Tarot for Beginners: Common Mistakes to Avoid (And How to Fix Them)

Introduction: The Mistakes Every Beginner Makes

You bought your first tarot deck. You're excited. You shuffle the cards, pull one, and... you have no idea what you're doing.

So you do what every beginner does: you make mistakes.

You ask the same question five times hoping for a different answer. You read when you're anxious and desperate. You ignore your intuition and cling to the guidebook. You treat the cards like a magic 8-ball instead of a mirror.

Here's the good news: Every tarot reader has made these mistakes. They're not failures—they're part of the learning process.

But you don't have to learn the hard way. This guide reveals the 10 most common tarot beginner mistakes and, more importantly, how to fix them so you can skip the frustration and start reading with confidence.

Mistake #1: Reading When You're Emotionally Desperate

What It Looks Like

You're anxious about a situation (a relationship, a job, money). You grab your cards hoping they'll tell you everything will be okay. You pull card after card, searching for the answer you want.

Why It's a Problem

When you're emotionally charged, you can't read objectively. You'll see what you want to see (or fear to see), not what the cards are actually saying. Desperation clouds intuition.

How to Fix It

• Wait until you're calm: Take a few deep breaths, go for a walk, or wait a day before reading
• Have someone else read for you: An objective reader can see what you can't
• Reframe your question: Instead of "Will they come back?" ask "What do I need to know about this situation?"
• Journal first: Write out your feelings before touching the cards

The Rule: If you're too attached to a specific outcome, don't read for yourself.

Mistake #2: Asking the Same Question Over and Over

What It Looks Like

You pull a card. You don't like the answer. So you shuffle and pull again. And again. And again. Until you get the card you want.

Why It's a Problem

This is called "fishing for answers," and it:

• Shows you don't trust the cards
• Confuses the energy (which answer is real?)
• Trains you to ignore guidance you don't like
• Makes readings meaningless

How to Fix It

• One question, one reading: Pull your cards, accept the answer, and move on
• If you need clarity, rephrase: Instead of asking again, ask "What am I missing about this situation?"
• Wait 24 hours: If you still need to ask, wait a day. Often the answer becomes clear with time
• Trust the first pull: Your intuition is strongest on the first draw

The Rule: Ask once. Trust the answer. If you don't like it, sit with it instead of reshuffling.

Mistake #3: Relying Only on the Guidebook

What It Looks Like

You pull a card, immediately grab the guidebook, and read the meaning word-for-word. You never look at the imagery. You never trust your gut. The book is your crutch.

Why It's a Problem

Tarot is an intuitive practice. If you only use the book, you're not developing your intuition—you're just memorizing someone else's interpretations. The cards will never speak to you.

How to Fix It

• Look at the card first: Before checking the book, spend 30 seconds observing the imagery. What do you see? What do you feel?
• Ask yourself questions: What's happening in this card? What's the mood? What would I think this means if I'd never seen it before?
• Write your interpretation, then check the book: See how close you were. You'll be surprised how often you're right
• Use the book as a supplement, not a script: It's there to expand your understanding, not replace your intuition

The Rule: Intuition first, guidebook second.

Mistake #4: Ignoring Reversed Cards (Or Being Scared of Them)

What It Looks Like

A card appears upside down. You either:

• Flip it right-side up and pretend it wasn't reversed, OR
• Panic because you think reversed = bad

Why It's a Problem

Reversed cards add nuance and depth to readings. Ignoring them means you're missing half the message. And fearing them means you don't understand them.

How to Fix It

• Decide if you're using reversals: It's okay to read only upright cards as a beginner. But if you choose to use reversals, commit to it
• Understand what reversed means: It's not "bad." It can mean:
  • Blocked or delayed energy
  • Internalized version of the upright meaning
  • The shadow side of the card
  • A need to pay closer attention
• Practice with reversals: Pull a card, read it upright, then flip it and see how the meaning shifts

The Rule: Reversed doesn't mean bad. It means "look deeper."

Mistake #5: Treating Tarot Like Fortune-Telling

What It Looks Like

You ask: "Will I get the job?" "Will they text me back?" "When will I meet my soulmate?" You expect the cards to predict the future with certainty.

Why It's a Problem

Tarot shows possibilities, not fixed fate. The future is fluid. Your choices matter. Treating tarot like a crystal ball sets you up for disappointment and removes your agency.

How to Fix It

• Reframe your questions:
  • Instead of "Will I get the job?" ask "What do I need to know about this job opportunity?"
  • Instead of "Will they text?" ask "What's the energy between us right now?"
  • Instead of "When will I meet my soulmate?" ask "What's blocking me from love?"
• Focus on guidance, not prediction: Ask "What do I need to know?" or "What action should I take?"
• Remember: you have free will: The cards show the path you're on, but you can change direction

The Rule: Tarot is a mirror, not a magic 8-ball.

Mistake #6: Not Cleansing Your Deck

What It Looks Like

You've been using your deck for months (or years). You've never cleansed it. Readings feel muddy, repetitive, or heavy. The same cards keep showing up.

Why It's a Problem

Tarot cards absorb energy—from you, from the questions, from the people you read for. Over time, this energy builds up like dust on a mirror. Cleansing clears it.

How to Fix It

• Cleanse your deck regularly: Monthly, after heavy readings, or when it feels "off"
• Methods:
  • Pass through sage or incense smoke
  • Place on a selenite crystal overnight
  • Leave under the full moon
  • Knock on the deck three times
  • Visualize white light clearing the cards
• Cleanse after someone else touches your deck: Especially if they were skeptical or negative

The Rule: Clean cards = clear readings.

Mistake #7: Letting Others Touch Your Deck Without Permission

What It Looks Like

You leave your deck on the table. A friend picks it up, shuffles it, pulls a card. You feel... weird about it.

Why It's a Problem

Your tarot deck absorbs your energy. It's a personal tool. When others handle it (especially without permission), they leave their energy on it. Some readers are fine with this; others find it disruptive.

How to Fix It

• Set boundaries: It's okay to say "Please don't touch my cards"
• Have a "public" deck: One deck for yourself, one for reading for others
• Cleanse after others touch it: If someone does handle your deck, cleanse it before your next reading
• Trust your gut: If you don't mind others touching your deck, that's fine too. There's no universal rule

The Rule: Your deck, your rules.

Mistake #8: Reading for Others Before You're Ready

What It Looks Like

You've been reading tarot for two weeks. A friend asks for a reading. You say yes, even though you're not confident. The reading is awkward, unclear, and you feel like a fraud.

Why It's a Problem

Reading for others requires confidence, boundaries, and skill. If you're not ready, you'll:

• Doubt yourself the whole time
• Give confusing or unhelpful readings
• Absorb their energy and emotions
• Feel drained and discouraged

How to Fix It

• Practice on yourself first: Get comfortable with the cards before reading for others
• Start with willing friends: People who know you're learning and won't judge
• Set boundaries: "I'm still learning, so this is practice" or "I can't read about health/legal/financial advice"
• Know when to say no: If you're not ready, it's okay to decline

The Rule: Master reading for yourself before reading for others.

Mistake #9: Comparing Your Readings to Others

What It Looks Like

You see a tarot reader on Instagram pull the same card you did, but their interpretation is completely different. You think: "I'm doing it wrong. They're the real reader. I'm a fraud."

Why It's a Problem

Tarot is personal. Two readers can pull the same card and interpret it differently—and both can be right. Comparing yourself to others kills your confidence and your unique voice.

How to Fix It

• Remember: tarot is subjective: There's no one "right" interpretation
• Learn from others, don't copy them: See how they read, then find your own style
• Trust your interpretation: If a card speaks to you differently, honor that
• Focus on your journey: You're not competing with other readers

The Rule: Your reading is valid, even if it's different from someone else's.

Mistake #10: Giving Up Too Soon

What It Looks Like

You try tarot for a few weeks. It's hard. You don't "get it" right away. You feel frustrated and think: "Maybe I'm just not intuitive enough for this." So you quit.

Why It's a Problem

Tarot is a skill. Like any skill, it takes time, practice, and patience. Expecting to be an expert in a month is unrealistic. Giving up means you never get to experience the magic.

How to Fix It

• Commit to 30 days: Pull one card every morning for a month. That's it. See what happens
• Lower your expectations: You don't need to be perfect. You just need to show up
• Celebrate small wins: Did you interpret a card correctly? Did you trust your gut? That's progress
• Join a community: Learning with others makes it easier and more fun

The Rule: Tarot is a practice, not a performance. Keep practicing.

Bonus Mistake: Thinking You Need to Be "Psychic"

The Myth

"I'm not psychic, so I can't read tarot."

The Truth

You don't need to be psychic to read tarot. You need to be intuitive—and everyone has intuition. Tarot is a tool that helps you access it.

How to Fix It

• Reframe "psychic" as "intuitive": You already have gut feelings, hunches, and instincts. That's intuition
• Trust small intuitive hits: "This card feels sad" or "I sense hope here"—that's enough
• Practice strengthens intuition: The more you read, the stronger your intuition becomes

The Rule: Intuition is a muscle. Tarot is the gym.

How to Avoid These Mistakes: A Beginner's Checklist

Before Every Reading:

• ☐ Am I calm and grounded?
• ☐ Is my question clear and open-ended?
• ☐ Have I cleansed my deck recently?
• ☐ Am I ready to hear the truth, even if it's not what I want?

During the Reading:

• ☐ Look at the card before checking the book
• ☐ Trust my first impression
• ☐ Consider the card's position in the spread
• ☐ Ask: "What is this card trying to tell me?"

After the Reading:

• ☐ Journal about the reading
• ☐ Don't immediately re-read the same question
• ☐ Thank the cards
• ☐ Ground myself (eat, drink water, touch the earth)

The Biggest Lesson: Be Patient with Yourself

Every tarot reader you admire made these mistakes. Every single one.

The difference between them and beginners who quit? They kept going.

They made mistakes, learned from them, and kept practicing. They trusted the process. They were patient with themselves.

You can do the same.

Tarot isn't about being perfect. It's about being present, curious, and willing to learn.

Make the mistakes. Learn from them. Keep reading.

The cards are waiting for you.