Tarot and divination guides
Our tarot and divination guides cover choosing a first tarot deck, reading the cards, oracle and angel cards, runes, pendulums and astrology, in plain words for beginners.
Tarot, oracle cards, runes and pendulums are tools for reflection. These guides explain how each one works, how to choose one that suits you and how people traditionally read them.
Each guide shows the decks and tools it talks about, with live prices, so you can pick yours as you read.
Our tarot and divination guides guides
How to choose your first tarot deck as a beginner
Most beginners start with a Rider-Waite style deck of 78 cards with a guidebook: every card shows a scene, which makes the meanings easier to learn.
Read the guide →How to read tarot cards: a beginner's tarot reading, step by step
How to read tarot cards: ask an open question, shuffle, lay the cards in a spread, then read each picture, suit and number, and link them as one story.
Read the guide →Tarot cards meaning: all 78 tarot card meanings, upright and reversed
A tarot deck has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana for big life themes, 56 Minor Arcana in four suits for daily life. Each has an upright and reversed traditional meaning.
Read the guide →Angel cards: what they are, what they mean and how to read them
Angel cards are a type of oracle card deck with angel art and short, positive messages, used for daily reflection and inspiration rather than for predicting the future.
Read the guide →Guardian Angel Meaning: Where the Belief Comes From and How People Keep It Close
A guardian angel is a spiritual being that, in many traditions, is believed to watch over one person. Catholic teaching holds that each person has one.
Read the guide →Runes meaning: what do rune stones mean for beginners?
Runes are letters of the old Germanic alphabets. The Elder Futhark has 24, each with a traditional name and meaning, such as Fehu for wealth and Sowilo for sun.
Read the guide →What does a pendulum mean, and how do you use a pendulum?
A pendulum is a small weight on a chain used in dowsing, a divination practice. You hold it still, ask a yes-or-no question and watch which way it swings.
Read the guide →Horoscope meaning: what a horoscope is and how to read one
A horoscope is an astrological reading based on where the sun, moon and planets sit at a given time, used in astrology as a tradition for reflection and entertainment.
Read the guide →Divination supplies: pendulums, runes, crystal balls and more
The main divination tools are pendulums, spirit boards and rune stones, such as an opalite pendulum kit, a spirit board with planchette or an onyx rune set.
Read the guide →Oracle cards for beginners: how to choose a deck
The best first deck is a simple oracle deck with a guidebook, such as a 54-card Enchanted Map, a 36-card Fortune Oracle or a 52-card Universe Has Your Back set.
Read the guide →Tarot card boxes, bags and stands
A mango wood tarot box with a card holder, a tarot card stand or a resin trinket box keeps your deck safe and on display.
Read the guide →Tarot or oracle cards: what's the difference?
Tarot decks, like a 78-card deck or an 81-card Dreams of Gaia set, are full decks. Oracle cards, like a 44-card moon-themed Moonology deck, are a focused set.
Read the guide →Questions
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More guides
What is the best tarot deck for a beginner?
A Rider-Waite style deck: most books and guides are written for its pictures, so the meanings are easy to look up. Our tarot for beginners guide explains why.
What is the difference between tarot and oracle cards?
A tarot deck always has 78 cards in a fixed structure. Oracle decks have any number of cards, each with its own theme, and no fixed rules, which makes them easy to pick up.
Can a reading predict the future?
We see tarot, oracle cards and runes as tools for reflection. A reading can help you think about a question; it is not a prediction.