Talkin’ Tarot With is a monthly feature designed to introduce my readers to different tarot readers from our wonderfully diverse community! Each month, I’ll be asking various tarot readers 3 questions about their tarot philosophy and style, plus pointing you to their websites and blogs so that you can learn more about them! I like to hand pick tarot readers that I feel are talented and interesting.
If I could had to choose one tarot blog that I thought every single tarot fanatic needed to read, it would be Beth Maiden’s Little Red Tarot. Two reasons: whip-smart writing and thoughtful, provocative topics that transcend the usual tarot fare.
I first became aware of her work when I saw her name floating around on Twitter. Intrigued, I moseyed on over to her site and was instantly drawn in – and hooked. Her blog isn’t just tarot tarot tarot (although there’s plenty of that). She also includes some deeply personal stuff, weekend reading, interviews with interesting people like Queer punk bruja (creator of the upcoming New World Tarot) Cristy C Road, guest posts from people such as the always-awesome Esmé Wang, and topics that are worth exploring in depth such as posts on mental illness + entrepreneurship. This is beefy stuff, yo.
While you’re hanging out at Little Red Tarot, I highly recommend checking out Queering the Tarot a series from guest poster Cassandra Snow and DIY Astrology, a fabulous step-by-step astrology series from Tabby. These are two of my favorite features. I also give a big thumbs up to Beth’s e-book, Little Red Tarot Spreads – 21 original tarot spreads (I grabbed a copy and thought it was most excellent). Dig around and you’ll find that you can purchase a tarot reading or discover delightful things to procure such as the Wild Unknown Tarot and more! And let’s not forget her Alternative Tarot Course, an 8 week self-study program that will get even newbs developing their own approach to reading the cards. There is a lot to do and learn over at Little Red Tarot…which is one of the reasons I think this is an important tarot site.
But the most beautiful part about her work is that she’s representing diverse parts of the tarot + spiritual community that are often under-represented. She’s breaking barriers down, giving voices to people who deserve to be heard, and challenging heteronormativity, racism, as well as social + economic issues that leave some people feeling left out. Little Red Tarot is inclusive. It’s a world where all of us tarot nuts, no matter where we come from or who we are, feel welcome.
Beth Maiden is one of my tarot sheroes because I believe she’s paving the way for the future of tarot by creating a truly diverse hub where new and needed conversations are happening. Get to her site with quickness.
BIO
Beth Maiden is a tarot reader and writer based in Manchester, UK. She has two cats and a hot builder girlfriend they all live together in a little boat named Empress, along with too many tarot decks and never enough clean coffee cups. Beth is the creator of Little Red Tarot, an online resource for anyone interested in taking an alternative approach to tarot. She also the creator of the Alternative Tarot Course, an eight-week programme to help you develop your personal approach to tarot, and the Alternative Tarot Network, a social network for tarot lovers. She runs the Queer Tarot Project, and Witchy Queers, a directory of LGBTQ resources in fields like tarot, astrology, herbalism and holistic wellness. Beth also writes a fortnightly tarot column, Fool’s Journey, for the progressive queer website Autostraddle.com
When she’s not slinging tarot cards, Beth can be found renovating her boat, wandering the city, making websites for awesome people or drinking cider in some trendy bar. She’d love to cut your hair, read your cards or hang out with you on Twitter!
Twitter @littleredtarot
Website littleredtarot.com
Check out her dope answers to my questions below:
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Q: What is your philosophy about tarot reading?
Beth: My fundamental belief about tarot readings is that we already have the answers we are seeking. We hold all the truth we need deep inside us, and tarot is one of many tools that we can use to tease these out, to get to the root of how we feel or what we want.
For me, tarot is an especially brilliant tool for this, because it contains infinite symbols of human experience, and indiscriminately shows us the signs we need to see, whether we think we’re ready or not.
I love playing with tarot and its structure – exploring new stories to string together by rearranging sequences or pairing cards. There are a billion stories to tell, a tarot card or combination of cards for everything you can experience.
I’m also just in love with the whole physical thing of tarot. The 78 cards. The feel of them in your hands, especially an old, worn deck or a shiny new one you’ve just treated yourself to. You’re holding 78 works of art, you carry them around with you, and then you use them for storytelling. Often, you’ll use those cards to share a deeply profound experience with a friend or stranger. It’s beautiful. I love the variety between decks, and the endless search for decks that really speak to you, that feel like they truly represent you and your life.
Q: How do you feel a client might get the most out of a reading with you?
Beth: My best readings are for those who don’t give me too much information, keep their questions short and concise, or don’t ask a question at all. I hold them in mind as I shuffle and lay the cards, then tell them a story, weaving together the elements and symbols of the cards with whatever I intuit about the querent. When you request a reading from me, I prefer you to keep the focus on yourself, and to ask questions that will help you to move forwards in your life.
My readings always aim to empower the querent – or better, to help the querent to empower themselves. If you request a reading, you should be prepared for practical, heartfelt and encouraging advice from the cards, which you can interpret and action as you feel is best.
Q: What is your best piece of advice for an aspiring tarot reader?
Beth: Oh gosh – I’d tell a tarot newbie to get a copy of Rachel Pollack’s Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom, and hop on my Alternative Tarot Course, which is filled with fun tarot exercises to help you get to know your cards and use them in ways that work for you. Simple things, like drawing a card each day and spending five minutes really looking at it, carrying it around with you, looking for real-life representations of that card as you go through your day.
Journalling is another biggie – for me, taking my tarot journal online was the start of a really beautiful tarot adventure, which is still in its early stages. I find that writing up my experiments with tarot, my readings, connections, discoveries, helps me feel that tarot is really part of my life. Recording my learning has shown me how much I’ve developed as a reader over the years, and I can look back and see breakthroughs, moments of real clarity, and important, tender moments with my cards. I would recommend anyone to start a tarot journal – on paper or online (where we can all read and comment!)
I also run the Alternative Tarot Network. It’s a social network for tarot lovers of all ‘levels’ – there are loads of newbies there just diving into discussion forums and exploring their tarot ideas together. It’s so awesome and I learn new things every time I log in (which is all the time!)
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Major props and fist bumps to Beth for sharing her thoughts. Get on over to her site NOW and get in her world (you’re not there yet?!): Little Red Tarot
Blessings,
Theresa
© Theresa Reed | The Tarot Lady 2015
I’m Theresa Reed (aka, The Tarot Lady). I’ve been a full-time tarot reader for 30+ years — which, in my industry, makes me pretty badass.
I’m definitely not your average Tarot expert — I drop the F-bomb, I quote rappers, and I’m obsessed with pop culture + reality TV. Folks come to me for straight-talk + tough-love — without the woo-woo fluff. 
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