The Elimination Illumination spread is a good method for gaining clarity in a situation.  It was partly developed by Uri, an Israeli kabbalist and mathematical genius.

The Celtic Cross is a spread using 10 cards.  The cards' arrangment determines its context.

The querant is to pick their 10 cards and keeping them face down, arrange them in whatever order and direction feels right.  It is the querant's point of view that is relevant.  To make it easier, some readers will pivot the surface or cloth so that they see the cards from what was the querant's point of view.

The layout of the cards that you should do for a reading depends on the deck that you are using.  A more modern, western deck will probably have instructions to use the Celtic cross spread while some others will have other patterns.

Despite popular belief, the cards are not used to predict the future.  They only show possible outcomes based on things that have occurred in the past and present, or the state of mind of the querant.  The reader and the querant can influence the cards picked subconsciously, so it is important to take both the context in which the cards appear and one's own personal biases and culture into account.

This is an overview of the Coins.

This is an overview of the Cups.

This is an overview of the Wands.

This is an overview of the Swords.

Here is an overview of the minor arcana:

The 22 Major Arcana represent both archtypes and/or the spiritual journey that many if not most individuals take through their lives.  They can symbolize major issues, emergencies, or personality types involved in a situation, depending on their context within a spread.  They can sometimes even serve as a warning to the reader that there are lives and fortunes at stake when every card in a spread comes up in a mixed deck reading.

A spread can be done using only major arcana cards, if one knows in advance that they are reading a situation in which the personalities of the individuals involved, rather than nature or circumstance, are most relevant to the issue at hand.  They can also be used for ceremonial or meditation purposes, to indicate which deities or archtypes should be focussed on in a particular ritual or event.

This is a series on the basics of tarot cards. It includes an overview of the history of tarot cards, the meanings of each card, various layouts for readings, and other ways the tarot can be used as psychic tools.

This is a very basic series meant for people who would like a brief introduction to the tarot. For a more in depth course, take Intuitive Tarot taught by Linda Paul at UniversalClass.com.