Choosing a deck is like choosing a kitten. Instead of picking the one which is the fluffiest, prettiest bundle of fur, you should stand there for a while, watching the kittens at play. Eventually one (usually the most unexpected one) will approach you. This will be the perfect cat to understand you and your moods, and you will be the right companion to feed and care for this particular pet.

Ideally, your first pack should have each card illustrated with an explanatory scene. While some decks have pictorial Major Arcana Cards, and very basic Minor Arcana Cards, i.e. showing, for examples, just three coins in a row, other decks are illustrated throughout in illuminating detail. This will make it much easier for you to truly understand the tarot, as the cards will trigger many sub-conscious responses and memories, and hence, your intuition.

Ideally your cards should be stored in a pure silk bag or cloth, since silk allows no bad energies to be absorbed by the cards. Many people keep their cards in a wooden box, as this also protects the cards from bad energies.

Many tarotists allow nobody to touch their cards, not even to shuffle them. My advice is to trust your own judgment. If you feel that a person has bad vibes, you may avoid that person (to such an extent of not even reading for them, never mind not allowing them to touch your cards), since it can be trying reading for a person with bad vibes or ill intentions.

Eventually you should have a "relationship" with your tarot cards, however, this is normally a long procedure. Just as when you meet a stranger for the first time, it takes many hours and meetings before you can claim to "knowing" that person.

When you acquire your first deck, you should keep it with you at all times. Sleep with it under your pillow. Keep it in your handbag or briefcase. Talk to the cards. Touch them. Pass on your own precious energies to the cards. Make them a part of your life... not a toy to play with once in a while, not a party piece, but a source of comfort and companionship with you where ever you may venture.

I suggest you keep a journal, a special book designated just for tarot, with your daily readings and your findings. Every day (preferably in the morning), shuffle your cards WITH BOTH FEET FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE FLOOR, and using the hand that you don't write with, select a card (without looking).

For a while, just look at your card. Absorb what you see. ¹Consider the following questions:

What does the card convey to you?

Of what life experience does it remind you?

Have you had this life experience, or have you only heard of it?

How close or removed from the depicted characters do you feel?

Overall, do you like the card?

Are there some parts of it that you are more drawn to than others?

Are there parts of it you don't like, or that make you uncomfortable?

If the characters could speak, what would they say? Speak as them.

What does the figure's depicted position on the card suggest to you about its goals or state of mind?

If you were the figure, how might you change your placement in the scene, or your posture?

What might the figure do next?

Etc., etc.

In the evening, without having let the card influence your day, jot down what happened during the day. As you would in any normal diary, note any events, mundane or extraordinary, and any emotions, thoughts, and ideas that you might have experienced. This way, you will be able to build up, not only, your own book of meanings, but you will be able to begin creating certain associations and reactions to the cards.

Whether you prefer to read in the privacy of your own home, or whether you enjoy the hustle and bustle of a psychic faire, the important thing is that you feel safe and comfortable.

PINE TABLES are recommended for reading tarot, since they do not store any energies except their own. So, no matter whom you read for, the reading will not be tainted by any previous client's energies. For this reason, SILK is also extremely useful for tarot readers. By storing your cards in a silk cloth or scarf you can be sure that no bad energy can get to the cards whilst you are not using them. Even using a silk tablecloth is a good idea... Try using a different colored cloth for different types of readings.

Having familiar objects that feel special to you close by, such as a shell you picked up from the beach, crystals and candles, can also help you relax. Familiar settings can make you feel secure and comfortable. If you always keep the same objects around you when you are reading, or handling your cards, the objects will absorb the energies present, and this will improve your readings. Just as the cards "work" better when you "know" them, having familiar objects around you also improves your readings. I personally think it is like the "stimulus-response syndrome". When you see your familiar crystal, or familiar tablecloth, you automatically go into "psychic mode". Burning incense works well too. By stimulating the olfactory glands your "psychic" glands seem to get stimulated too.

Reading for other people is an incredibly individual thing, which you, as a tarot reader, need to create and nurture in order to do the best readings.. You may prefer to read in an office environment or you may like to go the whole way and bring in crystal balls, stars and moons and a witch's hat. Whatever you feel comfortable with. The universe will send you the type of people you need, so don't worry about scaring people off. There are enough tarot readers to go around, so you can feel free to be the way you want to be. Remember that most people have a preconceived idea that all tarot readers are witches, and are often quite disappointed when you turn out to be the girl next door. Theatrics never hurt anyone.

Some clients like to record their readings. For this reason, keep a tape recorder, some paper, and pens available for your client (if it's appropriate for your style of reading).