TEACHING THE TAROT: INTRODUCTORY READING COURSE
In teaching the Tarot at the Introductory Level to gain the “Apprentice Tarot Readers Designation” I discovered that I learned as much as I shared with each class. As eager as they were to pick my brain for all the knowledge I had gained over the years, they gave me a new perspective of an old friend.
When I asked about their experience with the Tarot they shared that they had been “fooling around” with the Tarot for sometime but really wanted to know how to use it to do reading in a more comprehensive manner. With that in mind we begin to look at their deck and talk about what decks would be helpful learning the Tarot. Some student bought a new deck and some choose to keep the deck they were comfortable with.
The images on the cards intrigue most new students and launch the class into a study of the history and mystery of the Tarot. We talk about the myths and what we know about the early days of the Tarot and the remnants of deck in museums in Europe and the body of esoteric literature written in the 17 and 1800. It helps students understand some of the symbolism of the Tarot and its journey to what it is today.
Our next subject is the “Fools Journey” through the major arcana and includes the three divisions of experience (conscious, subconscious, and superconscious. Students began to see how the cards reflect their own journey through the conscious outer concern of life in society (cards 1 to 7), the subconscious or inward search to find out “who they really are” (cards 8 to 14), and then the superconscious development of spiritual awareness and the release of what Carl Jung refers to as the archetypal energy (cards 15 to 21). By this time in our learning student were doing simple readings that could be answered with a “yes or no” using Trish MacGregor and Phyllis Vega book Power Tarot One Card Spread examples. This exercise helped imbed the significance of the large issues represented by the major arcana images.
Then we were off to learn about the minor arcana suits, elements, gender, and numerology and how they were all tied to the majors through the numbers one to ten. By this time we were using the story tell skills so important to the Tarot using the “Past, Present, Obstacle, Future and Outcome” spread so common for everyday questions.
We followed with the ‘people’ cards using the works of Kate Warwick-Smith The Tarot Court Cards to determine who our supports and detractors are and what kind of resources or challenges they provide us with. Student were delighted with the layouts Kate suggested to learn the cards and by this time student were “chomping at the bit” to use every reading layout I could provide.
As students struggled to use their new interpretation skills and began to feel more confident, they were challenged to use their psychic ability. We talked a lot about where it comes from, how to listen to the interpretation as they weave their Tarot story while always remembering to include their client’s thoughts in bringing new insight to the cards. At this point it was important to begin to trust themselves to bringing guidance through the Tarot to their prospective clients, friends and to themselves. It was amazing to see that trust develop.
After seven weeks of study our final lesson was spent on an open book exam and then on an in-depth Tarot reading which had to demonstrate student proficiency to read the Tarot. Needless to say they all smiled proudly as they displayed their “Apprentice Tarot Reader” graduation certificate for class photographs!
I am delighted with the questions, reading skills, and exuberance demonstrated by each and every graduate I have taught to read the Tarot at the “Introductory Level”. Each students sharing of ideas and interesting interpretation of the cards based on their own personal life experience expanded the depth of this great oracle and my understanding of it.
I hope this article will entice your to join us in learning the skills necessary to enter the magical, mysterious, and wonderful world of Tarot.
Tarot by Freya,
Professional Tarot Reader and Tarot Teacher,
Certified by the Canadian Tarot Network,
Contact me for details on all upcoming courses:
613-477-3220
613-885-8008
