Why New Tarot Readers Should Interview Their Decks

You’ve just unboxed a gorgeous new tarot deck. The artwork is stunning, the cards feel good in your hands, and you’re excited to start reading. You shuffle, pull a card, and… wait. You’re not quite sure how to interpret what you’re seeing. The imagery doesn’t quite match what you expected, or maybe the guidebook meanings feel off somehow. This is where interviewing your deck comes in.

I know “interviewing your deck” sounds mystical; like you’re having a conversation with sentient cardboard. But here’s the practical truth: a deck interview is a structured reading that helps you understand how your brain responds to this specific deck’s visual language. It’s less about the deck having a personality and more about discovering how your intuition translates this particular collection of images into useful information.

In this article, I’ll explain why deck interviews are worth your time and share a simple three-card spread to get you started. If you want even more options, you can grab my free download with 5 tarot spreads for interviewing your new tarot deck.

What Is a Deck Interview?

A deck interview is a reading you perform with a new deck to explore its strengths, communication style, and best uses. The practice has become a widespread ritual in the tarot community in the last 20 years. Readers use various spreads—ranging from simple three-card pulls to elaborate nine-card layouts—to get acquainted with their new cards.

Here’s the reframe that makes this practice click: you’re not actually asking the cards questions. You’re asking your own intuition how it responds to this particular visual language. Think of it like test-driving a car. You’re not interrogating the vehicle about its personality; you’re learning how it handles, where it excels, and how you need to adjust your driving style to work with it effectively.

Why Interview Your Deck: The Practical Benefits

Learn the Deck’s Visual Language

Every tarot deck has its own visual vocabulary. Some use traditional Rider-Waite-Smith symbolism, others take a completely different approach. Color palettes, artistic styles, and the level of detail all affect how quickly your brain processes the cards’ meanings. A deck interview helps you start building those neural pathways. You’re essentially teaching your brain to read this particular visual language fluently, which makes future readings faster and more intuitive.

Identify Practical Strengths and Limitations

Not all decks work equally well for all purposes, and that’s okay. Some decks, with their soft watercolors and gentle imagery, excel at emotional and relationship questions. Others, with bold graphics and stark symbolism, might be better suited for career decisions or situations requiring blunt honesty. Understanding this upfront saves you from the frustration of wondering why your readings feel off. If you’re trying to get practical career advice from a deck that’s designed for deep emotional exploration, you’re using the wrong tool for the job.

Build Pattern Recognition

The interview establishes a baseline for how this deck communicates with you. You’ll start noticing which suits show up frequently, which court cards feel especially clear, and which major arcana cards hit differently in this deck versus others you own. These observations create mental shortcuts. The next time you see that particular combination of colors or symbols, your brain will already have context for interpretation.

Understand Your Own Interpretive Style

A deck interview also reveals things about you as a reader. Do you gravitate toward traditional card meanings, or does your interpretation rely heavily on visual intuition? Which symbols catch your attention first? Are you drawn to the emotional content of scenes or the practical details? This self-awareness makes you a better reader overall because you understand your own pattern-recognition style.

The 3-Card Interview Spread

Here’s a straightforward spread to get started. Shuffle your deck thoroughly, then pull three cards:

Card 1: This Deck’s Communication Style How does this deck “talk” to you? Is it direct and blunt, or gentle and poetic? Does it speak in clear, literal terms or through abstract symbolism? A card like the King of Swords might suggest straightforward, analytical communication, while the High Priestess might indicate the deck works best when you trust your intuitive impressions over literal interpretations.

Card 2: What This Deck Does Best This position reveals the deck’s strengths. Look for clues about subject matter, question types, or situations where this deck will shine. A card from the Pentacles suit might indicate practical, material-world questions. The Lovers could suggest relationship readings are this deck’s specialty. The Tower might mean this deck excels at revealing hard truths and facilitating necessary change.

Card 3: How to Get the Most From This Deck This card offers practical advice for working with your new tool. The Hermit might suggest using this deck for solo, reflective readings rather than quick daily draws. The Three of Cups could indicate the deck works well in group settings or for reading for others. Pay attention to the actionable wisdom here.

Keep your interpretations focused on practical application, and write down your results. Your first impressions may shift as you use the deck more, and it’s fascinating to look back and see what proved accurate.

Want More Interview Spread Options?

This three-card spread is a great starting point, but different decks might call for different questions. Some readers prefer more detailed interviews that explore specific topics like the deck’s weaknesses, ideal reading environments, or what the deck needs from you as a reader. If you’d like to experiment with other approaches, I’ve created a free resource with five different interview spreads you can try: 5 Tarot Spreads for Interviewing Your Tarot Deck. Each spread offers a different perspective on getting to know your cards.

Addressing Common Concerns

“Do I have to do this?” No, but it’s helpful in the same way reading a manual is helpful versus figuring out your new phone through trial and error. You’ll eventually learn the deck either way; an interview just speeds up the process.

“What if I get ‘bad’ cards?” There are no bad results in a deck interview. If you pull the Tower or Ten of Swords, it doesn’t mean the deck is cursed or that you shouldn’t use it. It might mean this deck pushes you outside your comfort zone—which could be exactly what you need for growth. Some of the most valuable decks are the ones that challenge us.

“The cards don’t make sense.” That’s completely normal. Interview results often become clearer after you’ve used the deck for a few weeks. Revisit your notes later and you’ll probably find that the cards were more accurate than you initially realized.

Trust Your Tools

Deck interviews are about understanding your tools, not performing mystical bonding rituals. By taking fifteen minutes to explore how your brain interprets a new deck’s imagery, you’re setting yourself up for clearer, more confident readings down the line. Try the spread above, modify it to suit your needs, and most importantly, trust your own interpretations. That’s where the real magic happens.