I used to be so scared of Tarot! I was curious about it for a long time, but it seemed out of reach. Tarot was for other people, not for me. I was afraid to admit that I was interested in something I had learned to view as silly at best (and evil at worst). Then, my dad died, and I was hit with a shattering experience of how fleeting our lives are–and how I didn’t want to waste time being afraid of my own curiosities. I bought a deck, and I’ve been a daily reader and increasing Tarot nerd ever since.
There is so much that I now deeply love about the Tarot, but high on the list is that it acts as a kind of “intuition gym.” Through readings, we can develop trust in our own intuition, that innate awareness we vaguely refer to as “our gut.” Attuning more keenly to this part of ourselves has immense benefits, both for practical decision-making and for building a connection to the vast unknowable reality that eludes our everyday lives. Cultivating a sense of awe is powerful, and the Tarot is a beautiful tool. It offers us insight to an unending journey of discovery. Often deeply supportive, at times starkly blunt, the Tarot offers us needed medicine and wise advice.
If we’re willing to explore, there’s so much magic to be found.
Sarah Maxfield is a Tarot reader and story writer. In a moment of transformation fueled by grief, Maxfield turned to the Tarot in the summer of 2021 and has been a daily reader ever since. Maxfield experiences the Tarot as an “intuition gym,” and follows the inner guidance inherent in the practice, plus the wisdom and teachings of expert readers such as Rachel Pollack and Jenna Maltin. Her readings focus on supporting querents to develop personal insight and connection to the universal.
Maxfield also holds a 200-hour yoga teacher certification and writes fiction for young adults, focusing on stories of healing and joy for marginalized folks–particularly queer + disabled folks, such as herself. She lives with her partner and their kiddo in Lenapehoking (Brooklyn).
