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THE NTRA

INTUITIVE

TAROT COURSE

© Copyright – NTRA/PAB 2017

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 TAROT COURSE
MODULE 1 – First Steps

The Origins of the Tarot

Choosing Your Tarot Pack

Bonding With Your Cards

Preparing and Energising Your Cards

First Steps

Exercises.

MODULE 2 – Meditation

Fine Tuning Your Senses

Simple Meditation Techniques

Exercises

MODULE 3 – Developing Your Senses

Develop you sense of smell, touch, hearing and sight

Inner and outer senses

Exercises

MODULE 4 – Preparing Yourself

Opening and Closing explained

Protection techniques

Exercises

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MODULE 5 – Meet ‘The Fool’

First steps in the Major Arcana

Exercises

MODULE 6 – Get to Know the Major Arcana

The Major Arcana cards explained

Main Ideas and Basic Interpretations

Reversed Meanings

Exercises.

MODULE 7 – Sample Readings

Simple Reading Analysis

Question and Answer Readings

Over to You

Exercises

MODULE 8 – The Minor Arcana

Beginnings with the Minor Arcana

The Four Suits Explained

Main Ideas and Basic Interpretations

Exercises

MODULE 9 – Sample Readings

Reading practice

Mixing Major and minor Arcana

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Positive and Negative

Tell Your Story

Spreads to Try

Exercises with – Q & A – 1 Card, 3 Card, 7 Card Horseshoe, 7 day, Celtic

Cross.

MODULE 10 - Self Protection

Protection and Growth

More Opening & Closing Techniques

Grounding

Meditation and Visualisation.

MODULE 11 – The Business of Being a Tarot Reader

Keeping Accounts

Tips and Information About Being Self Employed

How to Build Your Business Safely

Module 12 – Summing Up & Final Assessment.

Final Assessment – T4Y Tarot Course Certificate of Competence for Tarot

Professionals.

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 INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the National Tarot Readers Association ‘Intuitive Tarot Course’.
We will take you through the whole process of learning about yourself and the
Tarot, for it is important that you have a full understanding of both. Learning
how to read the Tarot is simple and fun, throw all those other instruction
books out of the window and just work through our course. We will show you
how easy it is to be able to quickly interpret the cards and give readings for
others that will amaze them. They will wonder how you know all these things!
The simple answer is that you don’t really ‘know’ on a conscious level, the
cards are a picture book with each page, or card, telling a story for those who
can really see.

We will show you how to ‘see’ with your inner consciousness and learn to
understand and use your intuition, making reading the Tarot an uncomplicated
skill. Anyone should be able to interpret the Tarot but not everyone has an
open mind, an open heart, and the understanding of the way the cards work.

Our ‘Intuitive Tarot Course’ contains everything you need to know to begin
giving readings to your friends and family – and to paying clients if you so
wish. We will explain the psychic ‘tricks of the trade’ – the importance of
opening and closing yourself, meditation techniques, and how to develop your
psychic skills in other ways which will enhance your Tarot reading.

If you wish to set up in business as a Tarot Professional this course contains

all the information you need for you to be able to do this safely with a Module
covering the ‘Business of Being a Tarot Reader’ with practical tips and
information about how to begin, how to build your business and things to
avoid.

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Throughout the course, within each Module, there are exercises for you to
carry out to help you develop your senses and your intuition. It is a good idea
to write down your answers and thoughts during the course. This is important
because by writing down your thoughts and ideas you will begin to build a
comprehensive record of your learning progress and you can incorporate this
into your work with the Tarot. Writing down reinforces these things onto your
subconscious. At the end of the course you have the option of completing a
Final Assessment, this will be checked by the course tutors and the NTRA
Certificate of Completion for Tarot Professionals will be issued for
successful readers.

Being able to read the Tarot will open up a whole new and exciting part of
your life.

About the Author of this Course.

Patricia Barber is a founder member of The NTRA and has been reading the
Tarot for thirty years in a variety of situations. She has provided private
readings, read for Tarot groups and at various events. She is a published
author on a variety of subjects.

Via the Tarot4You.co.uk website Patricia provides online/emailed 12 Month

Tarot Readings. These are fully illustrated in colour.

She has qualifications in Relaxation Therapy, Holistic Diagnosis and

Counselling and is a Foot Health Practitioner.

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 How to Use This Course

Make sure you work through each module in turn. It is tempting to skip to the
end modules straight away and try to jump straight to the ‘readings’ section –
try to avoid this temptation if you can!

If you are new to the Tarot you need to learn all the basic techniques before
you unleash yourself and your Tarot on the world! It is important to read every
module thoroughly and practice the exercises throughout this course. You will
learn how to safely open yourself up to receiving the messages from the cards
and to close yourself down again. This is vital for your own protection, as is
developing your intuition and using all your senses to the full.

This course is also an excellent refresher for those who have had some initial
experience with the Tarot but who would like to develop their skills further.

The exercises in each Module have been designed to allow you to learn at
your own pace: all the skills – internal and external – that you will need to read
for friends and family or to set up in business as a Tarot Professional.

At the end of the course you have the option of completing a Final
Assessment exercise which can be emailed to our Tutors and on successful
completion you will receive The NTRA Certificate of Completion for Tarot
Professionals.

There are no set tutor marked assessments during the course until the Final
Assessment, however, if you have any questions at any time during the
course please email our tutors at – [email protected] and we will be happy
to help.

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MODULE 1

First Steps

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 MODULE ONE

The Origins of the Cards

Tarot cards, as a divinatory tool, have been around for hundreds of years.
Most scholars of the subject believe they originated in Egypt, devised by an
advisor to Osiris. At this time magic and divination was very important in many
countries and people believed that anything was possible.

Another theory about the origins of the Tarot is that they came from Italy, with
the earliest pack dating to around 1390. Here they were thought to be used
by the Roma who carried them all around Europe and the Mediterranean
area, and eventually the fame of the Tarot spread far and wide.

Other theories say that the Chinese invented them or that they originated in
India. Wherever they came from there is no escaping the fact that the cards
are magical to work with and contain amazing messages for those who are
open to reading them.

A Few Tarot Basics

A pack of Tarot has a total of 78 cards. This is formed by two groups – the
Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana are good strong
powerful cards and their meanings are clear and fairly forceful. The Minor
Arcana give more detail and description to a reading and consist of four
different suits, much like normal playing cards. Each card shows a different
picture and scene and the suits are called – Cups, Pentacles (or Coins),
Wands (or Staffs) and Swords. Each suit has a meaning to a different area of
your life and emotions. Very briefly – and we will go into more detail later on
this – Cups cover emotions, Wands are usually to do with work or life
situations, Swords concern conflict and Pentacles cover money situations.

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No matter what language you speak, Tarot cards are international and can be
read with only a little knowledge and understanding. The pictures tell their
own story and will awake your intuition, allowing you to paint a detailed picture
of the events and likely trends in someone’s life. Details of the past, present
and future will be surprisingly easy for you to translate. The key to unlocking
your deck of Tarot is to think of the whole deck as a picture book. Each card
tells part of a story and by listening to your inner voice you will be able to put
each part of the story together for the questioner.

Choosing Your Pack

There are many different types of Tarot cards available. The simplest cards to
work with, especially when you are just beginning, are those in the Rider
Waite deck, these are available from the NTRA website or online and in
specialist shops.

The cards used throughout this course are the ‘Mythic Tarot.’ This pack is
based on Greek mythology and was designed many years ago by Juliet
Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene, the cards were illustrated by Tricia Newell.
This pack is still available if you like them and have recently been redesigned
slightly, and are also an excellent pack to start with. The images really seem
to tell you a story and spark your intuitive skills. The Rider Waite and the
Mythic Deck do have similarities in that they both portray clear pictures of

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characters and events and so are more meaningful than the more cartoon
looking Tarot decks available.

There is a huge variety of Tarot packs available - many gimmicky looking

packs, some with cartoon-like pictures and some that resemble famous film
stars, there are animal packs, witches packs and too many more to mention.
You only have to search online to see what is available. The important thing is
to choose the one that you are drawn to. When you are faced with several
packs, just look at the pictures on the cards, open your mind and don’t think
too deeply. Go to the one you are drawn to, the one whose pictures seem to
make sense somehow and speak to you - these will be the right ones for you.

Tarot cards are widely available these days, online and in specialist shops.
There are literally hundreds of websites offering tarot packs and many other
interesting divinatory tools. You may have a local retailer who sells Tarot, it’s
a great idea to actually go and have a proper look at the different styles of
card, sometimes just holding the pack in your hand can tell you if they are the
ones for you!

Old advice used to be that your tarot should be received as a gift and not
bought by you but this is now accepted as not the case. You can choose your
own cards – or more correctly they will choose you. If you have chosen your
pack you could always ask someone else to buy them for you as a gift!

My first pack was originally bought by me as a birthday gift for my husband as

he had shown an interest in the Tarot. He was too lazy to learn how to read
them so I ended up doing readings for him and not the other way around. I
found I could interpret the images fairly easily and really enjoyed the whole
process of reading and communicating with the Tarot.

And so started my long association with the Tarot, completely by accident

really. As I bought them for my husband, obviously I must have been drawn to

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them in the first place and the universe decided that they were meant for me
to use not for him. Now that’s a great birthday gift!

Specialist Knowledge?

Reading the Tarot is less about the technical knowledge required and more
about using your intuition to understand the meaning of the cards before you.
The original Tarot cards were meant to be read this way, not by studying
lengthy books but by absorbing the images and interpreting the pictures to
make a story.

By all means read any and all books on the subject you wish to, knowledge
can only be beneficial. When you buy your new deck of Tarot cards it is likely
that you will have a helpful information leaflet or book with them. Read
whatever interests you to build on your knowledge – and then put the books
away and just study the cards themselves. The pictures seem to speak to our
subconscious, they are a visual prompt to our inner psyche. We will show you
how to tune into your intuition which will make reading and understanding the
cards much easier than you ever imagined.

You will find that some packs of Tarot cards have numbers – for example the
cards of the Major Arcana may be numbered from zero to twenty one. The
Fool is usually numbered zero and The World number twenty one. Don’t worry
about memorising these numbers, they are not important, what is important is
the actual image on each card. Also don’t worry about reading up on astrology
or numerology – or any other deep and meaningful ology you may come
across. Reading cards is a simple process, try not to confuse your brain with
facts as you need to open your mind and use the intuitive part of it. (Once you
have mastered the basic Tarot reading techniques then you can of course
study further on these subjects if you feel you really want to.)

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Bond with Your Cards

Once you have bought your pack you need to start getting acquainted with the
Tarot. Unwrap the cards and look through them slowly. Pass them through
your hands and begin to look at the pictures and images. You need to get
familiar with them and them with you. At this stage don’t worry about what the
pictures might mean, just look at them and start to get familiar with their
images.

You need to build a bond with your cards, they should to become part of you
and your energy. It’s a good idea to carry them around with you, in your
pocket or bag. Place them under your pillow at night so that you are absorbing
their energies while you sleep and they are absorbing yours. Handle your
cards as much as you can but don’t allow other people to play around with
them without giving your permission. Only you should give readings from your
Tarot pack, do not allow anyone else to use them for readings.

Most Tarot readers protect their cards by wrapping them in a cloth, any colour
you choose, is fine. The cloth can be silk or velvet or whatever you are drawn
to - you may get one of these with whichever pack you buy or you can find
your own. Wrapping them means you are protecting them from unwanted
vibrations, preserving their good condition - and showing respect for their
wisdom and abilities. A black cloth is traditionally used because the colour
black is the culmination of all the colours, it is solid and safe and will help to
keep out bad energies that we all come across at some time or another. All
you need is a headscarf sized piece of plain or un-patterned cloth, silk, velvet,
cotton or whatever you like.

By wrapping the Tarot you are protecting them so the colour of the wrapping
is not really important as long it is something that you have chosen because
you like it. Some people keep their Tarot in a wooden box, or velvet bag -

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whatever you choose is up to you. The Tarot should be respected, by the
process of wrapping and unwrapping you are taking care of them, those few
seconds are also used for bonding with them and your touch is important. As
an added bonus taking good care of your cards will mean that your pack
should last a long time and your bond with them will be strong. My own pack
is coming up to thirty years old, it is used every day and is still in almost
perfect condition. Take care of your cards and they will take care of you!

Whatever you do, do not allow anyone else to play about with them or even
hold them if you are not happy for them to do so. Only you should do readings
from your pack of Tarot.

One by One - First Steps.

Choose one Tarot card from your pack. You can spread them out on a table
face down so that you cannot see the pictures and then just pick one that you
are drawn to, or just pluck a card from the pack at random. Just for fun try
holding the palm of your hand a few centimetres above the cards and then
slowly pass your hand over all the cards. See if you can feel anything, does
your hand tingle slightly when it is hovering over a particular card? If it does
pull out that card, it is calling you to pay attention to it!

Now relax, hold the card in your hand, smell the card (yes I know how this
sounds but just go with it…) then close your eyes and slowly and gently feel
the card, the front, the back, the edges. Then, open your eyes and just look at
the picture. Look slowly at every detail on the card, large and small things.
What is the picture showing you, who is the main character, what is he or she
wearing. Are they holding anything, what other things are in the picture, check
out all the detail big and small. What could this card be telling you about what
is happening to this person.

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You should do this with each card of your Tarot pack. Really look at each
picture, each character and scene they are showing you. Don’t worry about
trying to work out what they mean at the moment, this exercise is just to get
you more familiar with handling them and to the strange colourful pictures.

Preparing and Energising Your Tarot

Before you can think about actually trying to use your cards for readings you
need to prepare them properly.

A new Tarot pack should be cleared and cleaned before you start to use
them. This is to ensure that they do not hold any energies other than your
own. Tarot cards are, simply, printed pictures on card. This is a manufacturing
process and it is a good idea to start your journey with them right from the
moment you unwrap them.

There are lots of rituals that Tarot readers use to energise a new pack. You
could use any or several of the following ideas:

Always wash your hands before working with your cards and make sure that
the surface you are about to put the Tarot cards on is completely clean. You
should, ideally, use the cloth they are wrapped in or a clean plain table cloth
that you can keep specifically for your readings.

Some readers will only open and energise a new Tarot deck when the moon
is new, the thought being that a new moon brings new beginnings of energy.
Or they will open and charge them at the time of the full moon, when energy is
at its highest. Personally I don’t think it is important which phase the moon is
in when you are energising a new pack. What is important is that you take
your time and energise in your own way.

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 Exercises
Here are a few ideas about clearing your pack, these are widely used. Try
them out and see which one you feel comfortable with.

1. You could use a smudge stick to waft smoke over the whole deck,
starting with the complete pack and then each card individually. (A
smudge stick is a bundle of dried herbs, usually sage and cedar, bound
with string into a small bundle. The end of the bundle is then lit and the
scented is smoke waved over the cards. You could use an affirmation
while you are doing this – see exercise no. 4 below. Smudge sticks are
used in various rituals including space clearing.)

© Paloma Cervantes under CC-BY-SA license

2. You can wave each card carefully over a candle flame, a pink candle
will signify good healing energy. (Keep the card well above the flame,
you don’t want to end up with your card singed or burnt to a crisp!)

3. You could place a crystal on the top of the deck – this can be rose
quartz, clear quartz or amethyst. Many readers keep a crystal on the
top when the cards are wrapped and not in use as added protection.

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4. An affirmation can be used whilst you are clearing the cards. Focus
your mind on the deck and say ‘I clear this deck’ three times over, in
your head or speaking out loud and then continue your clearing
process.

5. You can dowse over the cards using a pendulum, swing your crystal
over the cards again saying your affirmation either as exercise no.4 or
you can make up your own.

A dowsing pendulum of rose quartz on a silver chain.

(For more information about dowsing go to our website – thentra.co.uk)

6. When you have cleared and energised your cards some people like to
tap the top of the deck firmly, usually three times. The tapping is a
technique used to literally, tap out, any unwanted vibrations in the
pack. Try it and see how you feel.

Note - This tapping technique is also used by many readers after the cards
are shuffled before the start of each new reading.

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 Shuffling and Dealing your Tarot
Shuffling - Just a note about shuffling the cards. Please do not treat them as
if you are setting up for a game of poker! The cards must be treated with
respect, with the whole pack of cards in one hand use the other hand to pick
up sections of the cards and shuffle slowly and carefully, shuffle until you feel
happy, this is usually around five shuffles. You can then place the cards on
the table and cut them three times working from left to right. Place the piles
back together in a different order. Some readers ask the client to shuffle the
cards and cut them, but most clients will not be familiar with handling the
larger Tarot pack and this does increase the risk of damage to the cards if
they, and you, are not careful! Better to devise a ritual whereby you are the
one handling your Tarot whenever possible.

Dealing - the technique for dealing the Tarot is to pick each card and turn it
over sideways so that the card will stay in the position they should be read in
– either upright or reversed, if you are using reversed cards, but more about
this later in the course. In the beginning when working with the Tarot just turn
each card in a sideways motion and read them all in the upright position.

When you are reading for a client or questioner, to minimise their handling of
the cards, you can place the pack face down on the table and gently mix them
up by sliding them around on a clean surface or your special cloth. The client
can then choose the number of cards you need and hand them to you for you
to be able to give them their reading.

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Please do not just cut the cards into two piles and use your best professional
shuffle by flipping the corners together fast and furiously. This will only
damage your precious pack and does not show any respect for them.

Practise handling your cards and moving them around in your hands. A pack
of traditional Tarot cards are usually a little larger than normal playing cards.
This makes them slightly more difficult to handle and shuffle but learning to
love your cards and get the feel of them is all part of the process of bonding
with them.

When you have finished your clearing and energising process the cards
are ready for you to read. Now, onto Module 2, you need to prepare
yourself.

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MODULE 2

Meditation

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 MODULE 2

Fine Tuning Your Senses -1) Meditation.

To get the most out of your Tarot reading you need to be aware of all your
senses and be able to tune in to thoughts, smells and feelings. Many readers
practise meditation, as this calms and tunes the mind and allows it to be open
to receiving impressions of many things. Meditation also restores your inner
and outer balance.

Meditation brings a lot of benefits to you as a human being that will affect your
daily life, internally and externally in a really good way. It is said that
meditation, even five minutes daily, can lower stress and anxiety, lower blood
pressure and help with depression and sleep problems – and that is just a few
of the many benefits. Calming your mind in this way can also increase your
intuition, give you clear thought processes and make you feel more connected
to the world around you.

In a later module we will look at more meditation ideas and visualisations that
you may like to play around with. But to get you started here is a quick and
easy one that will get you relaxed and open to receive messages from your
Tarot.

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Meditation can take as little as two minutes, if you are short of time. You will
still quickly feel the benefits of regular practise. Meditation is simply stilling the
mind and focussing on something – this can be just your own breathing.
When you get more experienced you can try visualisation, this is simply
picturing a scene in your head, visualising, or imagining yourself in that scene.
A bit like going for a walk along the beach or walking down a country lane.
You can see yourself moving onwards and sense everything around you such
as the breeze ruffling the leaves of a tree, the sound of waves on a beach or
the smell of a field of flowers.

When you are beginning your journey with the Tarot you don’t need to worry
about anything complicated, keep things really simple and you will soon do
this quick meditation exercise automatically when you need to.

Exercises
Try this simple meditation technique:

For the first time try to do this for just two minutes. When you get the hang of
this expand the time to five minutes. Try to build this kind of quick easy
meditation into your daily routine. First thing in the morning is great then you
don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day, it is done and dusted and
you will be feeling calm and relaxed.

Find yourself a comfortable seat or you can lay down on your bed or a yoga
mat, wherever you will be comfortable and relaxed for about ten minutes
without being disturbed by any external noises or by someone or something
(your dog/partner etc) bursting into the room and interrupting your session.

Get into your chosen position, close your eyes and just concentrate on your
breathing. Listen to your breath slowly going in and out of your body. Focus
on the sound and then the feel of the breathing. Just breathe in and out as

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you would normally. Feel the breath going in and feel how your body moves
with it, your chest, your shoulders, your stomach. Focus on the breath and try
not to allow your mind to wander. If your mind tries to drift into everyday
thoughts refocus on your breathing.

Meditation Technique Number 2 - Candle Meditation:

Find yourself a quiet space where you will not be disturbed. Sit comfortably in
a darkened room in a position where you can safely place a lighted candle in
front of you. You could sit in an armchair with a small table in front of you, or
sit on a cushion on the floor, whatever allows you to completely relax. When
you are settled fix your gaze on the candle flame. Allow your vision to glaze
slightly, go out of focus, while you are looking at the flame. Let the flame
flicker and move to its own rhythm, breath in and out to your own normal
rhythm. Concentrate on the flame, let your mind register on some far away
level how the flame moves, the smell, and the warmth. All the while keep your
breathing even.

This flame meditation can also be carried out if you are sitting in front of a fire
or any other type of flame that you can safely sit and fix your gaze on.

Remember - You are just beginning your journey and the more you practice,
like everything else in life, the better you will get and the easier it will become
until you are meditating (as you will be reading the Tarot) automatically,
without having to think about what you are trying to do.

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MODULE 3

Developing Your Senses

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 MODULE 3
Now that you have mastered simple meditation let us move on to exploring
your basic and very natural senses.

We are all familiar with a smell that reminds us of a person or a place. Smells
can also affect your mood as they awaken your body’s receptors which in turn
spark to a part of the brain that can translate the aroma into a thought, sight,
sound, or remembered touch.

The practice of Aromatherapy has been around for hundreds of years and
was used originally by the Ancients - Egyptians, Indians, Greeks and
Romans. It gained popularity in the 1930’s when a French chemist, Rene-
Maurice Gattefosse invented the word ‘aromatherapy’ after discovering the
healing power of lavender oil on burns. Another Frenchman, surgeon Jean
Valnet treated soldier’s wounds in the Second World War with essential oils.

Aromatherapy and the use of essential oils is now is widely known as an

important science, essential oils are now used for medicinal purposes.
Everything from anxiety, insomnia and headaches to impotence, kidney
stones and skin diseases – and everything in between can be treated with
aromatherapy.

Note – essential oils must always be used sparingly, never taken

internally and not used for long periods at a time. Almost all essential
oils are not suitable for use during pregnancy, if you are pregnant
please do not do exercise below.

Essential oils are powerful in many ways, their properties not only assist
healing to the body their very aroma can invoke strong feelings deep within
us. So, let’s try a few experiments to explore our own senses.

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 Exercises
Try the following exercises to get you started.

1) If you don’t have any oils in your home buy a small bottle of two
different oils – any fragrance you choose. Then, sit quietly, feel the
bottle in your hand. Is the glass cold or warm, unscrew the top of one
bottle slowly and breathe in the fragrance. Notice the change in the air
as you release the aroma. Think about how it makes you feel, close
your eyes and think about what you can see in your mind’s eye. Does
the smell remind you of anything, maybe from your past? It may be
helpful to write down in a notebook afterwards all your impressions,
what you feel and think. Carry out the same process with the other
bottle. You will feel very different with each different fragrance. Take
your time doing this exercise it is important for you to be able to
analyse thoughts, feelings, smells, sounds, in fact you will be using all
of your senses during the Tarot reading process and this is particularly
good training for you.

2) Take a peek in your kitchen, start with something as simple as the

spices in your cupboard. Take off the lid of one and smell it, breath in
the fragrance of the spice, close your eyes and let your brain relax.
What does the smell remind you of, is it a person, a place, your
favourite food? What other impressions are you getting from the
aroma? Can you visualise where the spice came from, where it was
picked, who may have picked it, how it travelled to get to where you
bought it from? All these ideas will give you impressions about the
spice. When you are happy with this go onto another spice or food
item. Breathe in the smell and the flavour of it. What does it tell you?

3) When you are fed up with food try doing the same thing with your
favourite soap or toothpaste. Analyse the aromas and see what they

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 are telling you. Can you visualise how you felt the last time you used
any of these items? Then think deeper, what aromas can you detect
underneath the main one, does this remind you of anything else, other
than the way that you would normally use these things?

4) Another little exercise, step out of your own front or back door, take
one step and then stand still. Close your eyes and breathe in deeply.
What smells do you notice? Is that grass, traffic fumes, smoke from a
coal fire, food smells? Take some time and try to work out what you
can pick up, how does it make you feel and are there any associations
that you can make with any of these aromas? Think deeper than the
surface of things, just be patient and see what your inner self can tell
you.

You need to make yourself aware of the world around you before you can
delve into the world within your intuition.

5) Find a large mature tree, in a place where you will feel safe to carry out
this exercise. Clear your mind and place your hand flat against the bark
on the trunk and close your eyes. Run your hand slowly across the
bark. What does it feel like? Is the bark smooth or rough? Is it warm or
cold? Breathe in deeply and slowly, what can you smell, what sounds
can you hear that go with this tree? What does your mind see, let it
drift, visualise floating into the tree and upwards into the branches.
Stay like this if you can for about five minutes and then slowly open
your eyes. Make a note of your impressions.

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MODULE 4

Prepare Yourself

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 MODULE 4

Preparation of Yourself as a Reader

You will by now have started to build a bond with your cards, by using all the
methods we have worked through in this first Module. You also need to think
about yourself, before you begin a reading. When you are reading the cards
you are opening up your psyche to the universe and making yourself open to
receiving any vibrations and energies that wish to make their presence known
to you. Conversely, at the end of a reading, you will need to know how to
close yourself down again. It is exhausting being ‘open’ all day, this will sap
your energies, give you sleepless nights and drive you crazy (figuratively
speaking). Spirit is attracted to an aura, it’s what gets you noticed and if you
are open to receive you can then use this information in your work. A psychic
aura shines much brighter than anyone else’s normal one so, as you don’t
really want to be receiving psychically 24/7, it would be sensible to protect
your energies by opening and closing these at the start and finish of each
reading session.

Most Tarot readers, mediums and the like, have a really simple method of
doing this opening and closing when they need it. It takes seconds once you
get the hang on it. I will offer some more ideas about this towards the end of
the course but in the meantime practice this one to get you started on the right
track. It is so simple and quick but it gets the right result!

Closing Down

To close down after a reading session all you need to do is imagine that you
are stepping into a sleeping bag. Visualise pulling the zip up from your feet,

30
up your body to your head, around and over the top of your head and down
the other side of your body until you are completely zipped in and the zip
reaches all the way down to the ground at your other side of your feet. This is
your own psychic protection, you are now safely zipped into your sleeping bag
and nothing can penetrate your protection.

Opening Up

Similarly, to open up before starting a session with the Tarot simple visualise
slowly unzipping your sleeping bag in reverse of how you zipped it up. When it
is unzipped visualise it falling to the floor and you stepping out of it. In your
mind (or you can do this in reality if you wish) raise your arms upwards and
turn your palms skyward, imagine a stream of white light flowing downwards
into your hands, down your arms and into your body. With a deep breath, you
are now ready and open to start your session.

Now you understand the principles of self-protection and opening up to the

universe let’s take a look at the cards themselves.

Exercises
Spend a few minutes practising these techniques. A little work done now will
pay dividends when you are preparing for readings.

Sit in a comfortable chair, somewhere peaceful where you will not be

disturbed and practise this opening and closing technique. Open your
‘sleeping bag’.

Breathe in and out evenly for a couple of minutes, then visualise pulling the
zip from one foot, up along the side of the body towards the head, over the

31
head and down the other size to your other foot. Let the sleeping bag fall
slowly to the floor. You are now open to the energies of the universe. Sit
quietly for a moment or two and relax, feel yourself opening your mind and
your energy.

Stay in the open position for no more than five minutes. When you are
comfortable now close yourself down again - visualise yourself zipping up
your protective sleeping bag in the same way as you opened it. Visualise
pulling the zip all around and over your body, down to your feet again until you
are safely inside and safe. Feel how safe you are, how protected from outside
energies and vibrations.

You will need to be able to open and close in all sorts of circumstances. So,
when you are happy with doing this in your own quiet space try opening and
closing when there are other noises in the room. Turn on the television and try
these two techniques again. Having a distraction like this will force you to
focus and zone out any other external noises. Concentrate on your breathing
for a few seconds and then visualise zipping open and zipping closed.

Professional Tarot readers will take seconds to carry out this important
process, this could be done in a hall full of people at a psychic fair or sat at a
table in their own home opposite a client so you can see how important it is to
make sure that you can complete this process.

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MODULE 5

Meet ‘The Fool’

33
 MODULE 5

Get to Know ‘The Fool’

The card below in this module is from my favourite pack, The Mythic Deck, by
Juliet Sharman-Burke and Liz Greene - the one I work with every day and
have used for the last thirty or so years. These cards have recently been
reprinted and slightly redesigned so the latest deck looks a little different,
brighter colours and more defined drawings but if you compared both old and
new versions you would not find any major differences.

Let’s have a look and see what the picture on it might tell you. My card is The
Fool. It is the first card in every Tarot deck, numbered zero (0). This card
signifies the beginning of your journey. So, let’s break the image down and
keep things simple.
The Fool. What can you see in this picture?
A person, youngish, could have stepped out
of the cave behind him. The cave ‘door’ looks
closed. He is wearing almost nothing, just a
cloth and a crown of leaves on his head. No
shoes. He is about to step off a cliff of some
kind but he is smiling. There is a bird (an
eagle) keeping a beady eye on him. You
can’t really see what is below the cliff but the
rest of the area looks pretty hard, barren and
rocky. The sun is just peeping up from the top
of the mountains or hills in the distance. So,
this looks like a new day and a new
adventure.

34
If you have your own pack of Tarot cards find ‘The Fool’ in your own pack and
see how similar the pictures are.

Now, let’s pretend we are translating this card to a friend (the questioner) who
has asked us for a reading.

Exercise
Cover up my description of this card below and write down what you
think. Just make a note of a few details that you can see in the picture.
Then, when you have finished uncover my description and see how
close you are to the detail that is written beside the card.

Just the name of the card suggests that this person (on the card, not the
friend) is naïve, has a lot to learn and may be just rolling along without any
plan at all. But what does it all mean? Now translate the picture on the card
using the scene to be a scene in your friend’s life.

COVER UP THE PARAGRAPH BELOW WHILE YOU WRITE YOUR OWN

VERSION.
The questioner (your friend, because this card relates to them as you are
doing their reading) is about to take a risk. They are leaving the safety of their
current situation (the cave) and can’t go back, they will be stepping off into the
unknown (off a cliff!). So they need to take a risk, by leaving the security of
what they have been used to. They can’t see where they will end up however
and the ‘landing’ of their jump is hidden but someone or something (that bird,
an eagle, on the branch) is watching over them to make sure that they don’t
come to any harm. This is a fresh start (look at the new leaves on his head)
and given that this is something they need to do they must have faith and take

35
that jump. They will be happy that they did because this jump will mean the
start of a new journey for them.

Compare the interpretation for the reading with the original information that
you noted down just by looking at the picture on the card. They will be
remarkably similar. The details from the picture are translated into something
meaningful for your friend. This is Tarot reading at its most basic and a
brilliant way to start learning about yourself and the cards. We will talk about
tuning into your intuition and inner psyche a little more, later in the course,
once you have mastered a few basic things. You won’t need a book to tell you
how to read the cards, you won’t need to learn the meanings like learning
your times tables so that you can recite them word for word. The wonderful
thing about Tarot cards is that the meaning of them can change slightly
depending on who you are reading for and what else your intuition tells you to
say. Sounds fun? Yes, it is – and never dull.

In the next Module we will try the rest of the Major Arcana cards.

36
MODULE 6

Get to Know the Major Arcana

37
 MODULE 6

More Work with the Major Arcana

As you saw from the previous exercise reading and translating Tarot cards is
a simple basic skill. Once you can relax your mind and not worry about any
outside influences you will probably even surprise yourself with the
information you can give your ‘client’, or ‘questioner’, the person asking for the
reading. It’s a great idea, once you get the hang of reading, to practice on
your friends. They will love it and you will learn about them and about yourself
at the same time. If you are reading for a friend you probably know lots of
things about them, you should try very hard to forget all these and just say
what you see and feel from each card.

Be Responsible

When people hear that you are learning to read Tarot you won’t be short of
guinea pigs, people may be queueing up for a free reading! Be careful when
you get to this stage, it is easy to get carried away with yourself but people
want to believe what a reader has to say and your words are important. Once
said they cannot be taken back, so please take care. Explain that you are still
learning and don’t be worried about consulting your notes or any helpful book
if you are on the spot. This is just the beginning.

Let’s look at the Major Arcana. It is quite possible to give a reading for
someone using only this section of the Tarot. The results will be strong,
definite and straightforward. They will not give you the fine detail that is
supplied by the Minor Arcana but for a simple clear reading, such as a

38
question and answer spread the Major Arcana will do very nicely to begin
with.

Combined Study and Exercise

Take a good look at each of the pictures of the Major Arcana in turn, make
sure that you cover up the Basic Interpretations paragraph for each card
and then make your own notes against each one. Look at each card carefully
and see what it tells you, what is on the card, what are they doing, how are
they dressed, what other things are there that have a bearing on the
characters and their situation on the card? What do you feel is the story or
statement that the card is giving you?

When you have done that compare your notes with those listed, you will
probably come up with very similar readings. If, however, your interpretations
are slightly different, that’s fine, it does not make them wrong, on the contrary
it means that you are already learning to use your subconscious and let the
cards speak to you in your own way.

To give you a little more help and to aid your memory when you are starting
out we have offered ‘Main Ideas’ for each suit and each card. These are a
few words which sum up the suit and card which may help you to build your
readings.

39
 Reversed Cards

Not all readers read reversed cards, we would suggest

that you don’t worry about these if you are just starting
out on your own Tarot journey. Reversed cards are just
ones that when you turn them over the picture is
upside down. For the moment treat all cards dealt as
normal upright pictures and the path will be clearer.
Once you are really confident with your reading skills
you can include the meanings of reversed cards if you
choose to.

It is important though to know what people are talking about if they mention
reversed cards. If a card is dealt and it is upside down the meaning is the
opposite of the normal interpretation of that card. Sometimes this is a warning.
For example, if The Fool was dealt upside down it could mean that instead of
taking that leap of faith and starting a new journey, the person (questioner)
may need to use more caution with any changes offered in their life and not
necessarily accept them without looking or planning ahead.

We have included the reversed meanings for all the cards also to help you
understand how dealing an upside down card can affect your reading. It is
your choice whether you wish to include these meanings when you are
reading the Tarot but it does give a fuller, more detailed reading for the
experienced reader and therefore for the questioner, the person you are
giving the reading to.

40
 The Major Arcana Explained
THE FOOL: (Main ideas – new beginnings, a jump from
one thing to another, new start)

Basic interpretation in a reading - ‘Don’t be afraid to

take a leap of faith and don’t let your fear of change hold
you back. This card is offering you a new beginning,
perhaps a new adventure’.

The Fool - Reversed – foolish actions, impulsiveness,

inconsiderate actions.

THE MAGICIAN: (Main ideas – new skills, new

opportunities, confidence to accept changes)

This person looks like he is about to be very busy. He has

all the tools at his disposal and looks rather commanding.
Being a magician means that he is capable of anything and
could be full of surprises. What magic is he about to
perform? This is my interpretation.

Basic interpretation in a reading - You may be offered an opportunity which

needs talents that you think you don’t have. This card usually concerns self-
employment but can also mean a new job is in prospect. You could be
thinking of taking a training course of some kind, this will turn out to be very
beneficial.

Reversed – deceit, manipulation, underhand dealings,

41
 THE HIGH PRIESTESS: (Main ideas – intuition,
psychic awareness, intuition, thought, open
mindedness)

This woman is leaving the sunshine behind her, she

appears to be going down into a temple, somewhere
darker than the outside world. The flowers and fruit she
is carrying could mean she has been to a party or
celebration of some sort, of perhaps that she is about to
offer them to whoever is waiting for her. She doesn’t
look particularly unhappy but now she is going into somewhere quiet and
dark, hidden. Away from the excitement of the outside world.

Some quiet thinking is needed. Make full use of your intuition as things that
are hidden will be revealed. There is something at work, some force, at the
moment that you should be listening to as it will be very helpful. Just relax and
try to clear your mind and those good ideas or solutions will come to you.
Your psychic awareness will be very strong right now.

Reversed – someone in your life giving bad advice, talking rubbish.

THE EMPRESS: (Main ideas – Home and family,

contentment, caring)

This lady looks very contented, there she is in the

countryside surrounded by corn and water – everything
around her looks lush and plentiful. She is wearing a
crown so is mistress of all she surveys.

Basic interpretation - Time to keep your feet on the

ground. You need to keep everything on an even keel in all areas of your life.

42
You could be thinking of making some improvements at home or in the
garden as a little extra money may become available about now. This is the
right time for staying close to home. This card is all about nurturing and
feeding, this means materialistically and mentally.

Reversed – overprotective person, restricting development or growth, a

snobbish attitude and jealous.

THE EMPEROR: (Main ideas – a strong man or

woman, advisor, partner, promotion)

This is a mature, wise and powerful looking man. He is

holding the world and what looks like lightning in his
hands, with a crown on his head he must be very
important in the scheme of things. He is sitting on a throne
above the clouds.

Basic interpretation - There will be times when you need to seek advice
when you need to make something happen. This could be in business or your
home situation, or even an idea you have that you want to make a reality.
Someone, either male or female, is likely to come into your life who is a good
adviser.

Reversed – bossiness, domineering attitude, forceful, self importance.

THE HIEROPHANT: (Main ideas – helpful advisor of

teacher, professional help, religious person or
philosopher)

This is a centaur figure but an important one as he is

wearing a crown. He is holding a rolled up document

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and looks wise and friendly. He is standing at the mouth of a cave and
wearing a crown so is someone important.

Basic interpretation - If you have a problem to solve you will need to consult
someone qualified to give it. You need to find answers. You could hear of an
impending marriage about now too. Patience will be needed – some things
you just have to wait a little longer for.

Reversed - brain washing by someone with old fashioned ideas, confusion,

crisis of faith in oneself.

THE LOVERS: (Main ideas – Choices, new or re-

building of an old relationship, focus needed)

Here is a picture of two people meeting, the man is

bringing fruit and the girl is bringing wine, it should be a
good party! However, there are two stern looking women
by the girl, one holds a globe and the other a sword.

They obviously mean business and are probably there to

check on what is going on between the two other people.
There are offers on both sides.

Basic interpretation - Now is the time to choose. You may have two or three
things in your life that you love but you need to pour more energy into one of
them as you are neglecting this area by focussing on the others, this
especially applies to relationships.

Reversed – unrealistic emotional decisions, ‘love is blind’, separation,

unhappy love

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 THE CHARIOT: (Main ideas – strength, control, driving
force, movement)

This person is controlling two horses and seems to be in the

driving seat of the chariot. He is travelling somewhere and
looks like he means business. The horses look like they
would bolt if the man let go of his concentration. He must
work hard to get where he wants to go.

Basic Interpretation - You need to keep control of your life situations, you
may come up against someone who is bad tempered or aggressive,
unfortunately this cannot be avoided but you need to face up to things and
express yourself. Now is a good time for travel plans.

Reversed – out of control, travel plans disrupted, bullying, defeat.

STRENGTH: (Main ideas – confidence, strength,

control, fitness/good health)

This man is holding and fighting a large lion, in a cave.

His sword is bent but he is still seems to be on top of
things and in control, he is not in any danger.

Basic Interpretation - Your tussles are usually internal

but whether your struggle is within yourself or with
someone else in your life all you need to do is be
creative, don’t lose your temper and use your brain then you will win in any
situation you face. If you have had any health issues they should improve,
good health is well starred now.

Reversed – weakness, cowardice, inaction due to fear

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 THE HERMIT: (Main ideas – reflection, retreating,
thinking, resolutions)

A scythe makes us think of death and the grim reaper but

this person also holds a bright light. His face is partly
hidden but he is in full sight. He is walking away from the
sunshine and mountains and walking on what looks like a
dry river bed on a journey of some kind.

Basic interpretation - It’s time for a little reflection. When you get back to
your normal way of life afterwards you may be surprised at how your attitude
to a certain situation – and perhaps the ability to deal with it - will have
changed for the better.

Reversed – loneliness, impatience, feeling of futility and loss of faith.

THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE: (Main ideas – good

fortune, changes, control)

This is an ancient symbol, two of the women turn the

wheel while the third holds the scissors which she
could use to cut the cord and stop the wheel at any
moment she chooses. They are in a private place, a
cave, where they can do their work in private.

Basic interpretation - All things must change and the

wheel is turning once again. Don’t be afraid of change, you are in control of
the wheel and must control how fast things go to make sure the outcome of
the situation if a good one

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Reversed – Bad luck, unpleasant surprises, lost opportunities, decisions
should be delayed.

JUSTICE: (Main ideas - legal matters, decisions,

apologies, organised thoughts)

Here sits a woman with a wise owl on her shoulder

and holding a sword. She is on a throne, on a black
and white floor. She is also holding scales which
signify decision making, the black and white floor
suggests final decisions, no wavering between good
and bad.

Basic Interpretation - Now is the time for careful and balanced thought
processes. You will be faced with a decision and whatever choice you make
will be final! You need time to organise your thoughts and then you will make
the right choice. Choose your words carefully as once they are out you cannot
take them back. Someone will owe you an apology, not before time and this
may be tied to some kind of legal situation.

Reversed – bad judgement, injustice, legal matters won’t go well.

THE HANGED MAN: (Main ideas – giving

something up, freedom, decision)

This man looks like he is in serious trouble, he is tied

by one ankle and one hand and looks like he is stuck
but he still has one free hand and leg! An eagle hovers
close by, watching, while the man tries to decide what

47
to do. He can free himself when he wants to by the looks of things.

Basic Interpretation - You need to let go sometimes in order to get

something better in your life. This could be as simple as having a clear out of
your home, or more likely by changing your attitude to a situation, if you do
this you will find that your life improves. You are not tied to something as
tightly as you think.

Reversed - self-punishment, manipulation, emotional blackmail, playing the

martyr

DEATH: (Main ideas – changes, final endings, new

will replace old)

This card rarely means that someone is going to die.

More that something is about to end for good. Looking
at the card you can see that although he looks dark and
sinister he is being offered a flower, a crown and
another offering. His hands are covered with white
gloves, white is a calm colour so this card is not
completely as it seems, when you look deeper into the
detail.
(It is worth noting that as a responsible Tarot reader you would never
state that someone is going die. This is irresponsible and unnecessarily
dramatic.)

Basic Interpretation - It’s time for the final ending of either a certain situation
or maybe just your attitude towards it. You may have been hanging on in the
hope that things would change. They won’t. The Death card is offering you a
final ending and a new beginning.

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Reversed – loss of friendship, disaster avoided, enforced change

TEMPERANCE: (Main ideas – Balance, calmness,

control, steadiness, re-energise)

This woman is angelic looking, she pours water from

cup to cup, whilst standing in a stream, surrounded
by a rainbow. The whole picture suggests calmness
and abundance.

Basic Interpretation - Keep both feet on the ground

and maintain your position. The key now is
moderation in all things and make sure your life has the right balance.

Reversed - Domestic arguments, excesses of behaviour, lack of self control.

THE DEVIL: (Main ideas – fear, mental

paralysis/fear of making any changes, ties that
you think bind you)

This is the archetypical devil with cloven hooves, he

has two people on strings which he is controlling and
is playing pan pipes for his captives to dance to, but
are they really tied tight, the cords look thin and the
devil is preoccupied with his music.

Basic Interpretation - You are your own worst enemy. You hold yourself
back sometimes due to uncertainty and perhaps lack of confidence. Face up
to your own fears and just go for it, accept who you are but not your self-
imposed limitations, freedom awaits.

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Reversed – freedom, light hearted tricks, irresponsibility, good thoughts and
deeds.

THE TOWER: (Main ideas – Sudden collapse, need

to rebuild, safe beginnings and new starts)

This building is crumbling, a heavy storm is going on

sending bolts of lightning down. The sea looks like it is
starting to boil and it seems that big waves, caused by
someone that looks like Neptune, may soon swamp the
building.

Basic Interpretation - There are big changes afoot. This is part of your life’s
pattern. However, there are opportunities to build anew, an exciting
opportunity will stand in front of you. Go for it but please make sure that you
start from firm foundations. If you make sure that everything is in order then
you can steam ahead with whatever project or life change is needed. On a
more physical level your home or other building you are involved with could
be due for some repairs.

Reversed – false accusations, disaster avoided.

THE STAR: (Main ideas – faith, hope, knowledge

and realistic ideas and plans)

Pandora opened her magic box and let out a whole load
of trouble. Evil as well as good came flying out
according to the legend. This woman looks optimistic

50
but she is in for a surprise, large insects and a shining angel, all very
confusing.

Basic Interpretations - This card is double edged, tread carefully. What you
really want may also be a little scary too and you may think that it is
unattainable. The time is right but take care.

Reversed – hopes dashed, lack of opportunities, sadness,

THE MOON: (Main ideas – emotional confusion,

dreams, indecision, patience)

The moon signifies emotions and confusion. Both the

woman and the dog have three heads, they are looking
in three directions at once. Which way should they go,
what should they do.

Basic Interpretation - Patience will be needed as

emotionally you could be all over the place. Solutions
seem to be just out of reach. You need to sit back and
wait, this may be difficult but this is not a good time to make emotional
decisions. A mature woman who is close to you may be having problems of
her own.

Reversed – Hidden enemies, care needed, risks, loss of energy, money &
resources. Deceit, hidden perils,

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 THE SUN: (Main ideas – happiness, children,
success, holidays)

This card signifies all things warm and happy, it can

also mean events happening during the summer
months.

Basic Interpretation – The Sun allows you to see

the way forward and things in your life will take a turn
for the better. Children or babies will bring happiness
and make you smile. Holiday plans can be made now
and if you are taking exams of any kind now is the best time for success.

Reversed – delays and setbacks although minor, weak sense of purpose.

JUDGEMENT: (Main ideas – rewards and just

desserts, legal matters, decisions to be made,
reassessments)

This person has left the outside world behind him

and is met by what look like three mummies who
seem to want his help. Does he stay where he is,
face the situation and deal with them or run back
up the steps to the sunlight?

Basic Interpretation - You are about to receive

your just desserts – hopefully good rewards for all the work you have put in
recently. For good or bad you can be sure that you will understand why you
have ended up in the situation you are now facing. Changes should be made
if needed now.

52
Reversed – fear, refusal to change when needed, indecision, poor judgement,
bad results.

THE WORLD: (Main ideas – completion,

success, celebrations, travel, new paths
ahead)

This card contains all the symbols of the four suit

cards, cups, pentacles, wands and swords. It also
has a man and woman, joined as one. The circle
on the card is formed by a snake who has his tail
in his mouth. This card seems to sum up
everything in the Tarot pack.

Basic Interpretation - You should feel that you

have achieved a lot right at this moment. If you have been working hard
towards some final outcome this is the time when everything comes together
and you reach that goal, projects are completed and you can look ahead.

Reversed – lack of vision, self-delusion causing lack of success.

53
MODULE 7

Sample Readings

54
 MODULE 7

Simple Reading Analysis

Now you have worked through all the Major Arcana cards and really looked at
what they mean and how they affect a person’s life, you should be getting an
idea of how the cards can offer you insights and information. Let us work on
some exercises to put your new found knowledge into practice.

Let us try a simple question and answer reading. Your friend wants to know if
the person they are currently with is the right one for them. (One of the most
common questions you will be asked! People are mainly interested in
relationships, money and work situations, as these usually cause them the
most trouble…) She tells you that she has been having a lot of problems with
her partner, he is thoughtless and never does what he promises to do. Here
are three cards which would signify this situation really easily.

The Moon – your friend has a lot of emotional confusion, she does not know
which way to turn or what decision to make.

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The Fool – it is time to take a risk, to make the jump from an old situation to a
new one.

The Hanged Man – it is time to let go of something, as by letting go

something better will be gained.

From the information your friend gave you the solution seems obvious! But
this simple demonstration gives you an idea how to put three major cards
together to make them work with each other to give a clean answer to a
problem.

Here are three other cards which could be interpreted to reach a different
conclusion of the same problem.

The Lovers – An emotional choice is needed, it is going to be difficult as

there are other factors involved. You will need to choose between two or more
things to find happiness. Other people could be aggravating your situation and
stopping you making the right choice.

56
Temperance - Balanced and calm thought is needed. You have decisions to
make and it is up to you keep things steady so you can work through your
problems.

The Sun - A happy outcome is possible, the way is clear for a solution.

Another question: Will I get promotion in my job or will it go to someone

else?

Here are our suggestions to cover this situation and the main ideas that these
cards suggest, see what you think.

The Chariot – ‘movement, change’, The Magician – ‘new skills & challenges’
and The Emperor – ‘promotion’. So the answer would be that there is some
movement afoot which the questioner needs to work for if they want a good
solution. New skills may need to be learned or existing skills expanded, and a
rise in status or promotion seems to be on offer.

57
 Exercises

Now it’s over to you. Using just the Major Arcana cards, find three suitable
cards that would answer the following questions, using the clues in this
Module and your own thoughts when looking at the cards. There will be
several possible combinations, all of them are correct so just use your intuition
and work through the cards picked to find answers:

1) Will I be moving house this year?

2) Will I change my job soon?

3) Will my problems in my relationship be resolved?

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MODULE 8

The Minor Arcana

59
 MODULE 8
Beginnings with Minor Arcana

Now let’s take a look at the Minor Arcana cards. The Major Arcana give
you the main ‘big idea’ or theme and the Minor Arcana fill in all the fine
detail.

Study each card in turn, really look at the pictures, the characters and the
scenery. See what each card means to you. As with the Major Arcana you will
find the main ideas for each card together with the basic interpretations.
Remember though that it is your own interpretations that matter. They can be
wildly different from those listed as long as they are your own ideas, arrived at
by opening your mind and discovering what the images on the cards suggest
to you.

SUIT OF CUPS – (Main ideas for the Suit of Cups – feelings, emotions,
friends, lovers, family, creativity and achievements. Cups are aligned with the
element of WATER)

Ace of Cups: (Main ideas – the start of strong

feelings/emotions, a new relationship, gift from
a loved one)

There could be new friendships or new

relationships or any sort in the offing and a feeling
of extreme happiness.. Just relax and go with it
and you may be pleasantly surprised. You could
expect to receive a gift, jewellery or even a ring of
some kind. Whatever it is will be given with love.

Reversed – despair, bitterness, end of a love affair, loss of faith

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 Two of Cups: (Main ideas – good partnerships
emotionally or on a work level)

If you have lost touch with someone or even had a

falling out now is the time to make amends. This card
indicates partnerships of all kinds, if you have been
planning something on a business or work level going
it alone is not an option. You need to join forces with
someone as there is strength and power in
partnerships.

Reversed – separation, divorce, betrayal, emotional loss

Three of Cups: (Main ideas – Celebrations,

weddings, births, happy times, joining with
others)

Good things are about to happen that will stir your

emotions in a good way - a family get together to
celebrate some happy event in your circle, even a
wedding. This card is telling you that happy times are
here.

Reversed - love affairs ending badly, eternal

triangles, excess pleasures and gratification, taking
people and feelings for granted.

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 Four of Cups: (Main ideas – dissatisfaction, itchy feet,
gossip)

Remember that the grass is not always greener somewhere

else! This is the month for itchy feet, you may be feeling
unhappy or dissatisfied with a part of you. Do not believe all
you hear, trust your intuition and think carefully before
moving on.

Reversed – boredom, depression, fear of loneliness,

Five of Cups: (Main ideas – betrayal, desire for

something unobtainable)

What is it that you feel is illusive this month, just out of

reach? This is something that you really want but just
cannot get your hands on. You may feel betrayed for some
reason.

Reversed –the end of an unhappy period, living in the past,

disbelief in current difficult situation.

Six of Cups: (Main ideas – patience, waiting, past

revisiting)

Patience is needed. Something that was in your past is about

to tap you on the shoulder again with surprisingly good
results. This could have been something going back to your
childhood.

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Reversed – unable to face reality, bad memories

Seven of Cups: (Main ideas – confusion, choices, be

realistic)

This month you may find that there could be too many
emotional choices. Make sure that whatever decisions you
come to are realistic and not some dreamy ideal that you
may want to hold on to.
Reversed - bad decisions bring loss of opportunity, false
hopes, emotional fantasy

Eight of Cups: (Main ideas – letting go, walking away

from destructive emotions)

It’s no good hanging onto things or to emotional situations

just for the sake of it. You need to walk away from this
situation you are in by letting go.

Reversed – running away from problems, impossible

dreams,

Nine of Cups: (Main ideas – achievements, invitations,

celebrations)

Now is the time to celebrate your achievements in life.. Sit

back and relax for a short while and give yourself a treat.
Look out for surprise invitations this month. If you have had
any problems completing a project then the way is now clear,
try once more and you will find that you can do it fairly easily.

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Reversed - vanity, emotional insecurity, over confidence leading to
carelessness.

Ten of Cups: (Main ideas – Happiness, good family life,

contentment)

Any feelings of happiness can only intensify at the moment.

You seem to be content with your lot in life at present and
emotions are calm, energies are flowing smoothly. Just
enjoy this situation as it doesn’t happen very often so you
are safe to wallow a little and bask in emotional security and
contentment.

Reversed – mistrust, feeling isolated, misunderstandings, emotional

turbulence

Page of Cups: (Main ideas – training or teaching, new

happy emotions)

New feelings of love and happy emotions are on the way.

This could mean a new relationship of some kind, romantic
or just a good and loving friend. This could also mean a
birth of a child to someone who is close to you and that you
care about. You could be thinking about doing a training or
even teaching – anything to do with education is indicated
with this card.

Reversed – manipulation of others, fantasist,

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 Knight of Cups: (Main ideas – new relationships, promises
and propositions)

New relationships or further progress with an existing

relationship is offered with this card and romance could even
be in the air as our Knight brings propositions and promises to
you.

Reversed – false lover, heartbreaker, untrustworthy

Queen of Cups: (Main ideas – learn from dreams and

intuition, clear thought processes)

Your dreams and fantasies will suddenly become meaningful to

you. You need to look into yourself and try to understand these
inner dreams. There is a temptation to be too dreamy this
month though. A helpful mature woman will offer advice with an
emotional problem.

Reversed – a woman full of deceit, is perverse, demanding attention.

King of Cups: (Main ideas – counselling, helping, self-

preservation)

You are one of life’s natural counsellors and have a good way
of helping people to help themselves. You generally try not to
be judgemental and are fairly approachable. Also this could
indicate the arrival in your life of a person who is approachable
and friendly but selfish and lazy!
Reversed – person who is bad tempered, secretive, yet thin
skinned.

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SUIT OF WANDS – Main ideas for the Suit of Wands: Energy and
enthusiasm, concerned with practical everyday things, work, travel and
communication. Wands are connected to the element of FIRE.

Ace of Wands: (Main ideas – new adventures, energy,

good news)

This card gives you strong energy and a feeling that you can
achieve whatever you need to. Go chase your dreams, now is
a great time to do it. An important letter may arrive bringing
news in connection with business dealings.

Reversed – loss of confidence, restlessness, lack of

inspiration.

Two of Wands: (Main ideas – Courage, partnerships, new

path to travel)

This month you won’t lack courage in whatever you need to

do. If you think something is a good idea, run with it and you
will be pleased with the results. This could be a good time to
change your job or for promotion. Energy levels are high and
so is enthusiasm. Partnerships are indicated now too and this
card also indicates movement in connection with property.

Reversed – friction, delays, disillusionment

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Three of Wands: (Main ideas – new starts, travel, new energy
& enthusiasm)

You are right to feel happy with yourself, a good start has been
made and you will have enthusiasm and energy to carry off
whatever it is you want to achieve. News about business dealings
are indicated here and travel for work rather than pleasure.

Reversed – arrogance, stubbornness, false help from others,

unable to face the truth.

Four of Wands: (Main ideas – movement or work concerning

property, achievements)

Everyone is busy congratulating you this month. You have

achieved a lot. More good things are to follow. Also home is
important to you right now. This could mean home improvements
or even a house move.

Reversed – restriction, disappointment, regrets, living in a fantasy

world

Five of Wands: (Main ideas – challenges, delays, inner

struggles)

Plans could be delayed this month, causing frustration. When you

feel like there are obstacles in your way you may find it helpful to
look inside yourself. There will be inner struggles this month while
you try to resolve a situation you are faced with. The challenges
will easily be overcome and are not what they appear to be.
Reversed – arguments, misunderstandings, deception, worsening
situation, no support.

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 Six of Wands: (Main ideas – triumph, resolution,
improvement in life situation)

Any business or legal type issues will be resolved. People are

starting to recognise your talents. Gifts may also come your
way, never say no, you deserve them. A step up the ladder of
life is before you.

Reversed – anxiety, fear for the future and of defeat.

Seven of Wands: (Main ideas – challenges, jealousy,

opposition)

More challenges here I’m afraid but nothing that you can’t
handle, just sort one thing at a time. Someone could be a little
jealous of you for some strange reason. Your ideas are sound
so go with them no matter what anyone else may think or try to
persuade you otherwise. Keep an eye on your health, now is
not the time to ignore any niggles.

Reversed – self-doubt, indecision, defeat, hesitancy leading to failure, fraud.

Eight of Wands: (Main ideas – clear passage through life,

smooth path, travel)

Everything seems to be going at a good pace, life should be

running smoothly as there are no obstacles in your way at the
moment. You will feel that you can achieve anything – which,
given the lovely flow of this month, you very probably can. This
is a good time for travelling, preferably to somewhere nice and
warm.

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Reversed – delays, problems with travel plans, exhaustion, wasted energy

Nine of Wands: (Main ideas – final challenge, one more push

to gain success)

Don’t give up. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again, this is
an old proverb but a true one. You may feel weary but just
another push and you can achieve what you need to.

Reversed – refusal to compromise, inability to adapt, fixed

opinions and attitudes.

Ten of Wands: (Main ideas – oppression, responsibilities,

headaches, overworked)

There could be a tendency for you to take on too much, whether

this is on a practical level or an emotional one. Don’t be afraid to
ask for some help. On a work level you could be asked to take on
more responsibilities for no extra money so tread carefully.

Reversed – hidden enemies, lack of power, disruption of plans.

Page of Wands: (Main ideas - restlessness, movement, good

news)

Right now you could be feeling restless in your work or life

situation, whatever it is something is nagging away quietly at the
back of your brain. Don’t rush into anything at the moment, make

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sure you process all the information you have before you make a decision.
Expect an interesting letter or phone call.

Reversed – a moaner, selfish, bringer of bad news, trouble with reading or

writing.

Knight of Wands: (Main ideas – ideas, changes, surprises

and visitors)

You want changes of some kind to happen and suddenly you

are full of ideas. Look out for someone who is encouraging and
has ideas of their own, don’t believe everything you are told. Not
everyone has your best interests at heart. There could be an
unexpected visitor from afar.

Reversed – conflict with a jealous person, a man who likes aggression and
arguments.

Queen of Wands: (Main ideas – maintaining the status quo,

hold steady)

This is time to maintain the status quo. You need to keep

everything steady. You will be called upon to offer your love and
protection to someone in close to you. Someone will come into
your life who is a bit bossy or temperamental.

Reversed – a bad tempered, jealous, possessive woman.

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 King of Wands: (Main ideas – lead others, make
changes, inner strength, communication, teaching)

Sometimes in your life you need to be a leader rather than a

follower. You need to instigate some changes, in a good
way. There is an element of you teaching someone else how
to do something here, it’s all about communicating to get
your message across.

Reversed – a man who is intolerant, violent, a bad advisor ruled by his own
passions.

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SUIT OF SWORDS. – Main ideas for the Suit of Swords – Conflict, worry,
restrictions, losses and delays. Real or spiritual journeys, professional advice.

Ace of Swords: (Main ideas – power over conflict)

Avoid arguments. A better way forward is to use your brain to

find a solution to a problem rather than stamp your feet. Some
conflict is inevitable this month unfortunately but keep calm,
watch that sharp tongue of yours and all can be resolved.

Reversed – abuse of power, mental stress and anxiety, injustice

Two of Swords: (Main ideas - choices, resolution, facing up

to difficult situation)

This month you cannot hide – the only way to sort things is to
face up to the issues in front of you. You will have people
nagging at you and you will feel torn in several directions. State
your case clearly and calmly and everything will be easily
resolved.

Reversed – betrayal, trickery, fraud by someone unexpected.

Indecision causing problems.

Three of Swords: (Main ideas – release, letting go, dealing

with a difficult situation, health issues)
Times are likely to be more than a little difficult. You will need to
let go of something, because once you do this you feel so much

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happier. This is a good month to get that doctor’s or dentist’s appointment out
of the way.

Reversed – worry and confusion, stress and upheaval but healing has begun.

Four of Swords: (Main ideas – time to think needed,

crossroads reached, decisions to be made)

Thinking time is needed, don’t feel that you need to fill your time
with things to do or people to see. Enjoy your own company for
a while then you can go out and face the world with new energy
and ideas.

Reversed – illness, retreat, depression, exhaustion.

Five of Swords: (Main ideas – hostility, spoiled plans, the

need to be realistic)

Don’t take on too much this month, there will be frustrations all
round and plans may be spoiled. If you do don’t be afraid to ask
for help. Someone may be hostile to your ideas.

Reversed – pride, failure due to indecision, action of others

causes serious problems.

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 Six of Swords: (Main ideas – travel, swift and smooth
movement, calmness, control)

This month life should go very smoothly. Any obstacles will

suddenly disappear. You will find that you can work out what
you need to do to sort out a problem you are facing and help
will come from an unexpected source. This is a good time to be
planning a holiday to a warmer place and any travel plans will
go well.

Reversed – delays, minor problems, unable to see ahead, lack of progress.

Seven of Swords: (Main ideas – rip offs, self protection,

tact and diplomacy needed)

Someone will try it on big time this month. The word rip off
comes to mind so make sure you keep your guard up and don’t
let anyone take advantage of you. Your best weapons are tact
and diplomacy. This is the way to get what you want from
people.

Reversed – lies, theft, trust no-one, bad advice given, lack of bravery.

Eight of Swords: (Main ideas – hard decision, confusion,

need for action)

You can no longer avoid a certain situation, you worry about

people’s feelings, which is very noble of course, but this stops
you taking action. You are faced with a choice of some kind

74
and whatever you decide you seem to think it will mean trouble. Time to be
honest with yourself and others.

Reversed – frustration causes depression, self-imposed restrictions, wasted

energy,

Nine of Swords: (Main ideas - headaches, worries, lack of

confidence, inaction)

This could be a worrying month. Sometimes the only way

forward is to look back and see what could be causing your
current issues. What is holding you back, is it fear of yourself I
wonder? Inaction is worse than taking that jump, even if you
don’t land quite right you won’t come to too much harm.

Reversed – help is refused, disbelief that improvements can be made

although things will improve soon.

Ten of Swords: (Main ideas – endings, pain, feeling let

down)

Something has to go, you have reached an almost impossible

situation somewhere in your life. You will feel let down by
someone big time, the phrase ‘stab in the back’ comes to
mind. This month there should be a complete finish to some
situation. Shut that door and walk away. You will feel much
happier for it, it may cause you pain in the first instance but a
smoother future awaits.

75
Reversed – continuance of problems and strife, any gains will be lost,
negative thinking.

Page of Swords: (Main ideas – intelligence, changes, clear

thinking)

Try to avoid silly arguments or gossip. Don’t just trust

everything you hear, think for yourself. Stay clear of people
who don’t make you happy, they need you more than you need
them.

Reversed – a spiteful person, a liar, deception from a rival.

Knight of Swords: (Main ideas – partnerships, change,

triumph over conflict)

Look under the surface of things this month as nicer things

are hidden. You will be faced with a few surprises which
bring changes that make you nervous. Everything will work
out to your advantage. Partnerships are important.

Reversed – a quarrelsome and violent person, a liar and

dishonest although he appears otherwise.

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Queen of Swords: (Main ideas – independence, clear
perception)

You have some big ideas sometimes and complete

confidence in your own thought processes. Look out for
someone in your circle who has a sharp tongue and is
quick with the sarcastic remark or withering put down, they
could embarrass you if you are not careful. Be realistic.

Reversed – a malicious woman, sharp tongued, bitter,

prudish, a harsh judge of others.

King of Swords: (Main ideas – intelligence, authority,

assertiveness)

It’s time to take a stand. Someone will ask for help, they
have a problem to solve and only you can sort it out for
them. A hidden talent will be needed and brain work is
needed.

Reversed – a double dealing man, con man, not to be

trusted, suspicious,

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SUIT OF PENTACLES – Main ideas for the Suit of Pentacles. Money,
material resources, business, spending and savings. This suit is connected to
the element of EARTH.

Ace of Pentacles: (Main ideas – extra money, promotion,

successful projects, nice financial surprises)

Your money situation is about to improve on a grand scale.

Investments will pay off. Now may just be a good time to buy a
lottery ticket! If you are working this extra financial help could
be coming from a project completed or even a promotion.

Reversed – greed, wasting of money and resources,

insecurity, bad investments.

Two of Pentacles: (Main ideas – opportunities, juggling

finances)

Hard work is needed, by using money wisely you can make

your bank balance grow a little more. Keep your eyes open for
an opportunity.

Reversed – gambling and losses, reckless attitude to money,

security in question, future success doubtful.

78
Three of Pentacles: (Main ideas – good money situation,
success, energy)

You are about to get your financial rewards for whatever it is

you have been working on. Money energy is flowing well at this
time. If you have a creative bent then your thoughts and
energies will be strong and you can finally complete a project
you have been working on.

Reversed – refusal to take risks, waste of talents,

Four of Pentacles: (Main ideas – generosity, letting go,

confidence with money, helping others)

It’s time for a little generosity. Someone around you may need
some financial help, if you can give it without breaking the bank
then you should, you will be the richer for it.

Reversed – greed, jealousy, discontent, miserliness.

Five of Pentacles: (Main ideas – protect your finances, be

realistic, possible financial loss)

Keep an eye on your finances, things could be a little tight right

now and your money seems to be slipping through your
fingers. This situation is going to change very soon if changes
are made.

Reversed – big financial loss, bankruptcy, change of attitude

needed financially.

79
Six of Pentacles: (Main ideas – generosity, good deeds)

Generosity will pay dividends. You may be asked for a loan

by someone you know well who is in need – as usual you
won’t hesitate and will be glad to help if you can. This will
repay you in life as you, in turn, will be on the receiving end
of someone else’s generosity. What goes around comes
around.
Reversed – money disappearing fast, wasting money or
possessions or theft, refusal to help others.

Seven of Pentacles: (Main ideas – contracts, offer

made, care and thought needed)

Some deep thinking is required about a financial situation.

Do you keep going the way you have been or do you just
stop now and go on to something else that makes you
much happier. Money is tied up with your thinking either
way so check out anything that is on offer and don’t make a
snap decision. Contracts may be involved, read all the
small print.

Reversed – wasted effort, laziness, lack of courage.

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 Eight of Pentacles: (Main ideas – money from new skills,
hidden talents)

This is a good time for you to learn a new skill or turn an

existing skill into something profitable. You have hidden
talents, now is the time to use them for your own good
because there is something in the air now that will allow you
to suddenly develop a hobby or skill into a money making
idea. Patience needed.

Reversed – impatience, job loss, need for quick results at expense of

reputation, illegal financial dealings.

Nine of Pentacles: (Main ideas – achievement, confidence,

pleasure, home improvements)

You should be feeling very happy with yourself and your life
and rightly so. Look at what you have achieved so far, not too
bad is it? You must have realised by now that you don’t need
anyone else to pat you on the back and you certainly don’t
need to ask anyone’s permission to do what you want to in
life. Home improvements are indicated.

Reversed – big debts, danger of theft, gains based on misfortunes of others.

Ten of Pentacles: (Main ideas – contentment, relaxation,

family happiness, financially comfortable)

Everything in the garden of your life should be lovely right

now. Your life is on an even keel and you should be feeling
happy and content. Something you have been building gives
you a lot of pleasure as it makes you feel that it has been

81
worth all the work and energy that you have put into it, probably over a long
period of time. Relax and enjoy these feelings, you deserve it.

Reversed – family disputes over money or inheritance, gambling with family

money, ending of long standing traditions.

Page of Pentacles: (Main ideas – well-being, new

relationship, potential for new growth and
improvement)

New phase in life beginning. You may find that your

money situation starts to improve slightly. Someone new
may come into your life – a new friend or potential
romantic relationship – your energies for this are right at
the moment and you will be open to this. This card brings
a lot of potential, new growth and things in all areas of
your life.

Reversed – laziness, money problems.

Knight of Pentacles: (Main ideas – hard work needed,

patience, face reality, business travel)

Now is the time for a little hard work. People depend on

you. The real world is calling and you cannot ignore it.
You will need to use all your life skills and energies to get
through this month, there is not much time for dreaming.
Business travel is indicated.

Reversed – unreliability, laziness, inaction).

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 Queen of Pentacles: (Main ideas – relaxation, good
health, care of finances)

Look after yourself and your finances, more than you would
usually. It’s easy to go along in life, taking care of other
people and then you are the one who gets into trouble. You
can be kind and generous and are a good organiser, just try
not to over-do it.

Reversed – a suspicious woman, untrustworthy, possessive

and mean.

King of Pentacles: (Main ideas – jealousy, holding

finances, be realistic, security)

You can work hard and then play hard but just keep your
eyes open because some people could be a little jealous of
what you have achieved and will want a little of what you
have. Now is not the time for generosity, if you loan money
for example there is little chance that it will be repaid.

Reversed – a risk taker, bad with money, materialistic, gambler.

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 Exercises
1) Find a plain sheet of paper and a pencil. Choose three cards in the
Minor Arcana that appeal to you. Study the pictures then turn them
face down. On your paper think of each card in turn and then draw your
own version of it. Your drawing can be nothing like the original card,
the picture can just be a simple line drawing or something a little more
elaborate, it doesn’t matter if you are not good at drawing. The idea of
this exercise is for you to absorb the energies of a particular card and
its meaning as you see it. This exercise also reinforces the intuitive
meaning of a card.

2) Pick three Minor Arcana cards at random by shuffling your own Tarot
deck, placing them face down on a clean surface or cloth and then
spread them out gently in an arc shape of just random pattern. Run
your hand about an inch/couple of centimetres over the top of them,
moving slowing from left to right and then back again. Pick three
cards. As you move your hand if you feel any sort of tingling or warmth
from a particular card, choose that one. Using those three cards
answer the following question:

‘Will my financial situation soon?’

Write down the answer to this using the three cards you have
chosen. What is the answer, what overall trends do the cards give
you to tell this client?

84
 Exercises Continued

3) Which card in the Minor Arcana would signify a family celebration?

4) Which two cards in the Minor Arcana would work together to signify a
bad financial situation?

5) Which card or cards signify the possibility of a house move?

85
MODULE 9

Sample Readings

86
 MODULE 9
SAMPLE READINGS

Let’s stretch our minds. Here are a few exercises to train your psyche and open
up your intuitive energies.

Sample three card reading. This time not for a specific question, let us just
give a general overview to see how the cards relate to each other.

Seven of Pentacles – the questioner is in a situation where there is an offer

on the table, this affects finances and also could involve contacts or legal
paperwork. They are advised to check all the details thoroughly, even though
the offer may be coming from someone who is well known to the questioner.

Two of Swords – A decision needs to be made, either choice looks

problematical since money and friendships are involved. Sleepless nights and
headaches are inevitable. The offer being made, indicated by the previous
card is causing this and a lot of thinking is needed, professional advice may
be needed to move forward.

87
Four of Wands – Determination brings success and people are sitting up and
taking notice - home improvements or even a house move is possible,
contracts are sorted and all the fine detail is covered. All your work may have
appeared easy to friends and family, only you know how hard you have
worked but get where you are now.

Now it’s your turn, have a look at the following cards and write down what
your interpretation of them is:

Is this a positive or negative reading –

how does this story end?

88
Write down how you feel these cards work together in a story for a general
reading.

Now let’s expand a little, here are five random cards. The two on the left
signify the past, the centre card is the present and the two on the right signify
the future. See what you can make of these.

89
 Simple Calendar Spread
This is one of the most popular spreads, everyone is keen to find out what the
likely trends are for the year ahead. For this one simply draw twelve cards and
lay them like a clock face. Your first card can be either in the number twelve
position or the number nine – readers lay this card in either of those positions,
what you do is up to you, whatever you find easier to read and feels right.
Then draw a card for your significator – this is a card that signifies your
questioner. Usually we draw a suitable court card, if the client is a fair haired
mature woman then the Queen of Swords would be appropriate, if they were
younger then use a Knight or a Page. Place this card in the centre, this will
focus your energies on the questioner when doing the reading.

Each card represents a month of the year. I have not used reversed cards so,
all these cards are treated as being the same way up when laying them out,
assume all the cards are upright to keep things easier.

Now lay your own cards in a calendar spread and interpret each month in
turn. You can make notes on your thoughts and see how the story of the year
will work.

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By now you should be getting a real feel for the Tarot and how you see and
think about them. You can see how the cards are really pages of a picture
book and will tell an interesting story if you care to listen.

Some Spreads to Try for Yourself

Use your own cards and experiment with some of these spreads. See what
works for you, you can practice spreads and just lay out the cards then
interpret the story they are telling you. Practice on friends to get used to
reading in front of someone, make sure you pick someone who will take your
reading seriously, if they giggle the whole time it will be impossible to
concentrate! Always remember that reading the Tarot is not to be treated as
some kind of party trick, these are powerful images and must be treated with
respect.

One Card – Answer to a

Question
Question – I am taking an exam this month, am I
likely to be successful?

Answer – The Six of Wands is the card of triumph

so assuming that the questioner has done all they
can in the way of studying (!) the likelihood is of
success in the exam.

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Simple Three Card Spread
This one is very straight forward and great for
the beginner.

See what you think about this spread. The first card indicates the past, the
second card is the present situation and the third card, on the right is the
possible future situation. Pretend you are doing this reading for a friend who
just wants to know some general information about his/her life. Write your own
interpretations under each card and see what story you can tell.

What is your interpretation?

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 Seven Card Horseshoe Spread

This is a good general spread or can be used to answer a

question.

Card no. 1 – Past situation and influences.

Card no. 2 – Present situation

Card no. 3 - Hidden influences, what is not obvious.

Card no. 4 - Obstacles and problems.

Card no. 5 – Attitude of others around the questioner.

Card no. 6 – Possible action needed by the questioner

Card no. 7 – Overall outcome.

Use your own cards for this spread, write

down your own interpretations and see
how the story builds of a person’s life
situation.

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 Seven Day Spread
This is a really simple spread for a reading, just one card for each day of the
week.

Lay out your own cards in this spread and see what your week is likely to be
like or practise on a friend. Write down the results of your reading and in
seven days’ time look back and see how accurate you were.

Sometimes when you read a card you will interpret in a certain way but when
something happens that the card relates to you will be perfectly correct in your
interpretation but the ‘happening’ will not be the one you thought it would!

The fastest way to understand the way this happens is to try a 7 day spread
for yourself, check your notes at the end of each day and see where the
interpretation did in fact fit in. At the time of reading the cards you will have
formed an opinion of what each day was about, this may turn out not to be the
case but the card will, strangely, be a perfect fit for the reality of the day!

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 Celtic Cross Spread
This is one of the most popular spreads and usually recommended when you
are just beginning your journey with the Tarot. It can be, though, a slightly
complex spread to work with and sometimes can be a little restricting in terms
of offering flexibility in your readings. Try this one yourself and see if you are
comfortable with it and the story you can build.

Card no. 1 – Present Situation

Card no. 2 – Crossing card, or current problem.

Card no. 3 – Past Influences

Card no. 4 – Present Influences

Card no. 5 – What is on the surface

Card no. 6 – What is hidden

Card no. 7 – The questioner’s view of the situation

Card no. 8 – Views of Others

Card no. 9 – Hopes & Fears

Card no. 10 – Outcome.

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 Find your Own Favourite Spread

Keep it Simple

There are many, many different patterns of Tarot spreads, try not to get too

wound up with all the complicated ones as this will confuse you and could

stop you progressing. All you need to do is find two or three favourite spreads

and perfect your technique with them. Once you are completely confident then

you should take a look at what else is out there or you can make up your own

based on a combination of your favourite ones. That is the beauty of Tarot,

there are no fixed rules. It’s all about interpreting the cards, your intuition and

your vision. Let the cards speak to you and you cannot go wrong.

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MODULE 10

Self Protection

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 MODULE 10
Protection and Growth

All good Tarot readers will have a way of opening and closing their psychic
and intuitive powers as a way of protecting themselves from unwanted
psychic vibrations.

When you are reading the Tarot or carrying out any other kind of psychic
activity you must make sure that you protect yourself and your aura. Spirit is
attracted to an aura and a psychic aura is particularly bright. It would be
emotionally and physically exhausting to leave yourself open twenty four
hours a day so it makes sense to be able to open yourself up before doing
readings and to be able to close yourself down again afterwards so you can
relax and carry on your normal life without being bothered by any spirit
wanting to attract your attention.

More Opening and Closing Techniques

Whichever method you prefer you should use the same visualisation for
opening as you do for closing, except in reverse order. Here are some of the
more popular methods and visualisations you could try.

Closing Down

No. 1) Visualise drawing a large white bubble around you, imagine this sitting
over your head and slowly floating down and enveloping you from head to toe.
For opening up before readings just use this visualisation the other way
around. Imagine you are already in your bubble and slowly it opens up and
floats up and away above your head.

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No.2) Closing - visualise what it feels like to sink downwards into a lovely
warm bath. Feel the soft warm water covering your feet, legs, up to your
waist, arms and body and up to your head. Imagine that wonderful comforting
feeling and how safe and relaxed you feel. To open up just visualise yourself
in this bath, then pull out the plug and feel the water slowly draining away
leaving your body open to the universe.

No. 3) Closing - here is one method that I have heard of but never tried
myself - imagine that you are surrounded by mirrors to reflect back any
negative energy.

No. 4) Closing and opening - visualise a bright white light above your head,
draw down a ray of this light and imagine it flowing into you and slowly filling
up your body from your head to your feet. See the white light covering and
protecting you, relax and enjoy the calm and peaceful feeling.

No. 5) Closing - Many psychics simply wash their hands in running water
after a reading to clear their aura, or if they can, they take a shower to cleanse
their body and their spirit.

It doesn’t matter which method you use as long as you make sure that you
open and close after every session – if you don’t close yourself down
afterwards you run the risk of exhausting yourself fairly quickly. You may not
realise why you are so tired but it will be because you are still absorbing all
the energies surrounding you. There is a right time for all activities and you
need to be able to control access to universal energy, to use it only when you
need to and deflect it when you don’t.

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 Grounding
As we have said previously, as well as opening and closing, most Tarot
readers and other psychics will use meditation and grounding techniques to
maintain their relaxed mental state and to help them tune in to earth energies.
Here is a great and commonly used grounding technique.

Grounding: Sit on a chair with both of your feet firmly flat on the ground.
Take a deep slow breath in and visualise pure white energy or white smoke
drawing in from above your head, while your breath is travelling through your
body, filling it with good energy. Let this white smoke travel inwards and down
towards your feet, pushing downwards any negative thoughts or bad
energies.

As you slowly breathe out imagine that extra grey smoke or energy gently
flowing out through the soles of your feet and back into the ground. Your body
will be full of the white energy while any grey or negative energy will be
cleared from your mind and body.

Keep your eyes closed and breathe slowly in and out in your normal pattern
while you feel the purity of the white energy filling you from head to toe. There
is no room now for negativity or bad energies, everything is white and pure.

Meditation and Visualisation

By now you will realise exactly how important this personal and psychic

protection is to your daily life. Most readers and other psychics will also

practise a little meditation, just ten minutes each day or as long as you wish,

whenever you feel you can – even once a week is better than never at all. A

brief meditation will still your mind and relax you, you will be able to practise a

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little visualisation which will be very helpful when opening and closing.

Visualisation is just imagining really, it is imagining yourself in a certain place

or situation, seeing with your mind’s eye your surroundings and you might

notice aromas, sounds, the feel of something such as soft grass or the velvet

of a flower petal – depending on where you visualise yourself. Once you get

into the habit of taking a few minutes out of daily life as frequently as you can

you will feel calmer and more in control and this practice will have huge

benefits to your overall health and to your Tarot reading interpretation and

presentation

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MODULE 11

The Business of Tarot Reading

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 MODULE 11

The ‘Business’ of Being a Tarot Reader.

Now that you are fully ‘grounded’ here is some information about the business
of being a professional Tarot reader. If you are charging for your services then
Tarot Reading becomes a business and you are classed as a self-employed
person in the eyes of the Inland Revenue. If you are earning money from
reading in addition to your day job this extra cash will push your earnings
higher and will no doubt be taxable if you are already earning over your
personal allowance. The amount of money you can earn before you need to
pay tax changes every year – you can find out the current rate at
https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates/current-rates-and-allowances

If you are not already registered with the Inland Revenue as a self-employed
person you will need to do this within three months of starting your business.

You must record all the money you earn from Tarot Reading and keep a
record of all the expenses too – things such as advertising costs, printing
costs for leaflets and business cards or posters, you can claim a percentage
of your telephone costs if this is appropriate, anything you need to pay for that
relates to your business. If you work from one room in your home you can
claim a percentage of heating and lighting costs too.

Your simple accounts, which you should complete once a week or once a
month to keep on top of things, should show income and expense records in
two separate columns. Make sure that you keep all your receipts for
expenditure and income safely filed away. You can use something like an
excel spreadsheet for your accounts or just write figures in a note book, it
doesn’t matter as long as everything is clear and readable and, if the tax man

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comes to call to inspect your accounts, you have everything dated and clear
for every entry. I speak from experience here, I have been self-employed for
years and not too long ago I had a tax inspection. Not very pleasant since you
have to sit beside the tax inspector for around three hours while they quiz you
on random entries of your accounts! So please make sure that you are
meticulous in your record keeping and don’t ever be caught out. (Luckily I
have been self-employed for so long and have always tried to be careful so
escaped the ordeal without any problem!)

The Inland Revenue require you to keep all records of your business for six
years at least, this includes diaries, parking tickets and all those little receipts
that will save you on your tax payment. On a tax inspection they will happily
ask questions about income or ask for proof of expenses for any of these six
years. Mine did, out came my diaries for year one and three, I had to prove
why I was claiming for a parking charge of £3.00 from three years ago. This
meant I needed to dig out my diary and see where I was on that day. I could
confirm that I was attending a psychic fair for the afternoon and the location
on the parking ticket matched the location of the fair. Yes, this is how nit-picky
they are and how you need to be to cover your back! So make sure
everything is correct from day one and it will save you a lot of headaches.

If you are earning money from different sources, such as employment and
self-employment you will probably find it easier to get yourself a local
accountant to help you with the end of year financial stuff. I learned this quite
early on, it saved me a lot of money in terms of tax payable because the
accountant knows all the rules and I don’t. So, horses for courses,
accountants are good with the financial records stuff which means you can
concentrate on doing what you enjoy – reading Tarot and earning money!

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 Building Your Business
So, now you can read the Tarot successfully and responsibly it would be great
to be able to earn some money from this new skill. How you proceed depends
on your own personal thoughts on this, but here are a few suggestions to get
things rolling.

One to One Readings – a client can come to you or you could visit them in
their home. All very nice and cosy but things can go wrong easily in a one to
one situation. You need to take a few precautions to make sure that you are
not putting yourself in any danger.

Working from your own home - many Tarot Readers work from home as it
is easy, cost effective and a safer environment if you know the client. For new
clients always take their contact details when they ring for an appointment,
then you can call them back to confirm. This at least tells you that the
telephone number they have given is correct. When a new client that you
have not met before is coming for a reading try to make sure that someone
else is in the house at the same time or at least that you let someone close to
you know when the appointment is and arrange to call them or text them
when the client is gone so that you have an element of safety. Rarely will you
have a problem with a client but please put these sort of procedures in place
to make sure you are safe at all times.

Psychic Fairs - it is really interesting – and good fun – to hire a table at a

psychic fair. You get the chance to meet other readers and skilled psychics
and you can learn a lot. Everyone will be very friendly and happy to share
their experiences, they can recommend other fairs and which ones are the
best ones. The cost of a table can be anything from £40 - £90 and more
depending on the location and popularity of the fair. Sometimes you will just
pay a percentage of your takings. You just need to call the organiser and have
a chat, they will tell you everything you need to know and if they have a

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vacancy for your services. Keep your eyes open for local fairs advertising, go
along as a customer and see what you think. Avoid the lunch time period,
mid-morning or mid-afternoon is best to get a feel of how well things are going
– or not.

Case History – a little Tarot tale

I went along to a local psychic fair not so long ago, with a view to seeing if it
felt right and if there were any spaces available for me to book a table at their
next one in a month’s time. This fair is a regular one so I assumed it must be
fairly popular since hiring a venue for the organiser is not cheap and this one
had been running every month for a couple of years.

When I arrived, about 2.30pm, there was not one customer in the place, every
single stall was offering Tarot readings apart from 2 tables selling Tarot cards,
crystals, incense, pendulums and jewellery and the like. I paid my £3 entry fee
and wandered around, slightly embarrassed for me and for them and
obviously every person there was keen for me to buy a reading from them!

I had a chat with the organiser – a very excitable lady Tarot reader – she told
me that she could probably fit in another table for the next month’s fair and the
cost would be £90 for the day. I also had a quick chat with every reader in the
room and chose one I was drawn to for a reading. The cost was £35 – every
reader charged the same which is not a bad idea as it keeps an even playing
field. A customer/client will not choose a reader by the cost but by how they
feel about them. However everyone there told me that this was not really a
busy psychic fair and that they have not yet earned enough to cover the cost
of their table – or their lunch!

Given all the information I had picked up – the cost, lack of customers,
number of Tarot readers already working there I decided that this one
probably wasn’t for me.

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What you need for a psychic fair – a cloth for your table, your Tarot, (many
people work from more than one pack and give the client the choice of which
one they prefer the look of). You need any ‘props’ that you feel are
appropriate, these are things that help draw energy to you or that simply look
great on your table. You also need to be able to keep an eye on the time for
each reading – a discreet watch or small clock is useful.

The table is your shop window for people wandering past and deciding
whether or not to chat to you further and then pay for a reading. Tarot readers
use any manner of things – a crystal ball, certain crystals (this can be large
one or several small ones) that they feel strongly about, candle (this has to be
battery not real due to fire regulations!), and a low light from a small lamp if
there is a socket close to your table is always good.

You will also need business cards or leaflets to give to each client so that if
they like what they see and hear at the event you will get some repeat
business! Then you need a larger sign, usually with a head and shoulders
photograph of you with large wording stating what service you are providing
and the price. Good sources for printing things easily and cheaply can be
found online, Vistaprint is a good source where you can design what you need
but there are other companies. You will probably also have local printing
companies that can help although these may tend to only want to print in
larger quantities than you may need.

Online Readings – Emailed readings are very popular, a client can pay via
paypal or credit card and email their request for a reading. They can ask
questions or ask about something they need help with and this can be
included in the subsequent emailed reading.

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Telephone Readings –

Joining a team of online/telephone readers - There are several companies

who advertise their need for good Tarot readers. I did some research before
writing this course and was a little disappointed at what I discovered. I am
sure not every one of these companies are the same but this is what I
discovered.

One quite well advertised company wanted Tarot readers for ‘text’ readings.
Their clients will call a premium number and text the question they are
seeking an answer to from the Tarot. This message is then sent to one of their
registered readers who will answer it via text. The payment for this is around
£3 per text. Unfortunately their advertisement for new readers to join their
panel was not very inspiring. The only qualification they require before
readers can work for them is that the reader themselves confirm that they can
read the Tarot! That’s it, no test or checks seem to be made.

Now, whilst this could well be a nice little earner, you may think as I did, that it
does not sound too ethical in terms of the quality of readings a client is
getting. However, each to their own, the choice is yours! But, too many people
think that a client’s need for answers is a good excuse to rip them off. This is
not of course the correct use for the Tarot and is an abuse of energies given
and disrespectful to everyone involved.

Your Own Telephone Reading Service

You can take pre payment via paypal of even bank transfer for a booking,
when funds are cleared the questioner can call you or you can call them at the
appointed time and you can draw up the reading and talk through it on the
phone. You will need to be disciplined with timing. If you are charging £30 -
£40 for this sort of reading make sure that you specify how long the reading
will last for. This could be 30 minutes, 45 minutes or an hour – whatever you
decide.

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Print Advertisements Versus Online Ads
Be aware, the cost of placing advertisements in national magazines can be
prohibitive when you are first setting up in business. Even local print
advertising can involve a large outlay so may not be a sensible option. Online
advertising is by far the cheapest way of getting the message out to the world
that you are ready for business. Make full use of social media, investigate
things such as google ad words and the like. These will be far more cost
effective than other forms of marketing.

Happy clients will always tell their friends and acquaintances, this will bring
work for you. Word of mouth is the best way of getting repeat business and
therefore additional income.

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 MODULE 12
Summing Up & Final Assessment.

Congratulations on completing the NTRA Intuitive Tarot Course. We hope that

you have enjoyed your studies and have now gained a thorough
understanding of the Tarot and the stories it can tell. You will also have
learned a good deal about yourself during this course which we hope you
have found rewarding also.

To qualify for The NTRA Tarot Course Certificate of Completion for Tarot
Professionals please submit, via email, the following Tarot challenges. You
should use whichever Tarot pack you are used to working with to draw up
your readings.

1) Explain what action you would take when buying a new pack of Tarot
cards, how you prepare them for use.

2) Explain the method or methods you personally use to ground yourself

and open up before you start to give a reading.

3) Explain the method that you use to close yourself again after a Tarot
reading session.

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 For the following please keep things
simple, all you need to do is list the name
of the card, its relevance/position in your
reading and the interpretation.

4) Submit two different three card question and answer readings to

answer the following from a client: ‘My job could be changing and if it
does this may mean a house move to a different part of the country,
what information can you give me?’

5) Submit a general reading for someone you know – using a spread of

your own choice but please use more than 7 cards.

6) Submit a reading of more than 7 cards to answer the following question

from a client: ‘I am getting divorced, my ex-husband is causing
problems especially over our children, will things calm down and what
do the cards suggest?’

7) What must you do within the first three months if you are starting a
business with your Tarot reading?

8) How long do you need to keep your accounts information for, according
to Inland Revenue rules?

9) If you wanted to grow your Tarot readings how/where could you do

this?

10) Please tell us how you would interpret the Death card for a client.

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 Please now email your answers to the
final assessment questions to our tutors
at:

[email protected]

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 Congratulations!

You have now completed the NTRA Intuitive Tarot Course. We

hope that you have enjoyed your studies and have now gained a
thorough understanding of the Tarot and the stories it can tell. You
will also have learned a good deal about yourself during this
course which we hope you have rewarding also.

The National Tarot Readers Association

The NTRA is dedicated to promoting the highest possible

standards and professionalism for Tarot Readers throughout
the UK and beyond. We offer help and support to our
members.

All successful candidates of this course can join the NTRA as

an Accredited NTRA Member and have access to our online
forum, a wide range of information and downloadable help
files and special ‘Accredited Member’ only offers.

NTRA membership costs just £30 per year. Please see our
Membership page on www.thentra.co.uk

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