Written in the Cards

With the growing popularity of tarot cards, we wonder if people are truly starting to believe in fortune-telling and mysticism. CATCH speaks with a tarot card reader (and self-proclaimed real-life witch!) Nara, to find out more.

Narayanee Singaram, 30, also known as Nara, is a well-known tarot card reader; a self-professed real-life witch; and the founder of the e-commerce shop My Grandmama’s Secret. She started off originally as a tarot card reader. Today, however, Nara not only offers oracle tarot card reading, but also energy healing through crystals and herb therapy.

The Beginning of Her Journey

She was enraptured with the world of tarot card reading and mysticism ever since she was young. Her late grandmother was a “witch doctor”, a sought-after healer who treated ailments that were believed to have been caused by witchcraft.

Her love of mysticism and mythology began at a young age. At just four years old, her father brought her to Big Bookshop, where she bought a book of Egyptian mythology, thus sparking her appreciation of the subject.

It did not stop there. When she was 12 years old, she bought her first book of witchcraft, titled Moon Magic. Shortly after, Nara bought tarot decks and dabbled in them. That marked her start in witchcraft, as she modernised old practices to make sense of the new.

Rosina Maria Arquati, Nara’s late godmother, was also the reason why Nara founded My Grandmama’s Secret. Rosina was a caring telepathic animal communicator shortly before her death.

“I looked up to her a lot,” Nara lamented. “The reason why I learned about the healing of crystals and started working with them was because of her.” She credits Rosina as her biggest inspiration who has given her so much. Rosina also passed down a lot of her crystals and practices to Nara, entrusting her to carry on her legacy.

“To me, she is still around, guiding me,” said Nara.

The Magic of Tarots

What Nara brings to the table is not your traditional tarot deck of cards. She uses all sorts of decks, ranging from fairy decks, animal spirit decks, and oracle cards, to channel messages from otherworldly entities who guide her. “I am very sensitive to spirits, so I can channel messages from otherworldly entities,” she explained. “It is a gift, to be able to do that.”

She also says that she gets physical pains, such as headaches if the messages are not sent to the person.

According to the renowned tarot reader, she prefers to use multiple decks to get people in perspective of their own problems. “People can learn something, especially in their ‘shadow state’,” she mused. “I like to get them in perspective.”

The “shadow state” is the state people are in when they are feeling down, empty, or as if all hope is lost. That is when she feels like they can learn the most about themselves.

Nara explains that whenever people come to her for their readings, something big had already happened to them.

“I usually see where they are at that moment, and build on ways to help them cope,” Nara explained. “I’m not one to give them false hope. I validate the thoughts in their mind and help them cope with the things that have already happened. I give solutions and guidance,” she added.

After the readings are done, Nara customises mojo bags for them, talismans that are encouraged to be carried around to bring love, prosperity, luck, and protection to the owner. In every customised mojo bag, there are carefully-selected crystals, dried petals, seashells, and healing herbs to empower them.

It seems as if her customers take her readings seriously, as she has quite a few returning clients. “It’s very telling,” mused Nara. Some of her customers even gift her with crystals, an item that she enjoys collecting.

She receives validation from fellow tarot card readers (such as Elaine Mok) as well, which is fundamental to building her reputation in the field she works in.

A Continuous Journey

“The best part of working as a tarot card reader is the fact that I am always on an awakening journey,” she said. “Everyone has a story to tell.”

Nara enjoys hearing stories from her customers and learning from them. From her customers, she has learned how to cope with her own problems, and help them with the gifts she’s blessed with. And she is still learning, every day.

However, it was not always smooth-sailing for her. She’s had to deal with hate comments from people on the street and on social media. Even at her other job as a bird keeper in Jurong Bird Park, her supervisor once accused her of doing witchcraft during work hours in the aviary.

Despite the hate and the accusations, she keeps going. “I want to help people with my gifts,” said Nara. “Thanks to my endeavours on My Grandmama’s Secret, I realised that I have enough money to donate to the Australia bushfire relief efforts.” Nara also plans to weave pouches to mass send to Australia, to help the Australian animals, especially their babies.

Nara’s goal is to put her gifts to better use, to help both people and animals alike. “If you have enough, build a longer table instead of buying meals,” encourages Nara, “that is the quote I live by while I embark on this journey.”

If you want a tarot card reading from Nara, do contact her at My Grandmama’s Secret on Facebook, or via Gmail at mygrandmamasecret@gmail.com.