Tarot is like anything else: you get out of it what you put into it. You will not be privy to secrets of the universe just by getting your hands on a Tarot deck. As mentioned elsewhere in this stack, you must take Tarot seriously in order for it to work for you. Tarot works well because it involves the right-brain and the subconscious in problem analysis and solving - but if your deeper mind doesn't take it seriously, it won't bother to become involved. And the deck just won't work.
There are certain learning curves that seem common when studying Tarot. The first is to grasp the concept of doing spreads and interpreting the layouts with card meanings. This is a big step, and it may take a couple weeks before things start to click for you. If you have a good book or other instruction and you attempt one reading a day in a quiet place, you will certainly have it within a week or so.
Once you can do basic readings, Tarot becomes more interesting. If you find yourself exploring other spreads, things will move along rapidly. However, you may find yourself on a plateau after becoming proficient at several spreads. This is where you will reach the second steep learning curve of Tarot. This curve is conquered by meditating on each card - perhaps once, perhaps several times - until you know the card. You know the characters in the card. You have visualized speaking with them, and you know what they are like. You have visualized yourself in the card and looked around at the environment - be it ocean, fields, a church, or a pond in the moonlight. You will now have a feeling for the card - a connection that is more like an experience.
Think about this. There are seventy-eight cards in a full Tarot deck. If you meditated on one card each night, it would take you over three months to complete this meditation! Most people do not try to meditate on more than one card per day, and many only work on two or three cards a week. It took me over a year to complete this phase, but it is well worth it.
At this point, you can gleen much, much more from the cards than you could before. You begin to understand subtle things, and spreads become much more vivid and explainitory. You can just sit and thumb through the cards and learn new cycles of nature and new insights to people and situations.
Now it is time for an advanced book on Tarot. From this you can learn many advanced spread interpretations. You can continue from there, always becoming more in tune with the cards, and always be able to pull more and ore information from their messages. You can design your own spreads. The more you study and use the Tarot, the more wisdom and knowledge you shall receive from them.
It seems to me that one actually gets out more than one puts in. I have learned much more, and Tarot has helped me much more than the energies I have put in. For every one day I study Tarot, it seems to return a week's worth of wisdom. It is most rewarding, and the benefits seem boundless. However, you must put energy in to get the benfits.
Study. Practice. Record your thoughts and readings in a journal. The benefits will come - in bunches. You will find yourself becoming a more organized thinker, able to deal with stressful situations more smoothly. You will see the "big picture" more often. Your improved focus on problem solving will let you work smarter and faster. The people knowledge gained from the Tarot will be invaluable in relationships.
The road of Tarot is a joyful and rewarding one. Like any journey, you must keep walking if you want to see the next sight!
