Culture Chat with Chinggay The Filipina Tarot Reader Behind Practical Magic

Every year, on my birthday, I treat myself to a tarot reading. Last year, I had the pleasure of Chinggay from Practical Magic doing an email reading for me. She sent me 12 cards with super detailed readings on four PDF pages. It was so insightful, and her words of choice were so kind. I loved it so much that I printed it out and stuck it in my Moleskin for those ‘aha’ moments. That, together with her fabulous newsletters, which usually drop in sync with the moon phase, inspired me to reach out to her for a sneak peek into her inspiring life.

So, without further ado, here’s a taste of the magic from Chinggay at Practical Magic ✨

KK: Hi Chinggay, can you share your journey into tarot and what inspired you to start a tarot blog?

PM: I got into tarot back in college. My mom used to have a reader come over to our house to do her cards, and I would always listen in.

I got my first deck (it was the Thoth) when I was 18, but I could not connect with it at all. My friends and I would ask questions and look through the little white book, but we were not getting the answers we expected—they were always so esoteric and not at all related to the questions we were asking. I set my cards aside and forgot about them for a while.

I got back into tarot around 2011-2012. I was getting heavily into yoga and meditation and stumbled upon The Wild Unknown deck online. At the time, it was still an independently produced deck, and it looked so cool and different from what I had with the Thoth deck. I also found a course by Elle North relating the Major Arcana to yoga, and that sealed the deal for me. I went into immersive tarot studies, and my world opened up to beautiful, independently produced decks. I started collecting and started a blog to document my collection!

KK: What does your day-to-day tarot practice look like?

PM: It’s very simple! I wake up, pull a single card from my Practical Magic Starter Deck, and stick its corresponding sticker into my PM Diary. I don’t write or reflect on the card! Later in the day, when I have time, I go back to my diary to check on my pull from the previous day. I write 2-3 sentences about what happened that day and how the card reflects what went on. That’s it!

KK: Do you incorporate Filipino culture into your tarot deck, readings, and content?

PM: I think my being Filipino already infuses my decks, readings, and content with my culture—whether that’s intentional or not. My experiences are shaped by my environment and where I grew up, so everything is intrinsically influenced by my being Filipino.

The Pinoy Practical Magic Tarot Deck is the first deck I created that was very intentional about highlighting Pinoy pop culture. Its images are collages I made using old 70s and 80s magazines I found at a thrift store, and its catchphrases/card definitions are written in Filipino, using colloquialisms I hear every day.

Another deck I collaborated on that is intentionally Filipino is the Tanim Botanical Oracle deck, which features local plants.

KK: How do you handle misconceptions or scepticism about tarot in the Philippines?

PM: If someone is sceptical about tarot, then I just think they’re not the audience for me. I don’t think it’s my job to have to convince anyone that tarot can be a meaningful and deeply spiritual practice. People can just stay in their respective lanes and be respectful of each other!

I think I’m very clear about the way I use my cards, so the people who go to me for readings already know what to expect—tarot readings that help you understand yourself vs fortune telling.

KK: Now, onto the travel part – what would you consider a must-visit place in the Philippines for a traveller?

Palawan, specifically El Nido. The waters are crystal clear, wildlife and nature are well-protected, and you don’t get obnoxious crowds.

KK: Apart from the Philippines, which country do you feel the most at home? And which country is sitting on top of your bucket list right now?

PM: I’m probably most comfortable in the US since so many of my friends live there. I visit frequently, and I also lived there for a while. Ireland is at the top of my bucket list right now!

KK: What is your favorite Filipino delicacy? Something you miss the most while away.

PM: I love kakanin—it’s essentially a collective name for rice cakes (there are so many kinds, so I have to specify that my favourites are Bibingka and Cassava cake).

KK: When I visit the Philippines, what’s one souvenir you would recommend me to bring back to my home?

PM: Dried mangoes. No other mangoes in the world taste like Philippine mangoes, and since you can’t really bring fresh fruit back home with you, then the dried version is second best.

KK: Where is the best market you have ever visited during your travels?

PM: I loved the Mercato Centrale in Florence! You can’t go wrong with Italian food 🙂

KK: Are there specific projects or initiatives you plan to undertake to amplify the voices of women in the tarot community in the Philippines?

PM: I have some products in store for 2024 that are designed, created, and made by women, so I think that’s me doing my part for women + the tarot community over here 🙂

KK: Lastly, what are you excited about for 2024?

PM: I’m watching the Eras Tour in Sydney and Vienna!!

Here are some of my favourite posts on Practical Magic: Tarot Exercises to Help You Learn the Cards // Pinoy Practical Magic Tarot — Everything You Need to Know // Tarot Readings for Birthdays and Big Occasions // Routines for Self-Care (with Tarot, Astrology, and More).

That’s all for now, dear readers. Do check out Practical Magic—maybe even treat yourself to a reading, subscribe to the newsletter, show some love to the shop, or dive into her Weekly Oracle podcast for a sprinkle of magic. ✨

All pictures, except the one I mentioned in the intro, were taken from PM’s blog with a nod of approval.

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