How to Read Oracle Cards in 10 Easy Steps

Fact-checked

Have you ever wondered what you should do in a particular situation?

Sometimes, the answer is so clear, but it just doesn’t come to us—this is where knowing how to read oracle cards can help.

Keep reading to find out how to use this intuitive divination tool and tap into your intuition to get all the answers you need. Whether you’re doing it for yourself or someone else, we provided a step-by-step explanation of the reading process.

Brace yourself, because you’re about to gain knowledge that will help you release your inner knowing and gain clarity about the actions you should take to maintain your emotional and spiritual health.

What Are Oracle Cards Used for?

Oracle cards are a cousin of tarot that’s simpler to read and answers the questions you might have regarding different aspects of your life. Interpreting the answers will help you connect with yourself and get guidance through the transitions of life or just everyday questions.

Unlike the tarot deck, which comes in a set of 78 cards where each card has its meaning, the oracle deck is less structured, having no rules regarding the number of cards or their meaning.

Not relying on a regulated set of interpretations like a tarot deck, this reading is also much more intuitive—to interpret the answers, all you need to do is tap into your intuition and have faith in your intuitive hits.

For oracle cards reading, you should choose the oracle deck that feels right for you and that you feel a magnetic pull to, regardless of the number of cards. Choosing from one of the top oracle cards is a great start.

Many oracle decks come with a guidebook for interpreting each card, but you should focus more on the intuitive messages you’re receiving, using this intuitive divination tool to connect with yourself and your inner knowing and start extracting wisdom.

DID YOU KNOW? For more guidance in interpreting the signs, you can try some of the top-notch tarot readings online, or even go for some of the excellent online psychic readings or dedicated readings from a psychic medium that provides more clarity.

How to Read Oracle Cards

To tap into your intuition and be able to interpret the intuitive messages with the help of an oracle deck, you’ll have to do the reading process correctly.

We’ll explain the steps for getting the most out of an oracle deck, one of the sacred intuitive tools that will help you connect with yourself and gain the clarity you need.

1. Clean Your Space From Any Negative Vibe

Before you start reading oracle cards, it’s important to clear all negative energy out of your space.

For this purpose, you can use crystals or white sage, or anything similar you might have in your spiritual toolkit.

When doing the reading for yourself, choose a place where you can be alone and undisturbed so you can really focus and connect with yourself.

2. Meditate to Clear Your Mind

As well as your space, you also have to clear your mind and prepare to trust your intuition in interpreting messages. You can do so by meditating or doing whatever else you find relaxing enough to get you in the zone.

While you read oracle cards, establishing your own card reading rituals can help you obtain the level of energy needed for extracting wisdom and receiving your intuitive messages.

3. Before Using Your Oracle Deck, Make Sure You Cleaned It From the Negative Energy

The cleaning process is not just for your space and mind—oracle cards themselves require special attention in order to give results.

You should store them in a designated place in your home so they don’t pick up any negative energy—it can be together with your spiritual toolkit or in a closed drawer—and clean them with sage or tap them with your fingers.

It’s also important to touch every card before starting the reading.

4. What Is the Purpose of Your Reading?

Having your oracle cards questions ready and knowing the purpose of your reading is very important, so keep your intentions clear and be as precise as possible.

On the other hand, you can also use oracle cards for getting the universe’s message or to find out what’s the energy of the day. Some people tend to use this intuitive divination tool by pulling out a single card daily.

As mentioned before, there are basically no rules when it comes to oracle cards, so you can use them in the way that feels best for you.

However, the advice for reading oracle cards for beginners is not to overdo it and read them several times a day because it may affect their accuracy.

5. While Holding the Cards, Allow Your Intuition to Guide You

It’s important to connect with your cards and be ready to trust your intuition, holding your cards close and familiarizing yourself with each one.

You don’t have to remember each illustration and interpretation, but look at the symbols and think about what they could mean to you, as knowing your cards this way will give you more clarity.

6. While Shuffling the Deck, Think About the Question You Want to Ask Is as Precise as Possible

Shuffle the deck thoroughly until you feel it’s enough, while specifically focusing on the questions for oracle cards you want to be answered and trying to be precise. Try to focus and think about the guidance you need, connect with yourself, and have faith in your intuitive hits.

You can shuffle as long as you like and in any way that suits you, and stop when you feel the need to. You can divide the deck if you want, but you don’t have to.

7. Choose Your Spread

Although tarot readings can be made simpler if you choose from excellent tarot decks for beginners, oracle decks are still much less complex due to having no rules for meanings or spreads.

Spreads for oracle cards can be different and in alignment with your needs or questions. You can choose the spread to your liking, draw only one card or as many as you like, and lay them in front of you.

8. Pay Attention to Each Card and Listen to Your Intuition About the Meaning

After opening the cards one by one, try to dive into your inner knowing when interpreting their meaning.

Although the first interpretation of the message is usually the most correct one, this isn’t a rule—sometimes, you’ll need some space to figure out the card’s real message.

Only after you’ve given it some thought, consult the interpretation book if your oracle deck came with one for the card’s general meaning.

You can use different spreads for oracle cards while interpreting the answers to different questions, depending on your situation.

9. When You’re Done, Thank Your Deck for Providing You With Guidance Toward the Answer to Your Question

After your intuitive reading is finished, you should express gratitude toward your oracle cards and the spiritual guidance you received, while having faith in your intuitive messages and being open to following the guidance you received.

10. Clean Your Cards So They Can Be Ready for Future Reading

To make sure your new reading won’t hold any of the old energy, it’s important to clean your cards after your reading by using white sage, crystals, essential oils, or whatever else you have for this purpose in your spiritual toolkit.

Reading Oracle Cards for Others

When using this intuitive divination tool to provide clarity and guidance for other people, some of the steps remain the same, but you’ll need to slightly adjust the process:

  • You’ll need to provide a clear space and free your mind with meditation tools or some other technique you find suitable.
  • Before you start the reading, make sure the oracle deck is clear of any negative vibes or old energy.
  • Ask the person you’ll be reading oracle cards to about the purpose of the reading and try to get the most precise answer possible.
  • You’ll have to connect with the person and focus on the specific questions they need answers to and let your intuition guide you.
  • Shuffle your cards while focusing on the purpose of the reading, making sure you’re the one touching the cards, not the other person.
  • Choose the oracle cards spreads with which you or the person you’re reading to, feel aligned.
  • After turning each of the cards, trust your intuitive hits when interpreting the answers. You can also ask the person what a certain symbol represents to them before consulting your guidebook.
  • Same as after reading the cards for yourself, express gratitude for the guidance provided and ask the other person to do the same.
  • Cleaning your oracle reading cards is even more important after you finish your reading for someone else. You can use crystals, sage, tapping on the cards, or other methods you prefer.
DID YOU KNOW? There’s a vast choice of oracle cards with different themes and looks. You should choose one that feels the most appealing to you, but you can also find some wonderful tarot decks to make your readings even more pleasurable.

Key Takeaways

Oracle cards are an intuitive divination tool—a cousin of tarot that provides guidance and the opportunity to connect with yourself and achieve emotional and spiritual health.
Compared to the tarot deck, oracle cards don’t have a strict set of rules or a designated number of cards a deck should contain.
With oracle reading cards, it’s important that you clear your mind and focus on specific questions you need guidance on.
While interpreting the cards, you should trust your intuition and think about the meaning a certain symbol has for you before reaching for the guidebook for a detailed explanation.

Wrap Up

So far, we hope we made it clear that you don’t have to be a psychic or medium to use sacred intuitive tools, but you do have to trust your intuition and have faith in your inner knowing.

Simple steps and the freedom of intuitive reading are what make reading oracle cards perfect for beginners.

After this article, you’ll be all set to tap into your intuition using oracle cards and interpreting their message to gain the clarity and guidance you need.

FAQ

How do oracle cards work?

Oracle cards are an intuitive divination tool used for rituals of inner exploring. The reading process for oracle cards doesn’t have strict rules— all you need to do is focus on your questions and on interpreting the answers with your intuitive messages.

How to cleanse oracle cards?

There are many ways to cleanse your oracle cards—you can use crystals, oils, tapping them with your fingers, or other methods from your spiritual toolkit.

Depending on the circumstances, you can choose the method you find most suitable or combine them.

Oracle cards vs tarot cards: What is the difference?

Unlike the tarot deck which comes in a set of 78 cards with designated meanings, oracle cards are less structured and easier to read.

Knowing how to read oracle cards will help you get the clarity and guidance you need in transitions of life by following your intuitive messages

ABOUT AUTHOR

I've loved writing since I can remember, and back in high school, I started loving psychology as well. So I majored in it while dabbling in spirituality and yoga on the side.

Latest from Jelena

5 Must-Have Spiritual Tools You Can Use for Daily Spiritual Practices Why Do I Twitch When I Sleep? [Common Reasons Explained] What Is Past Life Regression & How to Do It 7 Symptoms of Negative Energy at Home

Leave a Reply