ALL HANDS ON DECK!
Written By: Anne Jirsch
With 45 years spent interpreting the cards, tarot reader Anne Jirsch reveals how finding meaning in the deck can reveal opportunities, guidance, and cheating spouses...
When you hear the word ‘tarot’ you might picture a velvet-covered table in a dimly lit room, an array of colorful cards fanned in a semi-circle. What you probably don’t imagine is me sitting in board meetings with high-powered executives, answering business questions or being flown to palaces and film sets. Yet, that small pack of cards has taken me around the world. Could they do the same for you?
Tarot has come a long way since its arrival in 15th-century Europe, brought over by traveling Romani people from the East. Originally a parlor game, it evolved into a tool for divination that has only grown in popularity over the centuries.
I’ve been reading tarot for over 45 years, and they still astonish me with their accuracy. My own journey began when a friend dragged me to a reading. I went reluctantly, only to be blown away by the details the reader revealed. Out of curiosity, I visited another reader miles away and heard the exact same predictions. That’s when I knew I had to learn more.
For many, a first reading happens in a moment of struggle, a search for clarity when other options have run dry. Often, those same people become long-term clients. I’ve lost count of how many have said, “I’m a skeptic, but I’ve tried everything else.”
Reading the cards isn’t as mysterious as it seems. Yes, books and the little leaflets that come with decks can feel overly complicated (often deliberately so), but I can teach anyone the basics in a few hours. With practice, you’ll go from novice to master of insight.
For beginners, I recommend the Rider-Waite deck – 50 per cent of all tarot decks are based on its imagery, so once you master it, you can read many other packs. Begin by breaking down the pack into sections, as tarot divides into three main parts: Major Arcana: the major life events; Court Cards: the people and personalities involved, and Minor Arcana: four suits, like playing cards, covering love, money, conflict, and work.
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Patterns in a spread tell you where the focus lies. Sometimes it’s obvious from the first few cards. And as you read more, your intuition sharpens. I once taught a young woman, Ellie, who said, “That extra bit you do, saying things like ‘watch your back’ or ‘your car might break down’ I can’t see those in the cards.” I told her, “Your intuition will soon kick in. Keep listening.” Months later, she read for a colleague and suddenly knew she drank a lot of vodka, despite her being deeply religious. She asked, and it was true.
Tarot can reveal the hidden. One client was distressed that her ex seemed to know personal details about her life. The cards showed her sister was feeding him information. We tested it by planting false details and, sure enough, they came back via the ex. Our logical mind would have dismissed the thought.
I see tarot as guidance, not fate. They prepare us for change, help us spot opportunity, and give us the edge in tricky situations. Imagine being warned that the property you are about to buy has hidden costly problems, or the person you are dating is seeing someone else.
Celebrities are no strangers to the cards. Salvador Dalí designed his own surreal deck, David Bowie reportedly used tarot to inspire lyrics, and Beyoncé’s visual storytelling often nods to esoteric symbols. My own client list would certainly raise a few eyebrows.
Just before the pandemic, I read for a famous pop star who was set to appear in a West End show and I told him “It’ll be postponed for quite some time.” I also saw travel disruptions. Soon after, similar patterns appeared in other clients’ readings, and I realized we were glimpsing a global shift.
These days, readings aren’t just in person. The ‘crossing your palm with silver’ tradition might have given way to Zoom calls and online payments, but the accuracy remains.
So why not try it? Ask friends for a recommendation or buy your own deck and pull three cards each morning to get a hint of your day’s events. You might just find a little insight, a gentle nudge, or the confirmation you’ve been waiting for.
Dalí. Tarot | Taschen Books
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