A Quiet Yes to Tarot
How One Moment of Curiosity Planted the Seed for a New Chapter
Six years ago, a quiet yes planted the seed for an entirely new chapter.
It started with a simple Facebook post.
Yumiko Sakano, a Japanese certified clinical psychologist I deeply respected, wrote that she was offering tarot readings—not as fortune-telling, but as intuitive, reflective sessions guided by the cards.
I was curious. But I didn’t act.
Then she posted again:
“One slot left.”
Something in me said yes.
So I grabbed the last slot.
That session surprised me.
It opened conversations I hadn’t expected — not about prediction, but about reflection.
It revealed things I hadn’t yet put into words.
And then life went on.
I forgot about it.
The Return of Curiosity
In 2024, Yumiko announced her new program — teaching tarot to other therapists.
It sounded fun. But I waited.
At that time, I had been planning to enroll in another psychotherapy training. But that program was postponed.
And with that pause, something inside me wanted space for curiosity again.
Once again, she posted:
“One slot left.”
And something in me said yes.
So I grabbed it.
And I’m so glad I did.
Learning to See Differently
I had zero experience with tarot beyond that first session years earlier.
As I began learning each card’s symbolism and story, I was surprised by how alive it felt — and how many others already had a quiet connection to tarot.
When I mentioned that I was studying it, people opened up.
・Some told me they’d quietly pulled cards for years.
・Others were fascinated and wanted to receive a reading from me.
・A few shared childhood memories — how their favorite magazines came with omake or furoku — little bonus tarot cards tucked inside.
Even now, Japanese newspapers, magazines, and morning TV shows include kyō no uranai — “today’s fortune,” “today’s tarot reading.”
Even Yomiuri KoDoMo Shinbun — a newspaper for children — has a weekly tarotto uranai (“tarot reading”).
It’s everywhere once you start noticing.
Tarot wasn’t foreign or taboo.
It had always been here — woven into our shared curiosity about life.
Like a language, it helps us see meaning in new ways.
Reflection, Reimagined
I completed the training alongside five other Japanese certified clinical psychologists.
We pulled cards daily as part of our practice.
At first, it felt like a simple exercise.
But over time, those daily reflections — the act of asking questions, observing patterns, and sharing insights — became something deeper.
It was the rhythm, the group dialogue, the openness of curiosity.
Together, they became a mirror for what reflection can truly be.
Through that experience, I rediscovered something I had almost forgotten:
Reflection can be serious and powerful.
But it can also be alive, creative, fun, and even playful.
That quiet yes years ago became the seed that would eventually grow into Thrive Life Design.
If you’re curious about the method, read my post — 人生物語タロット® (SoulStory Tarot)
人生物語タロット® (SoulStory Tarot) was developed by Yumiko Sakano.
More about Yumiko: Therapy Room こころん & Instagram
Photo by Kyoji Saito
