We were lucky to catch up with Emily Maples recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, thanks for joining us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

Growing up, I never felt really supported by either of my parents in a spiritual sense. Every time I would go to either one of them with any sort of “outlandish” experience, it was immediately shut down. This made me learn at a very early age that, for one, I was not having normal experiences – and two, I need to be discerning in who I share this information with. I had no one to talk to about any of this stuff until I was 21. When I was finally able to slowly share who I was and what I did with others, that lesson in discernment (as backwards as it seems) has carried me far in both a business sense and a confidence sense.
My parents and I have a really great relationship these days, and I love discussing spirituality with them now. Maybe I am able to appreciate their support of me even more now due to this.
Sometimes hard things happen and you feel alone, but it is for a higher purpose. Real power comes from these experiences.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in the warm woods of Raleigh, NC, and had many early childhood experiences that I could not explain. From seeing my Great-Grandfather who had passed on sitting and speaking with me, to out of body experiences, I felt quite alone and alienated from my peers and my family. Having all of these strange happenings on top of not having the best childhood, I pursued wisdom and knowledge of all sorts of different spiritualities trying to find one that made things make sense. The problem was that I couldn’t find a magical, one religion/belief cures all solution. When I was 20, I began studying the tarot after having always been drawn to the imagery of the cards, and found that the archetypes described in the cards made wonderful parallels to the things I had already learned, and knew that they held wisdom that would help carve out how I was going to move forward in life. After a few years studying the cards and doing readings, I began working in a metaphysical bookstore and became an information sponge, learning everything I could to help me do what I had always wanted to do – help others.
Everyone has a soul, and has intuition to some degree. I am passionate about helping others find this power in them, because I know as a fact that it can help heal and direct you in the correct way. After even more absolutely wild spiritual experiences, I came to know what Seidr (Norse shamanistic magic) was and started incorporating it into my professional work. I am now living the dream and am able to support myself through using these gifts that I have worked hard for to help others discover and grow theirs!
I am most proud of the work that I am doing currently putting together information about my journey using tarot and runes, and how this journey with shamanism has changed my life incredibly for the better. I find in sharing my story, even if it sounds strange, many people I cross paths with can relate. I love each and every one of my clients, and feel so lucky that I get to wake up every morning and figure out how we can all help eachother.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I have not always been successful, I think that goes without saying! The specific work I do combined with my age and even how I look have been barriers I have had to break through. I have worked for years and years to build a client base and to become somewhat relevant in my community. What I am so thankful for was my opportunity to work at a long-standing, local metaphysical bookstore for a few years. Through that, not only was I able to expand my own personal knowledge, but I was able to learn how to talk to people and what most people were really looking for. I am now extremely blessed to be a resident reader there, where I go a few times a month to work with people one on one.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

As an avid reader, I highly recommend people read these books – they changed how I see the world and I still go back and reference them quite often: – “Healing Ancestral Karma: Free Yourself from Unhealthy Family Patterns”, Steven Farmer
– “Be Here Now”, Ram Dass
-“Women who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype”, Clarissa Pinkola Estés

Regardless of what you do, I recommend always assuming that you need to discover something within yourself. The best way is to read – whether they are esoteric books, or articles of science. You would be surprised what you can learn from opening yourself up.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.emilystarotcorner.com
• Instagram: @emilystarotcorner