What happened when you had your tarot card read

Astrology, horoscope, tarot card reading, fortune telling—these for me are all bullshit. They aren’t called “hula” (prediction) for nothing. Our Filipino tabloid professor once divulged the secret of horoscopes and astrology shitniz that we read—and giddily follow at that—on daily newspapers. Out of wild imaginations and sheer poetry, he can whip a legitimate horoscope. 

I never believed them—until I visited the aptly named hole-in-the-wall food bistro in Katipunan, “Gayuma ni Maria”.

It was the birthday of one of my former colleagues at Rex, we were four, all girls. Apparently, the cafe offers tarot card reading. My friends had their cards read. They were all gushing on how truthful and close to reality each interpretation was. I was of course cynical and mocking. I wouldn’t shell out my 300 pesos for a piece of crap. Wait until I put the money where my mouth is.

 

I was the last clientele and the supposedly 15 minute –session lasted for almost two hours. I was having fun!

“Kuya, I don’t really believe on these things,” I said upon sitting. 

“Don’t worry, I’m used to it,” Kuya-I-forgot-the-name, said. 

Then, without me saying or sharing anything, he started pointing out specific details of my personality, perspectives, and pipe dreams, like he was my best friend. He mentioned my negative and positive traits, which were all true and gave advices on what to do with them. He mentioned my dreams and hidden desires, which again, were all true. I left out worldly specific questions like will I get rich and what is the name of my future husband (which by now, I am truly regretting). 

Unlike the fortune telling in Quiapo where one’s hand is read (not that I’ve tried it) tarot card reading, Kuya said, follows scientific and mathematical formulas and explanations. He tried to describe them to me but I barely could follow and I have forgotten them by now. 

Tarot card reading for me is like a wakeup call or a post-it reminder. It must not give you false hopes and future predictions. What it must give you is a time for self-examination and it is up to you whether you will act upon it or not. 

Our fate and fortune do not depend on the alignment of the stars or the soundness of the tarot cards, rather they rely on one’s hard work and dedication to succeed. 

Tarot card reading is definitely not for the desperate and depressed people who are willing to pay to have their future predicted and read. It is for anyone who has nothing better to do on a Friday night.