We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kayla Mulliniks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kayla below.

Kayla, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

Everything I know is from community. Or at least that’s how it starts. Of course, I had my own resilience and dreams to motivate research, education and years of practice. But without building a community of diverse people I respected and felt understood by, I don’t think I could learn what I do.

I started with seeking out comedians I admire. And then if we vibed, respectfully bothering them until we formed a creative relationship. Whether that be, attending workshops, picking their brain, asking them to punch up a script or work through a set, it’s important to have community that sees you. Having a diverse and intersectional group of artists around me allows growth, helps learn what does and doesn’t work for you, and the general support as we all navigate a creative lifestyle.

Same with cosmic storytelling and tarot reading, however I do think in this space you have to vet your community a little differently than a traditional artistic space. I was lucky enough to have mentors with people from various parts of the wellness and spiritual space that resonate with my philosophy like; therapists, astrologers, tarot readers, geologists and historians. Again, all people who can support me and put my ideas and theories into checks and balances, keeping me grounded and open.

I actually don’t think I could speed up anything in the learning process. Sure, we all wish we could have afforded that class or workshop sooner, but would it haven’t meant the same before the moment was correct? Sometimes the thing you need most, especially in creative endeavors, is age and experience. Not to say young people aren’t brillant, but to say the journey is the journey. The destination isn’t and shouldn’t be the main goal. Along the journey is where we pick up the juicy pieces we need for our goals. Perspective has shaped my journey and you can’t rush that. Life is a mosaic of our unique experiences, we need all the pieces to complete the full work of art.

People skills and having a flexible mindset! Which of course includes having a bullshit alarm. Trust is a huge part of my craft. Trusting in people, trusting yourself and trusting in the work I’ve put in. This also includes being flexible with my art and the lenses I see life though. Each interaction with an audience or individual client shapes my perspective and grows my world. To be successful, you have to be open to evolution and change.

Probably my own insecurities and fear of my own curiosities. Ultimately we know there are taboos around spiritual work, because well some of it is, admittedly, not the vibe. However, it was my fear of being perceived as “crazy” or “too out there” that really held me back from being more curious and educated. I believe curiosity encourages us to face biases, seek out new information and find our own truth, which is the foundation of any endeavor or dream.
The thing I had to realize was that I am allowed to have boundaries. I know what I believe in and what isn’t for me or my practice. Weirdly enough, this boundary allowed me to expand beyond my wildest dreams. Life has a funny way of ebbing and flowing like that. This, and probably, the suppression of different cultures and practices due to systemic oppression, are the biggest roadblock I’ve faced.

Kayla, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi! I’m Kayla, your local cosmic storyteller, intuitive tarot reader, and comedian. Life lessons, karmic cycles, getting out of our own way, and learning to find joy in personal and communal revolutions, are all the names of my game. Some of what I do might be hard to hear, but I believe, if you can make them laugh you can make them listen.

I use tarot, mediation and astrology to help uncover the most precious parts of ourselves. I don’t think these tools or tarot will predict your future, but it will help you see yourself more clearly, help you make more empowered decisions and/or guide you back onto the path of the life you desire.

My love of all things mystical started young and in the past 6 years has blossomed into a true passion and gift. Being queer, symbolism has always been a key factor in my life. Always looking for the signs in the mundane, the signs I’m on the right path, the signs I’m becoming who I’ve always meant to be. In the midst of crying out for a sign, I found tarot– a card deck of signs. Tarot helped me uncover the good, the bad and the ugly. It felt like meeting myself for the first time. This transformative new lens allowed me to accept and transfuse all parts of myself in order to be the person I love so dearly, that was hidden deep inside.

My tarot journey began in one of my therapy sessions. I was having a hard time working through a particular situation and my therapist asked if they could try something different, and they pulled me my first tarot card. Tarot helped focus my mind and emotions. It broke down the transition I was in the midst of into digestible pieces that felt more tangible than the mindset I came into the session with. It was a breakthrough that opened and changed me.

Within my practice I offer a few different services.

Private Tarot Readings- We call it a reading, but I like to think of it more as a conversation. I have studied the symbolism and language of the cards. The seeker provides the energy and intention. You can expect your first reading with me to go something like this; a few minutes up top to ask any questions you have about tarot/my philosophy/how the session will go. Then we will talk through the question you are bringing to the table, where you can share as much or as little information as you feel comfortable. After that I will lead us through a very quick grounding meditation as I shuffle the cards and pull your personalized spread. From there, we go over each individual card and then see what story the cards tell together. Together, we work through your story and come up with journal prompts, action items or meditations, so you leave feeling empowered and with direction, validation and hope.

Group Tarot Readings- Bachelorette parties, weddings, girls night out, museum after parties, are just some great events where tarot can work its magic! I bring the vibes with my set up and help curate the perfect aesthetic. Here we can do mini individual readings, group readings and if you choose, you can learn how to read tarot for yourself!

Birth Chart Analysis- Don’t get the whole natal chart thing? Leave it up to me! This service allows you to email me your birth chart and I will write up a digital booklet personalized to your chart. Here, I walk you through a fixed amount of planets, what houses they fall in, which signs you have in them and what that can mean for you. The point of this is to help better understand yourself, your patterns and what energies you can lean on in times of transition, stagnation, momentum, celebration and grief. It’s like your own personal users’ manual!

Meditation- Here we have two options: Personalized or Group Meditations. Personalized mediation is pretty straight forward. It’s a personalized meditation for whatever you might need in that moment of life. Can be based on a tarot pull, astrological placements/movements or special occasions. Group meditations are one of my favorite services! This service helps start off any show, party or corporate event with setting a group intention and getting everyone safe and loose for whatever might come next. For this, I connect with the event coordinator and we chat over any intentions or themes of the event to help me create the perfect meditation for your group!

Monthly Newsletter- Kayla’s Haus on Substack, is a monthly, mystical newsletter that helps you set the vibe and navigate the astrology of the month. With Full and New Moon advice, Tarot Spreads and other pop culturings, this newsletter helps to keep our heads in the stars and feet grounded in the Earth!

Comedic Cosmic Storytelling- Because we all know none of us make it out of life alive, why not joke about the transitions, challenges and joys of life! With 7 years of stand up and improv comedy training in Chicago theatre’s like, The Second City, iO Chicago and The Annoyance, I love to bring my humor to the stage. You can expect to walk away with giggles and a new perspective on life!

All of my offerings are meant to help my community through the blooms and glooms life. I love to use these tools to refocus my clients energy and self esteem, to help find new perspectives, and to reintroduce them to the power they’ve always had inside. Because when we strive individually, so does our community.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

In my opinion to best support artists, society needs to be more open, and that begins with media literacy. We need to understand the history and context and lived experience to contextualize the values we relate to. Life lived open, is a wealthy life lived. Being open doesn’t mean agreeing on everything or understanding everyone’s perspective. It means not being afraid of the unknown. It allows different perspectives to not be a challenge to the person’s individual views, but to color the mosaic of life a little more richly. This also means supporting the arts. My partner and I always joke we need to bring back patrons of the art, but in a real world sense, we do need a renaissance of that mindset. Creative careers are real careers, they add much needed value and color to our individual experiences. And without this openness and financial backing, I do fear for the world at large. Art, in all mediums, helps us understand life through the processing of events, emotions, theories and meanings. How does humanity move forward without the tools to process the present and past?

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is seeing how art, in all forms, can aid in personal revolutions that have the potential to lead to communal revolutions.

I get to see clients transform and change and lead. I have the privilege of engaging with people after live shows, where we both walk away more full in spirit than we came. I get to vent about the injustices of life and feel validated and aided. I get to cheerlead people as they fight against injustices they face. This work allows me to name the injustices I might be aiding and face myself in ways that are crucial to my journey. Being a creative allows me to work in systems more closely aligned with my values, which is directly connected to my success.

The community we create together is more than I could have imagined when I began on this journey 6 years ago. I really do believe that community is wealth. It’s how we connect, it’s how we find jobs, homes, supplies, ideas, ect, ect. It’s how we survive. Being apart and growing that– is the best reward I can imagine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kaylashaus.squarespace.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohhhkayla/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kaylamulliniks4968
• Other: monthly mystical newsletter substack:
  https://kaylashaus.substack.com/

Image Credits

1st photo: Paige Lizzie