It’s on the cards

Tarot has been around for centuries and consists of a 78 deck of cards that can be used to decipher questions about your love life, career, relationships or life path.

Renée Gee from New Angel Tarot explains that Tarot is so much more than what it’s perceived to be.

“Tarot does not predict your future, nor will it tell you how to win the lottery,” she said.

“I am highly perceptive and I use the cards as a tool for divination.

“A Tarot reading can often reveal hidden messages that Spirit wants you to know, things about yourself you perhaps haven’t had time to work on and present guidance on how to manifest your full potential.”

Renée first learned about the cards when she was a teenager and stumbled upon someone doing readings in a bookshop in Melbourne.

“I had never had a proper reading before and something just drew me in that day,” she said.

“The man was probably between 60-70 years old, was very polite and just started shuffling and then telling me a story about my life.

“The crazy part was not when he named names within my family and friends, but the fact he was only using ordinary playing cards.

“That very day, I excited via gift shop, bought my first Rider Waite Smith deck and my first Tarot textbook, 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack.”

The deck of 78 cards can be interpreted in hundreds of ways. Each card holds meaning, but it’s up to you to determine what that is.

“The structure of the energies, the pictures and what you see will always give you the answer you need or someone else needs to hear,” Renée said.

“Learning ‘about the cards’ is only half of what is required.

“The other half is what you already know, what you see and how you feel if you’re reading for someone with an open heart.”

For beginners, Renée recommends traditional Rider Waite Smith cards, which are the yellow deck of cards that have become the most recognisable.

“Tarot is a lifelong journey, but you can start simply by buying a deck and reading the little book it comes with,” Renée said.

“It really is about how you connect and build your own connection. There are definite fundamentals in the structure of it all, so be patient, take your time, and it will reveal itself to you.

“A great place to start is just by shuffling the cards, laying them out and getting to know them, just as you would a friend.”

You want to get to know the cards and build your own connection.

A great way to do this is to do a daily card pull by first thinking of a question, more in-depth than a yes or no question, pull your card and see how it relates to your question.

You can also do three card readings, pulling three cards from the deck and laying them out from left to right, representing the past, present and future.

It’s all up to how you interpret the cards you receive.

“We never stop questioning Tarot and what it can teach us,” Renée said.

“For me, Tarot is a form of self-development and to connect with your higher self. What we learn about ourselves, we can then share with others.

“It really does have a way of relating to us all if you take the time to get to know what it truly offers.

“It can be really overwhelming — but if you stay curious and have an open heart, light shines in places we least expect.”

Renée offers readings and classes on Tarot via her website, newangeltarot.com

This story originally appeared in Betty. You can find the full publication at tinyurl.com/BETTY-Oct2023