MysticMag chats with Lara Houston, the founder of the International Tarot Foundation (ITF), established in 2015 with a mission to elevate the profile of Tarot reading and study. Driven by the belief that actions speak louder than words, Lara and her team have worked tirelessly to create a supportive community for Tarot practitioners, emphasizing principles, ethics, and spiritual insight.
Lara, what inspired you to create a comprehensive tarot certification program, and how do the various courses build on one another to provide a well-rounded tarot education?
When I first began developing my certification course, my primary motivation stemmed from recognizing the vast range of interpretations and ethical standards upheld by different tarot readers. Early on in my own tarot journey, I became acutely aware of these variables, which, combined with the unfortunate perception of tarot as mere entertainment, inspired me to create something more substantial. While this entertainment classification can be beneficial for legal responsibility, it’s also a disservice to tarot, which is a deep and complex occult science deserving of greater respect.
Over the past two to three years, I rewrote the first set of courses after a period of deeper self-study. I wanted to refine not only the content but also the way the courses were delivered and mentored. I’m proud to have developed an online platform that students seem to appreciate, and I believe my students are excellent role models in the tarot community, reflecting the ethos of the International Tarot Foundation.
Our courses are carefully structured, beginning at the beginner level and progressively advancing. Each course builds upon the previous one, with the aim of ensuring that students have a solid grasp of the basics before moving forward. The saying “you can’t run before you can walk” rings particularly true here. We ensure that students have mastered the foundational material before encouraging them to proceed, as missing this crucial first step would hinder their progress and ultimately set them up for failure.
The courses are presented using a method known as scaffolding, which was developed by a learning theorist. Having worked with children in the past, I have found this to be an effective way of supporting the learning process. Through this approach, we are confident that we can teach even absolute beginners to become competent and skilled tarot readers. Mentoring is a key component of our courses—each question posed by a student is carefully reviewed by a mentor. We provide positive reinforcement and guidance when necessary, ensuring that if a student veers off course, we gently redirect them with alternative perspectives.
Each session is accompanied by a downloadable PDF, and I also enjoy creating infographics to aid visual learners. While some of the courses include videos to enhance the learning experience, they are supplementary rather than the main focus of the content.
The course progression is meticulously planned, beginning with the foundational elements of tarot, such as the structure of the deck and the meaning of individual cards. We do not move forward until the student has a solid understanding of these basics. The second course delves into the structure of a tarot reading, covering topics like patterns in readings, the influence of the shadow card, and key major arcana. We also introduce the Celtic Cross spread, an essential and intricate reading, which students practice after evaluating a modeled reading. This spread is revisited in more advanced courses to reinforce the learning.
The subsequent correspondence courses build on these foundations. The first two in this series are ‘Tarot’s Relationship with Numbers’ and ‘Tarot’s Interaction with the Elements.’ This structured and thoughtful progression ensures that each student not only learns tarot but truly masters it in a way that promotes deep understanding and skill development.
How do the advanced courses, like “Tarot Interacts with the Elements” and “Tarot’s Relationship with Numbers,” enhance a student’s understanding of tarot beyond the basics?
These two courses delve into how understanding elemental interactions and numerology can enhance our tarot readings. The first course focuses on the interplay of elements, exploring how different elemental influences can deepen our interpretations. The second course examines the characteristics of numbers and their role in numerology, offering additional layers of insight that can further enrich our readings.
While I firmly believe in the power of intuitive reading and its ability to produce accurate insights, these correspondence courses aim to provide that extra dimension of depth. By integrating these additional perspectives, we allow readers to explore and expand their intuitive skills, adding more nuance and complexity to their readings.
What role do ethics play in tarot reading, and how does “The Ethical Tarot Reader” course prepare students to approach their practice responsibly?
We offer an Ethical Tarot Readers course, designed to help students cultivate a deeper awareness of maintaining a non-judgmental, inclusive ethos that celebrates diversity. As tarot readers, we must uphold certain standards and set a positive example, and I take pride in knowing that our students often become excellent role models within the tarot community. This is how we can elevate the perception of tarot reading and its study.
Though you didn’t specifically ask about this course, I’d like to mention another program we offer—The Spiritual Journey through the Major Arcana. This course was inspired by a book by Robert Place, where he discusses the soul’s journey in three stages. The course aims to help tarot readers identify moments in an individual’s life where soul development is at the core of their challenges, and guide them through significant life transitions with wisdom and clarity.
Can you explain how the course “Tarot’s 12 Houses of Astrology” integrates tarot with astrology, and what benefits students gain from understanding this connection?
The same principle applies to my Tarot and Astrology course, though this one specifically focuses on the 12 houses of astrology in tarot readings. My goal was to create a simplified yet insightful course on the connection between tarot and astrology. This proved challenging because truly understanding astrology requires delving deeper into the planetary influences, their impact within the houses and zodiac signs, and how a tarot card placed in a specific house can affect an individual or situation.
The course starts by introducing the astrology wheel, or zodiac wheel, in a straightforward manner. From there, it progresses to explore the energy of the planets and their associations with tarot cards. We also cover modalities, polarity, and various aspects of the 12 houses. Ultimately, this course is designed to offer students, or readers, the opportunity to incorporate these additional insights into their practice if they choose to do so.
For someone new to tarot, what can they expect from “The Art of Tarot-Course for Absolute Beginners,” and how does it set the foundation for more advanced studies?
The Art of Tarot course is specifically designed for absolute beginners—students with no prior understanding of tarot. This course provides a basic introduction by offering downloadable PDFs for each tarot card, along with a quiz that follows. It’s a very economical option without mentoring, aimed at giving students a foundational understanding of traditional tarot card meanings. It’s perfect for those just starting out and looking to explore tarot at their own pace.
For many beginners, there’s often a tendency to spend a lot of time Googling the meaning of each card, and this course is structured to offer a more organized, convenient alternative. Everything is in one place, neatly arranged so students can revisit any part of the material at any time. The course allows students to download concise PDFs, making the learning process smooth without the need to search for information across the web.
I take pride in our user-friendly website and modern learning platform, where courses are presented in an appealing and easy-to-follow structure. Although this course does not include direct mentorship, we have a vibrant community forum and a tarot group with over 20,000 members. This group is highly active, with students and members discussing readings and various aspects of tarot, making it a complementary space for learning and growth. We also facilitate exchange readings in the group, which provides ongoing practice for students while allowing us to monitor their progress.
Across all our courses, with the exception of the Ethical Tarot Reader course, students are required to present readings that are carefully assessed by a mentor. While there’s no formal exam, we closely track students’ progress, ensuring their accuracy and understanding of tarot. Ultimately, our goal is to nurture prolific, confident, and accurate tarot readers who are also deeply ethical. Students will only receive certification once they’ve completed all seven courses and presented readings that meet our high standards.
If you would like to find out more about the International Tarot Foundation, please visit https://www.internationaltarotfoundation.com/
