Newbie to Forum, Newbie to Tarot (sortof)

[ryanandrew]

Hi there,

I am new here.  My name is Ryan.  I am 28 and I live in Canada.  

I am a beginner with Tarot cards and have a few questions.  I would appreciate all opinions and would love to make a friend who could do some light mentoring.

I am somewhat new to Tarot.  I know some basic spreads and such but I am getting really hung up on book meanings.  I am not asking you to tell me the meanings but I am asking if you wouldn't mind giving me your opinion on a way to learn meanings.

Of course I have a couple books which give meanings.  Yet I find these useless because the meanings are often contradictory and often go against my intuitive sense.  Also I watched a video series on YouTube where a lady gave meanings for the cards and "themes" for the minor arcana, and I felt a positive connection to them as opposed to some book meanings which I felt were overly negative in focus.

I wonder if the book meanings should be tossed out the window in a lot of cases.  I can glean more of a story from the pictures of my Universal Waite deck that I can feel certain of, that supercedes book meanings.  This is especially true for the major arcana and some of the minor.  I have heard that one can meditate on the cards pictures and symbols (looking for a story) and get a sense of meaning.  Do you recommend this, or do you think Tarot needs the orthodoxy of book meanings?

Also I'm just a little confused over the minor arcana themes.  I tend to think of cups as that which fills the heart and soul, pentacles as material things and the material world, swords as action and leadership and knowledge and the life of the mind, and wands confuses me.  I am using the numerical ranking meanings that seem to be accepted by a few with the minor.  

Still, can I be a good reader if I choose to go this way?  Or do I need to memorize that which is "established" and I hate to say sometimes feels counter-intuitive.

Your reply would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ryan

P.S.
Using the Universal Waite Tarot Deck with the book 'Pictorial Key to Understanding Tarot' by Arthur waite

[Cyrenius]

hi there Ryan and wellcome.

[Evard]

Hello Ryan .  I want to know if you can tell us what your intuitive sense
as a way to describe what you want to begin Tarot as meditation will be
in the way you can begin the Minor Arcana with sense of book of newer
magical description to show the description of tarot you want isn't found
yet with accord you will want the way to begin description in terms to be
ready with Arcana as in a school of magic or form such as your regional
Wicca or what I don't term as eclectic though meditation en ritual not as
dark magical though to learn Tarot with accord known as "described"

Welcome to MB Pagan . I tried explaining what I thought you were then
looking for in a long statement with as few advanced words as I could .

Enjoy you stay here . I will try to read your description of the meditative
form of Minor Arcana "described" tarot you are looking for again . now .,     Thanks . Evard . Enjoy MB Pagan .