Ex-marketing strategist for luxury hotels Rocco Forte and recent Tarot convert, Emilie, opens the doors to her mews house in London which she shared with her two sons, Archibald, 9, and Casper, 13.
Turning to Tarot
Turning to Tarot
Full time single mother Emilie Callu-Gerritsen, lives in a 3 bed mews house in Chelsea, London with her two monsters (how Emilie describes them ;-) 13 year old Casper & 9 year old Archibald. The trio moved there 2 years ago after the boys wouldn’t stop growing and got too big to share a room together.
Growing up in Versailles, Emilie attended a very strict catholic school which persuaded her to continue her education much further afield. After studying marketing at college in Boston, US she remained in the states but relocated to the warmer hues of Miami commencing her marketing career at L’Oreal.
Emilie soon discovered she wasn’t completely in love with her burgeoning career. With her US visa soon running out and a best friend’s enviable move to London it led the way for her own migration to the UK capital. After working for Estee Lauder she swapped cosmetics for hospitality working as a marketing manager for Rocco Forte hotels.
Whilst married with no kids travelling between the 15 different hotels in the chain had been exciting. But after the birth of her second child it became too difficult to manage and she restricted her consultancy work to a couple of private clients.
So how did a “full time single mum of 2” get into Tarot cards?
A bad break up [Emilie laughs]
Some people turn to alcohol, drugs, or ice cream and you went for tarot cards... Oh I did do that too [laughs] it's not mutually exclusive I did some of that AND tarot! It helped me heal a lot.
What was it about Tarot cards in particular that attracted rather than other forms or spiritual exploration?
Being quite pragmatic, I was mainly attracted to Tarot. The cards give straightforward messages and advice. Up to you then to learn how to read the cards and combine their meanings, also using your intuition, so that it resonates with whoever you’re speaking to.
And what did your friends & family make of your new passion for Tarot cards?
I think in the beginning they thought I’d lost my mind :)) After the initial surprise, came the suspicion but they eventually warmed to it. They now ask me a lot of questions and want to give it a try. I think people eventually see it can help them, and it's ultimately just about being willing to be open & introspective to see what comes from it.