Are In-Person Tarot Classes or Web-based Courses better for Learning Tarot?

Do you want to learn Tarot reading but you're not sure where to start? Are you caught between doing a self-paced course or joining a class? Look no further. Here, we will examine the pros and cons of both options so you can pick the one that's best for you.

Tarot Classes vs Tarot Courses

Class

Tarot Classes generally take place in a standard classroom environment, where an experienced Tarot expert can teach newer readers techniques for reading. It can lead you to discover new divination methods, walk you through basic Tarot reading skills, and even be an opportunity to make friends.

Many people enjoy the social aspect of the experience since it is fun to be meet people with similar interests as you.

Generally, if you want to go the Tarot classes route, you should try to be in a small classroom or 1-on-1 setting. You want to have some sort of personal relationship with the instructor. They can give you useful ideas and show you how you can improve. As a beginner, it's especially helpful to have someone experienced giving you guidance.

Often, classes are not taught by a master. You can find an experienced reader, certainly, but there are very few people with a supreme level of talent.

The benefit of a course, on the other hand, is that you can learn from an elite diviner with tremendous experience reading Tarot cards.

Classes can also be rather expensive. In some cases, they may be upwards of $80 per class! If you choose to learn Tarot the classroom route, make sure it's worth the cost premium involved.

Course

An online Tarot Course functions as a self-paced series that delves into detailed aspects of Tarot reading, the Tarot deck, and how to use the spiritual guidance of Tarot in your own life.

Courses are created to help you explore the expansive world of Tarot, and good ones come with supplementary reading materials to give the learner a robust understanding of the practice. A course is especially great for beginners since they can go at their own pace.

If you hope to become a professional or highly skilled Tarot practitioner, a course can give you the specialized information you need to learn to be at your best.

Granted, it may not be a social environment such as what you'd get learning Tarot in a class, but you can certainly get more in-depth lessons. Since you are free to go about it on your own time, you can accelerate your learning as opposed to waiting for class sessions.

If you are evaluating a site to learn Tarot on, evaluate the lesson plan and make sure the course covers a wide array of topics related to Tarot. Also, be sure that is taught by someone with excellent talent and experience. Since it's available, you want to get the best instruction possible.

There is a lot of free Tarot content on the internet that is frankly incorrect. So it's worth it to search for a credible, paid program. After all, you can't get your time back.

Courses are generally affordable. You can find an excellent, full-length Tarot course for under $100.

Understanding the Tarot Deck and Tarot Card Meanings

Learning how to interpret Tarot cards by the book is about repeated exposure. No matter what, it's a homework assignment for the learner.

One could even use free online tools to learn Tarot denotations. But, regardless if one takes in-person lessons, uses an online tutorial, or reads other books, learning the Tarot symbols requires study. There is so much depth to the Fool's journey of the major arcana and the four suits of the minor arcana that anyone learning Tarot should take care to explore them on a daily basis.

Since it is similar in both types of learning environments, the important thing is that interpreting beyond the book meanings is taught. Experienced Tarot users start to see their own meanings in Tarot decks by picking up on patterns.

There are card associations unique to each deck and reader that become clear over time. You may see this with your own deck, as you notice that when certain cards emerge it coincides with events in your real life.

This personal relationship you have with your deck is a sign that your intuition and your spiritual power are developing. It comes over time and is a natural progression for a Tarot reader. So, it is important that whatever class or course a beginner takes, this process for personalized interpretation is emphasized. They shouldn't necessarily inject their personal ideas when they first begin to give readings, but over time it becomes a significant aspect of the practice.

A last consideration is intimacy. All Tarot decks form an energy bond with their master, and sometimes you want to be completely free in your interaction with the cards. In a classroom setting, that's not quite possible.

There are many energies in the room and social protocol of course demands you speak and act a certain way. But, Tarot and spirituality are very personal practices. In the privacy of your home, you are unplugged from the world and can immerse more fully into your Tarot deck's energy.

Interpreting Tarot Spreads

Beyond knowing the meaning of each individual card, it is of course important to interpret the spreads that cards are deployed into. Readings are hardly performed with single card draws, it's almost always 3-card spreads, the Celtic cross, and so on. While you are free to do whatever best suits you, it's vital to recognize how spreads are used. To read the Tarot accurately, you must be able to piece together the story Universal wisdom seeks to tell depending on how they emerge.

As a beginner, it is helpful to have a course that can lay out the basics of using spreads. This way, you can go about them at your own pace. The ideas presented can be complex, and it is easy to fall into the trap of second-guessing without a proper understanding of the interpretation. A class can also satisfy this, but it is important that the class also provides supplementary materials.

A perk of a small Tarot class or 1-on-1 mentorship compared to an online Tarot course is quick feedback. When a beginner is learning to access their intuition and search for spiritual answers, it is helpful to have the wisdom of an experienced reader to guide them. The teacher can give tips to develop them and reinforce them when they do a good job, building confidence.

Growing as a Tarot Reader

A class that demands regular, on-site practice can be beneficial to a learner by inspiring hope so that they stay the course. When you hit a rough patch, it is easy to walk away, and no courses or automated tutorials can give the encouragement you might need to keep going. If you are a hands-on learner, the physical nature of a class might be more beneficial than trying to learn Tarot through a digital program.

As you strive to improve, you want something that can be revisited. When a class is over, it's over. But, a rich course can provide enough valuable information about Tarot cards that you can continue to learn Tarot nuances long after your initial completion of it.

Like picking up a new language, repeated exposure is what makes it stick. A good course offers just that, something created to be taken with you through your life as you perform Tarot readings.

You are free to shape your Tarot journey however you see fit. Just remember, the help and support of others are always an important component of success. All great people have had mentors, educators, and teachers that helped guide them along the way, and in this era of technology, you can pick your mentors. So, take advantage!

Your Tarot Journey

Tarot is a practice you take with you for your entire life. If you are about to begin your journey, you want to pursue that which will enable you to learn the most to set you up for success. You will come to find the spiritual guidance you can access to be invaluable. It opens up a whole new world for you.

As you develop your intuition and perform readings, other people will look to you for answers and guidance. Plus, you'll have so much fun along the way. Maybe you will even teach lessons yourself one day, to help new beginners learn.

If you are about to begin your Tarot journey, consider our Tarot Reading Course. It's the gold standard for learning Tarot. You can see what it's like to learn directly from a master, you'll get a lot of valuable knowledge, and you can even become officially certified. If you were looking for the last nudge to begin learning... let this be your sign!

Put your best foot forward on your long journey to becoming a Tarot master–your future self thanks you!