Photo of Natalia Benson by Daniel Woo; Illustrations by Kris Chau

It’s in the cards. MOTHER sat down with mystic expert Natalia Benson to dive into the secrets of tarot reading, an ancient practice designed to translate subconscious desires and divine messages. For over a decade, Natalia has been studying, refining and teaching a variety of spiritual disciplines, ranging from mediumship to astrology. Her authentic voice, sunny disposition and unwavering thirst for knowledge have garnered her a vast audience of seekers and spiritually curious admirers. So, with the goal of spreading joy, optimism and personal enlightenment, Natalia is ready to share the tricks of the trade (so you can finally get the answers you need). Let’s see what your cards have in store.

When selecting a deck and guidebook, Natalia knows that intuition is always right. “I really encourage people to find a deck that speaks to them – the colors, the symbolism, the guidebook,” she says, “especially if they’re learning.” Natalia was serendipitously introduced to the mystic objects that would come to define her practice: Thoth Deck and the book Tarot: Mirror of the Soul by Gerd Ziegler. “I have 25 copies of this book in case it ever goes out of print,” she says with a smile, “it’s like my Bible, for lack of a better term.” Though Natalia met her match in colorful, psychedelic cards and an astrology-based text, she urges you to find a deck that represents your unique personality. “One of my best friends has a deck that is so her, it makes me fall out of my chair. It's so funny. We always joke that we're perfect opposites – she would never work with my deck and I would never work with hers.” So, no matter which cards you choose, Natalia says, “There's a reason you're drawn to a specific deck. One hundred percent.”

Thankfully, Natalia insists you “don't need a lot of fanfare” when preparing for a reading. Because tarot relies on clear communication with our intuition, she suggests building a “sacred space” that calms your inner world. “If you're just starting to use the tarot, make a ritual out of it, maybe get some palo santo or rose water incense,” she says. “Do something that feels good, but if you feel like you're distracted or ungrounded, it's not a terrible idea to do a little energetic clearing.” In her personal practice, Natalia often meditates next to her ancestor altar, a structure she whimsically decorated with crystals, flowers and candles. 

In Natalia’s experience, the most effective way to learn tarot is by “studying with a guidebook.” “If you're curious about tarot, learn the system and get to know the general information about the practice, because the truth is, the more you understand it, the more excited you're going to be to use it. You'll see what a special, sacred system it is and how useful it has been throughout the ages.” Even after 16 years of practice, Natalia relies on spiritual literature to guide her readings. “What I like to do is write down my question in a journal, pull the cards, and record what I get. Then, I'll actually use the guidebook and write down keywords or key sentences, and then I'll journal about how it lands for me. It’s actually a really nice, simple little system to have clear readings, and you’ll learn the tarot just like that.” When searching for knowledge, Natalia also suggests you opt for reputable texts over internet articles. “There's something so powerful and prolific about the process of writing and publishing a book,” she says, “you get a lot more substance, more depth.”

With countless spreads and methods for reading tarot, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. For novice readers, Natalia suggests you “ask an overarching question then pull one, two, three, four, five cards, whatever you want. Whatever won't overwhelm you.” Then, before flipping them over, you can either “assign a meaning to each card” or keep it open-ended. Once you complete the reading, Natalia encourages a good journaling sesh. “That's what's going to help you keep track of what you're doing.” For more advanced spreads, Natalia recommends you turn to guidebooks or Pinterest. “Honestly, if I ever want to have fun and do something different, and this is my version of fun, I will get on Pinterest and just look up tarot spreads. It’s a really cool way to be like, oh, I didn't think of that.” 

Now that you know the basics, you’re ready to read for yourself and others. To get the most accurate reading possible, Natalia suggests you tap into the energy of your subject. “When you're reading for someone, it is deeply about being a great communicator. When I read, I know someone's question and then I interpret the cards. But I always keep their question in mind. I have to support their understanding in relation to what they asked.” When reading for yourself, Natalia suggests this same level of connection with your inner environment.According to the tarot expert, a developed self-practice can bring you insights that other readers may not see. “Personally, it's amazing to do sessions for yourself,” she says. “You can absolutely get so much from going to a reader, but I think it's important to never outsource your intuition to another person.”

So, you scoured your guidebook but still can’t make sense of your cards – what now? According to Natalia, the cards you pull are exactly what you need to see, even if you don’t consciously understand them. “You do not get cards willy-nilly,” she says confidently. “Some people want to know, why am I getting this card? And we have to remember the power of the subconscious mind.” So, if you complete a reading that doesn’t seem relevant to you, Natalia suggests you take a closer look: “The universe is an oracle. The earth is an oracle. We have information coming to us all the time. But how open and available are you to the information? Or are you distracted or expectant that you need a specific answer to come in a specific way? Just know, there are no wrong cards.”

As with any craft, practice is imperative to becoming an advanced tarot practitioner. “Here's the thing. Tarot, just like astrology, is a system,” Natalia explains. “So you are going to get more and more accurate readings the more you understand the system.” After 16 years of experience, Natalia notes that tarot “gets richer, deeper and better the more [she does] it.” With each sequential reading, Natalia insists that the optimism of the art will shine through, even when you pull a seemingly negative card like “the Death, Devil or the Tower.” In 2018, then-single Natalia went to a love reading and pulled the Capricornian card, The Devil. Instead of sinking into fear, Natalia understood that the card was illuminating behaviors that were holding her back from her goals. Shortly after, she ended a dead-end situationship and met her Capricorn husband. “The tarot is literally there to make you the best version of yourself. That's actually how it works. It's never there to destroy you or take you down.” 

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