Jakarta Globe, Tunggul Wirajuda, Apr 27, 2014
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(Photo
courtesy of the Light Givers)
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The
participants in the tarot workshop choose from a row of overturned cards at
random. Grouped in pairs, they take turns interpreting three or four of their
partners’ cards to gain insights on their past, present and future.
The point
of the activity is as practical as it is mystical; participants seek to find
solutions to their problems and shortcomings. The results of their enquiries,
whether it be about love, wealth or other aspects of life, are as unexpected as
they are uncanny. One hand unveiled by the reader turns out to be the nine of
wands, showing the subject’s determination to hold on to her loved one. Another
card is the nine of pentacles, indicating the promise of prosperity for the
subject.
These
mystical seekers were among eight people who joined a workshop held by the
Light Givers, a community specializing in reading tarot cards. Founded by
digital marketing consultant Nanies Effendy and tarot reader Audifax in June
2013, the group seeks to help young people realize their potential.
“[Light
Givers] believe that we are born with our share of luck, much of which we are
often unaware. That luck is the ‘light’ that shines inside each and every one
of us,” explains the community in its mission statement, though it added that
one’s free will also determine their life’s direction, as do experiences and
traumas. “We convey our program in a fun format of psychological consultation
through fortune telling, whether it be tarot, zodiac, palmistry and so on. This
format is accessible and has won us a thriving fan base. Most of all, we aim to
help the young realize their potential, and be a place they can turn to when
they face problems and feel alone.”
Since its
founding, Light Givers has been offering monthly workshops costing Rp 350,000
($30). The sessions, which can accommodate five to 12 participants, include an
introduction to the 22 cards of the Major Arcana, and the 56 cards that make up
the Minor Arcana. The former, which comprises well known symbols like The
Lovers, The Devil and Death, symbolizes the functions of thinking, feeling,
sense and intuition. On the other hand, the Minor Arcana of Wands, Cups, Swords
and Pentacles are elemental, representing Fire, Water, Air and Earth.
“For many
people, the first thing that comes to mind when they think tarot cards are
images of superstition, fortune telling and other irrational elements. But the
cards aren’t as random as they look, since they reflect both the collective and
individual subconscious and how they work,” says Audiofax. “The subconscious
works quicker than the conscious mind. What tarot does is train people to hone
and control it.”
Fellow
tarot reader Rendy Fudoh agrees with Light Givers co-founder.
“What drew
me to tarot is its philosophy. When I learn about tarot cards, I can learn
about everything else, such as religion, culture and other aspects of life. It
gives me a better perspective about their backgrounds, much of which are shaped
by the subconscious,” says the mentalist and magician, who was inspired to try
his hand at tarot after reading a book on magic and mentalism by Dedy
Corbuzier, an Indonesian mover in both fields.
“One can
also do many things with tarot, like put together a story, perform some magic
tricks, and use it for counseling. We can even use it for self hypnosis.”
Depicting
symbols of the elements and emotions, tarot cards carry a psychological weight
beyond their fortune telling capacities.
“Tarot
cards have many practical benefits, as they predate the archetypes highlighted
in Jungian psychology by thousands of years. Aside from learning about symbols
and archetypes, one can also learn about ‘hierarchy,’” says tarot reader Aryo
Nugroho, a practicing lawyer. “Hierarchies define people’s places in the world,
whether they’re made to lead, find their style or know their place in life. The
reader can also define their character through the card’s symbolism. For
instance, some of my women friends identify themselves with the High Priestess
and the Hierophant, since the former symbolizes the ancient Earth goddesses
while the latter symbolizes faith and undisputed truths.”
One
participant, Nurul, a psychology major at Tarumanegara University, was quick to
perceive how the cards can change her perspective.
“The
insights I gained from tarot adds a new dimension to the inner workings of the
human psyche that I previously got from the study of graphology, or studying
people’s handwriting. Tarot goes deeper into the subconscious, whereas
graphology is wider in scope and is less detailed or in depth,” she says. “Its
approach of pairing our persons with strangers help us understand ourselves and
our future, as they have no preconceptions about us. I’m certain that the use
of tarots will be very useful should I take graduate studies in counseling.”
The
confidence Nurul gave to Light Givers is shared by thousands of others. The
community’s participation in a number of events, like the 2013 Social Media
Festival, University of Indonesia’s Festival Budaya or Cultural Festival, as
well as Hai Day, which they often stage in cooperation with the Klub Tarot
Jakarta and Tarot Institut, ensures an increasing number of enthusiasts. To
date, its Twitter page @LightGivers has a following of nearly 5,600 people.
“Our tarot
readers are college and high school students, who also make up most of our
followers on Twitter and Facebook. Many are drawn to the tarots after they try
out readings at social festivals. Other clients are executives who use the
cards to uncover issues they can’t discuss with their loved ones” says Nanies.
“Social media outlets help spread the word about us. However, our promotional
vehicle is still through word of mouth.”
While Light
Givers Corps lived up to its name and enlightened thousands of young people
about tarot, the group still has its fair share of challenges.
“The
practice of reading tarot cards continues to be dogged by public perceptions of
it as a superstition. For instance, one person at the Social Media festival
questioned our participation there, on the grounds that we’re carrying out a
superstitious activity like fortune telling,” Rendy lamented. “People like
these find superstition easier to believe in. Tarot works by intuition, which
is far less tangible for them. They are also too lazy to learn the difference,
or that tarot can be used to tackle life’s major challenges. We might as well
disregard them and continue what we’re doing.”
