Is it necessary to buy a specific beginner's book to learn Tarot cards?

Hey there, I also struggled with this question when I first started learning Tarot. Let me share my thoughts with you, based on my experience.

To get straight to the point: It's not absolutely necessary to buy one, but I personally strongly, strongly, strongly recommend you do.

Why do I say that? Let me break it down for you.

First, why do I say 'it's not absolutely necessary'?

Because in this day and age, there's an abundance of free resources. When you buy a deck, it usually comes with a small booklet (often called an LWB, or 'Little White Book'), which contains the most basic keywords for each card. This is enough for you to 'look up definitions' as needed.

Besides that, there are countless articles, forums, and video creators online. If you just search for 'Two of Cups meaning,' you'll find a ton of explanations. So, if you only want to occasionally draw a card and get a general idea of its fortune, these free resources are perfectly fine.

But! Why do I 'strongly recommend' you buy one?

It's like learning to cook. You can always search online for 'how to make shredded pork with fish flavor' and follow the steps. But if you truly want to 'learn' to cook, to understand heat control, knife skills, and the principles of seasoning, then buying a reliable cookbook or systematically learning from a master will yield vastly different results.

Dedicated beginner books can offer you several things that scattered online information cannot:

1. A complete 'learning system': A good book will guide you step-by-step, starting from the history and structure of Tarot (the relationship between Major Arcana, Minor Arcana, and Court Cards), to build a comprehensive knowledge framework. It won't just tell you 'this card means this' in isolation; it will explain 'why' it means that, how it connects to preceding and succeeding cards, and what its elements, numbers, and symbols represent. This 'framework' is crucial and forms the foundation for you to interpret cards flexibly in the future. Online information is too fragmented; it's a bit here and a bit there, making it difficult to form your own coherent system.

2. An in-depth 'teacher': Every Tarot book contains the author's years of research and interpretation experience. Reading a book is like attending a lecture from an experienced mentor. They will share their interpretation methods, techniques, and even unique insights. This offers much more warmth and depth than the generic, copy-pasted card meanings you find online.

3. Helps you focus and develop 'card sense': Learning Tarot requires a calm mind. Holding a book with your cards beside you, you can quietly look at, touch, and feel each card. This focused ritualistic experience is hard to achieve when learning online, constantly switching tabs and being interrupted by pop-up ads. This dedicated interaction is an excellent way to cultivate your 'intuitive connection' (or 'card sense') with your deck.

A few small tips for you:

• Don't overthink it: You don't need to start by buying some 'timeless classic.' Just find a beginner's book that has good reviews, looks appealing, and whose writing style you enjoy. For example, 'Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom' is highly recommended by many; it's a classic and comprehensive, like a textbook. There are also more modern books that focus more on intuition, which are also great. You can browse them in a bookstore or check out online previews. Choose the one where the author feels like they're 'chatting' with you.

• The book is a map, not the law: The card meanings in the book are your starting point, not your destination. It's a tool to help you understand the cards, but ultimately, you are the one who interprets them. As you become more familiar with the cards, you'll combine the imagery and your intuition to arrive at interpretations that are more relevant to the current question than what's written in a book.

So, to summarize: If you just want to dabble, looking things up online is fine. But if you want to seriously pursue Tarot as a hobby and truly learn it, then investing in a book that costs a few tens of dollars is absolutely the most worthwhile investment on your learning journey. It can save you a lot of time spent fumbling around and taking detours.

I hope my experience helps you! Have fun with your Tarot cards!

Hello! Regarding this question, my experience is: it's not "absolutely" necessary, but if you want to avoid detours and get a systematic start, buying a reliable beginner's book is definitely the most cost-effective choice.

Let's put it this way, you can imagine learning Tarot cards as learning a language with 78 "letters."

Why strongly recommend buying a book?

A good beginner's book is like your "textbook + dictionary." It will systematically guide you through the entire Tarot system: from the 22 Major Arcana cards (the main storyline), to the 56 Minor Arcana cards (details of daily life), and then to the Court Cards (character roles) and the meanings of the four suits—Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. This process is gradual and helps you build a very solid foundation. When you draw a card and are completely clueless, consulting the book is the most direct and reliable way to find answers.

So, can you learn online without buying a book?

Of course you can! There are so many free resources online now—websites, forums, video tutorials are abundant.

But the downsides are also obvious:

1. Information is too fragmented: Today you might see a blogger discussing the "Three of Swords," and tomorrow another app explaining "The World" card. This lacks a coherent system, making your learning disjointed and difficult to connect.
2. Quality varies greatly: There's a lot of information online, but not all of it is accurate or in-depth. Some interpretations might be overly personal or simply incorrect, making it hard for beginners to distinguish.
3. Easy to get distracted and anxious: Information overload can leave you unsure who to listen to, leading to more confusion.

Therefore, my usual advice for beginners is:

1. First, buy a widely acclaimed beginner's book. Treat it as your "main quest." Classic books like The Ultimate Guide to Tarot or Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom have stood the test of time and can provide you with a clear, stable framework.

2. Use online resources as "side quests" and "supplementary materials." Once you have a basic understanding of a card from a book, then explore different interpretations online or learn about spreads not covered in the book. This will greatly enrich your perspective.

3. Most importantly, interact with your own cards. Books provide "standard" interpretations, but the essence of Tarot lies in the connection between the imagery on the cards and your personal intuition. Look at the cards often, feel them, and practice interpreting them for yourself. This is more important than reading any number of books.

To summarize: A book isn't the only path, but it's the most stable and fastest one. It helps you build a "knowledge skeleton," and then through online resources and personal practice, you can gradually add flesh and blood to this skeleton, ultimately forming your own understanding.