Meet Jaden, one of the tarot readers at The Metaphysical Shoppe in Jersey City. Every reader brings something uniquely their own to the table, shaped by the experiences, beliefs, and practices that have guided them along the way.

We asked Jaden to share his story, from the path that first led him to divination to the perspective he brings to his readings today. Here is Jaden, in his own words.

Hello! I’m Jaden, one of the readers at the Metaphysical Shoppe, and my tool of choice is tarot cards.

Tarot, to me, emphasizes the truth that art is a reflection of the world around us. Since the beginning of time, humans have told the same stories, with figures that serve similar narrative purposes to explain human condition or natural phenomena. Using the story of the major/minor arcana, a good reading allows us to meditate on where we might be in our own personal ‘hero’s journey’.

I’ve always been a spiritually curious individual. From a very young age, I began exploring religious philosophy from around the world. In 2018, I found African Diasporic traditions and took an extra liking to African-American folk spirituality on account of my heritage. Currently, I still consider myself a humble student with a love for all ancestral traditions across the Diaspora.

I began reading with playing cards, giving readings to my friends and community. My first personal introduction to tarot was being gifted a deck from my friend that very same year’s Christmas. Over the next few years, I began including tarot into my study. Slowly learning the card meanings and symbolic correspondence, it became integrated into my divination practice.

Although now primarily reading with tarot, the overall art of cartomancy is something I hold dear. I feel that it taps into a part of my brain that is unconsciously picking up the energy that surrounds me or a situation. My reading style is very conversational, every card is interacting with the other, and the message lies within the way my own intuition is interacting with the visual and symbolic stimuli within a spread.

My goal in any reading is to encourage introspection. I hope the cards challenge us to ask, what role do we play in a narrative that we feel is solely divinely prescribed? To navigate unforeseen chaos, we first must tap into the answers that lie within our subconscious. The cards are only a tool that serve as a testament to how spiritually aware our brains really are.

Ready for a reading with Jaden? Find him at The Metaphysical Shoppe in Jersey City every Sunday for intuitive tarot readings. Sessions are available starting at $55. Walk-ins are welcome, or book ahead to reserve your time with Jaden.