Your Complete Tarot Starter Checklist

Starting a tarot practice doesn’t require spending a fortune or buying dozens of items. In fact, you can begin with just a deck and your own curiosity. But having the right tools and resources from the start can make your learning journey smoother, more enjoyable, and more effective.

This checklist covers everything from essential purchases to your first practice steps, organised by priority so you can build your toolkit at your own pace.

The Essentials: What You Absolutely Need

A tarot deck: This is your only truly essential purchase. For beginners, we recommend an RWS-based deck with fully illustrated Minor Arcana. The Light Seer’s Tarot is a beautiful modern choice, or browse our complete tarot deck collection to find one that speaks to you.

A learning resource: Whether it’s the guidebook that comes with your deck, a dedicated tarot book, or a reliable online course, you need a reference for card meanings while you’re learning. Learning the Tarot by Joan Bunning is an excellent structured course in book form, while 78 Degrees of Wisdom is the definitive reference guide.

Highly Recommended: Items That Significantly Enhance Your Practice

A tarot journal: Recording your readings is the single most effective way to accelerate your learning. The Weiser Tarot Journal has purpose-built layouts, or any notebook will work beautifully.

A storage pouch or box: Protect your deck and make your practice feel more intentional with a velvet drawstring pouch or a carved wooden box.

A reading surface: A tarot cloth protects your cards, prevents sliding, and creates a dedicated reading space. Even a clean scarf will work in a pinch.

Nice to Have: Items That Add Depth and Beauty

A card display stand: A moon phase card stand for displaying your daily pull adds a beautiful ritual element to your practice.

Atmosphere items: Candles, crystals, and incense create a reading environment that helps you shift into an intuitive mindset. Browse our accessories collection for options.

An oracle deck: Once comfortable with tarot, adding an oracle deck provides a complementary tool for simpler, more direct guidance.

Your First Steps: A Practice Plan

Week 1-2: Daily one-card pulls. Draw a card each morning, study it, journal about it, and notice how its themes appear during your day. This builds card familiarity organically.

Week 3-4: Three-card spreads. Start with Past-Present-Future for simple situations. Practice reading cards in relation to each other, not just individually.

Month 2: Experiment with different spread formats. Try the five-card cross and other layouts. Begin reading for willing friends or family members.

Month 3 onwards: Tackle the Celtic Cross. Explore reversed cards if you haven’t already. Develop your personal reading style and begin trusting your intuition over book meanings.

The Most Important Thing

Consistency matters more than perfection. A five-minute daily practice builds stronger skills than an occasional hour-long session. Start where you are, use what you have, and let your practice grow naturally.

Explore everything you need to get started in our tarot decks, books and guides, accessories, and gift sets collections.

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