Why Memorizing Card Meanings Doesn’t Work

So, you’ve finally bought yourself a Tarot deck, and you’re all set to dive into the mystical world of cards, intuition, and perhaps a little bit of magic.

You shuffle them with excitement, spread them out before you… and suddenly, your brain does that thing where it goes blank. You think, "How am I supposed to remember what all these cards mean?"

I get it—I’ve been there too. And let me tell you, memorizing 78 card meanings is about as fun as watching paint dry. Actually, I’d argue that watching paint dry has its merits.

The Myth of Memorization: Why It’s a Trap

Here’s the deal: trying to memorize Tarot card meanings is like trying to learn French by memorizing a dictionary. Sure, you might pick up a few words here and there, but you’ll never have an actual conversation. Tarot is about connection, intuition, and seeing the bigger picture. Memorization? That’s for spelling bees and the periodic table.

The Wake-Up Call: A Brain Hemorrhage and a Deck of Cards

In 2000, I got hit with a whopper of a life event—a brain hemorrhage that pretty much turned my world upside down. It was terrifying, disorienting, and definitely not on my to-do list. Recovery was a slow and challenging process, and during that time, I turned to Tarot as a way to make sense of everything. But here's the thing—I still couldn’t remember the card meanings. My brain simply wasn’t up for the task. I made flashcards, read every book I could get my hands on, and tried to drill those definitions into my brain. The result? I’d pull a card, stare at it blankly, and draw a complete blank. I couldn’t remember the meanings at all. My brain just wouldn’t cooperate, and eventually, I found myself so frustrated that I nearly gave up on Tarot altogether. The cards felt like a foreign language I was never going to learn, and I started to doubt whether I’d ever really “get” Tarot. Every time I sat down to do a reading, it felt like I was hitting a wall.

For years, I continued to struggle with Tarot, until one day, something shifted. I realized that I was going about it all wrong. Instead of trying to cram meanings into my head, I started to break the cards down into their elements—colors, symbols, emotions—and let my intuition guide me. It wasn’t about following the rules anymore; it was about letting the cards speak to me in their own language. And that’s when Tarot finally started to make sense. The cards weren’t just static images with fixed meanings—they were dynamic, living symbols that connected with me in a deeply personal way.

Why Connecting Beats Memorizing Every Time

Let’s say you pull The Tower card. The textbook meaning might scream "disaster," "upheaval," and all sorts of other cheery things. But if you’re just spitting out keywords, you’re missing the point. Maybe that card is telling you something very specific about your life—something that can’t be summed up in a single word or phrase. Maybe it’s not about disaster at all, but about clearing out the old to make way for something new. When you stop memorizing and start connecting, the cards begin to reveal their true depth and meaning.

Making Tarot Your Own: It’s All About the Journey

Here’s a little secret: there’s no right or wrong way to read Tarot. The more you make it your own, the more powerful and insightful your readings will be. Spend time with each card. Notice how it makes you feel, what it reminds you of, and what stories it brings to mind. Maybe The Empress feels like your nurturing side, or maybe The Hermit reminds you of that time you took a solo trip to "find yourself." Whatever it is, let the cards resonate with you.

And don’t wait until you think you’ve "learned" Tarot to start reading. You don’t need a PhD in card meanings to do a reading. Just jump in, pull a card each day, and see what comes up. Over time, you’ll start noticing patterns, connections, and stories that make sense to you.

Trust Your Gut: It’s Your Superpower

One of the biggest lessons I learned after my brain hemorrhage is that intuition is everything. When you trust your gut, you stop second-guessing yourself and start tapping into something deeper. Tarot isn’t about being "right" or "wrong"—it’s about trusting your inner voice and letting it guide you. If a card feels like it means something different than what you’ve read, go with your gut. Your personal connection to the cards is what gives them their power.

And if you’re looking to strengthen that connection and learn to read Tarot without the stress of memorization, you might want to check out my Intro to Tarot course. Consider this my subtle (or not so subtle) nudge—hey, I never said I was shy about sharing what works!

Tarot Isn’t a Destination, It’s a Journey

I know, I know—everyone says that life is a journey, not a destination. But with Tarot, it’s really true. There’s no final exam, no certification to hang on your wall. The beauty of Tarot is in the exploration, the discovery, and the connection. So, put down the flashcards, stop stressing about getting it "right," and start enjoying the ride.

Remember, Tarot is as much about the questions as it is about the answers. The more you engage with it, the more you’ll discover—not just about the cards, but about yourself. And that, my friend, is where the real magic happens.