Just got a set. :)

Hi! I hope you are enjoying your new deck. I've been reading on and off for about 5 years so I can definitely offer insights for beginners. From experiences, I've gotten some accurate results from it which honestly amazes me to this day.

The first thing I'd suggest is cleansing the deck to get rid of old energy that's tampered it and then bonding with the deck! Flip through the cards and get a feel for each of the imagery; you can even go ahead and start doing readings with it! Some people see their decks as that with a sentient while others just view it as a tool. I personally view them as a bit of both, but mostly more as an object that kinda serves as a friend figure who knows lol.

When doing readings for yourself, it's okay to reference the book, but ultimately, you want to use your intuition as that will yield accurate results. It's all about looking at the images and see how you can come with a story with intuition and creativity. And also, reading with reversals is an option. I currently do not read with reversals as I feel it's quite difficult for me, but I know one day I'll take that step when I'm ready. Some people just jump into reversals even as beginners, but I'd suggest sticking to uprights just to make things easier.

You also don't have to stick to getting the traditional deck either as that's been going around for beginners to use, but it's not necessary. The important thing is selecting a deck you feel connected to. Hopefully the deck you chose was something you felt drawn to, so that it's easier to bond. Lastly, do a deck interview! Similar to how a job interview works, you get to interview your deck and get to know its preferences; do know that as you grow so will your deck which means its preferences/style may change. You can find a deck interview chart anywhere online.

Some people have also chosen to cleanse their deck every now and then to get rid of old or negative energy; you don't have to do that. I don't do it much these days, but it does give the deck a fresh feel to it. You can also look into how to do that as well. There's plenty of ways to do it.

Tarot does in fact come with its own set of "rules." While one can argue you can do whatever you want, I find that by understanding these "regulations" it can make your experience much more effective and yield accurate results. Try to avoid asking yes/no questions; avoid doing legal, pregnancy, and most certainly, avoid asking too many of the same questions in such a short amount of time. Try to trust in the results of the first few readings and revisit the questions once a situation has changed. When you ask too many, you'll only just confuse yourself even more and the readings might even be muddled. So just trust in your cards more and definitely your intuition.

And with that, I'm currently offering a free relationship reading for practice and I'd love to practice on you if you're interested. But if not, thanks for reading and best of luck!

Dont let anyone else touch your cards, especially while you are still learning

Commenting a bit late but I hope you are getting on with your new deck. I have been reading cards for several years and starting with a Rider Waite Smith deck or a Marseille is a good place to start. Most decks in North America you will find are Rider Waite Smith style.

My biggest suggestion is not to get caught up in fixed definitions for each card. Which characteristics of each card apply will depend on the context provided by the rest of the spread.

I also usually suggest not bothering with reversals to start. 78 upright cards are tricky enough to get familiar with.

Also get a deck that vibes with you. It doesn't have to be strictly traditional. Some art styles work better for different people. Different decks can make it easier for people to figure out the meaning portrayed in each card and helps everything flow better.

If a deck made by the Order of the Golden Dawn in 1909 doesn't speak to you look and find a variation or a modern deck that makes sense to you.

I was taught that you can attune to the cards by leaving them under your pillow while you sleep for a few days. Makes them more "yours" if that makes sense.

Also, make sure to do readings at least semi-regulalry, because if you leave them on the shelf for too long, they get mad and call you out harshly. It is quite rude of them. 😅

It can drain you, so dont do more readings than you can cope with.