Should Tarot Reading Rely on Intuition or Memory?

This is an excellent question that many newcomers to Tarot cards struggle with. The most accurate answer is: You need both, and they work together; it's not an either/or situation.

Think of it like learning to cook.

Memory is like your "cookbook" and your understanding of "ingredients."

First, you need to know that salt is salty, sugar is sweet, and tomatoes and eggs can make a dish. In Tarot, this "memory" is your learning and mastery of each card's basic meaning. For example, you know that the "Sun" card typically represents joy, success, and vitality, while the "Tower" card often signifies sudden upheaval.

If you don't remember the card meanings at all, interpreting them becomes pure guesswork, easily leading to irrelevant conclusions. It's like a chef who doesn't know salt is salty – how good would their cooking be? So, memorizing the basic card meanings, symbols, and elements is your fundamental skill, your "ingredient pantry." Without this foundation, your interpretations will be very "hollow."

Intuition, on the other hand, is like the chef's "inspiration" and mastery of "heat control."

A good chef doesn't just follow a recipe. They adjust the amount of salt and sugar based on the freshness of today's ingredients and the diners' preferences, and they might spontaneously add a pinch of spice to give the dish more flavor.

In Tarot, intuition is that "stroke of genius." When you lay out a spread:

• Why do these particular cards, when placed together, suddenly make you think of a certain event?
• Why is your first glance drawn not to the central figure on the card, but to a small flower in the corner?
• Why does the "Three of Cups," which clearly means celebration, give you a sense of false joy?

These "feelings" are your intuition at work. It "cooks" the scattered card meanings you've memorized (ingredients) into a complete, unique, and targeted story (a delicious dish), based on the question and the person (diner) in front of you.

So, this is how they cooperate:

1. Memory provides you with a framework and options. When you see a card, your brain immediately recalls the core meanings you've learned, such as "Option A, Option B, Option C."
2. Intuition helps you choose among these options and connect them. Intuition will tell you: "Hey, given today's situation, Option B is the most fitting! And, look at the card next to it; when you connect them, doesn't it seem to be saying..."

Here's my advice:

• As a beginner, boldly rely on memory. Don't be afraid to consult books or use cheat sheets. This is a necessary path; no one is born knowing everything. First, get familiar with all your "ingredients."
• While memorizing card meanings, start practicing your intuition. Draw a card every day, and don't rush to look up its meaning. First, spend a minute quietly observing the card, asking yourself: What feeling does it evoke? What do you see? What are the figures on the card doing, or thinking? Write down your initial feelings, then compare them with the book's meaning to see if there's a connection.
• Gradually, you'll find that memory and intuition naturally merge. When you see a card, its book meaning (memory) will first pop into your mind, but immediately afterward, a special feeling or a specific image (intuition) will emerge, helping you "ground" that meaning in a real-world issue.

In summary, stop overthinking it. Memory is your map, telling you where the mountains and rivers are; intuition is your guide, telling you which path to take today and where the scenery is best for you. Neither can be absent.

Hello! This is an excellent question, and it's something almost everyone learning Tarot struggles with.

Let's put it this way: these two aren't mutually exclusive; rather, they are intertwined, each containing elements of the other, much like learning a new language.

Memory is like "memorizing vocabulary"; it's the foundation.

Initially, you definitely need to "cram" a bit. Each card has its core, generally accepted meaning. For example, the Three of Swords represents sorrow, and the Ten of Cups signifies family happiness. This is like learning English where you first need to know that "apple" means apple. If you don't remember these basic meanings, when you draw a card, you'll have no idea what it's saying; your mind will be blank, and intuition won't even come into play. So, in the beginning, consulting books, researching, and reviewing notes is nothing to be ashamed of—everyone starts this way. This is laying the foundation; without a solid foundation, everything that follows is nonsense.

Intuition is like "forming sentences" and "reading comprehension"; it's the next level.

Once you've memorized enough "vocabulary," intuition starts to come into play.

Think about it: if you draw three cards for a question, you can't just recite the isolated meanings of three words and call it a day, right? This is where intuition is needed to "string words into sentences."

• Connecting cards: Intuition helps you see the storyline between these cards. For instance, if The Lovers card is followed by The Tower, your intuition might tell you that this relationship could experience a sudden, disruptive change.
• Connecting cards to the question: The same Death card, when asked about work, might signify leaving a job for a new one; when asked about relationships, it could mean the complete end and rebirth of a relationship. Intuition helps you precisely focus the card's meaning on the specific question you've asked.
• Feeling the card's imagery: Your intuition will also be triggered by the card's visuals. Sometimes, as you gaze at a card, a small detail—like a character's gaze or a small tree in the background—might suddenly give you a unique feeling, and this feeling is often the key to interpretation.

To summarize:

So, stop agonizing over whether to rely on intuition or memory. The correct process is:

Start with memory to get initiated, then use intuition to elevate your understanding.

Memory provides you with the raw ingredients (card meanings), while intuition is the chef who cooks these ingredients into a delicious dish (a complete reading) according to the guest's taste (your question).

My advice for beginners is: diligently memorize card meanings, but don't box yourself in. Look at the cards often, feel them, and practice frequently. Over time, you'll find that you no longer need to consciously "think" about what a card means; it will naturally tell you what it wants to say. That moment is when your memory and intuition perfectly merge.