Chinggay Labrador of Metro Manila on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Chinggay Labrador. Check out our conversation below.

Chinggay, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I’m wandering in this season of my life! I feel like I’ve established pretty well-set routines when it comes to my day to day, my professional life, and my personal life. Anything outside of my to do’s is a free for all for me, and I have been enjoying this time of exploring, meandering, and letting myself follow my curiosity.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Chinggay Labrador. I’m a writer and a tarot deck creator / tarot reader. I set up Practical Magic almost 10 years ago as a way for me to talk about tarot—I wanted to talk about the decks I was collecting and how I was learning the cards. Over time, I gained more confidence as a reader and began to introduce readings—first for friends and then for strangers. At the same time, I was getting to know the cards by trying to carve out my own meanings to them + creating collages for me to better understand all the archetypes that form the foundation of tarot. A friend of mine who is also a life coach saw these collages and told me that if I would ever print and sell these cards, she was almost sure people would buy them. I printed 10 copies and sold all of them in one day. Then I tried printing 20, they were sold out; 50, they were sold out; and I’ve had so many reprints now over the last couple of years that I was inspired to work with local artists to create new, unique decks that help make this practice of getting to know yourself and working with your intuition more accessible to everyone. Currently, Practical Magic has spun off into books, zines, and a podcast.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
I really loved French movies and studied French for a couple of years in my late twenties and early thirties. I told myself that I wouldn’t let my 30s go by without going to Paris. When I was 36, I decided to finally go and that trip just opened me up to solo traveling and going to places I’ve always wanted to see.

Now that I look back, I remember how my parents always made it a point to take me with them on their travels. That early exposure to different cities and countries is something I’m coming back to now that the spark has been lit by that one trip to Paris.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
That you don’t have to dumb yourself down or change yourself completely to suit anyone’s tastes or preferences. You are perfectly fine just as you are.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Not necessarily! I like to think that the public version of me is majority of my authentic self, but there are parts of me that I don’t put on display for just anyone. I do share a lot of my feelings and thoughts with my closest friends or write them down in my journal, but I don’t think there’s too much value in exposing all these vulnerable parts of myself to people I don’t know.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I’m a very reserved and introverted person, so I really feel the most peace in my room at home, when I don’t have to talk to anyone! I feel great when I can just settle down with a book, pen and paper, or my bed.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Photos by Toto Labrador
Styling by Pierra Labrador

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