Interpretation of the Tarot comes completely from what the cards signify to you. Many use the books that occompany every deck, holding the "true" interpretations of the cards. The books are there to start you off, not confine you to the parameters of the authors opinion. Even though they published the deck, remember, the Tarot connects with your Inner Self, the author simply doesn't have room to be the middle man.
Interpretation comes in three separate aspects.
The meaning of the:
Which is the most important?
Most believe the individual card meanings are most important. This is untrue.
If we could only see one small aspect of the entire situation, we'd remain as confused
as when we first started. From here, some will infer that the overall implications are most important.
Still untrue. If we cannont break it down to a practical level, we can't understand how to react. Where does this
leave us?
Again, the most important and accurate interpretations come from you. Which ever aspect seems more significant at
the time, that's the
one that is most significant.
When interpreting individual cards, look at the card and figure out what you see and the implications it gives. The feeling may come from a feature that sticks out, not previously noticed, the facial expressions of the person(s), or some outside "gut" feeling. Individual cards define the nature of the energies; love, jealousy, material, spiritual. However it comes to you, let the thoughts flow, and the interpretation will flow also.
Positions in a spread exist in a logical pattern that suggests the relationship between cards. Positions often imply a chronological state or influence, helping to establish a workable time frame for the reader. Obviously, this is important to prevent readings of ten years in the past or twenty years in the future, or even past lives. (Though, spreads can be designed to focus on these areas as well.) Positions also help to identify the source of the energies. For example, internal, external, or internal energy of another person. The spread positions define the origins of the energies being interpreted.
From the positions, the overall impression is drawn, providing the answers to questions, or most likely path of the situation in question. Each reading shares a story, providing a practical view from which to decide on a course of action (or inaction if that be the case.) When the overall impression is told to the questioner, the reader should bring life to the cards and the story they share; dropping most of the analytical aspects, and using the information already drawn to provide an accurate relation.
Becoming a fluent reader does not happen over night. Rather, it takes many hours spent familiarizing yourself with your deck and strengthening the connection between your consciousness and Inner Self.