Introduction

When you’re learning tarot, one of the hardest parts isn’t memorizing the meanings — it’s getting enough realistic practice. Reading for yourself is helpful, but eventually, you want to stretch your skills on questions that feel like they’re coming from actual people. And yet, finding volunteers who are willing to be read for — without judgment or “testing” you — can be a challenge.

That’s where these practice exercises come in. They’re designed so you can work through them any time, at your own pace — no sign-ups, no gatekeeping, no waiting for someone to say “yes.” Just you, your cards, and a realistic scenario.

Here’s how it works: you’ll receive a mock email from a fictional querent, crafted to sound like the kinds of requests professional readers get. (Every detail is invented — I never share real client stories.) Your job is to step into the role of the tarot reader and answer their question as if this were the real thing.

You can read however you like — pull a single card, create a spread, or improvise entirely. But for the structure of this course, we’ll first imagine you’ve drawn The Magician on its own. Then, we’ll explore the reading again as if you’ve drawn The Magician plus two other specific cards, which I’ll give you.

In both cases, you’ll find my own sample answer tucked away under a spoiler. These aren’t “correct” answers — tarot doesn’t work that way — but they’ll show you how one professional might handle the reading.

Even though the situations are fictional, they mirror the tone and complexity of questions paying clients bring. That means you’re not just practicing — you’re training for the real work.

Dive in, enjoy the process, and let each practice run make you just a little sharper, more confident, and more comfortable in your reader’s voice.

Exercise 1

Fictional client email:

Subject: Tarot Reading — Should I Start My Own Business?

Message:
Hi,

I’ve been toying with the idea of starting my own business for a while now, and I feel like I’m standing at a crossroads. Right now, I work full-time as a graphic designer, but I’ve been getting more and more requests for freelance work — enough that I’ve started wondering if I should just take the leap and go full-time for myself.

The thing is… I’m scared. I keep asking myself: Do I really have the skills? Can I make it work financially? What if I fail? At the same time, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m wasting my talent by staying where I am.

I’d love to get some guidance from the cards about whether now is the right time to launch my own business, and if there’s anything I should focus on to set myself up for success.

Thanks so much,
Emily

🎯 Your Exercise:
For this reading, you draw The Magician.

Now imagine you’re writing back to Emily as a professional tarot reader. Let your tone be confident but encouraging — the Magician is all about helping someone see the power and skills they already have. Speak as if Emily is sitting across from you, waiting to hear that she can make her vision a reality.

Once you’ve written your version, open the spoiler below to see how I approached it.
There’s no single “right” answer — but my example will give you a feel for how I’d channel the Magician’s energy while still adapting to her personal situation.

Exercise 1.2

🔮 Let’s Turn Up the Challenge

That last reading was almost too easy — The Magician made the message loud and clear.
So let’s spice things up.

This time, imagine you pull two extra cards alongside The Magician: 4 of Cups and 4 of Pentacles.
Now the story shifts. These new cards add layers — maybe hesitation, maybe a tendency to hold back, maybe something else entirely.

Take a moment to sit with the trio.
You’re welcome to come up with your own interpretation before you peek at mine.
When you’re ready, open the spoiler below to see how I’d read it.

Exercise 2

✨ From Career to Connection

In career readings, The Magician often feels straightforward — it’s about skills, confidence, and making things happen. But what happens when The Magician shows up in a relationship spread? His message can be more layered, sometimes even tricky to pin down. Is he about bringing passion back? About recognizing the tools you already have to strengthen a bond? Or is he a warning about power dynamics that need balancing?

That’s exactly what we’re exploring in this next exercise.

Fictional client email:

Subject: Feeling invisible in my relationship

Hi,

I’ve been with my partner for almost five years, and lately, I’ve started to feel… invisible. We still get along, we don’t fight, and we do spend time together, but it’s like we’ve slipped into “roommate mode.” I feel like I’m doing so much to keep things flowing, but it’s almost like my efforts aren’t being noticed.

Part of me wonders if I’m just expecting too much — but another part of me wonders if I’ve stopped speaking up for my own needs. I want to feel seen, appreciated, and desired again, but I’m not sure how to bring that spark back without rocking the boat.

Could you ask the cards for some guidance on how I can improve our connection and feel valued again?

Thanks for your time,
Sophie

🎯 Your Exercise:
For this reading, you draw The Magician.

Take a moment to think about how you would interpret The Magician in Sophie’s situation. If you want, you can also shuffle your own deck and pull different cards, treating this as your personal practice round.

When you’re ready, open the spoiler below to see my answer for Sophie if I drew The Magician as a single card.

Exercise 2.2

Now we move into the second part of the exercise. This time, The Magician is joined by two extra cards: The High Priestess and The Chariot.

You’re welcome to come up with your own interpretation of this combination. Take your time — explore how these cards might interact in Sophie’s situation and what they could reveal about her relationship path.

When you’re ready, open the spoiler to read my take on this three-card pull.

🪄 Closing Thoughts

The Magician is one of those cards that can seem “obvious” at first glance — all skill, confidence, and resourcefulness. But as you’ve just seen in these exercises, context changes everything. A career reading and a relationship reading both brought out different sides of this card, and adding clarifiers shifted the message even further.

The more you work with these practice scenarios, the more naturally you’ll start seeing those layers when you pull cards in real life. Remember: you’re not aiming for perfection here — you’re building a feel for how the Magician speaks in different situations, and you’re learning to trust your own interpretations along the way.

Keep your practice playful, keep your mind open, and most of all, keep showing up for the cards. Every reading you do is sharpening your craft — and you already have everything you need to make magic with it.

✨ Support & Continue Your Journey

If you enjoyed working through these Magician exercises and want to deepen your tarot practice, you can book a personal tarot reading with me at www.empowering-tarot.com — tailored guidance for your own questions and life path.

If this free resource has helped you, you can also support my work by leaving a tip via the tip jar in the sidebar (desktop) or at the bottom of the page (mobile). Every contribution, big or small, helps keep resources like this alive for the tarot community.

Thank you so much for spending your time here and practicing with me today. Whether you’re here as a beginner or a seasoned reader, your curiosity and dedication make the tarot world richer. Keep going — your skill, intuition, and confidence will only grow from here.