Though I’ve always been intrigued, the world of tarot has long remained a mystery to me. I know a good card deck is essential, and most readings seem to involve crystals and candles scattered around a table, but beyond that, I’ve never known where to start. So when I met aspiring tarot therapist, Leah Musch, a little while ago at a work event, I immediately wanted to know more about her practice and her monthly Tarot Club.
Currently studying to be a counsellor and psychotherapist, Leah first got her start working in sustainable fashion before taking the leap to become a tarot therapist. Now, she runs Radical Self, where she conducts one-on-one tarot readings and hosts a tarot club in Melbourne. “There weren’t any groups offering what I wanted, and I found that some of the spiritual spaces were either surprisingly gatekeep-y or culturally insensitive. There was nothing like what I wanted out there, so I decided to create the community I craved for myself,” she says.
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Held at Shell Space in Brunswick, the club is limited to just 20 people, ensuring it feels comfortable and intimate. It’s completely guided, so you can turn up with no prior knowledge of tarot and have a step-by-step walkthrough. It typically begins with an Acknowledgement of Country, introductions and the ‘card of the month’ reveal. “That single card sets the tone and theme for the entire evening, and acts as our symbolic anchor,” Leah explains.
What follows is typically an evolving combination of solo and paired readings, reflections, journal prompts, meditation and art exercises. However, you’d be amiss to think tarot is simply about predicting the future. It’s also about using the cards as a mirror for reflection, or a way to look at yourself and your feelings through a new lens.
Fashion Journal: Hey Leah! Can you tell me a little bit about your background in tarot?
Leah: I’m a tarot reader and currently on the brink of gaining my qualification as a Counsellor and Psychotherapist. I offer tarot readings at events like weddings and parties, with openings for private readings coming soon. My career to date has been in the ethical and sustainable fashion space however I am currently making the leap towards becoming a tarot therapist. Although working with the tarot therapeutically is an emerging practice, it’s an area I’m extremely passionate about pioneering and championing.
What inspired you to create the Radical Self’s Tarot Club?
Tarot Club was born post-lockdown, as we all re-emerged desperate for community and connection. My tarot practice formed during isolation when I studied under Lindsay Mack, founder of the Tarot for the Wild Soul podcast. After lockdown, I realised I really wanted to find other people to simply ask questions to, to learn their ways and to practice reading. There weren’t any groups offering what I wanted, and I found that some of the spiritual spaces were either surprisingly gatekeep-y or culturally insensitive. There was nothing like what I wanted out there, so I decided to create the community I craved for myself.
Do you need to have any existing knowledge about tarot to attend?
Absolutely not! A fundamental value of Tarot Club is that it’s really welcoming and open to beginners. I’ve designed the event to be completely guided, which means you can come along with zero tarot knowledge and learn step by step throughout the event. I embed safety, inclusivity and zero expectations to ‘know’ what any of the cards mean into the club so that people can feel it’s a safe place to simply connect, practice and learn from each other.
Can you walk us through a typical Tarot Club session?
Tarot Club always begins with an Acknowledgment of Country, followed by a shout-out to Pay The Rent, a grassroots initiative we support by donating 10 per cent of all ticket sales. From there, we do brief introductions and I’ll introduce myself and the co-host for the session. Then comes the big reveal, our card of the month. That single card sets the tone and theme for the entire evening and acts as our symbolic anchor.
We first begin by practicing reading for ourselves. I hand out worksheets with prompts based on the monthly card, and participants are encouraged to pick a prompt that resonates and start shuffling/pulling. We then break into small groups to share what came up, it’s always powerful to see how quickly people start opening up and connecting.
Next, the co-host facilitates a themed exercise. This part shifts every month and is always inspired by the card we’re working with, it might involve movement, journaling, guided meditation or art making. It never fails to blow me away.
Then we end with my (and everyone’s) favourite part, paired readings. Everyone pairs up and offers a reading to someone else. That’s when the energy in the room lifts, you’ll see people laughing, crying and getting goosebumps. It’s magic, honestly, to witness strangers holding space for one another like that. I stand back and am in awe every single time.
Is there specific theme you focus on during Tarot Club sessions?
Every Tarot Club is based on a card that I pull on the first day of each month, only to be revealed at the club. I then ‘live’ that card for two weeks, seeing how it shows up in my own life and what the general themes are. I then work with my co-host to create the exercise they’ll offer mid-session. It’s an in-depth, ritualistic practice that allows me to get to know and teach each card intimately. For me, it’s not just about ‘learning’ tarot, it’s about experiencing it.
Also, deciding to have a co-host each session means every Tarot Club has a different flavour, with the special guest adding their own interpretation of the card of the month. Former co-hosts have included DJ and cultural connector Adriana, author and astrologer Argyrios Dikaios and somatic sex educator Jaime-lee Willoughby.
What do people usually get wrong about tarot?
That its only use is to ‘tell the future’. The tarot exists with the potential to be used completely pragmatically and with the right guidance can be an incredibly supportive therapeutic tool. My mission is to open peoples minds to the potential of the tarot and to encourage people to not be afraid to simply sit with the cards and trust their own feelings, reactions and interpretations as opposed to reaching straight for a guidebook. It’s all about trusting yourself!
What’s your favourite part of the club?
I’ll never forget the moment I noticed two people who had been paired together to practice reading for one another, and one had a jumbo version of the traditional deck and the other a miniature version. There are often clusters of people with the same star sign who organically end up sitting together (like a cheeky Aries corner or a studious bunch of Virgos). Generally I observe people arriving shy and nervous and leaving relaxed, laughing and with a bunch of new friends.
What do you wish people knew about tarot?
That you can offer a deep, profound and transformative reading to someone or yourself without a guidebook. By simply describing out loud what you see in the image, and taking a moment to reflect on what that might mean for you right now can be unbelievably insightful, powerful and supportive.
What tarot deck would you recommend to beginners?
I always recommend the Smith-Rider-Waite for two reasons. Firstly, most modern tarot decks are reinterpretations of this classic set, so once you’ve mastered its symbolism and structure, you gain a solid foundation to appreciate and explore countless other decks with confidence.
Secondly, the original illustrator, Pamela Colman Smith, is a fascinating woman. She was a fellow Aquarius, speculated to be queer, who infused the cards with a progressive, fluid energy. Many of her figures appear non-binary or gender-fluid, which was quite revolutionary for the early 20th century. Her artistry is rich, cosmic and endlessly inspiring to me.
How can people attend an event?
Tickets for Tarot Club are released on the first day of each month via Eventbrite and promoted on my Instagram, @radicalselftarot. Tarot Club is hosted in the unbelievably aesthetic Shell Space in Brunswick, it’s like being inside a giant cream puff. I keep the group intimate, limited to just 20 people, so spots usually sell out within hours. If you’re curious or keen to join, I’d recommend jumping in quickly to secure your place!
Keep up with Leah and Radical Self Tarot here.
This article Tarot clubs are a thing, here’s what happens at them appeared first on Fashion Journal.
2025-06-13 12:00:00
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