Education with Tarot necessary?

Hi all,

Since this is one of the best (and probably most viewed) forums about tarot I thought I should ask my question here. I would very much like to have some (constructive) feedback on education and tarot. Meaning the following:
I've started with tarot a couple of months ago. Reading for myself mostly and sometimes for others. It attracts me, I seem to have some intuitive talent and during a retreat I realized that I would like to do this professional someday and become a payed reader.
However, I'm wondering what type of 'tarot-education' is needed for this if I mostly want to use tarot as a therapeutic tool. Call it tarot therapy or something. I would like to believe that we can change the course of action in our lives, can grow as a person et cetera and that tarot can really help to delve into our subconscious and point us in the right direction (with questions like: how can I improve my relationships, what am I doing wrong in this and this situation, what do I need to learn from this).

So, of course I would like to do some courses and workshops in tarot to learn to interpret cards/spreads better. (At the moment I still need to look up things) Most likely I will do some online courses, since the tarot courses in my own country aren't as developed as in the US for example, so I was leaning towards the courses from Biddytarot or the tarot association (tips on that would be helpful as well) But I was also wondering if it would be necessary to have some sort of education as a (life) coach as well? My background is not in psychology or related topics, although I do have an abundance of life experience (unfortunately a lot of the bad kind, but it made me the person I am today) and am quite intuitive and empathic.

So, is this a necessity or do many of you are able to help people with just the tarot without any additional diploma's? Thanks for your answers!

I learned by doing---using the cards,as well as spending a lot of time on this forum.

Im not sure what training as a life coach is like where you are but in the states there I s no real school or certification process. People just decide to be a life coach and put it on their business cards. It tends to be people who have a background in traditional counseling or spiritual counseling or career counselling so you could look into that. In terms of training with tarot I would start looking at your local new age shop or other crunchy places like maybe a food co op for fliers. I studied by myself for years and years before I went to a workshop and when I did it was with a friend that does readings... you could also ask readers in your area if they ever teach. I have no experience with online classes so maybe someone else can speak to that.

The question of certification is relevant here. It's a contentious issue, but I think almost everyone is in agreement that a diploma of some kind is never [i[necessary[/i] to help people with the Tarot. Some would argue that it makes you look more professional, or that it demonstrates a certain level of educational background that adds to your readings, but this is all really just a matter of personal preference. Plus, trying to find such a diploma is difficult, because there's no one recognized authority to certify and/or train you.

In short, if you find a degree program that you think would be helpful to you and you want to go through it, by all means, do so. But it's not a requirement, especially since the Tarot is a very difficult subject to certify by any objective, external means.

If you are really serious about getting a certification, you may want to consider getting a counseling degree or something equivalent, and then just adding Tarot in to the skill set you gain from that education. But depending on where you are in your life right now, that might not be a viable option, so take the suggestion with a grain of salt.

There is no formal education or training required to read as a professional reader. If you want to pursue such a path it would only help you. Education is important. How you gain it is up to you.

You can go the college route and get a degree in a relative field. I find that the following benefits a tarot reader

-Psychology
-Sociology
-Philosophy
-Religious Studies

Anything in the humanities that relates to people and culture

If you do not want to get a degree taking some classes would be good. You can audit college courses for cheap, but won't get the college credits. Or go to chegg.com and rent college textbooks and learn on your own.

For tarot training there are places to go to get a well organized curriculum which as the courses at the Tarorsophy Tarot Association http://www.tarotassociation.net/courses/

You can also study on your own. I buy books like crazy to teach myself what I want to learn. Plus there is YouTube where you can learn almost anything!

There is Coursera where you can take free online classes from 80+ top universities and organizations.

Years ago I considered taking classes at the American School of Hypnosis. I was interested in doing the same thing you're talking about only with hypnosis- using it in a more theraputic way to help people rather than simply entertain people. Doing past life regressions, all that.

I checked into it, and as it turns out, it's kind of illegal to do that if you don't have a phD in psychology & are licensed to practice it. You can get seriously sued, or have charges brought against you in all sorts of ways.

It has nothing to do with being "certified" as a reader - that's a whole different highly debated subject I won't get into here.

It has to do with being a certified therapist from an ACREDITED (acredited) school (of which there are none in fortune telling).

This is why we're also not supposed to give legal advice (we're not lawyers) or medical advice (we're not doctors).

WITH that being said, I always tell people my tarot sessions are like cheap therapy sessions for which I'm completely unqualified. I try to be honest about it. It's all you can do. Or, you can go back to school & get your phD.

I think a formal education is neither sufficient, nor necessary. Here is one more random recommendation:

Spend a couple years of in-depth reading on alchemy, astrology, religious symbolism, mysticism etc. (you don't have to subscribe to astrology to study it, but it provides a common language). I'd read at least one volume of the Encyclopedia of Tarot, preferably at least two (but no need to read them all). Definitely delve into Jung and when you have confidence in Jung, I think you're there.

It helps if you've already had your own mid-life transformation (maybe this is yours?) Because it's hard to see how you can help others if you haven't gotten far down the path of wisdom (but it sounds like you may have).

And finally, see if the Universe is calling you to read cards. Sit by yourself in some ordinary public place, with your cards, and if people happen to find you there, troubled people who have a pressing need for advice, for insights, for clarity, and if they leave in better condition than they arrived, I think you'll see the Universe is setting out a purpose for you.

If you combine and accept the advice in posts #5 & #7 .... you will become a very good and helpful reader. It sounds like a lot to do and learn ... but unless you envision a time when you plan to stop learning at some stage , you will always have something to satisfy your 'hunger to learn'.

I wrote out a full blog on this topic to really detail my thoughts on this.

http://thatstotallytarot.com/?p=2136

Education is essential. Period. My High School yearbook quote was “ignorance, the root and stem of all evil” by Plato. Education remove ignorance. However, I do not hold much weight in the organized education system. For the most part it is a big joke. In our day in age with the free flow and accessibility of information we can learn whatever we want outside a college classroom. We can learn more independently than in a college class. Granted, there are some things you can only receive from a formal education and we do need a formal education in some fashion, my point is knowledge and facts are a quick google search away. Teachers today cannot simply tell us facts, we can find out the facts ourselves. Educators need to focus on how to present this information and make students think! I digress..

While you do not need a formal education or training to be a professional tarot reader, most are self taught. I do believe firmly that education will only help you be a better reader. You can go a traditional route or non-traditional.

There are no college degrees for tarot reading. There are, however relevant fields that can help you be a more insightful reader. The following degrees in my view are helpful. While you may or may not want a career in one of these fields, they can help you with the tarot profession.

Psychology – The first choice and most popular degree a tarot reader my pick. Psychology in general is a popular degree option for many undergraduates. However can also be one of the most useless because to do anything in psychology you need a master a minimum and Ph.D for serious work. For the tarot reader, though an undergraduate would be fine as a means to give you the foundations needed to understand the mind. A psychology degree in counseling, is very helpful, but do your research on the laws in your state regarding counseling. Transpersonal Psychology is highly relevant for a tarot professional. Transpersonal Psychology (Spiritual Psychology) integrates the spiritual and transcendent aspects of the human experience with the framework of modern psychology.
Sociology – While psychology deals with the mind of the individual, sociology focuses on groups of people/society. Sociology deals with the social behaviors of people, beliefs, ideas, and the relationship between people and institutions. A Masters in Social Work (MSW) people work with people and can do counselling work (after obtaining a license in your state, again do your research).
Philosophy / Religious Studies – Philosophy teaches you how to be a critical thinker and I find that philosophy is often overlooked in favor for psychology. Psychology was philosophy at one point before it split into its own independent study. The Greek philosophers produced some of the first psychological ideas. Studying philosophy gives you a background in understanding some of the big questions that have ever been asked. What is the meaning of life? What am I here for? Ethics, logic, epistemology, metaphysics and so much more is covered in philosophy. These areas of study can benefit you as a reader because philosophy can be applied in a tarot reading. Many of the philosophical teachings can be found in the cards themselves, which gives you a deeper understanding of those cards. You can also apply these teachings as advice to your clients. Religious studies, one of my favorite subjects. How does learning about religion apply to tarot? Like philosophy, religious ideas are represented in the cards. So once again, you gain a deeper understanding. Depending on the school, Religion may be a social science degree, in line with sociology and psychology. You people are studying, their culture, ideas and beliefs. As a tarot reader, you encounter different people from different walks of life, knowing about their religion is important. You understand their background and belief system. You would not necessarily talk about reincarnation to a Christian, but you would with a Hindu.
Art History – studying art history would give you a background in the development of art. Tarot is all art! You would learn the historical context of art and its meaning to the culture it created, along with other things. This would help you with understanding symbolism. But I see little application to the actual art of reading the cards (I may be wrong).
Western Esotericism – The Holy Grail for tarot readers. I cannot find a college in the United States that offers this, but the University of Exeter in the U.K does. They offer a Masters and Ph.D in Western Esotericism. Tarot is an esoteric discipline, so a degree in the esoteric traditions would be amazing to have. I would kill to get this degree!

The purpose of the Master’s program in Western Esotericism is to introduce students to this new and expanding field of academic study, providing an adequate grounding in its historical, theological, and philosophical aspects. The MA course is designed to enable students to investigate the Western esoteric tradition from the Hellenistic period in late antiquity through the Renaissance and early modern period to the present.There are three main objectives. Firstly, to develop an understanding of the fundamental characteristics which define esoteric spirituality (correspondences, living nature, intermediaries and hierarchies, transmutation of the soul). This spirituality often manifests as a form of religious experience, while offering a perspective upon the individual soul in the context of nature and the universe. Secondly, to gain insight into the social, religious and philosophical changes, which are conducive to esotericism. Thirdly, to study a number of primary sources, showing the changing content, concerns, and purposes of esotericism over the centuries. (http://centres.exeter.ac.uk/exeseso/ma.php)

If you are looking to be an author it is always beneficial to have a degree. We live in a society that loves “experts”. A degree gives you credibility in the eyes of the general population. I am currently in the process of obtaining a B.A studying philosophy and religion because I love these two subjects.

You may not want to invest a lot of money in a degree simply for tarot that is not designed for tarot, if reading tarot is your only goal. You would probably invest the money if you also want to peruse a career in one of these fields. For example, you may want to be a social worker so of course you would get a Masters in Social Work. But with your experience from that you could apply that to your tarot readings. If this is not your goal you may want to just take the specific classes that interest you that you feel could be applied to your readings. Colleges allow students to “audit” a class. You participate in the class, but do not receive credit towards a degree. Auditing a class is cheaper. For even cheaper education you can rent textbooks or see what your local library has to offer to study on your own. There are plenty of free learning resources on the internet. check out the following list http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-steinberg/free-online-classes_b_3009226.html

If you want to avoid college and simply want to learn tarot there are great resources to learn tarot. You can study on your own through books. There are good workbooks to can use. But if you want a well organized course style learning look into the Tarosophy Tarot Association. http://www.tarotassociation.net/courses/ here are a few offers they have. If your goal is to be a professional reader and want to invest in your tarot study seriously I would recommend this route.

Tarosophy Tarot Certificate
Tarosophy Tarot Diploma
Tarosophist Tarot Degree-Style Program “The Hekademia”
In conclusion, do you need an education to reader tarot professionally? No, but getting one can only benefit you. You need to consider how much money you want to invest as well as time. Do what you find to be valuable to you that will give you the best results that can impact your tarot more effectively.

Thank you all for your answers. I was without internet for some time so could not read it.


@JackofWands & Seven Stars. I know there is a lot of debate about certification, but most people I’ve spoken to tend to lean towards the ‘not necessary’ side of the debate. Also because certification and accreditation as a reader is not really recognized in my own country yet. Being a hypnotherapist (if you’re licensed) is legal here, but most people who do that already have a psychology degree. I would never ‘sell’ myself as some sort of licensed therapist and would definitely be open about my limitations, but that doesn’t say you can’t help people with Tarot, as long as you’re indeed honest about your qualifications.

@LeFou: I do have a lot of life experience, the one that is needed to help other people. Wisdom might be it, but I guess I just know what it is to be in very difficult and life changing situations and work around that. I could have become an angry, sad and bitter person with no lust for life and instead I chose light, so to speak…I did have my own mid-life transformation like you call it. I think mainly because of that I'm so drawn to doing this. And already people come to me for advice (even my elderly parents). If I did not have my own transformation I would not have felt ‘qualified’ to even start a Tarot business like the one I want. (The public place tip is great though!)

@Alpha-Omega I understand that a psychology degree (or something similar) would help me tremendously but that would take up too much of my time and quite frankly, at the moment it is too expensive. In my country even an undergraduate program takes 3 years and that’s fulltime. I already have two degrees, one being in the field of humanities (history and culture) and I’m a writer that usually covers the more difficult topics in life and history. That might be somewhat beneficial.

With that being said…I’m never too old to learn and I already read a lot on things that interest me, so I might definitely read up on Jung, Tarot and studies towards symbolism. 

Seeing all your responses I guess the best way for me to go now is: (no life coach courses since they are probably not that useful), do the reading, practice a lot and sign up for some courses with Tarosophy - I already wrote them an e-mail some time ago but did not get a response yet -and others that might be beneficial. I’ve seen some that are focussed on Tarot Therapy but most of them are FtF in the States. Must look for them in my own country.



Thanks again. This was really helpful!