Turning the Cards: Reflections on Clarity and Change

As the calendar fills and the pace around us begins to shift, quiet moments take on new meaning. This is the season for reflection, a natural pause between what’s behind us and what lies ahead. In the heart of San Francisco, Tarot reader and artist Nick Jacobs has spent over two decades helping people do just that. Through his practice, Page of Cups, and the decks he’s created, Nick sees Tarot not as fortune telling, but as a conversation with one’s self.

One card at a time, he invites us to step back, look inward, and imagine the path ahead with clarity and care. We sat down with Nick, our partner at 1 Hotel San Francisco, to talk about his evolving relationship with the cards, the quiet wisdom of imagery, and how Tarot offers space to realign with intention, especially when the world asks us to slow down.

Turning the deck with Nick Jacobs, Founder of Page of Cups Tarot Readings

You describe yourself as having a lifelong love of imagery, from wordless storybooks to art school and design. How did that visual foundation shape the way you approach reading Tarot today?

My love for images and storytelling shapes the way I read Tarot in a way that feels almost trance-like. My background in art and design taught me to see images not just as static pictures, but as living languages of color, form, and emotion. When I look at the cards during a reading, part of my mind gently disconnects from the conscious, waking world. When that happens, I can connect to the reading in a way that feels almost divine, as if I’ve stepped aside and something larger has taken over. The same thing happens when I draw, paint, or do anything creative. I consider it a blessing to quiet my more analytical mind and let intuition lead the way.

Over the years, how has your relationship with the Tarot evolved? Has your reading style or interpretation changed with experience?

In one word: immensely.

When I first started working with the Tarot, I was in full exploration mode. I read everything I could find, attended local events, and took classes at nearby metaphysical shops. Reading the cards felt powerful to me, a way to see things others couldn’t. While other kids were focused on sports, video games, or other activities, Tarot was the thing I loved, and I wasn’t afraid to show it.

Over the years, my approach has changed a lot. It went from being a fun party trick in high school to a way to make some extra money in college. Now, it has become something much deeper, a human practice that is less about predicting the future and more about reflecting on what is already within us. I truly believe the seventy-eight cards capture the full range of human experience, and I feel lucky to use them in a way that helps me connect with myself and others.

Tarot itself keeps evolving, too. It started as a card game in the mid-1400s, later became a divination tool, and today it is used by artists, therapists, and creatives all over the world. Because Tarot keeps changing, so has my relationship with it. When you spend time studying the cards, you start to build what I call a personal toolkit, a library of meanings and insights that are unique to you. Each card has its own traditional symbolism, but it is how you shape that meaning that really brings it to life. Over time, the imagery starts to speak your language, reflecting your emotions, memories, and intuition in ways that feel deeply personal.

The cards often mirror where we are in life: emotionally, spiritually, creatively. What do you hope people take away from a reading with you?

When someone sits with me for a reading, I always have three goals: for it to be useful, for it to be helpful, and for it to be actionable. I hope that every person walks away with a sense of clarity, empowerment, and direction, something they can truly apply once they leave the table. Tarot is a powerful tool for navigating life, whether we are facing something as vast as a major transition or as small as a passing uncertainty. The cards do not predict or dictate, more they illuminate. They help us pause, step outside the noise, and see our situation from a different angle. More than anything, I want my readings to feel like a conversation between the cards, the client, and the moment we are sharing—something honest and human.

The holidays and new year are a natural time for reflection. How might Tarot help people pause and realign with their intentions during this season?

As the year wraps up, it’s natural to look back and reflect on what we accomplished, what we did not get to, and what we hope to focus on in the year ahead. While that kind of reflection can be valuable, it can also feel overwhelming, not just to review the past but to anticipate all the resolutions that might not stick.

Since the world naturally slows down toward the end of the year, I see it as the perfect time to pause and turn inward. Tarot helps me do that in a grounded, gentle way, and it offers the same for others. Instead of focusing on external goals or deadlines, the cards invite us to check in with our energy, our patterns, and our true priorities. They remind us that real change does not come from pressure or lists, but comes from awareness and intention.

Tarot gives us space to close one chapter with understanding and begin the next with clarity. It helps us ask not, “What should I do next year?” but, “Who do I want to become?”