Tarot, often seen as mere entertainment, holds profound roots in Western Mystery Traditions like Alchemy, Golden Dawn, and Romani Gypsies. Its 78 cards offer a divinatory journey, transcending statistical methods, drawing from metaphysical realms. Unlike astrology’s mathematical precision, tarot relies on intuitive interpretation, making it a deeply personalized experience. As a self-taught tarot reader since 2005, Oindrilla’s journey embodies passion, perseverance, and the quest for authenticity.
SG: How do you explain tarot as a mystical art and what are its origins?
OB: Tarot Cards are usually relegated to only being looked upon as perhaps a form of light hearted mode of casual predictions. This thought reduces the entire traditional, cultural, historical and truly divinatory aspects of this mystical art. The currently popular Tarot Deck has 78 cards and are a result of an amalgamation mainly fromWestern Mystery Traditions such as Alchemy, The Holy Grail Mysteries, The Golden Dawn Movement, Freemasonry Movement and from the oral lyrical and bard traditions of the Romani Gypsies. Tarot Reading is a mystical art in the sense that its techniques and subsequent insights are not according to a statistically prescribed mathematical formulae and gains its therapeutic and benefic guidelines from realms which are considered metaphysical.
SG: How is Tarot practiced and how is it different from astrology?
OB: To the best of my abilities, I can describe Astrology combining three factors -: Accurate Mathematical Positioning of Planets, Subsequent Analysis of the Planetary Positions vis a vis the individual’s year of birth and the current time and then Solutions Based on Prescribed Remedies, for the above.
In the system of Tarot that I practice, it is a mystical and metaphysical art. The layout, specific cards drawn and connection between the cards picked are its’ mystical mathematical tools.
The reader has to be extremely astute and aware of their individual intuitive skills to provide relevant and authentic analysis using the Tarot cards.
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REMEDIES/SOLUTIONS are provided based on the concept of an individual’s unique situation which may sometimes require an out-of-the-box approach.
– Oindrilla
Tarot Reading does not require a mathematically supported birth chart to proceed on its course. I feel, in my personal opinion, that Tarot being devoid of the statistical formulaic concepts is more demanding of the Reader’s Time and Energies and usually is or should be of high value in the emotive and personalized mode as in an individualized session which is what I specialize in.
SG: Could you give us a brief glimpse of your ongoing journey as a Tarot Reader?
OB: When I rewind to the visible beginning of my journey towards becoming a Tarot Reader, there are moments of magic amidst the mundane. I was a teenager around fourteen years old when I first chanced upon the Tarot Cards in a magazine. It was a strange sort of love and bonding when I saw them. They were entirely outwardly foreign but to me in an inexplicable manner inwardly very familiar…. Perhaps this is my most coherent description of an intriguing and magical quest which still thrills me…
I was growing up during a time when anything ‘magical/extraordinary/ relatively unknown’ was met with a sense of bewilderment, intense fear, mockery and condescension due to the fear. There was a complete lack of authentic knowledge and no concrete exposure barring a few crumbs of information one had to literally scrounge for via books, whatever material there was available on the web.
I take a lot of pride in being completely self-taught and being a hands-on and a very compassionate Reader.
Despite my academic qualifications and other interests, my passion remained and remains the Tarot Cards. I feel that with the immense love and unstinted support from my mother, I finally took a huge leap of faith and began to tentatively practice with trepidation initially since late 2005 onwards.
SG: What kind of clientele is most interested to do readings with you and what areas of their life are they most concerned about?
OB: I have a wide and diverse clientele ranging from men and women from all walks of life consulting me and the cards offline and online nationally and internationally for therapeutic and insightful guidance on various issues. However, I have noticed that between the age range from roughly 20-55 years the topics regarding professional issues, education/ advanced studies and personal relationships are most pertinent and consulted upon.
SG: What according to you, are the core challenges and beneficial advantages of your profession?
OB: I would like to begin by elaborating upon the challenging aspects of being A Tarot Reader –
In the initial stages a Tarot Reader’s career in the financial arena is slightly unstable, it is not a fixed package mode. The patrons hesitate in the beginning to provide you the adequate amount for your services. As they become more confident in your abilities and trust you eventually, this factor gets mitigated but it takes time.
It is a rather solitary path where you are heavily responsible for the fabulous and desolate aspects of your career. There is also a huge scarcity of empathetic support and an unclear understanding as far as the heavy toll Tarot Reading takes on a sincere reader’s physical, emotional and mental reserves, unless the Reader takes thorough care of oneself too along with their patron’s wellbeing.
However, when time and circumstances themselves sort these above conditions in the most benefic manner, it is truly exhilarating to be the captain of your own ship. You are responsible for guiding, helping, providing insight and ultimately giving true healing to many people through your individual gifts while keeping your ego in the background.
It is an incomparable feeling to follow your passion and to make it a financially viable career too. Even in the realms of financial responsibility, the Reader is independent to quote an amount which they feel is adequate for their services. You are the sole creator from the inception, and sustenance to decide your working schedule such as how many clients in a day or week, the timing and scheduling of the sessions as well as the mode of operation i.e whether you prefer an outdoor chamber or prefer the precincts of your home/ offline/ online or both. There are various opportunities for flexibility in this profession.
SG: What advice would you give to tarot enthusiasts or aspiring tarot readers?
OB: I would provide them 3 lines of advice as I have experienced through my ongoing journey in the world of Tarot.
- In any field, especially those considered as niche or special, an aspirant should aspire to a level of passion and belief in oneself. These elements may initially need to serve as adequate buffers against bewilderment, fear of choosing the untrodden path, and scathing amusement from various quarters. One must bear these challenges when and if choosing this path, whether as a passionate hobby or career.
- Research from Books, Theories and other written material combined with on the field i.e practical learning/ training with maybe friends, family in the first stages to then proceeding to a much diverse and inclusive clientele. This will build true and healthy confidence in the abilities of the Readers and provide them with authentic feedback in return.
- It is a blessing to be Talented in any field and is a boon especially in the World of Tarot Reading, however to make that Talent shine, Persistence of Passion and Belief in the Self will come from serious dedication and discipline and self-motivated continuity of hard work towards the craft. Ultimately, I feel adhering to all of the above will eventually lead to fulfillment of the monetary levels and viability as regards the media and social media.
