Tarot Study Schedule: 30-Day Plan

BY NICOLE LAU

Introduction: Your 30-Day Transformation

Thirty days from now, you could be confidently reading tarot for yourself and others. Not just memorizing card meanings, but actually understanding the cards, trusting your intuition, and delivering meaningful readings. It's not magic—it's structured, consistent practice following a proven roadmap.

This 30-day plan is designed for complete beginners who want to learn tarot systematically without overwhelm. Each day builds on the previous, creating a foundation of knowledge and skill that transforms you from someone who owns a tarot deck into someone who knows how to use it. The plan balances theory and practice, book learning and intuitive development, study and application.

You'll need approximately 30-45 minutes per day—manageable for even busy schedules. By the end of 30 days, you'll have studied all 78 cards, learned multiple spreads, performed dozens of readings, and developed a personal relationship with your deck. You won't be a master (mastery takes years), but you'll be competent, confident, and ready to continue your tarot journey independently.

Let's begin your transformation.

Before You Start: What You'll Need

Essential Materials

1. A Tarot Deck
Choose a deck with imagery you connect with. For beginners, Rider-Waite-Smith or a RWS-based deck is recommended because most learning resources reference it.

2. A Journal
Physical notebook or digital document for daily entries, card studies, and reading documentation.

3. A Guidebook
Your deck's accompanying guidebook or a comprehensive tarot book like "Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom" by Rachel Pollack.

4. Time Commitment
30-45 minutes daily for 30 consecutive days. Consistency matters more than duration.

Optional But Helpful

- Tarot app for quick reference (Labyrinthos, Golden Thread)
- Colored pens or markers for journaling
- A dedicated space for your tarot practice
- A reading cloth or special surface for laying cards

Setting Yourself Up for Success

Choose Your Start Date: Pick a day when you can commit to 30 consecutive days. Starting on a Monday or new moon can feel symbolically powerful.

Schedule Your Practice Time: Same time each day builds habit. Morning works well for daily card pulls; evening for study and reflection.

Tell Someone: Accountability increases follow-through. Tell a friend or family member about your 30-day commitment.

Prepare Your Space: Set up a dedicated area for tarot practice. It doesn't need to be elaborate—just consistent.

The 30-Day Plan: Week by Week Overview

Week 1: Foundation (Days 1-7)

Focus: Deck structure, Major Arcana introduction, daily card practice
Goal: Understand how tarot is organized and begin building card familiarity
Skills Developed: Basic card recognition, journaling habit, intuitive observation

Week 2: Minor Arcana Deep Dive (Days 8-14)

Focus: The four suits, numerology, elemental associations
Goal: Understand the Minor Arcana structure and begin recognizing patterns
Skills Developed: Pattern recognition, suit comprehension, numerical themes

Week 3: Court Cards and Spreads (Days 15-21)

Focus: Court card personalities, learning spreads, reading for yourself
Goal: Master court cards and become comfortable with structured readings
Skills Developed: Spread interpretation, card combinations, narrative building

Week 4: Integration and Practice (Days 22-30)

Focus: Reading for others, advanced techniques, consolidation
Goal: Integrate everything learned and build reading confidence
Skills Developed: Reading for others, intuitive trust, personal style development

Day-by-Day Breakdown

Week 1: Foundation

Day 1: Meet Your Deck

Morning (10 min):
- Unbox and handle your deck
- Shuffle and notice how the cards feel
- Pull one card as your "card of the day"
- Journal: First impressions of the card

Evening (20 min):
- Learn deck structure: 22 Major Arcana, 56 Minor Arcana (4 suits × 14 cards)
- Separate your deck into Major and Minor Arcana
- Look through all 22 Major Arcana cards
- Journal: Which Major Arcana cards attract or repel you?

Reflection: How did your daily card manifest in your day?

Day 2: The Fool's Journey Begins

Morning (10 min):
- Daily card pull and initial impression
- Brief journal entry

Study (30 min):
- Study The Fool (0), The Magician (I), The High Priestess (II)
- For each card: observe imagery, read traditional meaning, create personal keywords
- Journal detailed notes on all three cards

Reflection: Evening journal about daily card manifestation

Day 3: Major Arcana Continued

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: The Empress (III), The Emperor (IV), The Hierophant (V)
Practice: Pull these three cards and create a story connecting them
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 4: Major Arcana Continued

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: The Lovers (VI), The Chariot (VII), Strength (VIII)
Practice: Compare The Emperor and The Empress—how do they differ?
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 5: Major Arcana Continued

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: The Hermit (IX), Wheel of Fortune (X), Justice (XI)
Practice: Pull a three-card spread (past-present-future) for yourself
Reflection: Daily card review + spread interpretation

Day 6: Major Arcana Continued

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: The Hanged Man (XII), Death (XIII), Temperance (XIV)
Practice: Meditate with Death card—what does transformation mean to you?
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 7: Major Arcana Completion + Week Review

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: The Devil (XV), The Tower (XVI), The Star (XVII), The Moon (XVIII), The Sun (XIX), Judgement (XX), The World (XXI)
Practice: Lay out all 22 Major Arcana in order. Tell the Fool's Journey as a story.
Weekly Review: Read through your week's journal. Which cards do you remember? Which need more study?

Week 2: Minor Arcana Deep Dive

Day 8: Introduction to Suits

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: Learn the four suits and their associations:
- Wands = Fire, passion, creativity, action
- Cups = Water, emotion, relationships, intuition
- Swords = Air, thought, communication, conflict
- Pentacles = Earth, material, work, manifestation
Practice: Separate your deck by suit. Look through each suit and notice themes.
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 9: Aces and Numerology

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: All four Aces + learn that Aces = new beginnings, pure potential, gifts
Practice: Pull an Ace. What new beginning is it suggesting?
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 10: Twos and Threes

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: All Twos (duality, choice, partnership) and Threes (growth, creativity, collaboration)
Practice: Compare how "duality" expresses in each suit's Two
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 11: Fours and Fives

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: All Fours (stability, foundation) and Fives (challenge, conflict, change)
Practice: Pull a Five. What challenge is it highlighting?
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 12: Sixes and Sevens

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: All Sixes (harmony, healing) and Sevens (reflection, assessment, spiritual testing)
Practice: Three-card spread focusing on a current challenge
Reflection: Daily card review + spread interpretation

Day 13: Eights and Nines

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: All Eights (movement, mastery, power) and Nines (near completion, fulfillment or anxiety)
Practice: Compare the four Nines—how does "near completion" look in each suit?
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 14: Tens + Week Review

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: All Tens (completion, culmination, transition to new cycle)
Practice: Lay out one suit (Ace through Ten). Tell the story of that suit's journey.
Weekly Review: Review your journal. Can you remember the numerical themes? Test yourself on random Minor Arcana cards.

Week 3: Court Cards and Spreads

Day 15: Pages

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: All four Pages (student, beginner, messenger, youthful energy)
Practice: Create a character profile for each Page based on someone you know
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 16: Knights

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: All four Knights (active pursuer, in motion, sometimes extreme)
Practice: Compare Knights to Pages—how does each rank differ?
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 17: Queens

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: All four Queens (nurturing master, internalized power, receptive energy)
Practice: Which Queen do you most identify with? Why?
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 18: Kings

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: All four Kings (authoritative master, externalized power, directive energy)
Practice: Three-card spread: What do I need to know about [a relationship]?
Reflection: Daily card review + spread interpretation

Day 19: Spread Mastery - Celtic Cross Part 1

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: Learn the Celtic Cross spread positions 1-5
Practice: Lay out positions 1-5 for a personal question. Interpret each position.
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 20: Spread Mastery - Celtic Cross Part 2

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: Learn Celtic Cross positions 6-10
Practice: Complete a full 10-card Celtic Cross reading for yourself
Reflection: Daily card review + detailed spread documentation

Day 21: Week Review + Practice Reading

Morning: Daily card pull
Practice: Perform a Celtic Cross reading for yourself on a real question. Document everything.
Weekly Review: Review your journal. Can you identify all 16 court cards? Practice with random cards.

Week 4: Integration and Practice

Day 22: Reading for Others - Preparation

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: Learn reading ethics and boundaries
Practice: Ask a willing friend if you can practice a reading for them (schedule for Day 23 or 24)
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 23: First Reading for Another Person

Morning: Daily card pull
Practice: Perform a three-card or Celtic Cross reading for your friend
Documentation: Detailed journal entry about the experience—what went well, what was challenging
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 24: Intuition Development

Morning: Daily card pull
Practice: "Blind reading"—pull cards face down, intuit their meaning before looking
Study: Review cards you consistently struggle with
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 25: Combination Practice

Morning: Daily card pull
Practice: Pull two random cards. Practice reading them as a combination—how do they modify each other?
Study: Learn about elemental dignities (how suits interact)
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 26: Spread Exploration

Morning: Daily card pull
Study: Learn a new spread (relationship spread, career spread, or year ahead)
Practice: Perform this new spread for yourself
Reflection: Daily card review + spread documentation

Day 27: Second Reading for Another Person

Morning: Daily card pull
Practice: Read for another person (same or different friend)
Documentation: Compare this reading to your first (Day 23)—what improved?
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 28: Personal Style Development

Morning: Daily card pull
Reflection: Review all 28 days of journal entries. What patterns emerge?
Practice: Identify your reading style—intuitive or structured? Predictive or therapeutic?
Study: Read about different reading approaches and identify what resonates

Day 29: Comprehensive Review

Morning: Daily card pull
Review: Test yourself on random cards from the full deck. Can you articulate a meaning for each?
Practice: Perform a reading addressing: "What do I need to know as I complete this 30-day journey?"
Reflection: Daily card review

Day 30: Celebration and Next Steps

Morning: Daily card pull
Celebration: Acknowledge your 30-day commitment. You did it!
Final Reading: "What is my tarot journey calling me toward next?"
Planning: Create your ongoing practice plan—how will you continue learning?
Reflection: Write a letter to your future self about this 30-day experience

Daily Practice Template

Use this template for consistency:

Morning Ritual (10 minutes):
1. Center yourself (breathwork, meditation, or simply sitting quietly)
2. Shuffle your deck
3. Pull your daily card
4. Observe it for 1-2 minutes before consulting any resources
5. Journal: Date, card, first impression, how it might apply to your day

Study Time (20-30 minutes):
Follow the day's specific study focus from the plan above

Evening Reflection (5-10 minutes):
1. Review your daily card
2. Journal: How did the card manifest in your day?
3. Note any insights or surprises
4. Prepare for tomorrow's study

Tips for Success

If You Miss a Day

Don't Quit: Missing one day doesn't ruin the plan. Just continue from where you left off.
Don't Double Up: Don't try to do two days' worth in one day. Just resume the schedule.
Adjust if Needed: If you consistently can't complete daily tasks, simplify. Better to do less consistently than more sporadically.

If You're Struggling

Slow Down: Extend the plan to 45 or 60 days if needed. Depth matters more than speed.
Focus on Daily Pulls: If overwhelmed, prioritize daily card pulls over study. Experiential learning is most valuable.
Ask for Help: Join online tarot communities (Reddit r/tarot, Facebook groups) for support and questions.

If You're Breezing Through

Go Deeper: Add additional readings, study multiple sources, explore advanced topics.
Read for More People: Practice readings for friends and family.
Explore Variations: Try different spreads, experiment with reversals, study tarot history.

After 30 Days: What's Next?

Assess Your Progress

After completing the 30 days, evaluate:

- Can you identify all 78 cards?
- Can you perform a Celtic Cross reading confidently?
- Do your daily card pulls frequently prove accurate?
- Have you read for at least two other people?
- Do you trust your intuition more than you did 30 days ago?

If yes to most of these, you've successfully completed beginner training!

Continuing Your Practice

Maintain Daily Pulls: Continue this practice indefinitely. It's the foundation of tarot mastery.
Read Regularly: Aim for 2-3 readings per week minimum (for yourself or others).
Deepen Study: Explore advanced topics: astrology in tarot, Kabbalah, elemental dignities, tarot history.
Join Community: Connect with other readers for support, practice, and growth.
Consider Teaching: Teaching beginners solidifies your own understanding.

Next-Level Goals

Months 2-3: Master 3-5 additional spreads, read for 10+ people
Months 4-6: Develop your unique reading style, explore specializations (relationships, career, spiritual guidance)
Months 7-12: Consider reading professionally (if desired), mentor beginners, create your own spreads
Year 2+: Deepen mastery, potentially pursue certification, teach or write about tarot

Common Challenges and Solutions

Challenge: "I Can't Remember All the Cards"

Solution: You're not supposed to memorize—you're building relationship. Focus on daily pulls and patterns, not rote memorization.

Challenge: "My Readings Don't Make Sense"

Solution: This is normal in early learning. Keep practicing. Coherence develops with experience, not study.

Challenge: "I Don't Feel Intuitive"

Solution: Intuition develops gradually through practice, not suddenly. Trust small hunches. Track when they're accurate.

Challenge: "I'm Overwhelmed"

Solution: Simplify. Just do daily card pulls for a week. Then add study gradually. Progress over perfection.

Challenge: "I Don't Have Time"

Solution: Even 10 minutes daily (just the morning card pull) is valuable. Adjust the plan to fit your life.

Measuring Your Success

Success isn't perfection—it's progress. After 30 days, you should notice:

Increased Familiarity: You recognize most cards without needing to check the guidebook
Growing Confidence: You can complete a reading without constant self-doubt
Intuitive Hits: You occasionally "just know" what a card means without thinking
Pattern Recognition: You notice recurring cards and themes in your practice
Practical Application: Your readings provide actual insight, not just card definitions
Enjoyment: You look forward to your daily practice rather than dreading it

Conclusion: Your Journey Begins

This 30-day plan is not the end of your tarot journey—it's the beginning. In 30 days, you won't be a master, but you'll be competent. You won't know everything, but you'll know enough to continue learning independently. You won't read perfectly, but you'll read confidently.

The transformation from complete beginner to confident reader happens through consistent, structured practice. This plan provides that structure. Your commitment provides the consistency. Together, they create transformation.

Thirty days from now, you'll look back at today and marvel at how much you've learned. You'll pull cards with confidence instead of confusion. You'll trust your interpretations instead of constantly second-guessing. You'll have a personal relationship with your deck instead of just owning a stack of mysterious images.

But all of that starts with Day 1. With pulling your first card. With writing your first journal entry. With making the commitment to show up for yourself and your practice every day for 30 days.

Your deck is waiting. Your journal is ready. Your 30-day transformation begins now.

Welcome to your tarot journey. Let's begin.