Learn Tarot
A free 10-lesson course for beginners: from how the deck works to your first spreads. No sign-up, at your own pace.
Learning tarot: common questions
How many cards are in a tarot deck?
A standard tarot deck has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The Minor Arcana are split into four suits of 14 cards, each with ten number cards and four court cards. How to work out a card's meaning from its suit and number, without memorising, is covered in lesson 1.
How do you shuffle tarot cards?
There is no single correct way, only comfortable ones. Most people shuffle overhand like ordinary playing cards, or spread the deck face down on a table and mix it with their palms. Shuffle until it feels like enough, keeping your question in mind; in online readings the site does this step for you. The methods are described in lesson 6.
What is a tarot journal and how do I keep one?
A tarot journal is a simple record of your readings, and it shows which cards you read well and where you miss. A note on your phone is enough: the date and card, your first impression, the meaning from the description and what actually happened. After a couple of weeks the patterns become hard to ignore. Keeping one alongside a daily card is explained in lesson 7.
Can I teach myself to read tarot?
Yes. You can understand how the deck works in an evening, and most people read simple spreads with confidence after a few weeks of daily practice. That is what our course is for: 10 free lessons with no sign-up, from the structure of the deck to three-card spreads. Start with lesson 1 and go in order.
Is tarot real? Does it actually work?
Tarot does not predict the future and guarantees nothing. It works as a way to look at a situation from the outside: the image on a card suggests what to think about, and the decision stays with you. Our service is for entertainment, and cards never replace a doctor or a lawyer. Lesson 1 is a calm, no-mysticism introduction to the deck.
How do you cleanse tarot cards?
Cleansing is a tradition, not a requirement, and it has no proven effect on a reading. Readers who do it usually knock on the deck, shuffle it thoroughly or leave it by a window for a night, mainly as a way to reset their own focus. If a ritual helps you concentrate, keep it; if not, simply shuffling well is enough. Getting ready for a reading is covered in lesson 6.
Can you read tarot for yourself?
Yes, most readers started with readings for themselves. The only difficulty is that it is hard to look at your own situation without bias, so it is easy to see what you want to see. Writing the question down first and not redrawing when you dislike the answer both help. How to prepare for a reading is in lesson 6.
How many Major Arcana cards are there?
There are 22 Major Arcana, numbered from 0, The Fool, to 21, The World. They describe big turning points rather than everyday events, and they are often read as the story of one traveller, the Fool's journey. All 22 are walked through in order in lesson 2.
What tarot deck is best for beginners?
The Rider-Waite deck or any deck drawn in its style. Even its number cards show scenes, so you can often guess the meaning from the picture, and most books and sites, including ours, are based on it. You do not need to buy a deck straight away, as lesson 1 explains.
Should beginners read reversed cards?
There is no single rule: some readers treat a reversed card as a weakened meaning, others simply turn it upright. For a beginner it is easier to learn the 78 upright meanings first and add reversals later. Our online readings show every card upright, and both approaches are covered in lesson 10.
How do I ask tarot a question?
Ask about yourself and about what depends on your actions, for example "What do I need to understand about this situation?". Questions that spy on another person, or that mix two topics at once, give muddled answers. Use an open question for a three-card spread and a closed one for a yes or no reading. Phrasing questions well is the core of lesson 6.
What are the do's and don'ts of tarot?
Do keep a journal, ask one question at a time and come back to an answer the next day instead of redrawing at once. Don't use tarot instead of a doctor or a lawyer, and don't read on someone in secret to control them. If anyone asks for money after a reading to lift a curse, it is a scam. These rules are gathered in lesson 10.
Also useful
Readings:
- Reading → — Complete spreads for deep understanding of your situation
- Daily Card → — Discover the energy of today with your daily card
- Yes or No → — Quick answers to simple questions
- Love Tarot → — Three cards about the person on your mind
- One Card → — One card for any question — draw as many times as you like
- Tarot Birth Card → — Find your tarot card by date of birth — three methods
Knowledge:
- Card Meanings → — Complete encyclopedia of all Tarot card meanings
- Journal → — Articles on cards, spreads and tarot practice
