How it works: choose a spread, add a question if you have one, and I shuffle all 78 Rider-Waite-Smith cards and deal them face down. Turn them over one by one, then read each position with its keywords, meaning and questions to ask yourself, plus a short look at the whole spread. Prefer your own cards? Pick the ones you drew and read them here.
I made this for the days when you want to read but your deck is in another room, and for learning: tap any card and its picture, keywords, meaning and a link to the full card page open right there.
Do a reading
- Spread
- Question
- Draw
- Reading
Your reading
Keep this reading
With a free account you can save this reading with your own notes, come back to it later and write about it in your Book of Shadows. Your readings are private: only you can see them.
Sign in to saveHow to read your cards
- Take a breath before you draw. Hold your question in mind, or simply ask what you need to know today.
- Look at the picture first. Before you read anything, notice what stands out: a colour, a face, the direction someone is looking. That first impression belongs to you.
- Then read the position. The same card says something different as advice than it does in the past.
- Treat the keywords as a starting point, not a verdict. Ask which one fits your situation, and let the questions under each card do the work.
- Write it down. A reading often makes more sense a week later, when you can see what happened next.
If you want to go deeper into a layout, every spread here has a guide in my tarot spreads, and all the cards are in my 78 card meanings.
Tarot is a tool for reflection. For health, legal or money decisions, please talk to a qualified professional as well.
The spreads in this tool
Each spread has its own guide with the positions explained, so you can also lay it out with your own deck.
- Daily card ( 1 card). One card for today. The best way to learn the deck. Good for: learning the cards, a morning check-in. Read it here: Daily card
- Challenge and advice ( 2 cards). Two cards: what is in the way and how to meet it. Good for: feeling stuck, a quick nudge. Read it here: Challenge and advice
- Past, present, future ( 3 cards). The classic three cards: where it came from and where it is going. Good for: seeing how a situation is moving. Read it here: Past, present, future
- Situation, action, outcome ( 3 cards). Three cards for a decision: what is, what to do, what follows. Good for: a decision you need to make. Read it here: Situation, action, outcome
- Mind, body, spirit ( 3 cards). A gentle check-in with three parts of yourself. Good for: a gentle check-in with yourself. Read it here: Mind, body, spirit
- Keep, release, welcome ( 3 cards). Three cards for a new moon, a sabbat or a fresh start. Good for: new moons, sabbats, fresh starts. Read it here: Keep, release, welcome
- A simple choice ( 3 cards). Two options side by side, and what I need to know. Good for: choosing between two options. Read it here: A simple choice
- The four elements ( 4 cards). Fire, Water, Air and Earth: where my energy is. Good for: finding where your energy is. Read it here: The four elements
- Four-card problem solving ( 4 cards). Problem, cause, help and next step. Good for: a practical problem with a next step. Read it here: Four-card problem solving
- Five-card cross ( 5 cards). A small cross: the center, what is around it and where it leads. Good for: a deeper look without the full cross. Read it here: Five-card cross
- Horseshoe ( 7 cards). Seven cards in an arc, from the past to the likely direction. Good for: a bigger question over time. Read it here: Horseshoe
- Celtic Cross ( 10 cards). The famous ten-card spread for a big question. Good for: big questions, when you know the cards. Read it here: Celtic Cross
Every card in a reading links to its own page in my 78 tarot card meanings, from the Major Arcana to the four suits.
Common questions
Is this tarot reading free?
Yes. Every spread is free, there are no ads in the tool and you do not need an account to draw. An account is only for saving readings and keeping a Book of Shadows, and that is free too.
Are the meanings generated automatically?
No. The cards are shuffled at random and every word you read is something I wrote myself on my card pages and spread guides. Nothing is generated while you read, so the same card always means the same thing here.
Is a reading drawn here as real as one with my own deck?
The cards here are shuffled with your browser's cryptographic random number generator, so every card is equally likely, just like a well-shuffled deck. What makes a reading meaningful is the attention you bring to it. If you prefer to hold real cards, choose "I drew from my own deck" and enter the cards you laid out.
Which spread should I start with?
One card a day is the best teacher. When that feels easy, try a three-card spread, and keep the Celtic Cross for when you know the cards a little.
Should I use reversed cards?
Not at first. Learn the upright meanings, then turn reversals on when you feel ready. A reversed card is not bad news: it often points to something blocked, delayed or happening inside you.
How often can I ask the same question?
Give it time. If you draw again straight away because you did not like the answer, the second reading usually just adds noise. Wait until something has changed, or ask a different question about the same situation.
Can I save my readings?
Yes, with a free account. Saved readings are private: only you can see them. You can add notes, delete a reading or link it to your Book of Shadows.
Where do the card meanings come from?
From my own card pages on this site. Every keyword, meaning and question you see here is something I wrote; nothing is generated while you read. Each card links to its full page with the symbols and more meanings.