A natural ability or power that makes it possible to know something without any proof or evidence; a feeling that guides a person to act a certain way without fully understanding why.When I was a little girl, I remember that moment when my mother shuffled to the door, opened it wide, and slammed it shut. No one was there. None of us heard the doorbell ring—just her. As she whirled around, eyes bulging and mouth pulled into a tight, thin line, she declared, “Someone is going die.”
Sure enough, a few days later, we were heading out to a funeral.
This story may sound strange to folks who don't believe in supernatural stuff. But my mom was raised by an Irish mother who believed in banshees, ghosts, and dreams. Plus, they were dirt-poor farm folk, so following their instincts meant survival.
My father's mother was superstitious too, but in a different way. A devout Catholic, she was always burning candles for this saint or that one. When a tornado hit, she hustled us down to the tiny root cellar, little torches in hand, praying for a miracle. After the storm passed, she credited her prayers as the reason we were spared.
This environment impacted me down to the marrow. Candles and rituals were part of my daily life. But so were those omens.
My mother's visions were not always dramatic, however. For example, one day, she had a “funny feeling” about kangaroos. Later that night on the news, a reporter was talking about an escaped kangaroo. How did my mother pick up on such a random thing? It's intuition.
The online Merriam-Webster dictionary defines intuition like this:
A natural ability or power that makes it possible to know something without any proof or evidence; a feeling that guides a person to act a certain way without fully understanding why.
In other words, it's that weird sensation where you understand something immediately, without any facts, logic, or reasoning. You don't know why you're getting that vibe, but you can't ignore it. It's the animal instinct, the gut feeling, the aha moment, or that ability to size up a situation from feeling rather than conscious thinking.
Let me give you a few examples:
You start dating a new guy, and you have a gut feeling that something is “off” about him. You can't explain what, exactly, but you decide to steer clear. Later, you find out that—gulp—he's a compulsive gambler who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from his elderly mother. (Your intuition warned you about this guy, and it was spot-on!)
You meet someone at a party, and you can't shake this feeling that you “know” them already. You're immediately drawn to them. You chat for only a few minutes, and yet your gut keeps telling you, “Don't let this person slip away. Send them an email. Keep in touch.” Then you become lifelong friends or even romantic partners. (Your intuition was gently nudging you to follow up and begin a relationship.)
You're walking your dog, and you see a candy bar wrapper on the ground. It's a Twix bar. You suddenly think to yourself, “That's my friend Sally's all-time favorite candy bar!” For reasons unknown, you feel a strong urge to call Sally right that second, just to say “Hi.” She answers and says, “OMG, I was just thinking about you too! I have so much news to tell you. . .” (Your intuition gave you that urge to reach out!)
You run a business, and you need to hire a new staff member. You interview two people. The first person has all the right credentials and, on paper, he seems like the perfect fit. The second person doesn't really have the exact training you were looking for, but for some reason, you have a gut feeling that she's the right person to hire. You trust your gut and give her the job. Turns out, not only is she a quick learner and a hard worker, but her personality is so upbeat and infectious that every single person at your company feels happier coming to work. Productivity goes up. Sales go up. Morale goes up. (All because you trusted that gut feeling and chose her over the more logical choice.)
You go to the doctor because you've got a funny bump on your neck. She checks you out and says that it's just a slightly swollen lymph node—very common, it happens sometimes, it's really nothing to worry about. You go to another specialist and get a second opinion. You're told the same thing. Yet, you just can't shake the feeling that something isn't right. You go see a third specialist and—yikes—turns out you were right! That bump has got to be removed right away. (Your intuition was guiding you in the right direction, even though several experts missed the signals that you were sensing.)
You've probably had plenty of experiences similar to the ones I just mentioned. Or maybe you've heard other people talk about situations like those. Maybe you have intuitive experiences every day, or perhaps for you, it's not quite that frequent.
Sadly, in contemporary Western cultures, we're often taught to ignore our intuition because it's not “logical” or “rational” and “doesn't make sense.” But in my opinion, that's tragic because your intuition can be very wise and often, very, very accurate. Sometimes annoyingly precise. (If you've ever had an experience where your intuition told you something, but you ignored the message and then regretted it later . . . you know what I'm talking about!)
So how does tarot factor into all of this?
Simple: doing tarot is an awesome intuition-booster!
You can use your tarot deck as a tool to wake up your intuition, dust off those cobwebs, and strengthen your intuitive muscles. Doing a tarot reading is like weight lifting for your intuition. The more you exercise, the stronger it gets!
What happens once your intuition becomes stronger?
Answer: really good things.
I've had so many people say to me, “Once I started doing tarot readings regularly, it's like my intuition went from ‘sleep mode’ to ‘fully activated.’ I started getting powerful gut instincts all throughout my day—at home, at work, with my kids—and those instincts were usually spot-on!”
Whether you call it “intuition” or “hunches” or “gut instincts” or “signs from the Universe,” there's no doubt about it: tarot can help you to tune in to information that's not entirely logical and yet still very useful.
I've been doing tarot readings for close to forty years as of this writing. When I first started, although I trusted my intuition, I still had moments when my confidence wasn't there. My sixth sense felt like a tiny little whisper. Sometimes I could hear it clearly, and other times, the voice was very faint and hard to decipher. But as the years rolled on—through practicing tarot—I could feel my intuition growing stronger, deeper, and louder. Instead of just a teensy little whisper, it became a steady, confident voice. This has been an excellent thing for me, and it has saved my ass on more than one occasion! Like that one time an attractive guy was flirting hard with me, but my intuition kept saying, “Stay away!” Later I found out he was convicted of a violent and gruesome murder (it was actually a famous front-page case!). Holy crap! Thanks, intuition. I really dodged a bullet. Literally. (More on him in a second . . .)
Intuition isn't always profound or spooky. Sometimes it's arbitrary and downright silly—like the time I was sitting in my office when suddenly I got my own vision of socks embroidered with monkeys. As I poured myself a cup of tea, I said to my husband, “Someone is going to give me a pair of monkey socks.” He laughed.
A few months later, long after I had forgotten about this conversation, a client sat down at the tarot table and said, “Oh, I have a gift for you.” She pulled out a pair of monkey socks. I was stunned. There is no way she could have known about my silly prediction because the only person I told was my husband. Of course, I ran upstairs to show him the prize. Needless to say, he was impressed. (I think he would have been more dazzled if I were able to predict lottery numbers!)
I would be remiss to talk about intuition without discussing the different types of intuitive abilities, also called “clairs.” These are the top three:
Clairvoyant
Clairaudient
Clairsentient
Clairvoyant means the ability to “see” things that are not perceptible to the naked eye. A person may see auras or get a vision or picture in their mind, which may be prophetic.
Clairaudient is the ability to hear things beyond the reach of natural hearing—often a sound, song, word, sentence, or voice from the dead. No, it's not like hearing voices in your head, silly! But it may be that you hear something that no one else does, and it may be an important message.
Clairsentient means “feeling” something such as a kick in the gut or the hair standing up on the back of your neck. Although I use the other clairs, I am incredibly clairsentient. Here's an example of how it works for me: Years ago, my mother was in the hospital for an extended visit. She had always been a sickly woman, so it wasn't an uncommon thing. But this time, her stay was longer than usual. The doctors didn't give us many answers as to what was wrong with her, but something was definitely up. Finally, I got one on the phone who gently informed me that my mother was gravely ill and “had about a year to live.”
Relieved that I had an answer, I thought I could at least get to work organizing things and making sure my ninety-year-old father would have support. Later that night, I was taking one of my nightly strolls with my husband. It was a gorgeous evening with a midnight blue sky dotted with silvery stars. As we were walking, I became aware of a strange sensation. It felt like someone was sawing away at where my umbilical cord would be. “She doesn't have a year to live. She's dying now,” I told my husband.
My mother had a stroke in the middle of the night and passed away a few days later. Because I'm that physically sensitive, I could feel the energy. Most people might ignore something like that or brush it off as a ticklish tummy. But I knew it was a sign.
Another dramatic example is my encounter with the murderous dude. Years ago, when I was a bright young thing enjoying a stint in New York City, a hippieish guy was chasing me around the park, trying to get my number. He was totally my type—long, gorgeous hair, great smile, and a razor-sharp wit. This has always been the key to my heart. We were enjoying some playful flirting when I suddenly got a feeling like a shudder up my spine. Something was off. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I knew this wasn't someone I should date. So I gently declined his offer of a date, and we became friends instead. A year later, he was front-page news, charged with the horrific murder of his dancer girlfriend.
My sixth sense kept me safe!
Think to some of the times when you've had a funny feeling or heard some random word outta nowhere. Did you ignore it? If so, did you later look back on that situation and wish you had paid attention? Or, did you trust that vibe? If you did, you were probably glad you didn't ignore it. And, if you were in a similar situation as mine with the murderous hippie, you might be relieved you are still here today.
I'd also like to mention that for many people, the dream world is where their intuition can really get to work. Why? It's because our rational mind is at rest, giving our subconscious full rein to do its thing! Dreams are often rich in symbols, and like the tarot, those symbols hold meanings. They might clue you into a situation that needs your attention . . . or some deep inner work that is happening in your subconscious. In some cases, these dreams can be prophetic.
For example, a dream about a deceased loved one might be helping you through the grieving process, or it may be a message for the living. A few years ago, my children's paternal grandfather passed away. I did not have a relationship with this man because I had divorced his son many years earlier. In the dream, he was sitting on a lawn chair in a beautiful garden, wearing a red flannel shirt, and smoking a cigarette with a cocktail in hand (that was typical of him in real life!). As I approached him, I noticed how good he looked. I asked him how he was, and he said, “I'm great. I love my new home! Tell the kids to sell the house.” I woke up and wrote down the dream. At this time, the family home had been sitting for a few years. His son was in no hurry to sell it and had been dawdling with the process. I gave my daughter the message and urged her to tell her uncle what his father had said. She shook her head and said, “He doesn't believe in any of that stuff.” Two weeks later, her uncle called to let her know that he had sold the house. The dream was a sign that the grandfather was letting go, and soon the family would be too.
Of course, you'll want to use your journal to record not only tarot readings but also dreams like this or other intuitive hits you may receive.
When you journal, it's crucial to pay close attention to which of the clairs is operating for you. You might find that all three seem to be firing on full cylinders. Or perhaps one appears to be dominant. Maybe it's a dream that came true. Write down all those random feelings, messages, and insights, even if they seem like so much nonsense. Keeping track will help you understand which of your intuitive faculties is your strength . . . or not.
When you're doing “intuitive tarot reading,” it means you're relying on your intuition—not the guidebook or manual that came with your tarot deck—to interpret the cards lying in front of you.
For example, say you shuffle your deck and pull out the card that's called the Nine of Pentacles.
Looking at this card, what's your gut instinct about what it means? (Don't Google it or rush to look up the answer in the interpretation section. Let your intuition speak to you instead.)
What do you think this card is trying to tell you?
When you look at the various images—the grapes, the bird, the woman, the coins—what emotions come up for you?
Right away, your eye might be drawn to the woman wearing the luxurious robe, surrounded by gold coins, and you might think to yourself: “I'm allowed to enjoy the wealth that I've worked hard to create. That's what this card is trying to tell me.”
Or your eye might be drawn to the tiny little snail on the ground, and you might think to yourself: “It's time to slow down. I should go ahead and book that vacation I've been thinking about. I've earned it!”
Or maybe you notice the little house way in the background of the card and think to yourself: “Hmm. Maybe I've gotten so obsessed with earning money lately that I've wandered away from my ‘home.’ Maybe it's time to devote a bit more time to my family.”
You could pull this exact same card—the Nine of Pentacles—and you could stare at that same card every day for a week. And each day, you might have a subtly (or dramatically) different response to the card's imagery, depending on your state of mind and what's going on in your life that day.
The reason is that each day your subconscious (or intuitive) mind is processing new information and contemplating different questions, so each day your interpretation of the card is going to feel a bit different. Of course, the context of your question may also give you a completely different meaning for the card. When you have a specific question, your instincts kick into high gear to search for what that card might have to say.
When you practice intuitive tarot reading, you're flexing your intuitive muscles and helping them to grow stronger. Stronger intuition means that you'll get clearer gut feelings throughout your daily life, and you'll be more likely to trust those feelings instead of ignoring them.
Instead of pulling a card and then rushing to go look it up in a tarot manual to find out what it's supposed to mean, you're asking yourself, “What do I think this means? What's the specific message for me?”
When you turn inward—and allow your intuition to respond to the card—you're strengthening that part of your brain.
When you turn outward—and rely on the definition that's given to you in a manual—that's not really helping to hone your intuition.
As I said before, relying on a tarot manual or guidebook is not bad, but I wouldn't recommend doing it long term. Again, the interpretation section in this manual is only a guideline to get you acquainted with the meanings. You don't want to keep leaning on them.
Think of it this way: When you're a little kid and you're just learning how to swim, your mom might put one of those inflatable jackets or some water wings on you to help you float. Nothing wrong with that!
Over time, though, as your skill and confidence grow, you don't really need those wings anymore. They're bulky, and they just get in the way. Take 'em off. Now you can swim faster, dive underwater, express yourself with total freedom. You feel more empowered, and you're relying on your own muscles to propel you around the pool instead of an inflatable contraption. So cool!
Same thing with tarot.
When you purchase a brand-new tarot deck, you might want to read the manual that came along with the deck just to familiarize yourself with the cards—their names, what order they appear, the artist's thoughts behind each image, and perhaps some of the general ideas that each card tends to represent. Or maybe you want to flip through a book like this one. That's fine.
I strongly recommend that you eventually put that little white book (and this manual) away and use your intuition—not a book—to interpret the cards. The sooner you do this, the better. Otherwise, if you continue to refer back to your manual every time, you're just going to be regurgitating the messages that are printed inside your manual rather than allowing your intuition to speak to you.
And that's kinda the whole point of doing tarot, right? Waking up your intuition.
So I urge you to get “off book” as soon as you can. Toss that manual aside. You really don't need it. After a while, you'll see that I'm right about that. (Yeah, I'm making a prediction right here, right now!)
Humans have busy minds. Most people will admit that their brains are in overdrive, churning information, emotions, ideas, and worries constantly. They rarely shut down.
This mental circus gets in the way of hearing that still, small voice within. It's hard to listen to your instincts when you're thinking about last night's date, tomorrow's exam, and that latest reality show episode with the table-tipping screaming match. In fact, getting distracted by all that nonsense is all too easy.
For those who have been working with their intuition for a long time, this sort of thing doesn't seem to get in the way. But for people who are just beginning to work with their sixth sense, all that mental noise may prove to be a problem. Quieting that down is essential.
A quiet mind hears better. Period.
When your mind is not getting slammed with outside interference, it's easier to access your wise self. Your senses are sharper when you have nothing else clamoring for your attention. You might wonder how to find that peaceful mindset. Fortunately, it's not hard. It begins with meditation.
There are a lot of misconceptions around meditation. “It's too hard. I can't sit still. It's boring. I don't know where to start. I tried, but I can't make my mind blank! Am I doing it wrong?”
Relax, Grasshopper. It's not hard.
Let's cover a few of those mistaken beliefs first:
1. Meditation is not difficult. Anyone can do it. It doesn't require any special tools or training. All you are doing is sitting and quieting the mind.
2. If you can't sit still, try sitting for a short time. Or test out walking meditation. It's a fabulous alternative for the fidgety.
3. It's not boring! Constant mental chatter is annoying. A clear mind is expansive and exciting. Finally, you see the possibilities and signs instead of being inundated with the whoop-whoop of the monkey mind!
4. Starting is simple. Just sit where you are. Boom!
5. The goal is not to make your mind blank. Instead, you're sitting and noticing how your brain operates. For example, I'm a planner. When I sit, often my mind drifts into my plans for the day, week, or year. As soon as I catch myself heading into planning mode, I label my thoughts “planning” and then let them go. Doing this helps me understand my thinking processes and, more importantly, it helps me make peace with myself. I often say that meditation is a way to become more compassionate toward yourself. With regular meditation practice, you can make friends with your mind, and that allows you to show up as your best self in the world.
6. There is no right or wrong way to meditate.
I regularly use a few meditations: simple breath work, loving-kindness meditation (also called metta meditation), and chakra opening/closing.
Before we go through each type, here are a few tips to make the most of your meditation practice:
1. Find comfortable seating. As I say to my yoga students: if you're not comfortable, you won't be meditating. You'll only be thinking about how uncomfortable you are. If you like to sit cross-legged on the floor, do so. But you might find that you prefer a cushion under your hips or maybe enjoy sitting on a chair or couch instead. If you use a wheelchair, you can remain seated as you are. For people with bad backs, I recommend sitting with your back against the wall or on a chair with a sturdy back. In some cases, lying on the floor may be best.
2. Be sure that you are warm. Dress in layers or drape a blanket over your body. Being too hot or cold will disrupt your practice.
3. An eye pillow is a great prop if you are lying down. It shuts out light, and the gentle weight relaxes the eyes.
4. Start with short periods. Five minutes is enough. Even if you only do five minutes a day for the rest of your life, meditation will help a great deal.
5. You might want to use a timer. Timers with chimes are available, as well as apps you can download on your cell phone.
6. If you have a restless mind, consider downloading a guided meditation. Many good ones are on the market. Research until you find one that you like. I'm a huge fan of hypnosis and have an app on my phone that allows me to choose various hypnosis sessions depending on how I want to feel. (I usually select peace!)
Simple Breath Work: This is the most accessible meditation and the one I use for everyday practice. Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and then choose a place to anchor your awareness. This could be the tip of the nostrils or the rise and fall of your abdomen.
Begin observing your breath as it comes and goes. Do not try to change or control the breathing in any way. Just witness each inhale and exhale as they are. Notice the quality of each breath. Become aware of the little pauses at the top of the inhale and the bottom of each exhale. Pay attention to how different each breath feels.
At some point, your mind may wander. When that happens, notice. Label those thoughts: “Planning. Worrying. Stewing. Daydreaming. Etc.” Then direct your attention back to your breath. After a few minutes, begin wiggling your fingers and toes. Stretch a limb or two if you feel that you need to. Open your eyes and come back to the room.
Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta Meditation): I do this meditation when I'm feeling sad about the world or when I'm dealing with some particularly nasty people. We empathic folk can get quickly drained or depleted from a messy world or a mean comment. This meditation pulls me back into compassion mode immediately. You might be wondering why I include this meditation. It's simple: when we are anchored in the present moment and kindness, our tarot and intuitive work are better. It's hard to hear when you're stuck in the echo chamber of fear.
Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Begin following your breath. As you inhale silently, say to yourself, “May I be free from suffering.” On the exhale, “May I be at peace.” Repeat this mantra with each breath. Practice for a few minutes.
You can direct the mantra toward a hater if you find that they are pulling you off-center. In this case, you would replace I with the name of the problematic person. For example: “May Essie be free from suffering. May Essie be at peace.” By sending this good energy to them, you're breaking the negative connection between you. More importantly, you're sending that person much-needed compassion. Because even negative types need that—probably more so than most people.
I often use this meditation for clients who are in pain too. After a tarot session, I sit quietly for a few minutes and send these positive affirmations while visualizing the client. In my opinion, this is another way to serve the people who come to me for readings.
Open the Chakras: This is the meditation I use before I begin my work with the tarot. It's perfect for opening the psychic channels! If you don't know what chakras are, they are energy centers in the body. There are many chakras, but the primary seven are what I work with: Root, Navel, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, and Crown. Each chakra has a color associated with it: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. For this meditation, I use a flower opening image to open the chakras.
Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Begin to engage in abdominal breathing. Let your breath come and go with ease. When you feel calm, direct your attention to your tailbone. This is where your Root chakra resides. Visualize a bright red flower at the base of your spine. As you breathe in, see the flower opening its petals wide. Take a few more breaths and then move up to your Navel chakra, which is an inch or two below your navel. In your mind's eye, see a brilliant orange flower and then breathe into that flower, opening the petals all the way. When you feel ready to move on, direct your attention to your Solar Plexus area, which is right above your belly button. Here find a sunny yellow flower and breathe into it. Once again, witness the petals opening up, revealing the different shades of yellow at the center of the flower.
Bring your awareness to the Heart chakra, which is located directly underneath your sternum. Visualize an emerald green flower and take a deep breath. As you exhale, watch the petals of the green flower opening up and spreading across your sternum. Rest here for a few breaths and then move on. At the Throat chakra, picture a vivid blue flower. Breathe into it and watch the petals unfold. Take a moment and then move up to the Third Eye, which is right between the eyebrows. Take a few breaths here and then see an indigo flower, bright and luminous, and breathe into it. The petals open, revealing a center that looks like a sapphire. Rest here for a few breaths and then move to the Crown chakra, which is located at the top of the head. Breathe in and out for a moment and then visualize a violet lotus flower at the top of your crown. As you breathe into it, a thousand petals spread wide open. Remain here for a few moments. When you feel ready, open your eyes.
You're ready to connect with your inner guidance . . . and your tarot.
Close the Chakras: At the end of the day, I make sure to close down the chakras. This meditation helps protect my energy, and it prevents me from absorbing every vibe in the Universe. Yes, that can and does happen. That's because intuitive people tend to pick up on energy too easily. This leads to weak boundaries. As I often say, those weak boundaries are what makes us good at this work, but it's also what gets us into trouble. Protecting your energy field is a vital skill that every intuitive tarot reader should develop. This meditation is quick and does the trick nicely.
Once again, sit quietly with your eyes closed. Take a few slow, deep breaths. Then bring your awareness to the Crown chakra. Breathe in and out for a moment and then visualize the violet lotus flower closing its petals tightly. When you feel ready, move on to the Third Eye. Picture the indigo flower in your mind and then slowly close the petals. Take your attention to the Throat chakra. Once again, visualize the blue flower at the throat. Take in a breath and then close the flower tightly. Next, move down to the Heart chakra. Breathe into the green flower and then shut the petals. Remain here for a few more breaths and then move on. Rest your attention at the Solar Plexus chakra for a moment. Visualize the yellow flower and then gently shut the petals. Move your awareness down to the Navel chakra, where the orange flower rests. Take in a nice deep breath and then close the orange flower until it's nice and tight. Finally, move on to the Root chakra. Breathe in and out for a few moments. Then close the red flower all the way until it's securely shut. Once again, remain here for a few moments. When you feel centered and protected, open your eyes.
These are the meditations I use the most. There are others I like, but for intuitive work, these four are useful . . . and all you need.
Begin working with these meditations immediately. Test them out. See how they make you feel. Practice a few minutes every day. For extra shazam, keep your journal handy and make notes of any insights that might arise during your meditation.
One of the beautiful things that happens for me during meditation is my creativity kicks in. Some of my most significant and best ideas come during my meditation sessions! It's also a time when vital intuitive hits seem to happen effortlessly. Blank mind? Not here. My brain adores meditation, and yours will too.
While I believe that we all possess intuition, some situations and mindsets can get in the way and muddy the psychic waters.
Here are a few intuition buzzkills that may hinder your ability to tap in and trust your sixth sense:
Skepticism: Have you ever encountered a skeptic? You know the type: they don't believe that “woo-woo stuff” and will dismiss it completely or try to find some scientific reason to debunk it. While there is nothing wrong with a healthy dose of skepticism, too much of it and you become a cynic. When that happens, you'll be a doubting Thomas, even when the writing is clearly on the wall . . . or in the cards. This is why journaling is so crucial. If you tend to lean toward the skeptic mindset, keeping track of your readings and intuitive hits might help you see that it's working just fine.
If you're a skeptic, I recommend reading The Gift of Fear and Other Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence by Gavin de Becker. This book talks about how many victims of violence often feel a sense that something is wrong, and in some cases, they ignore that feeling . . . only to regret it later. I often think about the time I avoided that killer hippie. Imagine if I had let my skeptical side get in the way! I might not be here writing this book today.
The fear of being wrong: Next to skepticism, the fear of getting it wrong is the strongest psychic muzzle. Look, you're not always going to be right every single time. No one has that ability. Things can (and will) be misinterpreted. It happens to the best of us! Remember that you are only human. Cut yourself some slack, and in those situations where you make a bad call, learn from it. I usually find that my instincts or the cards were correct, but my brain was not picking up on what it meant.
Emotions: Being emotionally invested in an outcome or in a frazzled state will color your sixth sense every time. To get a clear message, you have to get your emotions in a good place so the information can come through without a “feeling filter.” I talk more about this in the “Fine-Tuning Your Intuitive Tarot Readings” chapter.
Overly analytical: If you get a hunch but then spend a whole lotta time overanalyzing it, your rational mind will find a way to interfere. Sound like you? The best plan of action is to write down your impressions and leave them be. Do not fret over what they may or may not mean. Instead, come back to them later and see how they worked out.
Substances: While alcohol or drugs can relax the nerves and open the third eye, using them is a dangerous path to tread because they usually lead to cloudy, faulty impressions. If you want to be a clear channel, you may need to forgo the substances. (I never drink and mix tarot. Ever. Personally, I think it's irresponsible.) Instead, try meditation. It will give you the most reliable connection to your intuition. However, if you are taking medication for a physical or mental health condition, it may actually help you. The reason: if you're not feeling well, that can impact your ability to tune in. My mother struggled with mental illness and was on medication for most of her adult life. If she didn't have that support, her anxiety might have affected her intuitive faculties. In some cases, medication can actually be an ally for calming the nerves, and that can be essential for keeping your mind calm enough to pick up on vibes.
Intuition is a delicate, sensitive instrument. An open mind with a bit of curiosity and trust will keep it sharp and reliable.
Anybody can learn to read tarot. I'm serious about that. There are standard interpretations and lots of methods you can use. But the really great readers don't just rely on those systems and rote meanings; they let their intuition guide the way.
I like to compare reading tarot to being a musician. If you want, you can learn to play an instrument. With practice, you might even become proficient. But if you don't have rhythm and soul, you will never sound as good as someone who does.
That doesn't mean you need to be a prodigy. Remember, some people don't have a lick of natural ability, but their ambition motivates them to practice, practice, practice. That dedication can take anyone from average to masterful.
It's the same with tarot and intuition. As you practice working with both, you will soon find that the energy begins to flow. Information will seem to spill out of your mind and mouth. As with automatic writing, you won't even have to stop and think. The message will simply come.