How to Interpret / Read the Tarot of Marseille

First of all, you must choose the best possible reading method based on your question.

Choose your reading according to your level and the theme of your question. The 3-card spread, yes/no readings and the cross spread are simple methods for newcomers. For a love reading, the cupid spread will bring you relevant answers…

Many reading methods are possible with the tarot. Also, as you become more comfortable with the practice of cartomancy, you will be able to imagine your own reading methods, by adding many more cards.

Once you have done your reading after following our guide to properly draw the cards, look at your whole spread.

What are the major families that make up your reading ? 

The tarot is made up of 4 “ suits ”, namely Cups, Pentacles, Wands and Swords.

When analysing your reading, look at how many cards of each family make up your spread.

• With a majority of Cups, the sentimental side will stand out in your interpretation.
• With a majority of Pentacles, it is the material, professional and financial side that will be highlighted.
• The Wands represent actions
• and the Swords the decisions or conflicts.

A balanced spread is a good sign; it means a certain balance between all areas of your life.

Once the overall analysis of your spread is done, it is time to go into detail.

Look in your spread to see whether you have any major arcana. These cards are important because they represent the stages of your personal journey.

The minor arcana, on the other hand, are anchored in real life. They represent the events that occur in your daily life.

The major arcana unfold over a fairly long period of time. It is a process of personal development, unlike the series of minor cards which take place over a shorter timing since they are physical actions.

By analysing these 2 types of cards, the tarot allows you to know which actions will soon come into your life or, on the contrary, whether you are in a slow rhythm based on self-learning.

Each card of the Tarot of Marseille has its own meaning, which is twofold depending on whether the card is upright or reversed. If you are a newcomer, you can start to draw the cards without worrying about whether they are upright or reversed.

Nevertheless, it is important in time to know that the reversed meaning of a card also has its own meaning. Taking into account the meaning of the cards can change a reading entirely. To learn more about the meaning of the cards, you can read our article on reversed cards in tarot.

After having analysed the spread as a whole, move on to the interpretation of each card. As explained above, look at the upright/reversed orientation of each of the cards and use our guide to learn their personal message.

With a little practice, you will manage to recognise the illustrations and their interpretations. Take your time; it is normal at the beginning to feel a little lost, but you will very quickly learn all the meanings of the tarot cards.

You now know the steps to properly interpret your card readings. The tarot is a complex game that requires rigour and patience, but you now have all the keys in hand to carry out a reading with the Tarot of Marseille for your loved ones or for yourself.