Module 1 — Foundations of Tarot

What is Tarot?

Tarot is a deck of 78 cards that has been used for centuries — first as a card game in 15th-century Italy, then as a tool for divination, self-reflection, and storytelling. Today millions of people use tarot not to predict the future, but to understand the present and explore their inner world.

The cards are not magic. Their power comes from the symbols, archetypes, and meanings that have built up over 600 years of practice. When you draw a card, your mind makes connections — and those connections often reveal what you already know but have not yet said out loud.

The Two Halves of the Deck

The 78 cards are divided into two groups:

• Major Arcana — 22 cards numbered 0 to 21. These represent big life themes: love, death, transformation, awakening. When a Major Arcana appears, pay attention — life is making a statement.
• Minor Arcana — 56 cards in four suits, like a regular playing deck. These represent everyday matters: relationships, money, work, daily emotions.

The Four Suits

The Minor Arcana is split into four suits, each tied to an element and a sphere of life:

• Cups (Water) — emotions, love, intuition, relationships
• Pentacles (Earth) — money, work, body, material world
• Swords (Air) — thoughts, conflict, truth, communication
• Wands (Fire) — passion, creativity, action, will

Each suit has cards numbered Ace through Ten, plus four court cards: Page, Knight, Queen, King. Once you understand the suits, you can read any minor card by combining its number's meaning with its element.

How to Approach Tarot

Tarot works best when you treat it as a mirror, not a crystal ball. Ask open questions: "What do I need to see right now?" "What is blocking me?" "How can I move forward?" Avoid yes/no questions about the future — the cards are wiser than that.

In the next module, we will meet the 22 Major Arcana, the most powerful and recognizable cards in the deck.