I have been reading tarot cards for a year and a half. I use to be a "strictly by the book" type of reader. However, things have changed. These days, I try to use a balanced combination of both. Now, the more I read, the more I am able to use my intuition. But I still like to keep up with the book meanings and buy new tarot books...how long was it until you relied predominately on intuition and totally discarded book meanings? i am not sure if i will ever discard the traditional meanings ( i believe there should be structure) but I am interested to hear from other readers....

Hi kristabella, I stopped using book meanings when I found out about intuitive reading, Ive taken a couple of intuitive tarot courses the first one I did was Gems, after the next course I took the cards started talking to me, I was doing a reading one day and was absolutely baffled by a card, the meaning  just didn't make any sense, as I stared at the picture it started to move and talk.

i stop using my book the day i found Gem's class.  that was the day i truly started to read the Tarot.  i keep my book and read from it once and awhile and will keep it but wont rely on it to read for anyone.  
overall, though i tend to think that if you have a good book and you know the meanings you can still give a good reading because your subconscience mind knows the cards and the cards know you therefore you still can read acutely.
i have some book meanings in my head and when i read intuitively those meanings still jump at me at times.  

I have never used the book and have always done intuitive, but am learning the symbolism with a class im taking. I think with intuitive the main thing is to know its ok to be wrong.

I bought several books, i read them from cover to cover and then thought how am i going to remember all of this?

when i started practising i realised i didn't need the books as i had an intuitive understanding of the cards and that i use the cards as a focus to channel the messages i have to give to my reader.