In most people’s minds, “Tarot card reading” means a woman in flowing robes, leaning over a small table in a candlelit room, foretelling impending doom.

But that’s not really what Tarot cards are about. In fact, they’re not even really meant to tell your fortune or future. According to The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, “The most powerful sources of information come from within; the Tarot aids in coming in contact with one’s Higher Self.”

But what does that mean? We’ll look at the various ideas about where Tarot cards come from, what they mean and how a deck of cards can possibly tell you anything about yourself. You’ll learn why it matters where the cards fall and why you don’t have to be a psychic to do a Tarot reading.