Lesson 1 of 10 · 6 min
What tarot is, and what it isn't
Begin with the cards, a little history, and a question you can actually explore.
Start with a picture and a question
A tarot deck has 78 cards with a structure you can learn. In a reading, you draw cards and interpret them in relation to a question. Their images and traditional meanings offer starting points for examining a situation, naming feelings, and considering possible actions.
Imagine asking, “What would help me feel more connected this week?” You draw the Three of Cups. Three figures raise their cups together. You might think about friendship, shared enjoyment, or accepting support. A practical response could be inviting a friend for a walk.
That connection involves several things working together. You observe the picture, learn an established meaning, consider your circumstances, and decide what deserves attention. You can learn each part. You can also look up a card while reading it.
Readers bring different beliefs to tarot. Some approach it spiritually, some psychologically, and some as a creative practice. This course teaches a reflective approach, with careful observation and room for uncertainty. Curiosity is enough to begin.
A short history of the cards
Tarot developed in 15th-century Italy as a card game. Early decks included four suits and a group of special trump cards. Surviving painted examples reflect the culture of Renaissance courts. The familiar tarot structure grew from this playing-card tradition. The Metropolitan Museum of Art describes these early cards and their use in games. Read the museum's history of tarot.
The association with divination developed centuries later, in late-18th-century France. In 1781 the scholar Antoine Court de Gébelin claimed, without evidence, that the cards preserved ancient Egyptian wisdom. Within a few years the Parisian cartomancer Etteilla was publishing tarot decks and guides for reading fortunes, and occult writers in France and England built on those ideas through the 19th century. The Morgan Library & Museum traces this change in its account of occult tarot. Read the Morgan's account.
Our visual reference is the 1909 Rider-Waite-Smith deck. Pamela Colman Smith created its illustrations under the direction of Arthur Edward Waite, and William Rider & Son of London published it in December 1909. Waite's companion book, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, followed in 1910 (its title page is dated 1911). Including Smith in the name recognizes the artist whose pictures you will study throughout these lessons. The Whitney Museum documents the deck and Smith's 1909 commission. See the Whitney's exhibition text.
Many modern decks adapt these designs. When we describe a picture, we mean the Rider-Waite-Smith image. Your own deck may change a figure, setting, or symbol, so take a moment to compare it with the reference.
Reading with room for choice
A reflective reading begins with a question you can examine. “How can I prepare for this conversation?” gives you something to work with. You can consider your expectations, communication habits, and next steps.
A question about a fixed future can narrow your attention too quickly. When you ask “Will I get the job?”, you may start treating every detail as a verdict. Reframing the question helps you identify what you can influence.
| A question you might bring | A reflective version to try |
|---|---|
| Will I get the job? | What can I strengthen before the interview? |
| What does my friend secretly think? | What am I assuming about this friendship? |
| Will my project succeed? | What needs attention as I develop this project? |
Keep the language of your interpretation open. “This could suggest…” and “I wonder where…” help you explore an idea before accepting it. Check the idea against what you actually know.
With the Three of Cups, for example, friendship may be relevant. Your circumstances might also bring up feeling left out of a group. Both deserve exploration. The image alone cannot establish another person's private feelings or intentions.
You can read more about this approach in our guide to tarot and prediction.
Turn an interpretation into something practical
The Eight of Pentacles shows a seated worker using tools to make pentacles. Repeated work fills the scene. A common interpretation concerns practice, craftsmanship, and developing skill.
Suppose your question is, “How can I approach learning to cook?” The card might lead you to repeat one simple recipe and pay attention to what improves. If you already practice constantly, it could prompt you to examine the quality of your feedback.
The same card can support different questions because context helps shape meaning. Keep your interpretation connected to the picture, the card's traditions, and the question you asked. Then choose a small action you can evaluate afterward.
How this course works
The next lessons give you a framework for recognizing cards. You will learn the deck's structure, explore the Major Arcana, and study the suits, numbers, and court cards. These patterns make individual meanings easier to understand and recall.
Then you will practice reading pictures, choosing an approach to reversed cards, and combining cards in spreads. The final lesson covers questions, journaling, and reading for yourself and others with care.
Work through the lessons in order, trying each exercise as you go. Keep a notebook or a simple document with your question, card, observations, and response. Return to earlier entries as your understanding develops. You may notice that a detail you overlooked becomes meaningful later.
At the end of each lesson, three questions let you check your understanding. You can revisit any explanation before moving on. Begin with Lesson 2, The 78 cards, and give yourself time to handle or browse the cards as you learn.