Charlotte Dos Santos on Her Relationship to Tarot

I have always been drawn to esotericism and the occult. Crystals, pendulums, card readers, mediums, dream interpreters - anything relating to these subjects, I am deeply interested in them. I first got introduced to it through my mother who always was fascinated with the same subjects so it has followed me throughout my life. I don’t practice any religion, but I have fused my own concoction of beliefs leaning somewhere between buddhism, astronomy and astrology.

I got my first deck of tarot cards at a little shop in London. The original Rider-Waite Tarot deck. I had initially heard that a deck of tarot should be given to you and not be bought, but I had been waiting and a tarot deck was nowhere given to me, so I caved. I had previously received some angel cards by Doreen Virtue from my mother, which I had been using frequently, actually so much that the paper had come off the cards, so I felt as though it was time.

In my family spirituality and ceremonies are no strange concept. I come from a lineage of spiritual practitioners in some form or another. My great-great-grandmother was indigenous Brazilian and my Great-grandfather was African (Nigerian we believe) so traditions of rituals and spiritual beliefs lie deep in my blood line.

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As a musician I have drawn many inspirations from tarot and cartomancy. The Empress, King of Hearts, The Fool, The Magician and Death are all cards you can find in my lyrics. Tarot has for me, more than the cards alone, been a path way to go inwards in myself to understand deeper what it is that is happening in and around me. It has led me to not only listen to my intuition, but to help me understand it.

When I write music I tap into my higher self and channel both lyrics and melodies. My cards have guided me through many tough moments of my life. When I listen to my cards, my life goes a bit smoother. I am more aligned, maybe better prepared for a situation, or know why a situation occurred, and can heal better from it. I've been laying cards for years and although I am still learning something new, every time I use them, I consider it a tool. Almost like a star-map from my spirit guides that can help me center, when I am unaligned.

The Devine practice of tarot is only one of many. Some read in coffee cups, some on tea leaves, others through psychometry (token object reading, physical contact with object through owner) and some are intuitive readers.

So what are tarot cards? Tarot cards consist of 78 unique cards with differing suits, elements, classes and faculties. Each represent a different archetypal being or lesson. The Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana which translates to “big secrets" and “little secrets”. The Minor Arcana has four suits each containing 14 cards, totaling 56 cards, signifying everyday life, perspective, challenges. The suit of Wands, suit of Pentacles, suit of Cups and suit of Swords, all linked to the four elements Earth, Air, Fire, Water. The Major Arcana is 22 cards in one suit, “trump” cards which outweigh the Minor Arcana cards, symbolizing something larger taking place in your life. Tarot is an ancient art but the history of the tarot though, is ambiguous.

We don’t really know the origin of tarot reading, but cartomancy and tarot cards first appeared in Milan sometime between 1430-1450. It was used as a card game known as tarocchi until occultists reimagined the new cards as a tool for divination. Some occultists believe tarot originated in Ancient Egypt and was based on The Book Of Thoth. Others suggest they evolved from decks of mystical numbered cards existing in India and East and Southeast Asia in ancient times and may have been stolen and taken to Europe by Knights Templar - a wealthy catholic military order, ancestors of the KKK - after their crusades to the Middle East, The Holy Land.

Wherever this tradition came from, it is obvious that it travelled through the world. It may have originated in Egypt, or perhaps India and East and Southeast Asia created their own versions. I believe there was some fusion of it all together, before it landed in Europe in the 14th century. Today it is enjoyed by people all over the globe, in various forms of spiritual practices.

“Anyone can use a tarot deck. Just pick a card deck you are drawn too, and you’ll see how your intuition guides you to the answers that you are looking for.”

For me, I use it to boost my creativity, seek answers, read others or simply to ground myself. Anyone can use a tarot deck. Just pick a card deck you are drawn too, and you’ll see how your intuition guides you to the answers that you are looking for.

X Charlotte

Words: Charlotte Dos Santos | Photography: Jeff Hahn