Stay wild, moon child.

It makes your loved ones feel your love, and in turn, love themselves.

It works with Romantic love, Platonic love, or any other type of love.

It’s charged by notes and intention, so remember to think about why you love them as you Like/Reblog.

Floralia, 1898

First of all, a quick reminder: you don’t need to know everything about tarot to start reading – in fact, it’s not necessary to memorize anything at all! It’s perfectly fine to look up interpretations as you read, and does not lessen the legitimacy of your practice in the slightest. 

Tarot isn’t a test you need to cram for, there’s no deadline to meet. What I love about tarot is that there is always more to learn and discover, both by researching the work of others and developing your own personal interpretations. Here are a few things I like to study order to develop a more nuanced, complex understanding of what each card means to me personally, and hopefully it provides inspiration for ways you can start or continue your tarot jourey! 

✨Key Words ✨

Without a doubt the most popular method of learning the cards, and with good reason! Learning the most basic, simplified meanings of the cards provides a great foundation to build more complex interpretations. 

✨Reversals ✨

A common misconception is that reversals always mean the opposite of the upright card definition, but this doesn’t need to be the case. Reversals can indicate delays, the card’s energy is being blocked, the energy is being taken too far or otherwise twisted, etc. 

✨Symbolism ✨  

What are astrological associations of the card? Numerological? What symbolism exists within the imagery of the card? What are the dominant colors in the image, what could those mean? If there are people in the card, how do you interpret their facial expressions and body language? 

✨Contexts ✨  

 What does the card mean in the context of love? Career? As a person? As feelings? As a situation, obstacle, opportunity, etc.?

✨Combinations ✨

What are some cards that echo or reinforce the card’s meaning, and how about some that typically contradict it? What might those powerful combinations suggest if they show up together in a reading?

✨Advice ✨  

What is the “lesson” of the card? What advice does it offer, what warnings does it hold? 

✨ Extremes ✨

What is the most positive interpretation of this card, and what is the most negative? 

✨ Quotes and Pop Culture ✨ 

What is a quote you associate with the card? How about a song/lyric, character, scene from a book/movie/etc.? How about people or situations from your own life?

✨ Preceding and Following Cards ✨

How does this card relate to the cards before and after it? What progress or development has happened in the card, and what still needs to happen? 

Aries: carnelian to increase confidence and energy, bloodstone for courage and determination, hematite for protection and strength, diamond to help with passion and endurance

Taurus: rose quartz for sensuality and romance, tiger’s eye for grounding, practicality, and protection, emerald for loyalty and materialism, tourmaline for manifesting wealth and proper values

Gemini: celestite or blue lace agate to improve communication and self-expression, citrine for optimism and fun, opal for adaptation and change, any form of agate to improve observation and analysis

Cancer: moonstone to enhance intuition and imagination, petalite to decrease moodiness and sensitivity, rose quartz for love, empathy, and healing, ocean jasper for relaxation and comfort Leo: sunstone for self-confidence and pride, amber for bravery and positivity, rhodochrosite to channel into compassion and loyalty, ruby to maintain a healthy ego and heart, tiger’s eye for leadership and encouragement

Virgo: spirit quartz for grounding and spiritual growth, moss agate to increase productivity and maintain a healthy well-being, howlite to decrease anxiety and restlessness, peridot to alleviate critical behaviors against themselves and others

Libra: opal to increase self-love and appeal, jade for balance and diplomacy, yellow aventurine to help make decisions and remain logical, topaz for creativity and kindness

Scorpio: obsidian for protection, citrine for magnetism and charm, malachite for overcoming transformations and change, apache tears for power and manifestation

Sagittarius: turquoise for honesty and understanding, sodalite for self-discovery and trust, lapis lazuli to enhance intuition, clarity, and morality, blue goldstone to combat over-indulgence 

Capricorn: jet to protect and provide structure, smokey quartz for grounding and getting organized, garnet for strength and ambition, ruby to take accountability and remain disciplined in troubling times

Aquarius: amethyst to enhance the intuition, labradorite for manifesting ideas and getting creative, aquamarine to influence cooperation, abalone shell for compassion and humanitarianism

The ultimate baby witch tip I can give you is this: there is a lot of misinformation on Tumblr. A LOT. My best advice is for you to invest in some books on witchcraft—mostly history, terminology, and practical use. I highly recommend these books to start with, although they’re certainly not the ONLY excellent books on witchcraft:

🌕 The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft

(Judika Illes)

I LOVE Judika Illes. Her books are incredibly informative, unbiased, and rich with real-life examples of witchcraft throughout the ages (and cultures). You won’t find any “fluff” in her books. Seriously, if you read any book on witchcraft, read this one. It covers EVERYTHING. At the very least, it’ll help you explore different spiritualities and magical traditions.

🌱Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner’s Guide

(Sandra Ingerman)

Shamanism is not witchcraft in itself, but it IS far older—shamanism is the basis for all ancient magical traditions around the world. “Shaman” is a Siberian word used to describe the practice of spirit working, which is found ALL over the world. To get a solid understanding of the spirit-working side of witchcraft, learning about shamanism is key. However, know that you shouldn’t call yourself a shaman even if you journey—historically, that title is only for those who have been chosen spiritually to be shamans, and who have yielded consistent results from their journeys. Learning how to journey to the three spiritual realms and communicate with the spirits there will help you…

- find your power animal

- find your spirit guide

- allow you to utilize healing, divination, and communication with spirits for various reasons.

Again, this isn’t some fun thing to do in your spare time—shamanism is sacred, ancient work tens of thousands of years old. If you feel called to work with spirits, this is one way to do so. Sandra Ingerman is well-known for her shamanism workshops and books, so she knows what she’s talking about and has lots of practical experience.

🔮Encyclopedia of Spirits

(Judika Illes)

Speaking of spirits, here’s another invaluable book for spirit-working. Even if you have no intention of working with spirits, it’s important to know about them. Judika Illes is VERY thorough in her research, so this book is packed full of info on spirits spanning all cultures and traditions. Learn how to attract spirits, develop relationships with them, work with them to make life easier, and learn their history. This book is ABSOLUTELY fascinating, I use it almost every day. Again, Judika Illes is a very reputable source.

⭐️Grandmothers Counsel the World: Women Elders Offer Their Vision of Our Planet

(Carol Schaefer)

In this book, 13 female elders from indigenous cultures around the world share their stories about how they came to devote their lives to their magical practices and spiritual paths. They come together as foretold by an old prophecy that all their cultures share. Their goal? To share their vision for the world and provide insight into how we can improve our lives through the use of traditional magic and attunement with the Earth. They each carry a message of compassion, hoping to share their knowledge and wisdom with everyone who reads this book. Rather than close off their beliefs to “outsiders”, they firmly believe that everyone should follow their example. I LOVE this book because it takes the Tumblr glasses off of witchcraft and enables you to see REAL wise women, women who have grown up with magic and use it to this day. The term “magic” here refers to their connection to the Earth, their extensive knowledge of medicinal plants, and their spirit journeys. This book is wonderful for gaining perspective into different cultures and their spiritual wisdom.

🕯The Book of Stones: Who They Are and What They Teach

(Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian)

This is my go-to book for crystals. It has EVERYTHING. Learn the scientific facts about crystals as well as the metaphysical ones. It even includes tips on how to meditate with crystals, how to utilize them for different purposes, and how to empower crystals with OTHER crystals that work synergistically. The index in the back of the book can be used to find crystals for specific physical ailments as well as spiritual ones.

🧙‍♀️Pure Magic: A Complete Course in Spell-Casting

(Judika Illes)

Can you tell I like Judika Illes? XD This book is full of spells that range from summoning spirits to love spells to protection and personal empowerment (including psychic awareness). Judika Illes, like always, includes practical historical information and a little bit about spirits as well. Her spells are REAL—they’ve been used successfully throughout the ages, taken from spiritual traditions around the world. In short, they’re tried-and-true. You won’t find anything made-up or untested here. She also doesn’t include any “malevolent” magic, for those who are uncomfortable with that. She DOES include spells on how to get someone to leave you alone, though.

WHAT NOT TO READ

Rather than tell you specific books not to read, here’s a general guide for who NOT to listen to:

❌ If the book (article, etc) was written by someone who is not a witch, has no historical information to offer, doesn’t really know the ins and outs of witchcraft, etc. A lot of outlets sell these kinds of books—most notably Urban Outfitters. As witchcraft becomes more “trendy”, plenty of non-spiritual, non-witchy journalists are getting on that cash cow and writing books that are shallow interpretations of real witchcraft, at best. They’re not very informative, or at least they don’t go into much detail. Just look at the author—have they been studying witchcraft for years? Have a degree in something relevant, such as history, anthropology, etc? Did they become a witch last year and already want to write a book? Have they actually TRIED their own spells, and have others replicated them with successful results? Really think about those things.

❌Be wary of big chains that try to cash in on the growing witchcraft trend. Sephora, Urban Outfitters, Earthbound, Target, and other big chains have no interest in giving you practical knowledge of witchcraft. THEY WANT YOUR MONEY. The result is a shallow representation of an ancient art, and most often it’s appropriated from other magical traditions with no credit. So do NOT put much trust in big chains that try to sell you metaphysical supplies and books. You’re better off looking for seasoned magic-workers for whom witchcraft is a lifestyle, not a way to make money.

❌ Avoid vague-sounding books. I once bought a book about Fairy Wichcraft, which detailed the author’s personal magical lifestyle and beliefs. So what is Fairy Witchcraft? Well I have no fuckin idea because the book was vague, ranting, and had almost zero historical information to go off of. Essentially I was supposed to just take the author’s word for it, which is never a smart thing to do. Especially disturbing was the fact that I later found out that a lot of the author’s historical claims about fairies were straight-up untrue. I made the mistake of spending over thirty bucks on it, and I’ll never read it again because it was essentially useless to me.

❌ NEVER get your ideas of witchcraft from works of fiction. Novels, movies, TV shows, and video games almost never represent true witchcraft. Even that movie everyone loves, “The Craft”, is almost disrespectful in its attempt to show spirit summoning. Although witchy entertainment is fun, it’s not real. Too many people get into witchcraft because they think it’s going to be like Harry Potter or Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but in reality it really isn’t. Too many people want all the aesthetic components of witchcraft because it caught their attention on TV or in a novel, but they completely sidestep the spiritual implications, historical knowledge, and real uses of witchcraft. Too many people try to erase the fact that witchcraft arose through ancient pagan paths, which are ALL Earth-centric. Plain and simple, Hollywood witchcraft doesn’t exist. It’s not supposed to—it’s made for non-witches who live in a Protestant-heavy culture who view witches as Satanic.