Padmaa Priyaa.
Pull a card, read the picture, ask yourself a question. Tarot has quietly moved from the fringes into the mainstream. A Pew Research Center study published in May 2025 found that 30% of Americans consult astrology, tarot cards or fortune tellers at least once a year, with 11% using tarot cards.
The reasons are telling. Most say they do it for fun, few make major life decisions based on what they learn and only 6% take part at least weekly. Younger women are among the likely to engage with about 4 in 10 women aged 18 to 49 saying they believe in astrology. For many the cards are a crystal ball than a mirror.
That is how Padmaa Priyaa K.R. wants them used. "I see a Tarot card as a picture of stories, emotions and symbols where even a small detail can open a meaningful conversation " Padmaa Priyaa says.
Padmaa Priyaa K.R is the founder of Gaaya The Mother and a Tarot reader and coach, space and energy healer, artist and author. The work blends Tarot, space alchemy, numerology, art and writing with a focus on self-awareness and personal growth. It began with a search for answers: a wish to understand life, experiences and the patterns that keep us feeling stuck. A love of learning led PadmaaPriyaa to explore one creative tool after another, each of which became part of how others are supported today.
The speciality is teaching symbolism. Padmaa Priyaa takes students deeper into the imagery, whether a colour, a gesture, an object or the way a figure stands, and shows how those details shape a reading. There is something beautiful, Padmaa Priyaa says, in watching a student notice a detail they had overlooked and seeing the whole card come alive. Students also learn to hand-make their own Tarot decks, because, in Padmaa Priyaa's view, Tarot is a language for communicating with the universe.
Responsibility matters as much as technique. "People often come to a practitioner when they are confused or vulnerable. Their trust should be handled with care," Padmaa Priyaa says. Guidance, Padmaa Priyaa K.R believes, should strengthen a person's confidence in themselves. In readings, that means encouraging questions, reflection and personal responsibility, while respecting each person's freedom to decide. It echoes the Pew finding that few people want the cards to make their big choices for them.
Much of the work is for women. Padmaa Priyaa feels deeply for those who spend years adjusting, keeping quiet and caring for everyone while slowly forgetting their needs, dreams and identity. Repeated criticism, gender bias or difficult relationships can make them doubt themselves. Through Tarot, reflective conversations, writing and creativity Padmaa Priyaa helps them explore what they feel and what they want to change. "Sometimes the first step is simply being able to say, 'This is what I want' without feeling guilty."
Writing is part of the healing. Padmaa Priyaa K.R is the author of The Humans We Forgot to Become, a book that reflects a concern for humanity, our values and how we treat one another. Putting those thoughts into the world meant moving through self-doubt, and seeing the book reach readers remains a milestone held close to the heart.
Now comes a deck. Tattva Tarot: The Path to Your Soul is a 108-card deck with a companion book, rooted in Sanskrit-inspired words, Indian culture and the language of symbols. Each card begins with a word. Grows into a visual story with names such as Drishti, Dhyana, Satya and Atma. The number 108 was chosen with intention: it holds a place in Indian spiritual traditions and suggests a full journey of contemplation. Some cards mark moments of awakening; others honour ones that shape our days like choosing a direction, accepting help, practising patience or beginning again. The project is still a work in progress.
Technology Padmaa Priyaa K.R says, is opening possibilities for exploring Tarot creating artwork and making learning accessible worldwide. They are tools that can support creativity though listening carefully, understanding someone's circumstances and respecting their freedom to choose remaining responsibilities. The hope is for the field to grow with both innovation and humanity.
Three lessons run through the journey. We can care deeply for others. Still make space for ourselves. Confidence grows through steps. Knowledge becomes more meaningful when shared generously.
The vision is wide. Padmaa Priyaa wants Gaaya The Mother to become a community where women can learn, create, lead and support one another "a space that continues to nurture people after me" and to take Tattva Tarot across the world while staying rooted in Indian culture.
For anyone, the card Padmaa Priyaas invitation is simple: draw one when you have a question, need a pause or want a fresh perspective, then read its name, study its artwork and notice what speaks to you.
