Witchcraft in Dorset: How local traditions are being revived

Old witchcraft traditions of tarot reading are being revived by witches and tarot readers in Bournemouth in a local witch shop in Boscombe.  

Tarot readers in Bournemouth make an appearance at local witch shop Anathema Emporium, reading for both fellow witches and the public.    

In recent years Bournemouth has seen an increase in interest in witchcraft. There has been a growing number of covens and societies in Bournemouth over recent years.  

Tarot reader and coven priestess Anca Dragnei is a Romanian/Russian Pillars of Wisdom, a tarot reader who performs tarot readings for clients at Anathema Emporium.  

Anca said: “[Tarot] always points at things people need to work on” when reading for people. Clients usually don’t go with questions or expectations.  

Anca also said that tarot varies from reader to reader. She tends to specialise in helping people work on personal growth during her readings.   

She also mentioned: “tarot is not fortune telling, but it can give certain predictions, predominantly warnings”.  

When asked what she hopes people take away from her readings she said: “I hope it gives them some kind of comfort, clarity and move forward with confidence”.  

 Tarot reading involves using a deck of cards in a certain layout on a table. Either give insight into the future or into a particular aspect of a person’s life.  

 Typically, a deck involves a major arcana and minor arcana. Each card with its own specific meaning that can be read in a variety of ways.

A popular tarot spread used by readers is the Celtic Cross Spread, which gives a general overview for the reading.  

 Another tarot reader there, Vic Hyland said that he trained as a medium.  

 He told me: “[Tarot] makes you reflect”. Saying that tarot sits in liminal space between being magical and psychological.  

 Vic wants people to know: “[Tarot] Is not dangerous and evil… it’s a way of being able to understand your deeper self”. 

 Emma Fairthorne, owner of Anathema Emporium said: “[People] come to reading for different reasons – clarification and reassurance with making decisions”.