When to let your friends and family know you are Wiccan, and how to let them know depends on many factors. Its going to be different for everyone. Some people feel they can never let anyone know, and others are completely "out of the broom closet" doing public rituals, writing books or being interviewed on television.

Many new students of Wicca are so excited about their new-found path that they want to rush out and tell the world. This is usually not a good idea. There is also the temptation to wear a pentacle right away. This is also something that needs some thought. Something you need to consider before telling anyone is that regardless of their reaction - whether its good, bad or indifferent, they are likely to ask you questions about your beliefs and will definitely ask you what that pentacle around your neck means. You need to be ready to calmly and clearly answer any and all questions which are asked. Depending on how much you study it could take six months or more before you are ready to answer the most frequently asked questions. Studying our "What is Wicca?" page and our "Frequently Asked Questions" page will give you an idea of what your friends, family and complete strangers are liable to ask you if you advertise the fact that you are Wicca by wearing a pentacle. Many who are new to Wicca and those who choose not to be public wear a pentacle but keep it hidden under their shirt. Wearing a pentacle is not a requirement, but it tends to give a sense of connection to the Earth, to the god and goddess, and to other Wiccans.

While in the United States and many other countries there are laws against religious discrimination Wiccans still may face being fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes or losing their children in custody battles merely for being Wiccan. None of this is fair, and with good legal help Wiccans do win lawsuits if they can prove discrimination. If you find yourself facing one of these problems there are organizations which may be able to help or advise you. (Witches Against Religious Discrimination ) or (Covenant of the Goddess) The best course of action, however, is to avoid confrontations whenever possible. Rarely will an employer or landlord admit religious discrimination. They will come up every other excuse imaginable. The best defense is clean living. If you live by the Wiccan Rede (An it harm none, do what you will) then it is assumed that you are acting in your everyday life as a kind, considerate and honest person. It will be difficult for anyone to find any "evidence" against you when you act and live according to the tenets of Wicca.

If you feel ready to let some of your closest friends or family know that you are studying Wicca we suggest printing out a copy of our, "What is Wicca?" page to give them during your discussion. It was written for just that purpose and will help dispel many myths they have have heard. Most people are understanding and happy to be educated. Others - especially those from fundamentalist religions will not be reassured no matter what you tell them. Their religious beliefs tell them that anything to do with witchcraft is evil (of the devil) and they will not believe anything you say. Its better to save your breath and stay away from the topic of religion if you have regular contact with people of fundamentalist beliefs.

Some of the best "coming out of the broom closet" stories we have heard have come about naturally. Generally people studying Wicca find themselves becoming happier and more at peace. This shows, and sooner or later someone is going to ask, "What's new in your life - you look so happy?" You will still need to decide if this is a person you are ready to talk to about your new path. You may, however, want to avoid use of the word "witch" when describing your path, at least a first.

If you are confronted by a friend warning that you will, "burn in hell" for following Wicca, just thank them for their concern and change the subject. If they persist just firmly and politely tell them that you choose not to discuss your religion with anyone who feels that way.

Regardless of how open you decide to be, do not forget that you will be representing all of Wicca to the outside world. You may be the only Wiccan someone has ever met. Unfairly or not, they will judge Wicca by what they see and hear from you. If you decide to put Wiccan bumper stickers on your car make sure you are a polite driver. Refrain from making rude "hand signals". Practice your deep breathing and relaxation techniques when someone cuts you off in traffic instead of letting them upset you.

While there is no "dress code" for Wicca we hope that you will use common sense. We once had a young lady complain to us that she had been suspended from school for wearing a pentacle. We found out that the truth was something different. She was also wearing black fishnet stockings, an extremely short black skirt, and a top which showed her midriff. You do not have to dress like the "witches" in movies to be a witch. These clothes were against the school's dress code and she was suspended for this reason - not the pentacle.

Your school or work place can not deny you the right to wear religious jewelry if they allow the jewelry of other religions to be worn. If you are asked to remove your pentacle respond calmly and quietly. Most employers or school administrators who ask this have simply have not realized it is a religious symbol just as the cross is for Christians or the Star of David is for Jewish people. Their response may be to ask people of all religions not to wear their jewelry which is at least fair to all.

Some Wiccans wonder if they are being "dishonest" when the hide their religion from some friends or family members. We believe that only you can know when it is good to reveal your beliefs and when it makes more sense to keep that part of your life private. For example: if your 85 year old Christian grandmother would have a heart-attack if she knew - then don't tell her! While it is good for the pagan community in general for the public to see how many of us there are we still need to focus on personal safety first. So - come out of the broom closet if you can, but if you feel it isn't time to do so do let anyone intimidate you into doing it. And never, never "out" another Wiccan.

If you decide to come out of the broom closet, sooner or later you may be asked for an interview by a newspaper, radio or television reporter or columnist. If you do not feel you are ready for that refer them to someone with experience in dealing with the media, or at least someone with more experience in Wicca. There are some things you can do now to prepare for possible interviews in the future.

Get to know the writing styles and personalities of your local reporters and columnists. Be especially sure to read the religious column in your local newspapers. This usually appears on Saturday but may appear on Sunday in some papers. What you are looking for is whether they reporters are fair and objective or whether they seem to slant all stories in a particular direction. Be sure to read any interviews with people of non-mainstream religions to see if the writer handles them fairly. If a writer/reporter whom you do not trust asks to interview you feel free to say you are willing to do an interview but only if you get to talk with so-and-so (the writer/reporter you have found through your research to be fair).

Reporters have a habit of describing Wiccans as, "self-proclaimed witches". If this phrase bothers you (and it probably does) then make it clear before you begin the interview that you do not want that phrase used. They may try to tell you that their editor requires it because they do not want a defamation lawsuit. Assure them that you willingly call yourself a witch (if this is the case) so you are not going to sue them if they call you one as well. Refuse to do the interview if they do not respect your wishes on this or any other issue that is important to you.

If you decide to grant an interview which includes photographs or video remember again that you are representing all of Wicca. If you are preparing for a ritual it would be natural to be wearing a ritual robe, but otherwise try to appear as "normal" as possible. Even if you usually dress if a very unusual way you may want to tone it down a little so those who see you will not be distracted by the clothes or jewelry. Think about Tammy Faye Baker, the Christian television personality - does anyone ever notice what she says? Probably not - her hair and makeup are too distracting.

The most popular time for the media to look for witches to interview is, of course, Samhain. If you feel qualified to give interviews you may want to contact your local newspaper's religion columnist about a month ahead of time to let them know you are available if they want a witches point of view on Halloween. They may not know how to find any Wiccans and they may do a story from a purely Christian point of view. That is what we want to avoid. If you can offer to do another interview around Yule or at another time of the year so that the public does not associate witchcraft and Wicca solely with Halloween. You could offer to talk about Handfasting ceremonies for the Wedding supplement that many newspapers publish around June.

It is considered very bad taste in Wicca to allow an actual ritual to be photographed, videotaped or filmed. We sometimes see people standing or dancing in a circle in a documentary on Wicca which is ok, but it is never in good taste to film the invocation of gods or someone's initiation or other significant rituals or parts of rituals.

Whenever you talk to the media (or anyone) about the craft be sure to make it clear that you are speaking from your own perspective and that you do not speak for all of Wicca. It is important for people to understand that Wicca is practiced in a variety of ways. If you do not know the answer to a question be honest and offer to research it and get back to the interviewer.

If you are thinking about holding classes on Wicca or you are open to taking new students into your coven, there are some procedures you can use that will help ensure your safety and limit the amount of time spent on people who may not be right for the class you are offering or the group you run. Some of our suggestions may seem overly cautious, but unfortunately we still sometimes experience discrimination from those who do not understand the path of Wicca.

Many metaphysical book stores have classroom space and will be willing to rent it to your or perhaps even provide it at no cost. Public libraries usually have rooms which non profit organizations can use at not cost for public meetings. Space may also be available for rent at community centers. We do not recommend holding classes in your home unless you already have experience teaching and know the people you will be inviting into your home.

If you do not have your own store location then you will probably want to get a post-office box for mail. Never advertise your home address. You may also want to get a separate phone line with voice-mail or an answering machine for inquiries about your classes.

If you will be holding your classes in a public place you may be able to post a flyer about the classes. You may also consider posting flyers in any metaphysical store or health-food store in your area. We have found that these are places most likely to be frequented by potential Wicca students. Be sure to include the dates and times of the classes and an address (p.o. box) and/or telephone number they can call for further information. You do not need to include an exact address on this flyer. We usually do not do that for safety reasons. You want to be able to screen potential students over the telephone before you let them know where the classes will be held. Some people are out of the broom closet, but use a different name for public Wicca-related activities. You will know best whether this is something you should do in your community.

You may also want to consider running an ad in the classified section of your local newspapers. One we had good luck with was worded simply: "Love the Earth? Wicca classes, call xxxxxxx". Most classified newspapers sections have a variety of topic headings including one for religious ads and one for classes or instruction. Most towns also have one or more free magazines which specialize in metaphysical advertisements. You can find these in metaphysical and health-food stores. They are another good place to advertise classes. You may also be able to run an ad in your local newspaper's Saturday church section where all types of religious organizations and meetings are advertised. You may find some newspapers will refuse to run your ad. Since they are privately owned they do have that right as unfair as it seems. Advertising on an appropriate radio station is another option, but may be costly.

For more permanent advertising of your group or on-going classes you can consider having a phone number listed in your local telephone directly under "religious organizations". Your coven may also be able to join the Chamber of Commerce in your town, and there may be other religious groups to which all local clergy belong. Whether you, as a Wiccan, will be welcome to join these organizations will vary from town to town. We have found that Wicca is most often accepted in towns or cities near large Universities.

Some covens have "adopted" stretches of roads or highways in their community's "adopt a road" program. In exchange for getting together and cleaning up litter along the side of the road once or twice a month the community puts up a sign with the name of your group on it along "your" stretch of road.

If you are just conducting a one-time class such as "Introduction to Wicca", and it is meant to be an overview which does not necessarily lead to more advanced classes then screen students does not need to be as intensive as it would for the more advanced classes. You may want to open introductory classes up to the merely curious non-pagan who is honestly seeking to understand what Wicca is but not to necessarily become Wiccan. You may ask them to sign a form when the register for the class that says they understand and agree that the classes are open to those who come with open-minds and good intentions.

If your classes are to introduce your circle or coven to new students then you may want to do some serious screening. We recommend first a telephone interview and then meeting with the potential student in person. We include a suggested questionnaire on this website. Some of the questions can be asked during the initial phone interview. At that time it is a good idea to find out which books on Wicca, if any, the student has already read. If they have not read any good, basic books on Wicca then give them a title (one we usually recommend as a first book is, "Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner" by Scott Cunningam) and ask that they get it as soon as possible and to call you as soon as they really get into the book. If they call you back in the next day or two that will be a good indication of their enthusiasm. If a week or two goes by before they call back and you are unsure as to their enthusiasm or unsure if they are seeking classes for the right reasons then you may try assigning a book such as "Drawing Down the Moon" by Margot Adler. That book is known to weed out the merely curious or those who want only "power" and magic. We require all potential students for coven-oriented classes to read at least one entire book (such as Cunningham's) before the first class begins.

When the student has finished reading the book make arrangements to meet with them in a public place such as a restaurant. We usually choose a fast-food restaurant since it won't put a strain on anyone's budget and you can usually sit for an hour or more just sipping coffee and talking without the management getting annoyed. First talk about yourself, your background and about the classes you teach. Ask the potential student if they have any questions. This will help put them at ease before you start asking them questions. Be sure to cover all of the questions contained in our suggested questionnaire. We leave it up to you to decide what answers to the questionnaire are acceptable for your group or classes. You will find that you will be evaluating the student not only on their answers to the questions but their reactions to the questions as well. At the end of the meeting promise that you will let them know in the next day or two whether you feel your classes or group will be right for them. If you decide for whatever reason that this person will not fit into your classes or group then let them know that you feel you are not the right teacher for them and offer some suggestions of where else they might look for classes or teachers. It is important that they understand they are not being rejected as people but that not every teacher is right for every student.

If you have decided that you would like to work with this student then let them know when and where the classes will be. You do not need to reveal the location until this point. We also hold a "getting to know each other" get-together before the first class begins so the students have a chance to meet each other and decide if they still want to go through the classes. At this get-together we have everyone introduce themselves and talk about their religious background and state why they are taking the classes.

http://bluemoonwicca.org/choices.html

This page will not tell you the meanings of the cards, nor will it give you a variety of canned layouts. What we will tell you here is the best way we have found for learning to read the tarot. (Beginners note: the "o" in tarot is long as in "open", and the final "t" is silent.) But first, a few frequently asked questions . . . (updated 6/3/03)

Q. Do I have to wait until someone else gives me a tarot deck?

A. No. Some people believe that you should not buy your own tarot deck - that it must be received as a gift. Personally we think this is nonsense. With the hundreds of different decks currently available you are not likely to get the perfect deck for you if a friend ever gets around to buying you one.

Q. Can I trust tarot readings from telephone or on-line services?

A. While some telephone or web-based readers may be legitimate I believe you take more of a chance when you can not meet the reader face-to-face. Can you trust them to give accurate readings? Possibly. The reading services may have absolutely NO minimum requirements for the people they hire as "readers". They will hire anyone who will promise to work a set number of hours per week and promise to keep people on the line (and paying). A woman called my store once and ask to buy a tarot deck with the meanings printed on the fronts of the cards because she was planning to be a telephone tarot reader and could never remember what the cards meant. A good reader I know worked for one of the telephone services for a very short time and then quit because she was being forced by her employers to keep the people on the phone as long as possible.

Q. Can I read the tarot for myself?

A. Probably. Most people can read for themselves, but some can not. Some people will have a tendency to read only what they want to see in the cards which isn't much help. If you find yourself doing this you might want to find a friend who also reads the cards (or learn with a friend) and exchange readings. Friends and relatives can read for each other as long as everyone is open and honest and tries not to let known factors influence the reading too much.

A. There is a saying in astrology, "The wise man rules his stars, the fool obeys them". The same could be said for the cards as for the stars. The tarot only tells you what might happen or could happen. Your future is up to you. We read the tarot to find trends in our lives. If we see and outcome card that we do not like that is not a signal to worry - it is a signal to look at the rest of the layout for clues of what you should do to avoid this outcome which you do not like. A less than satisfactory outcome card (or cards) is not to be feared, but to be welcomed because now you know that you need to put a little more effort into improving your life or changing directions. If you like what you see in the outcome cards then that is an indication that you are on the right track - keep doing what you are doing.

We suggest that you use one of the variations of the Rider Waite deck. Aside from the standard Rider Waite you can also find the Universal Waite (same drawings with softer colors), the Albano Waite (same drawings with harsher colors), and a few fancy versions such as the Golden Rider and Rider Tarot Deluxe (with gold-leaf edges). The standard Rider Waite comes in a variety of sizes. We recommend the Rider Waite variations because they have long been the "industry standard" upon which most other tarot decks are based. If you learn to read with a Rider Waite deck you will be able to easily transfer those skills to any other standard tarot deck (78 card deck which includes 22 major aracna cards).

Your tarot deck will become your friend, so treat it kindly from the beginning. The first thing you should do is remove the little booklet which comes with your deck and, without looking at it, put it away in a safe place. If you have already read the booklet or other books about tarot reading that's ok. Just put them away and do not consult them during the first three weeks of these exercises. Also remove any advertisement cards or blank cards and put those away with the booklet.

You will want to either wrap in in a nice cloth and/or place it in a nice box. Some books will tell you that the deck must be wrapped in a silk cloth but this notion comes from non-pagan card readers so what you wrap your deck in is really up to you. You can then place the wrapped deck inside a cloth bag or in a box. There are many nicely decorated and carved boxes available made especially to fit tarot decks. It is up to you whether to leave your deck in the cardboard box in came in or to store the box elsewhere (with the little booklet that comes with the deck) and wrap only the cards. You can sprinkle a little aromatic oil on the outer bag or box. (Don't over do it and stain your cards.)

In order to really bond with your deck try to keep it with you 24 hours a day for at least a week - longer if you like. You can begin working with the deck immediately - you do not have to wait until the end of this week. You can keep it under your pillow or close by your bed at night and carry it inside your shirt, jacket, in a pocket or purse during the day. This exercise will make a world of difference in transforming your deck from a box of cardboard to living, working tool/friend.

Those who are experienced at reading the tarot will tell you that getting to know the cards is a life-long process. They will continue to reveal new meanings to you as long as you use them. Getting acquainted with them, however, can be done with the four-week process outlined here. You may begin at any time, but some find it more helpful to begin on a New Moon, allowing their understanding of the cards to grow as the Moon waxes to Full. You will need a notebook in which to record your interpretations of the cards, and six, small slips of paper to use as "book marks" in your deck. You will not attempt to do any readings with the cards during the first three weeks.

Begin one evening just before you go to bed. Shuffle the cards well. Tarot cards are usually not shuffled the same way that playing cards are shuffled. You will want to avoid bending them. Shuffle them either in your hands or lay them face down on a clean surface and mix them around. You may want to have a special cloth on which to lay out your cards and shuffle them. After the cards are shuffled, keeping them face down, deal them out into seven piles. Stack the piles back together using the slips of paper to separate them. Put the deck away for the night.

The first week's exercise is done immediately after arriving home from your day at work or school. If you have errands to do when you get home do them first then do this exercise, but do not take time to relax or meditate. The important part of this first-week exercise is to do it immediately after stopping your regular, daily activities.

Take the first group of cards from the top of the deck, keeping them face down. Have your notebook handy. Write: Week One at the top of a page. Turn the top card in the pile over and look at it. Write down the name of the card. If you are not sure of the name at this point write down a description. Most importantly write down what you think the card means. What kind of feeling does the card give you? If you aren't sure guess. The Rider Waite deck was carefully designed to trigger images and feelings within the reader. Take about 30 seconds for each card. Do this for each card in the first pile in your deck. Keeping the separation papers in place, move this pile to the bottom of the deck.

Each of the next six days do the same exercise working through one pile of cards each day until you have worked through the whole deck by the end of the seventh day. After recording your impressions on the seventh day shuffle the deck again. Again deal it into seven piles, add the separation papers and put the deck away for the night.

On each day of the second week you will be working through the piles and again recording your impressions of the cards with this difference: Instead of immediately working with your cards after the end of a hard days work take a couple of minutes to center and ground. Do this in a quiet place. Sit up straight, close your eyes. Feel the tension drain out of your body as you connect with the Earth below you. When you are relaxed, take the first pile from your deck, and starting with a fresh page in your notebook (labeled: Week Two) write your impression of each card just as you did for Week One. Take a minute or so for each card if you need it, but if you get a clear impression sooner do not feel you need to continue looking. Each day in this second week be sure to take a few moments to ground and center before recording your impression of each card. On the seventh day, again shuffle and separate the deck as you did for the first two weeks.

Your tarot exercises for the Week Three will take a little more time than they did in the first two weeks. Find a quiet place, ground and center, and spend about 15 minutes relaxing and clearing your mind. Be sure to let all tension drain away. You do not have to have an "empty mind", but try to keep peaceful images in your mind of forests, fields, waterfalls...or whatever relaxes you. At the end of this 15 minute relaxation/meditation being your begin your third week of recording your impressions of the cards. Start on a new page of your notebook labeled: Week Three. This time take as long as you like with each card. This completes your three week get-acquainted period with your cards.

The most important thing to understand about the tarot is that it will not tell you what will happen, but only what might happen. Most pagan tarot readers believe in "free will" to some degree - which means we can make choices in our lives - the entire course of our lives is not already laid out and cast in stone. Even if you believe that some parts of your life is pre-determined there are still many options which present themselves to us every day. Some people find it difficult to read for themselves or other people that they know well. Others have no problem staying objective. You won't know until you try. You may also find that you have some good days and bad days. This is normal. A lot of people find the Court Cards (Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings), the most difficult to understand. If these come easily for you, great! If they do not there are many books available which can help you understand these cards. We do not go into individual card interpretations on this website because that information is readily available elsewhere.

When you are doing your first readings for other people be honest and tell them you are just learning and that you may have to refer to the guide book. Try to rely on your own intuition as much as possible though. You may want to look at the book after the reading to see how your interpretations compare. There are no wrong interpretations. If you read several books of tarot interpretations you will find a wide variation in interpretation. That is because each person writing the book wrote from his or her own intuition.

When you do a reading for someone other than yourself be sure to explain to them that the cards will not, "tell their future" - that the cards can only tell them what could happen. Do not worry if your interpretations seem "vague". When you read for someone else, some of the work is up to them. They may expect you to tell them exactly what will happen, or exactly who they will meet. The cards do not work that way. Some good psychics use tarot cards and they may seem to be getting very specific information from the cards, but this does not have to occur for the cards to tell you what you need to know. If you see a card that tells you that, "there may be a young woman at work who is jealous of you that you need to watch out for" that description may fit many people that the person receiving the reading knows. They may want more details, and you may not have them. Ask them who is the first person who came to mind when you interpreted the card for them. This will be the person that they need to watch out for. The cards are designed to bring forth information which is already in our subconscious and the subconscious of those we read for. Do not be afraid to show the other person a card which has you stumped. They may get the meaning quickly themselves.

Generally - if the outcome card or cards of a reading are favorable then you look at the other cards for indications of how to stay on this track. The other cards may give hints at opportunities that will present themselves or pitfalls to avoid. If you do not like the look of the outcome cards then look at the other cards for hints on how to change what your are doing, and what to look out for in the future. Again you are looking for opportunities and pitfalls.

Some people will express concern about the Death card before you do a reading for them. Assure them that it does not mean literal death but the end of a cycle or event. This may be one card you want to study in the booklet so that you can feel confident that you will not be frightening people with it.

Generally when you read for another person you will allow them to shuffle your cards. If you would rather not have other people touching your cards you can either buy a separate deck for this purpose or you can shuffle the cards yourself and have your friend concentrate on their question and tell you when to stop shuffling. I do believe allowing the person with the questions to do the shuffling is the preferable choice though.

Do not accept money for doing readings unless you first obtain a license from your local licensing agency. Many cities and counties have strict ordinances surrounding tarot reading. If you read for money without a license you may be breaking the law and you will definitely cause any local, licensed readers to be angry with you. They have worked hard at learning their skill and may be paying large sums for license fees each year and they will happily report anyone they know of who has not followed the same, proper procedures. Accepting "donations" does not get you around the laws - most laws will state this clearly. Some are local laws for tarot readers are fair, and others are either unfair or un-constitutional. If you are an experienced reader and considering becoming licensed feel free to write and I'll be happy to share my experiences with you. There is nothing unethical about being an experienced, honest, licensed and paid tarot reader. Professional tarot reading is just like any other profession in which one is paid for their knowledge and skill.

During the fourth week you will begin doing readings for yourself and immediate family members and close friends if they are willing to help you get started. You can keep the little booklet with you during this time but do not refer to it until after you have gotten your own impression of each card.

Each morning shuffle your deck and pull three cards from it. Always ground and center before you shuffle your cards for a reading. You may also connect with the deity or guide of your choice for assistance with your readings. While you are shuffling be thinking, "What do I need to know for today?" You can either deal them from the top, the bottom, or just pick them at random - whichever feels right to you at the moment. Lay the three cards in front of you and study each individually. Get out your notebook and write down your impressions of the individual cards and also your impression of what they might mean for you for the coming day. You can look at the three cards as representing morning, noon, and evening, or just blend the messages together for an overall look at how your day will go. Be sure to look at your notebook again in the evening and see if your impressions turned out to be correct. Make additional notes if you like.

The booklet which comes with your deck will have at least one suggested layout, and that is usually the "Celtic (pronounced keltik) Cross". It is one of the most popular and standard layouts. Practice and learn this one because it is very good for general readings whenever someone asks, "What do I need to know?" If you have a variety of books on reading the tarot they may often have slight variations in their Celtic Cross layout examples. Stick with the one that works best for you, or combine ideas from more than one. Whatever you decide stay with it long enough to memorize the layout and card position meanings.

If you or your friend has one or more specific questions you can still use the Celtic Cross, but you may want to try different layouts. You can buy books with many layout suggestions and they are fun to try, but its also good to trust yourself to make up your own layouts too since its now always convenient to use a book. Practice on yourself first. Before you shuffle the cards come up with a simple question you would like to ask. Close your eyes, center and ground. Try and see how many cards it might take for your answer, and how you might lay them out. Decide what each card position will mean. It could be a simple past/present/future reading, but with two or more cards to represent each phase. You can lay out the cards all in one row, several rows, in a circle, branched out like a tree - absolutely anything that comes to mind yet is not so complicated that you will forget what you are doing before you finish shuffling and laying the cards out.

Also decide whether you will lay the cards out face up or face down. It can be easier to focus on each card individually if you begin with them all face down. But, if some of the cards are not readily revealing their meanings to you, you can change your mind and turn them all over at once to get the big picture. Sometimes it is hard to understand a card without seeing those which fall next to it.

You can use intuitive layouts as additions to a general, Celtic Cross reading. Sometimes you will find that the Celtic Cross brings up more questions than it answers. You can try laying one or more new cards next to the card which is giving you difficulties. Decide before you lay out these new cards whether they will give more background information, hints for the future or whatever seems appropriate. The important thing is to trust your intuition. There is no wrong way to lay out the cards.

Once in a while you will find that none of the cards in a layout are making sense to you. Rather than beating your head against a wall or looking up every single card in the booklet just decide that something went wrong with the shuffling and do it over again.

After you have had a week to practice readings on yourself and a few close friends it is time to take your cards with you to a party or other gathering where you can get some more intensive practice. Be sure to ask permission from the host or hostess before you do this. Let everyone know that you are just learning and are just doing the readings as practice and you would appreciate their assistance if they will allow you to read for them. By letting them know it is practice you will not have to feel shy about using the booklet if you need it and they will not feel obligated to take the reading too seriously. Be sure to let each person know that the cards will only tell what could be, not what will be.

The more readings you do the more quickly you will gain confidence in your readings, so do them as often as possible. Try not to do a general reading for the same person more often than once or twice a month. You do not want anyone to become dependent on card readings for living their lives. There is nothing wrong with doing several specific-question type readings as long as it isn't the same specific question more than once. The tarot is a very good tool when used properly and with confidence.

Additional practice can be found in Learning the Tarot - An on-line course.

For a very good FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) on the Tarot please see Fatima's page.

Free Tarot classes at the Pottery in Port St. Lucie, Florida - first Monday of every month.