Well look at that, I’ve started a new little series here on Substack called Ask Jess: Tarot Q+A where I answer your tarot related questions through the lens of what I’ve learned through the years in my own card practice.
I’ll be answering 3-5 questions that are sent to me (link at bottom) and share them here on Substack every so often (will aim to make it weekly as time goes on). If I see the same question pop up several times, I may even do a separate post on it as well so I can dedicate more time to it.
If you would like to send in a question, click the button at the bottom of this post or click here!
This is the first tarot Q+A installment and I’m so excited! Through the years I’ve been asked all sorts of tarot related questions ranging from what books and decks I recommend to what the different tarot systems are, and more. I also absolutely love helping new readers get started with tarot and create their own practice!
Let’s get this started with 3 questions I’ve been asked recently!
How do I work my way up from small spreads to larger ones?
I’ve heard this question asked by others many times and for good reason, larger spreads can be overwhelming and daunting. I personally like to keep my spreads at a 3-5 cards but every now and again I love to throw a 10 to12-card reading. Here are some tips in working up to and with larger spreads:
Set aside a little extra time to interpret the larger spread, don’t rush it. You can even take a photo of your cards to interpret the reading later when you do have extra time.
Take the spread one card at a time, don’t worry about the other cards until you get to them. Once you’ve read each card on its own it’s easier to start making connections between all the cards in a spread and seeing what patterns are jumping out to you.
If you’re ready to go bigger and have already tackled 3-5 card spreads, try out the 10-card Celtic Cross spread next. This is a great spread that has held up the test of time, it’s a classic and the positions are easy to work with. The Tarot Lady has a great breakdown of this spread HERE!
Remember, you don’t have to work with larger spreads if you don’t want to. Find what feels comfortable to you!
What is a “pip deck”?
A “pip deck” is a type of deck that has a non-scenic Minor Arcana. If you pull out the 4 of Swords in a Rider-Waite deck you will see a person laying down with swords over their head on the wall… but if you pull the 4 of Swords out of a Tarot de Marseille deck, you’ll just see four curved swords on the card with some vegetation or flowers illustrated. Pip decks are more focused on patterns and numbers, rather than visual stories of people. Here are a few decks that I consider a “pip deck”:
Taro del Toro
Jean Dodal Tarot de Marseille
Kawaii Tarot
OK Tarot
Trionfi Della Luna
Squid Cake Marseille (my own deck!)
How do you personally do a daily draw? I need some inspiration!
I’ve changed my own daily draw practice quite a bit over the years and it’s always evolving. Right now, my practice looks like this:
I take a few deep breaths to relax a bit and shake off any tension, this is more for me than the cards. Then I start shuffling the cards while stating “What is my card for today? It’s Tuesday September 27th, 2022” and I’ll shuffle with that intention/question in my head for a few more times and pull a card. I quickly note down any thing that pops into my head whether it’s related to the card or not.
My question changes here and there, sometimes I’ll ask for the cards for advice that day or what energy I need to gather up to get through the day, etc.
I’ll then take a few moments to write a few things down that come to me about the card and see how it applies to my day ahead, always come back to your question and context. Often times I see people pull a card for the day and dismiss it because it “doesn’t fit”, there’s always some subtle aspect of that card that will be useful.
Since I’m currently studying Thoth, I’ve been digging into my books about the card I pull each day and answering the journal prompt from the book Tarot: Mirror of the Soul by Gerd Ziegler. I’ve really enjoyed this daily draw + study this week!
That’s it! My daily draw practice is nothing fancy by all means. I don’t light incense or a candle, all I need is my cards and a freshly poured iced coffee for the most part.
Do you have a question regarding tarot? I would love to answer your question and give you my own personal perspectives!