Sisterly Love, Magick, Tarot and Destiny by Leela Williams

There’s something truly magical about tarot. I saw the value of tarot’s visual language from the moment I picked up a deck at the age of 17. I’d been brought up with astrology, dream interpretation, pendulums, palm reading and seances, but tarot drew me in with its infinite potential for detail and getting to the heart of someone’s story.

My housemates had done all sorts of courses, had tomes of detailed notes and were eager to trade what they knew about tarot for what I knew about palmistry and pendulums. About a year later, we opened a shop where we sold crystals that came with a free psychic reading — because it was still illegal to charge for them in Queensland. We also had a small range of tarot cards.

Not too long after we opened the shop, my sister Rebecca turned up unannounced. This was before mobile phones, and before she got her licence. She had been wandering aimlessly through the night and found herself at the shop at about 8 am. We decided she needed a tarot deck and chose one from the shelf called The Magickal Tarot. My sister is very magical, so it felt like a good fit. On opening the deck, we discovered the dedicated included ‘Rebecca’ which was all the confirmation we needed that this deck was meant for her.

Flash forward three decades, and our sisterly affair with tarot came full circle when Rebecca became the new owner of my favourite online tarot store. My discovery of Tarotopia is another story, but after many years of doing business with them and joining them at different events, Tarotopia was for sale. As tempting as it was, I was so happy and busy in my work editing and writing oracle cards that I didn’t feel it was the right timing for me to take on the business. More practically, Tarotopia had such a huge range of cards that I just didn’t have space for them all in my little home.

Still, every time I spoke with Debbie, the owner, I’d ask how the sale was looking. I was so nervous the new owner wouldn’t be as lovely as Debbie who I got on with so well. It was an emotional ride when she had a buyer, and then the sale fell through. My relief felt like a sign that I should reconsider my position – but it simply wasn’t tenable.

Debbie was keen to move on to a new phase and I was frustrated on her behalf. It was such a great business, but it needed the right person. Someone who loved tarot and oracle cards and would understand fellow lovers of tarot and oracle cards. I also hoped that they would become one of my best friends as part of the bargain. While I was puzzling over the Tarotopia dilemma, I had an injury and was unable to drive. My sister came over to take me for the required scans, and on the way to the hospital, I realised the answer was literally sitting next to me.

“Hey Bec, do you want to buy an online tarot store?”

The question came out of left field for her, and she thought it might have something to do with the pain medication I had taken. I assured her the idea wasn’t random as I had been thinking about Tarotopia for a long time. I couldn’t do it, but she could! Rebecca listened to my rationale, and I phoned Debbie to check some key details. Still wary it was the medication talking, Rebecca said she would talk to our gran in spirit about it. Granny said it was a good idea for both of us (Thanks Gran!).

I don’t know why I didn’t think of Rebecca sooner, except that the timing mustn’t have been quite right. As it was, the sale went through on her birthday. That was five years ago. Tarotopia now has an even huger range than ever with over 2,500 tarot and oracle-related products. The business outgrew Rebecca’s home, so she now has a little shop at Strathpine. She even does readings there. It might have been her birthday, but it was all my wishes for her and Tarotopia that came true and continue to blossom.

Happy Birthday, Rebecca! Congratulations on FIVE years with Tarotopia. I am so looking forward to all that is to come in our continuing tarot journeys. Love you xxx

Pictured is the copy of The Magickal Tarot by Anthony Clark which Rebecca still uses for her readings.

Connect with Leela J. Williams at https://linktr.ee/leelajwilliams. Visit Tarotopia online or at Rebecca’s little shop in Strathpine, QLD.