Haven't we all wondered what it'd be like to know the future? Who wouldn't want to see what's in store for our love, fortune, career? For millenia, people have tried to confound the curse (or is it a blessing?) of uncertainty through various methods of divination, such as astrology, I-Ching, runes, numerology, and the tarot. This last form utilizes a deck of cards (akin to playing cards), from which individual cards are drawn, spread out, and read. Both the card's character and the pattern in which they're laid out affect the meaning of the tarot reading. This is not a passive exercise: you are required to pose a question for the cards, and the more specific your question, the more resonant the cards' response will be. Any legitimate interpreter of the tarot - or any of the other methods of divination named above - will tell you that these are all means to encourage self-awareness, and in turn to understand where you're leading yourself as you walk down the pathways of life. There is no such thing as a magic crystal ball that gives a flat-out prediction of that which is to come.

The tarot can be read using a variety of decks; you pick a deck you feel speaks to you in a significant way. Tradition also holds that if you're having your cards read to you by another person, it should be someone either known to you or someone you feel you can trust: the personal connection is a very important part of the process. So why, then, am I about to tell you of online tarot sites? Because, first and foremost, it's a good way to familiarize yourself with the phenomena of tarot cards and readings, and all of the arcane knowledge that accompanies the form. You get to view a number of different styles of artwork for the decks, and you also start to learn the different kinds of card characters (for instance, the Ten of Staves or the Lovers) and the configurations you can cast for the reading (such as one-card spread, or the Celtic cross). By joining a discussion group, you can also learn from more practiced tarot adherents.

You can have a "reading" done for you on some sites, but you might question how meaningful it is in relation to one done by a real-live human being. Regardless, it is an intriguing experience that asks you to suspend your skepticism (or cynicism) in order to explore the unknown causeways of your future. So why not try these sites? It beats losing your money to fortune-teller at the county fair1x

Touting itself as the "original WWW Tarot site" is Facade. I tried a variety of readings: each time I posed a question, the answers from the different configurations all appeared to be in synch with each other, which made me wonder if the 'computer' sets the kind and tone of response offered. That feeling of suspense which comes from the seeming randomness of a hand-drawn card is missing from the process. Nonetheless, it was fun to see how different the cards from one deck are from another. This site also offers links to sites on the I-Ching and Runes. An excellent site for background reading sources is the amusingly-named "The Folly of the Alchemist." For Spanish speakers, go to ciudad futura and follow the appropriate links for information and readings. For those gregarious ones out there, talk it up on the "Daily tarot" listserv, at Topica.

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