Talkin’ Tarot With is a monthly feature designed to introduce my readers to different tarot readers from our wonderfully diverse community! Each month, I’ll be asking various tarot readers 3 questions about their tarot philosophy and style, plus pointing you to their websites and blogs so that you can learn more about them! I like to hand pick tarot readers that I feel are talented and interesting.
Every time I hear that song “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” by the Police I think of fellow tarot reader and uber cool hoodoo queen, Bri Saussy of Milagro Roots. We’ve become fast friends in the last year and she is probably the person I trust the most when it comes to all things magick.
I’ve studied magick myself for many years so I am well versed in it – but Bri has a depth of understanding that surpasses any knowledge that I may have. And what really impresses me about her is that she still manages to remain humble even though she has gobs of mystical talent and wisdom. Her work is egoless and her mission is service, pure and simple. It’s this kind of energy that produces the most clear and effective magick in my opinion.
Bri has been studying root magick for many years and she’s also a spot on accurate intuitive reader. Recently, I sat down with her for a tarot reading and was very pleased with the results. In fact, a few things have already come to pass! She not only nailed my situation but was able to give me some magickal remedies for some issues I was facing. This type of reading is excellent for those of us who wish to add some sort of ritual element as an aid to life’s problems. If you are looking for a real life miracle worker, Bri is the one you want to see – NOW.
She is a full time intuitive counselor & root magic ritualist living in San Antonio, Texas with her amazing family. Her website is a popular destination, featuring her latest writings on spirituality, ritual, magic, nature, and of course divination. She runs a small in-house spiritual boutique, Milagro Roots, where she crafts magical oils, cleansing baths, sachet powders, charms, amulets, mojo bags, and botanical talismans for clients around the world using many herbs, roots, and botanicals that she cultivates and grows herself. Her writing has been featured on the Association of Independent Readers and Rootworkers (where she is one of the founding members) and also in Elephant Journal.
She also leads the Miracle Tree Sessions, a one month (four week) program that fuses ritual, magic, divination, and practical steps to help you make more time, be healthy, increase your money and develop or deepen meaningful relationships-romantic and otherwise. (You can grab your spot right here before registration closes.)
Bri says this about herself: “I sometimes refer to my work as “high end” hedgewitchery–because I work with many established professionals who wish to use intuitive arts like Tarot and ritual earth-based magic to improve their lives. Everyday I wake up and feel so incredibly blessed to be doing the work that I know I was meant to do-whether its working in the garden, cuddling with my son and beloved husband, or talking to the most fantastic clients ever–every moment is saturated with love & devotion to my calling and those who make my work possible.”
You can find her in lots of places:
Check out her answers to my questions below:
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1. What is your philosophy about tarot reading?
I work with a two part philosophy when it comes to readings. I believe, like the ancient Greeks and many other ancient cultures that everything we need to know is already inside of us, simply waiting to be unlocked and remembered correctly. Because of many cultural, historical, and educational trends which I could get into but won’t, many of us find that our access to that inner voice, as Clarissa Pinkola Estes calls it-La Que Saba-the One Who Knows-is restricted, blocked, cut off, or hidden from us. This is where Tarot and other intuitive arts become useful-and I do believe that they are as useful as proper diet, exercise, and spiritual routine-intuition is and should be part of an overall wellness and joyful life plan!
Circling back, Tarot for me is something I grew up with, I literally learned to read cards at my mom’s knee and I started reading professionally at a young age. I do believe it is one of the most universally recognized and understood mediums for fostering a conversation with your intuitive self which is why I LOVE it! To that end-I see myself much more as a guide and conversation facilitator rather than advisor or magical boss lady. I also feel strongly that Tarot can be used diagnostically-seasoned readers and even newbies often sense that certain cards have prescriptive qualities–for instance who sees the Ace of Cups and does not think about ritual cleansing in one form or another? As a ritualist working in both a European green mantle tradition & Deep South Hoodoo roots tradition my readings are often diagnostic in style and along with card interpretations I make recommendations for spiritual supplies and/or rituals that are appropriate to a client’s situation.
2. How do you feel a client might get the most out of a reading with you?
Be honest-honesty from the client ensures accuracy from the reader-when clients withhold information or tell half truths I spot it in the cards and the reading is more vague and less precise–I like precision and actionable information for my fantastic clients.
Realize that fatalism and divination are pretty much mutually exclusive. Like for real, if things were “set in stone” then divination would be a dead art. The fact is that while some things are pretty nailed down-no amount of wishing and hoping is going to turn my baby browns blue-there is a wide range or sphere of influence where your decisions can and will closer certain doors, unlock others, and if you are wise, work hard, and have a dash of luck-expose you to possibilities you never even considered. Take accountability. Be proactive. Go out and rock it already!
Be ready to contribute. I invest in my clients and I expect them to invest in themselves. If I recommend a spiritual bath I want you to take it! Don’t let it sit on the shelf because you are waiting for the right lunar phase. If I make a charm or mojo bag for you I want you to wear it! For the most part my people are on top of this but especially my ladies sometimes have a tough time with it. Us ladies tend to caretake everyone else and put ourselves last-I say you must put on your oxygen mask first and then attend to your loved ones.
3. What is your best piece of advice for an aspiring tarot reader?
Give it away for free and then raise your rates. Seriously. The best way to learn Tarot is to give away readings. Set up in a park or a nice coffee shop and have a little sign that says “Free 10 minute Tarot readings”–do that for a year and you will learn a ton-and at the same time you will learn how to handle all different types of clients. Once you nail down reading in person moving to reading via phone is usually easier. Then, when you are proficient, raise your rates. I think that there is a growing acceptance and recognition that Tarot and other intuitive modalities are useful and vital arts-but many readers I know have not gotten hip to that yet. The world is more ready to take us seriously but often we are not willing to take ourselves seriously-in the best possible way.
The “business”–as in, you gotta make some money honey, aspect of our industry is underdeveloped because amazing readers do not want to be considered frauds, scammers, or fakes. Many good hearted intuitives feel that they are obligated to use their gifts to help humanity–that is awesome-but if working in your chosen field does not sustain you in deep & meaningful ways then you will frazzle and burn out-and the burn out rate for intuitives is high. I feel the need to be of service deeply-and I know that not everyone can afford my prices-that does not mean I lower my prices–instead I host several Pay What You Can Days a year, and I have my own little private pro-bono fund for clients in sincere need. Kindness does not mean sacrificing your well being or potential business success. Finally, be friendly with other readers-do not see them as competition! I have become friends with many of my colleagues and I find every time that we enrich each other’s lives and businesses.
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Big props to Bri for taking time to chat with me! If you’d like to learn more about her, please visit her site:
Milagro RootsBlessings!
Theresa
© Theresa Reed | The Tarot Lady 2012
I’m Theresa Reed (aka, The Tarot Lady). I’ve been a full-time tarot reader for 30+ years — which, in my industry, makes me pretty badass.
I’m definitely not your average Tarot expert — I drop the F-bomb, I quote rappers, and I’m obsessed with pop culture + reality TV. Folks come to me for straight-talk + tough-love — without the woo-woo fluff. 
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