Are you ready for some Tarot inspiration? I definitely was inspired when I came across Eden completely by chance in a Tarot group. She has got a dream and she is going all for it, proving that in spite of the obstacles, when one has a passion and a strong will power, things happen!

Eden Kizer, based in Portland is a talented musician and a true go-getter. In spite of being born without sight, she is an amazing Tarot reader, what makes her a living testimony that where there is a will, there is a way! And with no more delays, let’s get into the the interview in which she kindly agreed to participate.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way! – Interview with Eden Kizer.

Q.- How long and how did you become interested in tarot?

E. K.- All my life, I’ve been empathic which means I was able to sense the emotions of others. For a long time, I didn’t know what it was or what to do with it. I could sense emotions but not quite tell why they were being felt. I studied psychology in college and got very close to graduation but realized that to truly help my clients, I had to use my empathic abilities, and I felt I would be very limited in the mainstream of that field.

Even before college, I had an interest in finding the deeper meanings behind emotions or things that happen in our lives. I’m not inherently psychic in any other way except occasional clairaudience, but I always wanted to develop my intuition and find ways to learn what was really going on so I could help myself and others.

I came across the tarot in my twenties, but The Internet was just getting started. There was not much in the way of online material. Others around me did not encourage this, and tarot readers I would talk to were very skeptical. How can you read this without knowing the symbols? I gave up, did customer service but was very unfulfilled. A few years ago, there was more material and I started teaching myself. About five years ago, I started doing readings for friends and even strangers on and off the Internet. A few months ago, my job became unbearable for me, and I was feeling very stifled.

I took a month-long course from a mentor, Madhavi Ghare, which gave me an excellent start, so I could start to charge for my readings in diverse places. Most of my money comes from working on a phone psychic line though. Now, I’m also going through The Biddy Tarot Certification Program to deepen my knowledge because I really had no community and also I needed more than a month to get as familiar as I’d like.

“Free will is inherently important to me so while I can give direction with the cards and my empathic ability, the client still must follow through. It is their life. All the cards and I can do is provide them with knowledge.”

My empathic abilities help a lot, and most of my clients are very pleased. I think they enjoy my honesty but yet my ability to be compassionate at the same time. My main goal is to help my clients feel empowered with knowledge of what’s going on around and inside of them. Yes, I can do yes or no predictions and some timing, but my greatest enjoyment comes when I know I have helped the client with knowledge that will allow them to make the decisions that are right for them. Free will is inherently important to me so while I can give direction with the cards and my empathic ability, the client still must follow through. It is their life. All the cards and I can do is provide them with knowledge.

Q.- What kind of cards do you use?

E.K. – I use the Universal Rider-Waite deck which I have modified with braille labels. This means I have to have a really good grasp of the cards and their meanings and even symbols to some extent. This is most definitely one of the challenges. People also said not being able to see the symbols means I can’t read the cards properly, but the truth is this means I have to delve very deep and truly understand the cards. That is why I’m doing this extra certification, for while my readings are good and accurate, I want to become truly in tuned so I never have to put down my cards to look at a meaning book. It gets better every day but I think it’s always a learning process with any tarot reader.

Q. – How do you do a reading?

E.K. – I usually meditate with my crystals beforehand, take some deep breaths, sometimes even do some Reiki before I start taking readings for the day. This helps me feel grounded and able to tune in to others but yet still be able to separate my own emotions. When I do a reading on the psychic line, I usually have to do more of a free-flowing spread. You do not have a lot of time, most of the clients only buy 10 minutes. If I’m doing an email or recorded reading or a phone reading for a private client, I like to know a question beforehand so I can find the spread that will best answer their question. Sometimes I’ve even been known to create one. The Horseshoe Spread can be really good . There are lots of spreads I’d like to try for more deep soul-searching, but most of my clients are in a hurry so I hope to be able to explore that more.

My readings are direct, compassionate, and empowering to the client. When a person gets a reading, they must understand that while certain things might be predicted, the client must still take action. My favorite clients are the ones who are interactive and want to participate in finding that solution. This means making sure we ask the cards the right questions and that the client is willing to listen to the answers and then make their own choices.

Q. – What are the challenges of reading as a blind tarot reader?

E.K. – Really, there are a few but most are easy to get over. It was actually hard to find someone to take a course with because many people, even some from “reputable” organizations would not return my calls once they knew.

Another challenge for me is laying out a spread in a way that would be appealing to a client. Because it’s easier for me to feel things right in front of me, I don’t always use a traditional layout, and this has made me nervous and I have yet to provide a reading in person.

Q. – What are people’s reactions when you tell them you’re a reader?

E.K. – Well, my family just is glad I’m working, as for other people, most around here don’t see it as a big deal but then Portland is pretty relaxed. As for my clients, most don’t know. On the phone line, when they saw my pic, they used it but put different eyes on me. I guess they didn’t want people to know they had a blind reader, and I guess I get it. Some people wouldn’t understand how that could even work. Another company that I occasionally work for didn’t have that hangup.

People I read for privately can see my photo and I don’t think they can tell. I just don’t bring it up unless it somehow comes up. However, with my own personal sites, people will know and hopefully my readings will speak for themselves.

Q. – Do you consider yourself intuitive or psychic?

E.K. – Definitely intuitive but not so psychic although I’m working to develop that more because there are times when things come to me, but I just can’t usually get psychic feelings when I want to. It just happens when it does. My intuition though plays a big part in my tarot reading. Many times there can be different meanings to cards. Sometimes even the cards say one thing but my intuition is not so sure so I’ll tell the client the cards say this, but my intuition says it means something else. Usually my intuitions are pretty spot-on. I use it every day.

Q. – What are your hopes and dreams for your future tarot business?

E.K. – I hope to really get this website going and to have clients I feel in alignment with. I want to give people the guidance and empowerment that can be found within the cards. I’d like to have enough business so I don’t have to work for any company and especially where I can just be me. I hope to have a page where people can purchase the readings instead of having to come to me through eBay, e-mail, Twitter or Facebook. I want people to be able to come to me for those empowering readings that are honest yet leave the power in the hands of my client. You might not be able to choose what happens in every situation, but you can determine how you handle it.

Q. – Thank you for your collaboration, Eden, it has been pretty inspiring! Is there something else you would like to add?

E.K. – I guess I’d like to add a bit more about me. I live in Portland, Oregon but was raised in the South. It’s just me and the boyfriend Jason here. I’m also a musician creating ambient music using different sampled instrumentation to create serene, emotional sometimes dark soundscapes!

Do you want to know more about Eden? Here are a couple of links for you to get this connection started!

Give an ear to Eden’s music here.

Follow her on Facebook.

Follow her on Twitter! @linnea710420.