Those Who Don’t Believe in Magic Will Never Find It

Exploring the connection between intuition and symbolism through tarot.

“Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
– Roald Dahl

Do you believe in magic?

Any rational person today is likely to say no, but if we’re honest, we bend the rules sometimes, don’t we? From religious superstitions and horoscopes to that quirky habit of saying “touch wood” to avoid jinxing something, we often find comfort in beliefs that fall outside the realm of science but feel undeniably real. As an avid Harry Potter fan in the series’ heyday, I would hate to be a muggle when I could be a witch! But how much space do I allow for magic to exist in my life? Hmm… not a lot.

In an effort to embrace the unknown, learn something new, and meet people outside my usual social network, I signed up for a workshop on tarot and divination. At the time, I knew next to nothing about tarot—had never even gotten a reading or felt a need to. I couldn’t have told you how many cards were in a deck, let alone their meanings. But tarot art is beautiful, and that alone piqued my curiosity. What pushed me to take the leap, though, was the fact that the workshop was being conducted by Zohra Shakti. For years, her daily horoscopes in Vogue India had helped me wade through some tumultuous phases of life. Her interpretations of planetary movements weren’t predictions of the future but gentle guidance that helped set the intention for the day. What she wrote was empowering, feminist, and reiterated the power I have to carve out my own present and future.

So, off I went—driving three hours north, where Zohra and a small group of like-minded participants would introduce me to tarot. What I didn’t expect was how quickly my perspective would shift.

To my surprise (and relief) one of the first things Zohra said was that tarot reading isn’t about fortune-telling or casting spells. It’s about tuning into our intuition and using the symbolism in the cards to tap into the deeper wisdom we already carry inside us.

Sometimes the best way to learn something new is by coming in with an open mind—free from expectations or prior knowledge. It allows us to be fully present in the experience, free to question what doesn’t make sense, and embrace the ‘aha’ moments when they occur. That’s exactly how the workshop felt to me: an enriching experience that was equal parts intriguing and empowering.

The Original Rider-Waite Deck

We worked with the Original Rider-Waite Tarot deck, one of the most iconic and widely used tarot decks in the world. Created by scholar and mystic Arthur Edward Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith in 1910, this deck is a rich tapestry of occult symbolism, containing 78 cards divided into two sections: the Major Arcana (22 cards) and the Minor Arcana (56 cards). The Major Arcana are like archetypes and represent significant life events, major spiritual lessons, and personality traits. The Minor Arcana are suit cards that represent everyday events, situations, and challenges. Each suit corresponds to a different aspect of life: Cups for emotions and relationships; Wands for creativity, action, and ambition; Swords for intellect, conflict, and thoughts; and Pentacles for material wealth, career, physical body, and practical matters. What made the Rider-Waite deck particularly fascinating is the way it uses intricate artwork to convey layers of meaning. Each image is packed with symbolism, offering numerous interpretations based on the reader’s intuition and the context of the question being asked. It’s like a visual language for the subconscious.

Tarot’s Mysterious Origins

While tarot decks have sadly become synonymous with fortune-telling, their origins are much older. Tarot cards are believed to have originated in 15th-century Italy as a card game called tarocchi, played by the Italian nobility. It wasn’t until the 18th century that tarot began its journey into the mystical and occult realms, thanks to the writings of Antoine Court de Gébelin, a French scholar, and Jean-Baptiste Alliette (also known as Etteilla), who created the first tarot deck specifically for divination purposes. Over time, tarot evolved into a tool for spiritual growth, self-exploration, and healing.

The Power of Symbols

Tarot’s beauty lies in its symbolism—each card is a symbol, a representation of a deeper truth or emotional state. In many ways, tarot is a tool for tapping into our unconscious mind and our inner wisdom. This aligns closely with the work of Carl Jung, the Swiss psychoanalyst who believed that symbols were a bridge between the conscious and unconscious. For Jung, symbols were not just arbitrary but carried deep meaning, connecting us to universal themes and archetypes. Tarot, in this sense, is a symbolic system that can help us connect with the deeper parts of ourselves.

Before this workshop, my only experience with tarot was witnessing a pandit outside a restaurant in Hyderabad, where a parrot would select cards for him to interpret, supposedly offering a glimpse of the future. It felt more like a spectacle than a meaningful practice—much like some astrologers who create fear around cosmic events to push for expensive remedies. But Zohra’s approach was radically different. She used tarot as a tool for empowerment, emphasizing that it’s not about receiving pre-determined answers but rather unlocking our own wisdom during moments of confusion. The cards didn’t predict the future; they simply offered insights into our current circumstances and helped us reflect on our own power. It was a beautiful reminder that, no matter the uncertainty, we have the ability to shape our path.

Asking the Right Questions

One key takeaway was that the way we frame our questions matters. The deck doesn’t give answers to questions like “Will I find love?” or “Will my business succeed?” Instead, it offers deeper guidance. Thoughtful questions like “What can I do to attract love into my life?” or “What should I be mindful of to ensure my project’s success?” are more likely to bring out relevant insights.

Having no particular attachment to tarot while doing the workshop, I was simply curious to see if the deck offered relevant guidance to a range of questions we practiced over the four-day workshop. To my surprise and fascination, the cards were always spot on, making me believe that there’s no such thing as a coincidence while drawing cards!

On the last day, we practiced reading for some of Zohra’s friends and acquaintances. We were each paired with one person who could ask us whatever they were curious about – giving us a chance to put to practice what we had learned in theory and only tested amongst ourselves. This too was fascinating as everyone who volunteered to be guinea pigs left happy, convinced that the cards had spoken to them in exactly the way they needed.

I learned tarot for fun, and I am no expert, having only done a beginner course. But with a great teacher, supportive peers, and some hands-on practice, my interest and curiosity has deepened. I am in awe of the connection between intuition and symbolism, and with each reading—whether for myself or a friend—I see more of its magic unfolding.