Learning the Tarot - An On-Line Course

Welcome to Learning the Tarot - my course on how to read the tarot cards. The tarot is a deck of 78 picture cards that has been used for centuries to reveal hidden truths. In the past few years, interest in the tarot has grown tremendously. More and more people are seeking ways to blend inner and outer realities so they can live their lives more creatively. They have discovered in the tarot a powerful tool for personal growth and insight. If you're curious, then read on ...

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[ Download the Course ] My Other Free Tarot Course [ Get the Book ] [ Browse & Buy Tarot Decks ]

How Does This Course Work?

My main purpose in this course is to show you how to use the cards for yourself. The tarot can help you understand yourself better and teach you how to tap your inner resources more confidently. You do not have to have "psychic powers" to use the tarot successfully. All you need is the willingness to honor and develop your natural intuitive abilities.

Learning the Tarot is a self-paced series of 19 lessons that begin with the basics and then move gradually into more detailed aspects of the tarot. These lessons are geared toward beginners, but experienced tarot users will find some useful ideas and techniques as well. For each lesson there are some exercises that reinforce the ideas presented. The Cards section contains information about each of the tarot cards. You can refer to this section as you go through the lessons and later as you continue your practice. These are the main features of the course, but there are many other pages to explore here as well.

What Is Needed For the Course?

The only real requirement for this course is a tarot deck. If you don't have a deck, read through my comments on buying your first deck and then browse through the Tarot Deck Section on my website. Nowadays, there are many choices. The on-line version of Learning the Tarot is illustrated with the popular Rider-Waite deck. This is a good deck to start with because there are pictures on every card which helps when you are learning. If you already have a different 78 card deck, you may use it with the course. The principles of tarot work are much the same no matter what deck you use. You can buy tarot decks in many places now. Bookstores often carry them. If you have trouble finding a deck in your area, you can order one from me on my website at www.learntarot.com/decks1.htm.

What is the History of this Course?

I began writing this course in 1989. I had been studying the tarot for some years, and I found that I was developing some ideas about the cards and how they could be used as a tool for inner guidance. In October 1995, I created this website. In October 1998, Learning the Tarot was published as a paperback.

My experience with the cards is in doing readings for myself, friends, relatives and acquaintances...probably the kind of tarot you are interested in. The tarot cards are not difficult to learn, but there is always more to them that can be learned. They are deceptively simple, but surprisingly rich.

Some people worry that working with the tarot will involve them in occult practices or create conflicts with their religious beliefs. My approach to the cards is simple and natural. I try to show that the cards are not dark and mysterious, but wonderful tools for self-discovery. In fact, I feel that using the tarot can expand your spiritual awareness in many positive ways.

Others may believe that the tarot is unscientific - a plaything at best, but certainly not to be taken seriously by those who know better. I ask only that you indulge your curiosity and be willing to explore the cards with an open mind. After all, that is the true spirit of scientific endeavor!

I hope you're intrigued enough to try this course. If you're still not sure, read Lesson 1. I think you will find Learning the Tarot interesting at least, and perhaps the tool you have been looking for to develop your unrealized potential. Have fun and good luck!

[ Site Contents ] [ Lessons ] [ Cards ] [ Updates ] [ Sample Readings ]

[ Download the Course ] My Other Free Tarot Course [ Get the Book ] [ Browse & Buy Tarot Decks ]

"Illustrations from the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck (R), known also as the Rider Tarot and the Waite Tarot, reproduced by permission of U. S. Games Systems, Inc., Stamford, CT 06902 USA. Copyright © 1971 by U.S. Games Systems, Inc. Further reproduction prohibited. The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck (R) is a registered trademark of U.S. Games Systems, Inc.