Hi, great question!  Depending on who you ask, you will receive many answers.  Choose the one that feels right to you.  With that said,  I would start by beginning a journey to find a Tarot deck that calls to you, a deck that draws you in when you pick up the cards, a deck you feel a connection to.  Once the deck has found you, begin to establish a relationship with it.  Throw away the book if it came with one, focus on each card, and draw your own symbolism from it.  Practice connecting with 3 cards a day or go through them all, you decide.  What do you see, fell, sense, smell, or hear when you pick up each card?  What does the card me to you when you look at it?  After you do all of the above, then look into the basic understanding of how a tarot deck is comprised and the history behind it.  I feel that reading someone else’s interpretation of the cards is like watching the movie before reading a book, it ruins the plot.  Good luck on your journey and please feel free to ask us any questions along your way.  ~Kris