7 Common Tarot Mistakes That Block Accurate Readings
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Have you ever done a tarot reading that felt completely off? Maybe the cards didn’t make sense, or the message felt disconnected. Or worse—you keep getting the same confusing answers over and over again.
It’s not that tarot doesn’t work for you. The truth is, there are common mistakes that block accurate readings—and once you know how to avoid them, your tarot practice becomes deeper, clearer, and more powerful.
Let’s uncover the 7 biggest tarot reading mistakes and how to fix them so you can get the most aligned guidance possible.
🔮 1️⃣ Asking Vague or Unclear Questions
The way you phrase your question determines the quality of your answer. If you ask a vague or broad question, your reading will reflect that.
🚫 Bad Question: “Will I be successful?”
✅ Better Question: “What energy do I need to align with to achieve success?”
🚫 Bad Question: “Does my ex still love me?”
✅ Better Question: “What do I need to understand about my past relationship for my highest growth?”
🔹 Fix it: Be specific and focus on what you can control rather than seeking a yes/no answer.
🃏 2️⃣ Over-Reading the Same Question
Have you ever pulled cards for the same question multiple times because you didn’t like the answer?
Tarot doesn’t work like a Magic 8 Ball. If you keep re-asking, you’ll confuse the energy, and the cards will stop making sense.
✨ What to do instead:
✔ Accept the message and reflect on it.
✔ Journal about why the answer didn’t sit right—is there resistance?
✔ Wait at least a few days before pulling again on the same topic.
🌌 3️⃣ Relying Too Much on the Guidebook
If you only use the guidebook, your readings will feel disconnected and impersonal. Tarot is an intuitive practice, and while traditional meanings are helpful, your own interpretations are just as valid.
✨ How to fix it:
✔ Before reading the guidebook, take a moment to feel into the card—what emotions or images come up?
✔ Look at the symbols and colors—what do they tell you?
✔ Trust your gut—tarot is about personal insight, not memorization.
🔹 Example: If you pull The Tower, don’t just think "disaster". Ask yourself: “What old structure in my life is breaking down for something better to emerge?”
🌀 4️⃣ Ignoring Reversed Cards or Avoiding “Negative” Cards
Many people panic when they see The Tower, The Devil, or the 10 of Swords. But these cards aren’t here to scare you—they show you where transformation is needed.
Similarly, reversed cards aren’t just “bad”—they often show internal work, delays, or blocked energy.
✨ How to fix it:
✔ Instead of fearing “negative” cards, ask: “What lesson is this showing me?”
✔ With reversed cards, consider: “Where am I resisting this energy?”
✔ See every card as a tool for self-awareness and growth.
🔹 Example: Instead of fearing Death, recognize that it’s about letting go of the old to welcome transformation.
💫 5️⃣ Reading When Emotionally Overwhelmed
If you’re feeling highly emotional, anxious, or desperate for an answer, your energy will influence the reading, making it harder to get clear messages.
✨ What to do instead:
✔ Take a few deep breaths before shuffling.
✔ If you’re emotionally overwhelmed, wait until you’re in a calmer state.
✔ Ask a neutral question like: “What do I need to know right now?” instead of forcing a specific answer.
🔹 Example: If you’re panicking about a breakup, instead of asking "Will they come back?", ask "What lesson is this teaching me?"
🔄 6️⃣ Ignoring Your Intuition
One of the biggest mistakes tarot readers make is doubting their own intuition. Tarot isn’t just about memorizing meanings—it’s about how the message feels to you.
✨ How to fix it:
✔ If a card immediately triggers an intuitive message, trust it.
✔ Don’t dismiss a card’s meaning just because it’s different from the guidebook.
✔ Practice reading with intuition first, book second.
🔹 Example: If you pull The Fool and immediately feel excitement instead of foolishness, trust that message—it’s for you.
🔻 7️⃣ Forgetting to Cleanse & Protect Your Energy
Every time you use tarot, you tap into energetic fields. If you don’t cleanse your deck and energy, stagnant or outside influences can cloud your readings.
✨ How to cleanse your deck & space:
✔ Smoke cleanse with palo santo, sage, or incense.
✔ Place a selenite crystal on your deck between readings.
✔ Knock on the deck 3 times to reset the energy.
✔ Use a 7D Shield to protect your energy before deep readings.
🔹 Example: Before a session, take a moment to hold your deck, breathe deeply, and set an intention for clear, aligned guidance.
🌟 My Personal Tarot Learning Journey
When I first started reading tarot, I made almost all of these mistakes. I’d ask the same question five different ways, panic over “bad” cards, and doubt my intuition. The readings felt confusing, and I wasn’t sure if tarot was “working” for me. But instead of giving up, I took action—I booked 2 to 3 courses from teachers I trusted, and they gave me valuable knowledge and guidance. Still, I quickly realized that in the end, we have to find our own connection to our intuition. No one can teach us that—it must be experienced.
I knew tarot had to work because I had past life memories of tarot and how it was used in ancient times. That inner knowing fueled me to go deeper. I started studying the archetypes of the Major Arcana, doing daily readings, and using tarot as my most powerful self-discovery tool. The more I worked with it, the more accurate and profound my readings became.
To this day, I can wholeheartedly recommend tarot to everyone as a path to deeper self-awareness, healing, and intuitive growth. If you trust the process, it will reveal more about yourself than you ever imagined.
✨ Have you ever used tarot for self-discovery? What insights have you gained? Drop a comment and share your experience!