Charles Koh
I was introduced to “La Padrona” Jacquelina Di Roberto through a friend and she asked me to give her a reading. That was 17 years ago this September. Things went well and I began the first week of November. The rest, as they say, is history!
What attracted you to The Pink Door’s mysterious netherworld?
I was thrilled with the opportunity to give readings here as the restaurant has such a lovely reputation. I do not consider myself a ‘New Age’ type person; so reading in a bookstore was not my cup of tea. I liked the mix of people that I began to read for at The Pink Door, and over the years have become good friends with many of the ever changing staff. I have also gotten along quite well with Jackie and value her as a friend, as well as the owner of The Pink Door.
Do you recall your first reading at The Pink Door?
The first reading I remember was for a woman named Karen Uris who turned out to be the daughter of famous author, Leon Uris. Not only did she say I nailed several things, we became good friends ever since.
What do you love about Tarot?What I love about reading for people is that the cards are only a guide to what is going on with the person. What’s more important is what I get from them psychically while doing a reading. Today’s Tarot readers try to avoid topics like rich men in Cadillacs; instead we seek to help people make decisions that continue their growth.
What is your goal for readings?
I want experiences with people to be very enlightening and to make them feel good when they leave. I have many clients who return over and over for readings, which is nice. I also do not have any vested interest in whether or not a person takes my suggestions to heart. I believe everyone should follow his or her own path and destiny.
What sparked your interest in Spiritualism?
My interest in Spiritualism actually came through my partner whose father was a Spiritualist in Indiana. It was also sparked while studying for my degrees in Cultural Anthropology & Classical Archeology at San Francisco State University.
We hear you have a hankering for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle?
Yes, he is one of my favorite authors! I was excited to discover The Arthur Findlay College in Essex, England where he was very involved with Spiritualism. I’ve had the fortune of visiting the College twice and I am now in the finishing stages of an online college course to become a spiritual healer and medium. Very exciting to connect with the location where someone who had such an influence on you also studied!
Absolutely! It is a wonderful experience to study there and the abilities I have learned have really expanded my capabilities in reading for people. I also studied with the healers when they came to Seattle and now belong to a healing circle from Stansted that performs healings via the internet. This group is around 300 strong.
You mentioned that you have about 40 decks of cards. What’s your favorite?
I particularly like artistic ones. After reading for 40 years, I have found that changing decks often is very helpful. So I do have many and every month I use a different deck.
What important guidelines do you follow for your readings?
I do have certain guidelines I go by. Overall, I value honesty in readings. I do not read for a group sitting together because it is too hard to pick up peoples’ energy. Nor do I read for anyone under eighteen or for someone who is inebriated or suffering from mental illness.
Tarot and spiritualism are not your only strong suit. Tell us about your culinary interests and experience.
For the last 10 years, I have worked for a rep company at Pacific Market that specializes in kitchenware and sells to Sur La Table and other gourmet kitchen stores. During this time, I put my Cultural Anthropology and Classical Archeology background to work and started writing about Culinary History. I have designed American cooking classes for schools in England and am especially proud of my highly-acclaimed book, Dinners with Famous Women: From Cleopatra to Indira Gandhi.
