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I've read on several blogs, yahoo answers replies and such that using guides to learn Tarot is rather harmful to learning the art, rather than helpful. Is this true? Does anyone recommend getting a personal "feel" for the cards themselves, learning on your own what they mean or is that too similar to cold reading?

For the beginning a guide is always a good idea. Most tharot sets have their onw guids, mostly they are sufficient for the start.
But you shouldn't hang on to the book as they are very limited, but the cards are not. Therefore, developing your own feeling for the cards will be inevitable if you want to get below the surface (must books just scratch the surface).

The instructions that come with decks are notoriously atrocious half of the time. Each deck can be read differently, depending on how it was designed etc imagery wise.

For a traditional rider-waite decks or ones based off of it ive found the following link most helpful starting out and as a reference : http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/cards/

Some people have a 'knack' for tarot and never open a book. Others know the meanings of the cards on an encyclopedic level. Most people that read tarot fall somewhere between those two extremes.

The cards have multiple meanings. Learning the extended meanings (which you won't find in the little book that comes with the cards) is helpful. Once you know what the symbolism on the cards means, it's easier to understand which meanings are for which readings. It's also easier to place the cards into context within the spread that's being used.

One thing that's quite common among those that really take to tarot and study it is that the cards talk to the reader. Literally. I think that when a person who has that natural ability combines it with furthering their education - they can make one hell of a card reader.

There are times that the cards are silent. That's when having the book knowledge and just reading what's in front of you takes place.

A cold reading is more of a psychological profile of the person sitting in front of you. Probing questions, reading body language, etc makes up a cold reading.

I would guess it depends on what kind of person you are.

If you read the instruction manual to home appliances, I guess you are the type that likes to know how things work before you use it.
If you just plug it in and start pushing buttons preferring to just feel you're way forward, a book will just be a waste of time.

As above so bellow. Be it tarot or dishwashers.

I am really eager to do readings right now-- perhaps too much for my own good. I ask these questions because it seems to me, often these guides say different things about the cards rather than give conclusive, definitive descriptions. Everyone I have been reading for right now has been telling me I've been very accurate, going with what I know from books and some intuition. There have only been a few times where I've outright felt like I've botched the reading (maybe 2 times recently). However, I really just want to get started. Is it worth risking some inaccurate readings if it means I get a chance to practice, or should I study first then practice later?

Im still learning, and i feel that you should do both concurrently. Ie both practice AND study. One won't preclude the other. Making mistakes is a part of the learning process. I have gotten one or two readings wrong, but then through the process realised what the reading was actually trying to tell me. This way, I picked up the relations between that set of cards easier and faster than I would have otherwise.

Id give that ata tarot link i posted a solid read, internalise what you can, then get at it! Having fun with it is also important, you can't learn something probably or get really good at it without enjoying it. So have an explore. Just don't really on it for anything critical until you feel more comfortable.

Hope that helps!

Sypheara wrote:Im still learning, and i feel that you should do both concurrently. Ie both practice AND study. One won't preclude the other. Making mistakes is a part of the learning process. I have gotten one or two readings wrong, but then through the process realised what the reading was actually trying to tell me. This way, I picked up the relations between that set of cards easier and faster than I would have otherwise.

Id give that ata tarot link i posted a solid read, internalise what you can, then get at it! Having fun with it is also important, you can't learn something probably or get really good at it without enjoying it. So have an explore. Just don't really on it for anything critical until you feel more comfortable.

Hope that helps!

That sounds fair, and yes I've been reading the link yesterday.

I guess I struggle with reading books so that's why I feel less enthusiastic about studying them, but I suppose nothing is gained by sitting around. Currently, I'm also trying to squeeze in some simple rituals and meditations, as well as trying to read about which deities to follow.

It helps, thank you

You don't need to study the entire book. That in itself can seem overwhelming. Look through the deck, see which card grabs your attention and then study that one. Rinse and repeat.

RoseRed wrote:You don't need to study the entire book. That in itself can seem overwhelming. Look through the deck, see which card grabs your attention and then study that one. Rinse and repeat.

That is what I meant, thanks for putting it into much simpler words [grin]

Yes, you just need to get the basic idea and feel for each card, then go nuts. If you find something interesting happens or you need to clarify some interest go back to it. Honestly i enjoyed reading that site for its own sake, was pretty good.