of the events in their life. Learning what they can mean and how to do readings yourself can be intimidating. But with a tarot guide, it doesn’t have to be.
These books can teach you everything there is to know about tarot cards and help you read them. Not only will you be more in tune with your feelings, but you’ll also be able to read other people’s divination as well. Whether you’re new to tarot or have been into it for years, we have a book that will meet your needs. With the most detailed tarot guides of 2024, you don’t have to rely on anyone else to determine your fate. Let’s get reading!
Comparing the Top Tarot Guide of 2024
How To Read Tarot — Best Overall
When it comes to tarot books, the reader must be able to understand the information without being confused. How To Read Tarot by Jessica Wiggan is perfect for novice tarot readers who have just started exploring this side of divination. It comes in paperback and Kindle versions, so you can choose how you want to read it based on your preferences. This tarot guide explains how to lay out cards for different types of readings to help you get the basics right. It also includes an in-depth explanation of every card and its upright and reversed meanings. With so much useful information packed in, it's no wonder this option is our best overall tarot guide.
Pros
- Includes tarot starter spreads
- Perfect for beginners
- Easy to read and understand
- Comes in many different formats
Cons
- Not ideal for deep study
Guided Tarot — Best Illustrations
Stephanie Caponi’s Guided Tarot is a perfect option if you’re just getting into tarot. Its colorful illustrations, helpful diagrams, and reflective exercises make it ideal for all learners. It discusses different spreads and their relevance to past, present, and future readings. This pick also explores the implication of some cards on specific areas of life, such as money, love, and career. The included reference charts can help you remember the important details of the cards so you can start doing readings without needing to look at the guide. Overall, it's a great starter tarot guide for many people.
Pros
- Has step-by-step advice
- Comes with illustrations of every card
- Explains spreads and the Celtic cross layout
- Includes a reference chart for easy remembering
Cons
- Pages are poorly trimmed
The Ultimate Guide to Tarot — Most Comprehensive
If you’ve been looking for a tarot guide that helps you link astrology, numerology, and kabbalah to the traditional tarot, this is the book that you need! The main attraction of The Ultimate Guide To Tarot lies in Liz Dean’s approach to including three essential factors in any tarot reading. First, getting to know the meaning behind the cards; second, how to place them; and third, interpreting their inherent messages. This comprehensive tarot guide will equip you with step-by-step information for setting up the cards for any type of spread and how to read them. It's a great book for people with an interest in tarot and astrology.
Pros
- Differentiates tarot facts from myths
- Has a colorful design and exterior
- Talks about card reversals
- Comprehensive major and minor arcana guide
Cons
- Is a very large book in size
Guide to Tarot Card Meanings — Easiest To Use
Any tarot enthusiast is probably familiar with the Biddy Tarot website, the leading website for tarot card meanings. So when we tell you there’s a book by the website’s author, you know it's going to be a no-brainer option! Guide to Tarot Card Meanings by Brigit Esselmont contains all the essentials of good tarot reading and enlightens readers with in-depth information about the symbolism present within the illustration of the cards. It can help you understand the religious, cultural, and spiritual influences of tarot reading. Apart from this, readers also benefit from diagrams, journaling prompts, and keyword charts that can help make anyone a tarot guru. Get your hands on this beloved masterpiece today!
Pros
- Available in paperback and Kindle formats
- Perfect for a self-help approach
- Good learning curve
- Factually correct information
Cons
- Has low-quality paper
Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom — Most Educational
Not everyone’s into tarot for its aesthetic. Some people just want to read extensively about the history of the practice and how far its come. If you’re someone who doesn’t mind giving up on pretty illustrations for some incredibly thorough tarot knowledge, then this tarot guide is definitely for you. It discusses the history and evolution of tarot and the many variations of its most popular decks. The book also has a detailed description for each card along with proper instructions on how to lay spreads and interpret them. Overall, Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack is a great book for people curious about the educational aspect of tarot reading.
Pros
- In-depth tarot history
- For both new and advanced students
- Focuses on the theoretical aspect of things
- Easy to understand
Cons
- Does not have colorful illustrations
Finding the Ideal Tarot Guide: A Buyer’s Guide
Tarot guides are great for having fun and can even be used for seriously getting your life back on track. Whether you’re stuck on a tough decision or feel generally directionless in life, a well-analyzed reading can bring about great change. Let’s look at what tarot guides are and how they help you on your tarot journey.
Benefits of Using a Tarot Guide
Contains factual information
Although the internet may have lots of information about tarot cards, their placements, and meanings, not all that you read there is true. It is very easy to be misled online, which can cause you to misinterpret the meaning of your cards. All of the most popular tarot guides are written by professionals who have either been practicing in the field for many years or have done lots of research on it. This makes the information and insights they provide more reliable than some of what you find online.
Helps develop a solid foundation
It’s easy to become very involved in tarot without knowing the history and reasoning behind it. Most people start doing card readings without ever having studied the symbolism or thought behind the cards they are pulling. A good tarot guide helps the reader build a strong foundation and familiarity with tarot decks before moving on to making spreads and reading cards.
Can read it anytime and anywhere
Online information about tarot decks and readings is often organized and can only be accessed via the internet. A tarot guide, on the other hand, can be read or referred to any time you have light. It also feels great in your hands, has colorful illustrations to appreciate, and can be a good way to kill time during breaks and while having a snack. No matter how modernized the world gets, you can’t deny the appeal of a good book.
Includes interactive exercises and tools
Something that often worries expert astrologists and tarot card readers is that many people end up taking interest in the skill and have no way of knowing whether their readings are right or not. With tarot guides, you have exercises and quizzes that can help with your analytical ability to read cards and interpret their meanings. In the long run, this helps people do a better job and have more confidence in their skills.
How To Buy a Tarot Guide
Content
Before buying a tarot guide, you need to assess its contents and see whether it meets your needs or not. Most tarot books will teach you how to do a tarot reading, but some might focus more on the meanings of the tarot cards, while others might be more directed towards helping you create tarot spreads.
Type of tarot
There are a few different ways to do tarot card readings, but the most common is to use a three-card spread. This spread will give you information about your past, present, and future. Most people use the Rider-Waite tarot deck as it is one of the most popular and easiest to read. There are many different types of decks with different cards, symbolism, and meanings, however. You might even find a type of book that's about oracle reading which is a lot like tarot reading but isn't quite the same.
Reader level
It's very important that your tarot guide matches your level of familiarity with the subject. Most people prefer beginner-level books as they are generally easier to understand. If you're just starting, avoid books that are too technical or advanced. You want a book that covers the basics but also provides some depth to learn more as you become more comfortable with the material.
If you're an experienced tarot reader, on the other hand, you'll want a book that goes into more detail and provides a more comprehensive understanding of tarot card meanings. A book at this level will often have a more complicated layout and design, as well as readings that are tailored for those who already have some knowledge of tarot.
