The future can be unpredictable. However, many people prefer to consult a tarot reader to better understand their future before taking the plunge.
Behold the tarot cards
What lengths would people go to in order to discover the truth from the future? And how accurate are these predictions?
Tarot cards, which have been around since the mid-15th century, are playing cards that originated with the Italians and spread throughout Europe. The late 18th century saw the emergence of custom decks used in divination through tarot card reading and cartomancy.
Over the centuries, tarot cards have attracted a slew of followers and believers who believe the deck can predict the future. But there’s more to reading the future with cards than that. According to professional tarot card reader Christ Lopez, predicting with tarot cards does not always guarantee that it will happen.
“The prediction is not certain. It’s more of a warning. Let’s say I read for you and predict something bad will happen. Take it as a warning to make a change in your life. Consider it as if you still have time to change your desired path,” said the 33-year-old.
Christ equates the weather forecast to tarot cards, comparing it to preparing an umbrella when the forecast predicts rain.
“Knowing rain is on the way, but not knowing whether it will fall, we may decide to prepare an umbrella. When I discuss these predictions in a tarot reading, do you want to bring an umbrella or not? Do you want to take my advice? It’s entirely up to you.”
As an example, Christ said that he would occasionally read about his clients’ future health deterioration.
“When clients hear this, they should take precautions to protect their health. They can begin by eating healthier.”
His clientele
Every day, Christ receives a client who is looking for answers. The tarot card reader said that 90 per cent of his clients are female.
“And the most common question they will ask is about love. Following that are career, health, money, and family.”
Despite having the advantage of understanding how the future will unfold, the Bidayuh-descent said that when reading for clients, he maintains an ethic when sharing the predictions.
“Especially for love-related topics. I’d ask if they know each other. Or how do they know each other? I don’t want to use my ability to spy on others.”
Christ added that during his early days as a reader, he often came across questions about another married person.
“That is not something I would like to do. I began tarot reading seven years ago with the intention of helping those in need. I want everyone to know that they have the option of understanding their future and making changes along the way.”
He also laments how some tarot card readers took advantage of their clients by charging exorbitant fees. Charging at a reasonable price, Christ said it was more than just making money. It’s the passion that ensued that encouraged him to continue.
“If you pursue your passion — what you truly believe in — you will become the person you truly are.”
The bitter truth or a sweet lie?
But how far are you willing to go to hear about the future? Knowing what lies ahead can be daunting but knowing that your future is in your hands is even scarier. Despite the fact that tarot cards are associated with the divine, Christ admitted to not using any ‘ghost’ — assistance from the spiritual world — to predict the future.
When it comes to reading his clients, Christ does so by reading the energy that is presented to him.
“We have control over our own fate as humans. Everything around us is made up of energy. So, if you take control of your energy, you can improve your life.”
To him, it is better to accept the bitter truth than a lie.
“I’ll see what’s wrong with your life when I do a reading. That is why they come to me. People do not visit a doctor unless they are sick,” he said.
A reader since young
Christ, a pagan, revealed that he had been interested in card reading since he was 12 years old. He shared that he was drawn to cards after hearing about it for the first time on a television show.
“I thought it was fascinating to be able to predict the future using cards.”
At the age of 13, Christ came across Yu-Gi-Oh decks, a set of playing cards inspired by tarot cards. This piqued his interest even more. He has since searched bookstores and stationery stores for tarot decks. However, it was in vain.
There are little whispers of tarot cards in Sarawak today, let alone two decades ago. The scarcity, however, did not last long when Christ, at the age of 16, discovered a tarot deck alongside an instruction manual.
“It intrigued me. I didn’t start reading right away, but I was always aware that something inside of me was guiding me in that direction.”
The International Business degree graduate stated that when he had access to the internet during his university days, he did extensive research on the cards. Christ began professionally reading tarot cards when he was 24 years old.
The challenges encountered
Despite his years of experience as a tarot card reader, Christ said it is foolish to say he isn’t afraid of being wrong.
“I used my energy, my client’s energy, and my intuition to read. So, because I’m only human, I’m terrified of making mistakes. I would ask myself questions about the person during a normal reading. Then I’ll have to decide which context is best for them. This is when the anxiety begins.”
Christ explained the process by saying that a deck consists of 78 cards that can be read in reverse, giving the deck 156 different ways to read. And the pictures embellished on those 156 different cards tell a number of stories depending on different understandings and situations.
With a variety of predictions that can be made, Christ revealed that he usually gets anxious about this when he is not in a good state to read.
“When I am stressed, or when I have a large number of clients to attend to that day. This depletes my energy. I’m also worried that my clients might disagree with me.”
Nonetheless, he tries to stay calm and manage his anxiety by practising meditation and getting enough sleep.
“Only when I am at ease can I make a good prediction.”
Take everything with a grain of salt
So, as a tarot card reader, can Christ truly predict the future? The answer is subjective. Nonetheless, he has the ability to read people through the cards he holds.
“Understanding the client’s conscious minds allows me to see their sub-conscious minds and what influences them. That is why I always tell my clients to take my predictions with a grain of salt.”
Christ, who regularly posts on ‘Borneo Tarot Reader’ on Facebook and Instagram, aims to help everyone with his gift — the gift of understanding what the future holds.
“When it comes to tarot card reading, there is no such thing as right or wrong. Only how one perceives it.”
