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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Point Park chapter.

Tarot cards have been around for many years, and there have been many myths about them. Tarot cards were originally used by “readers” to give people their fortunes. When giving a reading, tarot cards give an outlook on the individual’s life. This doesn’t always mean the future, but also the past and present.  Some people use tarot cards as tools of spirituality, but I’m going to give you all a crash course in tarot cards for fun.

Tarot cards are great for parties because they happen to be a fun icebreaker. If you use these cards for anything, use them for fun! I recommend getting a box set that includes a booklet full of instructions.  You can find inexpensive box sets online that are under $20, so don’t worry about spending a ton of money on them.

  1. When you first get your cards make sure you shuffle them and separate them into the right categories.
  2. Tarot cards have two categories. Major Arcana and Minor Arcana. Your booklet should tell you where each card belongs.
  3. If you bought only the cards, then here’s an easy way to figure them out. Major cards don’t have numbers, whereas Minor cards have numbers, or knights, kings or queens.
  4. Look through all of your cards to become familiar with the artwork. The artwork will help you figure out which card you’re looking at without having to always look at the name. You will soon be able to know the meaning just by looking.
  5. Your book should have a detailed explanation of each card, if you only have the cards the internet is your best friend. It’s very easy to find the meaning.
  6. Now it’s time to do a reading. Sometimes if I headed out for the day, I’ll pull a card after shuffling and carry that card with me so I’ll have an idea about my day. There is the Celtic Cross reading that takes practice, and the easiest reading is the Horseshoe. For the Horseshoe reading, all you have to do is pick seven cards and make an arch with them facedown.
  7. When doing readings for others, make sure they always shuffle and you do the reading.
  8. Most of all, don’t take the reading serious if you’re not really into it. If you’re doing this for fun, then have fun with it and use it as icebreaker, or relaxation tool. Remember you are the only one that can determine your fate!