Whats The Best Way to Learn the Symbolism of Tarot?

[LT]

Hi there,
I recently received Tarot Cards from my father as a gift.
He bought me them right before my surgeries, a few days before x-mas,
I have been having problems with them though, as I am a begginer.
And I havent a clue how to interpret them. And how to interpret them when put together in a pattern.
I go on a combo of intuition, but i keep finding myself using my ego to interpret them.
I wish to use purely intuition and heart. Not my ego.

So, my question is...

What is the best way to learn the art of Tarot and Divination?

(My deck is the Radiant Rider-White Tarot)

Please help!

Love & Light Be With you, So that it is With me As Well,
Liam F. Vasey

[Echo]

Get a book or look up online the various different meanings people give to each card. Look at a diagram of the Tree of Life and see where the cards are placed aand which Path or Sephirah they relate to.. there are differences system to system.

Get to know each card.. when I first started, long ago I made notes (I still have them!) on all the snippets of information card by card. I also took each card and slept with it for a few nights under the pillow, meditating on its symbolism as I went to sleep. I then wrote an essay on each of them, by studying the pictures in detail, describing the images, the colours, the symbols, and speculating on what they might mean. Its a good way to get to know them intimately. It also shows up things you might not have noticed.. like a flower on a certain group of cards, or a symbol that recurs.

Whatever you actually learn about them, will help guide your intuition, which, I believe, is the most useful and accurate way of reading. I heard on the radio a phrase which sums it up well.. 'knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.. wisdom is knowing you don't put tomatoes in a fruit salad.'

Find out all you can about the tarot, then listen to your heart.

[Celtaur]

What is the best way to learn the art of Tarot and Divination?

Practice makes perfect. You have to do the work to get results. Read books, understand the symbolism, use them on yourself and on others, keep a journal of your discoveries and compare results. Working with the tarot is a long journey for many. We all start at the stage of the fool when beginning. Learn about Astrology and Qabalah as well as they are embedded in the symbolism of many decks, including the rider-waite. It will take you a long time to understand the workings of all 78 cards, their meaning, intricacies, relations, etc., but the journey is rewarding with each step.

[Briony Haldane]

Liam, there is a very good book called "Tarot for Yourself" by Mary K. Greer, which guides you through many of the steps suggested by Echo and Celtaur. It's an informational tool, but also a type of Workbook. You might want to check it out.

[brifae]

As Celtaur suggested, matching states of life path in qabbalah with specific cards and personal themes or life experiences "the witches tarot" is a good book on this aside from general guides, for example the fool: new beginnings but also perfect circle as rebirth after knowing all. Also by listening to inner voices or impressions. I find readings for self more accurate then for others. Look at each card and meditate on symbolism of the illustration.

[There are many websites which] have different decks and explanations of cards. I have also seen that people read the cards by whatever cards are read next to in a settings, or use the court cards as people or forces that are influenced or influencing by the state or high arcanum themed cards.

It is said that inner knowledge of each card of your spiritual journey is needed to understand the tarot and decipher the runes using ogham alphabet and poem (about a guy hanging upside down on a tree until he understands and develops the runes)ie the fool.