Review: Tarot Card Class at Lawrence Township

I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, people who take a class on tarot-card reading must be a bit ... strange. That's what I thought, too. So imagine my surprise when this class, offered by Lawrence Township Community Education, was attended by perfectly normal people and taught by a perfectly normal instructor. No seances, no crystal balls, no pulsing auras -- just a fun, interesting discussion of a centuries-old method of divination.

The class met on five Monday evenings, and our focus was on learning the meanings of the 78 tarot cards and how to interpret them. We also learned different card layouts and a little bit of tarot history, as well as how tarot interacts with astrology and other disciplines.

For the skeptics, our instructor emphasized that there was no need to be psychic, or even to believe in the metaphysical. Instead, reading tarot cards can simply be a way to unlock your own intuition or explore your feelings.

Because of the size of the tarot deck, the process can feel overwhelming at first. So we started with the most basic possible reading: Ask the deck a question, and pull just one card. The next week, we moved to three-card readings. Eventually, we built up to elaborate 10-card readings using traditional layouts like the Celtic cross.

Our instructor was well prepared for the class, and she provided lots of useful handouts and reading recommendations. Whether you finish the class as a skeptic or a convert, it makes for an interesting way to spend a few evenings. The class is a bargain at only $44, plus the cost of a tarot deck of your choice. And who knows? Maybe you'll find what you've been looking for.