Best Tips for Artists to Use Tarot in Their Journey

Artists deal with endless choices. Work with that producer who keeps hitting you up? Drop your track now or tweak it one more time? The questions pile up fast. Standard career advice rarely fits how creative work actually operates.

Tarot offers a different angle for sorting through decisions. People have used these cards for centuries to reflect and gain clarity. Major Arcana cards represent major life themes and big turning points in your path. They help you examine choices from perspectives you might miss otherwise. You won't need years of study or any special abilities to start.

Getting Started With Tarot Practice

Find a deck that grabs your attention visually. Rider-Waite works well if you're just starting out because the images are easy to read. Most bookstores and online shops carry them for $20 to $40. Decks with music or art themes exist too if you want something that resonates more.

Shuffle your cards daily to build familiarity. Think about your current projects while you handle them. You'll notice certain cards appearing more often after a few weeks. Those repeated cards usually have something to tell you about your creative state.

Don't try memorizing all the meanings right away. Focus on one card at a time. Maybe spend a day or even a week with each one. Look at how the imagery connects to your process as an artist. The Fool card might encourage you to experiment with unfamiliar sounds. The Tower? That could signal it's time to scrap your current approach and start fresh.

Photo by Aleksandar Pasaric

Using Major Arcana Cards for Creative Direction

Twenty-two cards make up the Major Arcana. They tackle the heavy stuff like growth, transformation, and life changes. Musicians relate to these cards because creating art involves constant ups and downs.

Pull a Major Arcana card before starting new work. This sets an intention without forcing anything. The Magician says you've already got the skills and tools you need. The High Priestess? She's telling you to trust what your instincts say about that melody or lyric. Creative rituals like this actually improve artistic output, according to research from the American Psychological Association.

Reading Cards for Album Concepts

Major Arcana cards shine when you're planning bigger projects. Pull three cards as you begin conceptualizing an album. Your first card shows your current creative headspace. The second points to obstacles that might come up. Card three hints at where this project could take you.

This helps you identify themes before committing months to recording sessions. Death sounds scary but it just means transformation. Old patterns end so new material can emerge. The Star typically shows up when you're prepared to share vulnerable, authentic work with listeners.

Interpreting Cards for Single Releases

A single card can guide smaller choices too. Pull one when deciding which track to release next. The Chariot suggests picking the song that demonstrates your artistic evolution. The Hermit might point toward your most introspective piece. Your immediate reaction to the card matters most here.

Daily Card Pulls for Inspiration

Morning pulls take about five minutes max. Shuffle your deck and draw one card. Sit with the image before checking any guidebook meanings. What comes to mind first?

Connect that card to whatever you're working on today. The Empress could inspire you to layer vocals or add lush instrumentation. Justice might be pushing you to finally finish that half-done track. Keep a notebook handy and jot down your interpretations.

Patterns emerge over time if you track your pulls. Some cards might appear right before your most productive sessions. The Wheel of Fortune could show up before unexpected collaboration offers. Other artists notice the Sun precedes effortless creative flow days. You'll develop your own personal system through observation.

Photo by Acharaporn Kamornboonyarush

Reading Spreads for Career Decisions

Three-card spreads deliver useful information without overcomplicating things. The format stays straightforward and quick to execute. Complex layouts aren't necessary for gaining clarity. Try these spreads for music career questions:

Past-Present-Future Spread This examines one specific situation thoroughly. Lay three cards in a row from left to right. Your first card reveals past influences affecting this moment. The middle card shows where you stand currently. That third card? It suggests the likely outcome if you continue on your present course.

Option-Option-Outcome Spread Use this spread when you're stuck between two opportunities. Card one represents your first option and its energy. Card two shows your second choice and what it brings. The third card indicates which aligns better with your goals right now. How artists frame their decisions actually impacts creative confidence, based on Stanford University research.

Challenge-Action-Result Spread This spread helps when you're hitting walls. Your first card identifies the actual challenge you're facing. The second reveals what action you could take. Card three shows potential results from taking that step.

Write down every spread you do in a dedicated journal. Record your question, the cards that appeared, and what you think they mean. Revisit these entries after a month or two passes. You'll spot which readings proved accurate and refine your card interpretation skills naturally.

Making Tarot Work for Your Music

Tarot functions best as one tool in your creative toolkit. Combine what cards tell you with feedback from collaborators you respect. Balance intuitive hits with practical business decisions. Cards won't hand you exact step-by-step instructions. They surface knowledge that's already sitting somewhere inside you.

Start simple with one card each morning. Your practice will develop naturally over several weeks and months. Notice how specific cards influence your creative energy and decision-making process. Plenty of artists find tarot becomes part of their routine eventually. Regular self-reflection through cards keeps your artistic vision focused and clear.