Indie South founder and tarot reader Serra Jaggar stands in Indie South on 470 Hawthorne Ave. on Jan. 27. Jaggar first developed her interest in reading tarot when she was a teenager, but paused her reading practice until she learned the system of the deck. “I wish that I had really buckled down and tried to learn the system early on because with tarot, you never stop learning,” Jaggar said. “There’s always more information, different ways of reading cards or takes on the different cards, because there’s so many layers of meaning.” Photo by Emlyn McKinney
Indie South founder, organizer and tarot reader Serra Jaggar discusses her experiences and perspective on the art of tarot.
News Staffer Emlyn McKinney: How did you first encounter tarot?
Indie South founder and tarot reader Serra Jaggar: When I was a teenager in high school. I was into all kinds of countercultural type stuff, and so, of course, I encountered tarot. I have always just sort of been drawn to the mystical side of life. Tarot was just another part of that for me, and I didn’t really try to learn about it until I was probably in my early 20s. At that time, I dabbled, and I would give readings where I (was) looking up every meaning in the book, but it never clicked for me. I got into it again, probably about 10 years ago, and it didn’t click for me, but I was determined to keep reading and figuring it out. Then, I finally got into the more traditional side. It does take some willingness and discipline to apply yourself and really, at least, learn some of the basic meanings of the cards, (but) it’s always been an interest of mine, and the more I learned about it, the more I was intrigued.
EM: What are tarot cards and how are they organized?
SJ: The way I’ve explained tarot cards to my 7-year-old is that they are cards with pictures that tell a story, and they’re organized into the Major and Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana is about (22) cards, and a lot of people see it as representing the Fool’s Journey. Then, you’ve got the Minor Arcana, which are four separate suits, and all of those suits are associated with elements and different traits. Then, all of those suits are broken down from two to 10, and then you have four court cards, as well.
EM: What do the different groups tell you in reading the tarot cards?
Indie South founder and tarot reader Serra Jaggar’s portable tarot setup is pictured on Jan. 27. Through her readings, Jaggar found that tarot was a helpful method of self-reflection for her clients. “(Tarot reading is) definitely a great tool for self-discovery, and I see myself as facilitating that for other people (because I’m) talking through the cards and creating a framework for people to think about what’s going on for them, what’s going on in their lives, how they’re showing up (and) how they would like to be showing up,” Jaggar said. Photo by Emlyn McKinney
SJ: The way that I have learned it is that the Major Arcana tend to be the bigger or overarching energies in a reading, so they’re almost like trump cards in a way. Then, the Minor Arcana tend to be more situational (and) circumstantial. The court cards can be characters in your story. They can also be aspects of yourself, which is more the modern take on it, but a lot of times, I find that they are characters in the story. When you have a reading, for instance, with a lot of Major Arcana, you can usually surmise that there’s probably a lot of bigger things going on in a person’s life, where they’re being asked maybe to rise to a challenge, process or come to reckoning with some things.
EM: How did you start reading tarot for others and start this tarot-reading business?
SJ: When I opened (Indie South) store initially, over on (1377) Prince Ave., it was because I was carrying so many artists and small brands. There was a tarot revival going on that was basically Kim Krans with the Wild Unknown (Tarot deck). She started this tarot renaissance, and her artwork was so beautiful, and I loved it, and I think that’s what really resonated with a lot of people. I bought it for the aesthetics and was carrying a few other decks for aesthetics, but I noticed that people were really intrigued by and drawn to that, so I started having more conversations with people. When we moved to this (location at 470 Hawthorne Ave.), I was like, “Let’s lean into it. People are looking for this. They want this.” I had a couple of friends who were (tarot) readers, and I started learning with them. I teamed up with one of them to start hosting tarot meetups at (Indie South) and started getting more confident and doing readings.
EM: Can you walk me through what a typical tarot reading with you might look like?
SJ: I read for mostly strangers, and usually people just book a reading with me online, but (clients) don’t usually talk about why they’re coming in for the reading. I end up doing just general readings. I use the Celtic Cross spread, which is one of the more traditional, older spreads, so what I’m most familiar with. I lay out all the cards — six cards for 30 minutes, 10 cards for an hour — and then I always look at the base card, too, just because I’ve gotten in the habit of it and more cards are more information, is what I always say. It often does have a bearing on the overall reading, but I focus mostly on the reading. I start with the middle cards, the heart of the matter, and then, usually, I move down into the root, and then go clockwise around. If there’s a theme or something really jumping out at me, like a lot of Major Arcana, or different court cards that feel like they’re very relational, I might touch on that before I go systematically through the whole thing.
EM: What is running a tarot reading business like for you?
SJ: It’s a very small part of all the things that I do for Indie South. The events in the store are a much bigger part of what I do, but I’ve started to expand a little bit. I have a Calendly app where I take appointments through there, so that’s all managed for me. Sometimes I’ll do three readings a week, sometimes I’ll do one, sometimes I’ll do none. It really ebbs and flows. I have a handful of repeat clients, but a lot of people are first-timers or just curious. I take it really seriously. To me, it feels like spiritual work, because I see it as becoming like a vessel for other people and what they’re going through. I have professional standards where anything in a reading is confidential. I don’t do readings on health issues. If people are trying to find out what’s going on with somebody else, or in their lives, you want to steer it back to the client. I’m very straightforward that I’m not a psychic medium. I don’t do past-life readings or any of that type of (reading), just because I don’t personally feel qualified. I try to be as honest as I can about what I’m seeing in the cards, even though sometimes it’s not what people want to hear.
A video shows Indie South founder and tarot reader Serra Jaggar talking about what tarot reading means to her in Indie South on 470 Hawthorne Ave. on Jan. 27. Jaggar’s tarot practice changed a lot over the years, but part of her motivation to learn how to read tarot was how people were drawn to it. “(Tarot reading is) definitely a great tool for self-discovery, and I see myself as facilitating that for other people (because I’m) talking through the cards and creating a framework for people to think about what’s going on for them,” Jaggar said. Video by Emlyn McKinney
EM: What does reading tarot mean to you?
SJ: That’s hard to quantify. I see it as having a conversation with the cards. It’s definitely a great tool for self-discovery, and I see myself as facilitating that for other people (because I’m) talking through the cards and creating a framework for people to think about what’s going on for them, what’s going on in their lives, how they’re showing up (and) how they would like to be showing up. So it’s almost like a canvas, where you’re creating a story.
EM: What are some misconceptions about tarot?
SJ: I think a lot of people, especially people that may be more religious or have grown up in a really church-centered background, have some fears around it, as far as it being like a tool of the occult or the devil. I think the misconception is — and I definitely understand this — is that sense that if you’re working with divination, you could somehow be influencing the outcome. That can be scary to people when you pull up cards that are heavy or have some darker themes to them. But I’m a big believer in free will, and I always try to reassure people (a tarot reading) is like an energetic weather prediction, in a way. It’s outlining some of the elements and aspects that are happening in your life and your situation, but the outcome is very much up to you and how you want to act with that information, or how you allow that to guide you. You could walk out (of a reading) and decide you’re not going to listen to any of it, but I never think that people should be intimidated by fear.
“No matter how you approach (tarot), whether you think there is some sort of spiritual or mystical component, or whether you are doing it to better understand yourself, it’s definitely a valuable tool, and it’s a version of a tool that has been used in so many different disciplines to better people.”
EM: What about tarot do you want people to know more about?
SJ: No matter how you approach it, whether you think there is some sort of spiritual or mystical component, or whether you are doing it to better understand yourself, it’s definitely a valuable tool, and it’s a version of a tool that has been used in so many different disciplines to better people. It’s a neat way to explore your own psyche, explore narratives, and how you’re (interacting) with the world. I think that self-awareness is what we’re all here for, really.
EM: What advice would you give to a beginner reader or your younger self?
SJ: I wish that I had really buckled down and tried to learn the system early on because with tarot, you never stop learning. There’s always more information, different ways of reading cards or takes on the different cards, because there’s so many layers of meaning. Also, just practicing a lot with other people, particularly strangers. It’s fun to practice with your friends and people that you know, but practicing with strangers is super valuable because then you’re really falling back on your intuition, your knowledge of those cards, and where you’re seeing themes. I think that helps a ton, going with what’s popping into your head versus overthinking things, or trying to make something fit the way that you might with yourself or with other people.
