How Tarot Found Me -- My Tarot Story

I first dipped my toes into the world of tarot in 2019, when I was gifted my very first deck and I began to unravel the secrets of the ancient divinatory art. Soon after, the pandemic descended upon us, and the relentless isolation and deep uncertainty made it so that I could no longer avoid unraveling the secrets of my own psyche, as well. 

I knew that I had always experienced a profound sense of empathy, sometimes to my own detriment. Up until that point I did not know how to set boundaries around other people’s emotions. I felt an anxious responsibility to manage the internal environments of everyone around me, and this led me to develop acute observational skills of people’s body language and micro-expressions. I frequently (and accurately) “read” complete strangers’ emotional states, intentions, hidden secrets, and behavioral patterns, often before the person themself had become aware of them. Those in the metaphysical field call this “claircognizance.” In psychology, it’s called “hypervigilance.” I am not alone in this. This heightened sensitivity is incredibly common among the neurodivergent community and/or those who have experienced childhood trauma. It is a blessing that can sometimes mask itself as a curse. 

Those who have not honed this intuitive gift can sometimes veer off into fearful paranoia– hyper-analyzing others and applying the least charitable sheen to their thoughts and intentions. This protective mechanism often goes too far–leaving the “reader” feeling more alienated than saved. Before I began to heal my psychic wounds, I, too, fell victim to this method of thought, leading to a chronic feeling of internal isolation that not even a global pandemic could touch. Once I became aware of this, I began to embrace my empathy and heightened sensitivity, and started questioning the negative assumptions that my dysregulated nervous system placed upon others. I made the decision to use my intuition for honest love and connection rather than solely for defense. 

That’s when my psychic journey truly began. Tarot became my intuition’s whetstone. Day after day I would ask the cards every question under the sun, relishing the sense of empowerment that came as I grew more and more familiar with the deck’s once intimidatingly vague messages. I devoured every intricate story that the tarot cards revealed, deeply relating to the complicated figures represented within the deck. Who among us hasn’t felt the youthful reckless abandon of The Fool, or the immense pressures and burdens associated with the Ten of Wands? So many throughout human history know the exquisite agony of the Three of Swords, the warm and certain unity of the Two of Cups, the powerful creative energy within the heart of The Empress. I soon began to develop a real relationship with the cards: I was able to communicate and receive in a language both ancient and timeless. 

No matter where your beliefs fall on the spiritual spectrum, whether you believe spirits are actively present in the room and communicating directly to the reader when they pull each card or not, one cannot deny that the dynamic story told within the cards provides us a window into a portal of the human experience that transcends space and time. After all, a core longing of all human beings is to be seen. To have our journeys witnessed: our fears, our thoughts, our difficulties, our triumphs. I can’t help but believe that the original creators of tarot knew this, as they felt that longing within themselves. One might surmise that tarot was created as a reminder to all people that we are not alone. That no matter how many changes the ravages of time and technology thrust upon us, there will always remain one universal human truth: our feelings are worth being seen, to be seen is to be known, to be known is to belong, and to belong is to be loved. 

When I carry on the tradition of tarot, with every poignant and knowing image the cards present to me, I do feel truly seen, as our ancestors most certainly intended. I want to pass that feeling onto you. When you come to me with spiritual, psychological, or interpersonal questions, I will do my absolute best to use a combination of my innate intuition and established relationship with the cards to provide you with answers. It would be my honor to see you, and to help you see yourself. 

—Chloe Cannon, Raised Voice Tarot