TaoCraft Tarot / Sage Sips blog

Tarot Q&A: Feed the Happy

Q: You talk about doing one card “daily meditation” readings as a good way to learn to read tarot, but then you also say it’s bad to get a reading too often. Which is it?

A: I know that seems like an out and out contradiction, but underneath it is more of an apples to oranges comparison.

The bottom line, I suppose, is that working with intuition, spirituality, and creativity doesn’t make logical sense all of the time. Explaining this stuff with full logical consistency is like explaining the Mona Lisa using algebra. Both are right. Both are good. They are just different and don’t overlap a lot.

Same thing with open “daily” meditation one card readings and using a larger, more complex layout to explore a particular question. Both are good. Both are right. But there are some key differences between the two.

As I see it, the thing that answers your question is to feed the happy.

First, lets look at the meditation readings. I talk about this in PeaceTarot, my ebook that teaches you how to do these handy little DIY Tarot readings. The daily in this context focuses more on the time-frame of the reading. It isn’t trying to make some grand prediction about the future, it’s just a helpful, guiding idea to contemplate over the scope of a day.

If you want to do that every day – cool. If you don’t feel it and only want to pull a card when the mood hits – equally cool.

My recommendation is to feed the happy. If the structure and regularity of an every day practice is comforting to you, then by all means read every day.

If reading every day feels like a chore or burden, then by all means follow your feelings and read only when you feel you want or need it.

Tarot readings should feed the happy – if regularity and routine is the food that feeds your happiness squirrel, do that. If following your instincts feeds you happiness through the squirrelly chaos of life, do that.

Feed the Happy applies to other readings too. It’s not the act of Tarot reading too much that is the problem. It’s reading the same question over and over and over that becomes a problem. When you do that, you aren’t feeding the happy, you are feeding the fear.

The “When will I meet my soulmate” type of question s a very common example. Some people HATE getting the real answer: find a way to be happy without a romantic relationship. That kind of happiness is exactly what attracts the right person to you. Contentment, inner peace and self confidence are wildly attractive if not downright sexy. I’ve seen it dozens of times over the years of reading for the public. After they reject their answer several times, and multiple reading have re-phrased their answer a half-dozen different ways, it just stops and reflects that fearful spiral. To break out of the fear-feeding, they either have to focus on a different question or stop Tarot altogether for a long while. The repetition feeds into fearfulness and stops the reading from feeding into happiness.

I think Ted Andrews’ guidance is best. He only read for people once or twice a year. I’ll read more often, but not always the same narrow question.

So which is it? Both! Routine or instinct: Use whichever makes you feel happy and un-pressured about it. If a reading feels unsatisfactory – step away from the cards and come back later.

But generally speaking,read Tarot cards as often or as little as you want. Open one card guidance is especially suited to an every -day habit. It is easy to make it into a comforting little ritual if you like. Or not. Just following your instincts is good practice too. But at the same time, don’t long-read the same focused question more than once or twice a year. Especially if it is a very emotionally charged topic.

Thanks for a great question!

Happy to answer questions like this here in the blog. Ask me anything for a blog answer using the form on the Ask the Expert page.

See you at the next sip!

Like the Tarot that Sage is pouring into your cup? Buy Sage Sips a virtual coffee on ko-fi. A portion of the proceeds in August 2026 will be donated to World Central Kitchen.

Deck: Alleyman’s Tarot by Seven Dane Asmun, used with permissions Publishing Goblin LLC

The Eye of August

I’m looking at the world through yin/yang colored glasses this morning. How are things going for you?

Drew a card for today’s post. It didn’t seem right. Drew again. Ditto.

When that happens, sometimes I’ll just start browsing cards to see if anything sparks an idea.

The first thing I realized is how very over the 1909 RWS deck I am. The pale colors and religiousness of it just don’t get it. Thankfully many more RWS inspired, off-RWS, and Lenormand decks exist, although I have that same pale colored, last-century looking beef with a lot of Lenormand decks too. My first and only Lenormand is Christoper Butler’s Healing Light Lenorman where the art and colors are bullseye right in my intuitive and aesthetic wheelhouse – 10 out of 10, no notes, no interest in any other Lenormand Decks.

But back to feeling uninspired which is really the whole point of this.

The only thing that caught my psychic-eye while browsing cards was the center of the Wheel in the Witches Tarot deck, which is a silver pentacle. I don’t have a graphic at hand to show you, but you can Google it easily enough.

The Wheel card did step forward for attention recently and I think it has more to tell us, but not in its typical Tarot meanings like twist of fate, or constant change, or a reversal of fortunes or what have you. My hunch was to slap on the taijitu glasses and remember the spin on this from Taoist philosophy:

Anything in its extreme holds the seed of its opposite.

When we are feeling uninspired or unmotivated, it’s natural to disengage. I’m not saying let ennui run rampant forever. But it just might be the early signal nature gives us to unplug a little.

In the matrix of nature where humans evolved, late August is a good time for that.

BUT not in a pressured way. HURRY UP and relax is one of the dumbest things humans do. During the first weeks of August I witnessed multiple people in multiple situations being absolutely vile to retail workers because they had to go on vacation the next couple of days. They were so profoundly out of step with the time, the season and what was needed it broke the space for everyone there.

And that is the message here. We need a little back to nature moment today. Nature in the energy sense. Nature in the esoteric sense.

In that naturally, evolutionary matrix – this time of year is the most intense part of the heat here, so we need intense yin to go with it. This is sip tea in the shade for a minute before the whole harvest / preserve for winter intensity kicks in. It’s eye of the hurricane time.

In Taoist influenced martial arts, like Tai Chi, calm is seen as strength, just like the low pressure eye of the storm is the powerhouse engine of a hurricane.

Combine that notion with the Tarot hint from the center of the wheel card. It’s a day to go to center. Go to the hub of the wheel where the motion and change is less than at the rim.

It’s the eye of August. Find your quiet center. That is where you will find the energy for the soon to come time when we will need to power up for fall.

Yeah, I know. Southern hemisphere. Same thing. Sip a hot drink in the doldrums of winter and gear up for spring and frenetic planting instead of frenetic harvesting.

No matter where you are in the world, go to the center. Go to the quiet. Unplug where you are. Start where you stand. Don’t break yourself and everyone around you to go relax.

Be the eye of storm right where you are.

See you at the next sip

The real river

Pamela Coleman Smith was remarkable and the 1909 RWS was revolutionary and has had profound impact on the world of Tarot. There is no way around that. BUT it isn’t the end-all and be-all to tarot. Often other decks capture the flavor of the message much, much better.

To be honest, I don’t care for the pale/pastel color palette and religious and social class imagery. Here, for example, the be-grateful-for-your-pittance, kneelingI don’t believe in higher walls, I believe in longer tables., begging quality to the lower figures on a card that is supposed to be about generosity, magnanimity and reciprocity – it just sends me in all kinds of ways.

I don’t believe in higher walls, I believe in longer tables.
Chef Jose Andres

To that end, for every virtual coffee you buy in support of Sage Sips during the month of August 2026, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to World Central Kitchen.

Prosperity is being in the flow of life. Prosperity is more than money.

It’s having enough to eat. It’s about shelter that has a safe and comfortable temperature. It’s about time with loved ones. Meaningful things like that are the real river of flowing prosperity.

Money helps get those things, but it isn’t those things.

Find your river. Flow with it. Get some, give some.

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Thanks for reading! See you at the next sip.

Q&A: Vibe Check

Q: I keep getting this feeling that something is wrong, but I can’t figure out what. It reminds me of how I felt right before the pandemic hit. Does this mean something terrible is going to happen again?

A: I dunno. Maybe

We’ve all heard/read my rant about how I can’t predict the future and neither can bits of cardboard with pictures on them a dozen different times….

At the same time, I hear you.

Depending on your political point of view, arguably something terrible IS happening. Multiple things. Really bad things.

That alone is enough to give anyone the creeps and make you feel like everything is just …. off.

The card is the Wheel. Some decks call it the Wheel of Fortune. If you look at it through an old school, predictive lens it gets very fatalistic, hopeless, victim of circumstance-y very quickly. I think the real message here is CHANGE.

Today’s card is drawing a little from the Moon card (natural cycles) and a little from the Death card (big permanent changes) but the emphasis is on change.

You are allowed to be in a bad mood. You are allowed to be tired, or worried or uncomfortable – regardless of whether you have a reason or a cause or not.

No, you shouldn’t write it off. Your instincts might be trying to tell you something. Inexplicable fears and worries might be our intuition giving us the heads up that we missed something. Use this as a cue to take another look, see if you can find a reason for this feeling that you missed before.

Writing off these feelings of unease or trying to get rid of it might not be the best idea, but neither do you have to live with it forever.

Some of my favorite second-look, figure out this weirdness strategies are very simple.

Probably the least fun one is to just let it happen. I forget who said it (Dan Harris quoting someone else maybe??) but as a general rule of thumb, emotions are very short-lived. Like 90 seconds short. That seems a bit rapid – fire to me. An emotional funk can haunt you for hours, or off and on for a day or two at the very longest. But normally, it is time limited thing. Let it come, let it go, learn from it, this too will pass. Remembering it is temporary is sometimes all it takes to turn down the intensity of worry.

One the most useful things is to make a plan for whatever is worrying you. We are living through the enshittification of life as we knew it, and it is impossible to plan in the middle of chaos, but any little bit helps. Decide what you want for lunch tomorrow. Check in with a friend, ask a family member how they are doing…anything. The Buddhists got that one right – action (and action plans) really do ease anxiety.

You mentioned COVID…

I think that’s your answer. NOT that another pandemic is coming, but remember when we talked about resonance? Remember how we said energy sensitive people can vibe so strongly with the energy environment that it feels like the fear and worry is their own and not a by-product of the energy soup we swim in every day? Just like pollen can get in your hair from just walking around outside, you can stuck energy muck too.

One of the things this feeling of unease is asking to figure out is whether the source is you, or your resonance.

Try this.

Sit cross -legged on the floor or if you are in a chair, cross your ankles. Then lace your fingers together. This seals and strengthens your individual energy on a grounded, physical level.

Now, lets bring imagination online to help your mental and emotional energies a little. Imagine you are sitting in the middle of a force field or a clear crystal ball. Get comfy in your mental hamster ball of invincibility. If it helps, decorate that mental space with things that usually make you feel happy and empowered – put symbols on the sphere, see a mug of coffee beside you, play heavy metal music – whatever you like.

Now, with that posture and those images mentally in place….what does that do to the feelings of dread and worry? Are they still there or are you pleasantly surprised to learn “HEY! IT’S ACTUALLY HAPPY IN HERE!!”

If this mental & emotional shielding exercise dials that worrisome feeling WAY down, chances are it is a function of resonance. Take a hot shower, or whatever other grounding, centering, clearing things that you like to do. My hunch is that a nice long shower with a clear-your-energy intention might just do the trick.

If the worry is coming from inside the force field, if it is inside the house so to speak…then it is back to understanding an action-planning. THAT is when an ‘action eases anxiety’ tarot layout might help.

Either way, no, this doesn’t mean something terrible is about to happen. Yes, it does mean your emotions are asking you for some attention. Either way, this vibe checks with the message I’ve heard from so many sources about the solar eclipse today, and this early August season in general: stop, watch, understand then act after the energy – um- changes on the other side of the eclipse. The mood will change, always, but you can shield and check the vibes any time you need to.

Take good care of yourself.

Thanks!

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Weekend Oracle: Apart

Even when you are apart from people, you are a part of people.

The southern hemisphere may be gearing up to rock and roll into spring, but here in the northern hemisphere, we are in fullest summer. Mid-August is hot, humid, filled with the sound of cicadas and with a sluggish energy. As it should be. It isn’t the season of planting, it isn’t quite yet the season of full harvest – even for us city dwellers.

It’s a time of maximum yang that is asking to be met with much yin.

This weekend is a time for introverts. The advice is to be gentle with yourself and your energy. Don’t force socialization if you aren’t feeling it. Don’t push or strive or emotionally expert if you aren’t feeling it. It is ok to spend some time at the edges of the action.

The energy of the Outsider card from Seven Dane Asmund’s Alleyway Oracle of Secrets deck reminds us that outsiders are different from outcasts – some choose the perifory as a way to protect their peace or nurture their healing and growth.

For those who find themselves feeling cut off or more alone than they want to be, the energy here is a reminder that we are all connected, even when other people seem physically or emotionally far away.

If you are feeling isolated or lonely, open your circle of perspective. You may be alone in your room, but you are still a part of the family in your house or the residents of your apartment building. You might be the only person in the building, but you are still part of your state, country or continent. You might be the only person on the moon…but you are still a member of the human species and that can never be taken from you.

“We are all connected: To each other, biologically. To Earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe, atomically.”
Neil Degrasse Tyson

If you need to dial back, and have some alone time it is OK. You aren’t severing connections, you are nurturing your heart and spirit and self which makes the connections stronger, better – over any distance.

Wishing you a lovely weekend that is just as busy – or not – as you like.

Did you notice it’s August?

It didn’t register for me until this morning, even while sleepily working on last night’s post New Deck N’at

In my case, when they call contributions small dollar donations they are not kidding. Any donation I make is, by necessity, microscopic. But with your generosity, another small dollar can go to a good place and you get a professional quality, personalized email tarot reading as a thank you gift in return.

All proceeds from Brew It Forward memberships and one dollar from every virtual coffee you buy from the Sage Sips Ko-Fi page goes to a wellness, food security or civil rights public service organization each month. I just made July’s micro donation to Democracy Forward

August is corn season. Love me some fresh corn on the cob. Cooking and baking is my love language. For August 2026, we are brewing and tarot-ing for World Central Kitchen.

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Happy Lughdnasadh to those who celebrate.

New Deck N’at

Usually I agonize over every deck I’ve bought. I have to really really REALLY feel it before I’ll shell out the cash for one. I’m frugal, and I don’t spend on hobbies and entertainment unless it strongly moves me on some level. Or if it is yarn to make a holiday gift.

Maybe that comes from being born and raised in Appalachia – real, south of here, ruby red, mountain Appalachia – BUT I’ve lived in the Pittsburgh area long enough that I consider this is my hometown whether yinz like it or not. When I accidentally stumbled across the Pittsburgh deck on social media it was an immediate ‘shut UP. Take my money’ impulse. Luckily for me, it turned out to be a very affordable deck.

The guide book is being shipped separately, so I’m winging it with this reading.

Career questions have crossed my path lately. I pulled these cards with the generic question in mind of “am I on the right path with my career”

Any “right path” question lends itself to a classic “pathway” card spread, which in turn is a more modern, nuanced version of the old-school past/present/future spread. I don’t have to tell you for the millionth time that exact predictions are not only impossible but unhelpful. As always, I read a three card pathway as:

Influences of the past – how old experiences are either influencing your perceptions of the current situation or, often, this is a reminder of old skills or lessons that you can bring forward to help you now
Current energies: things about the current situation that are asking for your attention, or pointing out any blind spots.
Moving Forward: This is a possible strategy, a good next step or a suggestion about how to best adapt to this situation.

In a “TaoCraft Path” layout, I emphasize your choices, which is what builds the future rather than predict it. For those, I add a fourth card that suggests an idea to help support the direction you are headed if you choose to keep it, and a fifth card that suggests how to change directions if you want. Today, let’s keep it simple.

In a typical RWS deck, I often read wands as your relationship with yourself – the inner world . I don’t know, yet, if that is what the deck creators intended with the suit of “nature” but that’s how I’m reading it today. I look at it through a very Taoist lens of working with your own true nature, THAT kind of nature just as much as the rocks and trees kind of nature. No question the World and the Moon cards are vibing just like every other deck, at least in relation to this particular question and layout.

Of course, being a collective energy reading, it is by the nature of collective energy readings, vague and dilute. This things are always much more impactful when it is private, customized and focused just on one person.

Two out of the three cards being major arcana confirms big career energy right now. There might be a time of stress at hand, to go with these big energies, but it doesn’t feel like anything you can’t handle. It feels like growth, in a big but good way.

Knights are associated with action. Play to your strengths. Do you. Do what you know well and above all what you enjoy. This is a comfort zone move, yes, but one that has serious wattage behind it. Showcase every skill you have, both from formal trained and from raw life experience.

The World hints that you have lots of options right now, the world is your oyster. Now is a good time to decide which direction you want to go, because many paths are open. In the predictive use, the World card has always been considered a good omen. You are in a good spot to build something good if you have the courage to start and a clear vision of what you want (out of all those many possibilities)

The Moon reminds us of natural cycles. To know if your current career or career plans are right for you, look at the context of your life…where in your life cycle or the life cycle of this job are you? Are you starting? Is there room to grow? Do you need more? Do you need less? Is this a good fit for where you are in life right now? How does your career fit into the rest of your life and it’s cycles?

I’m curious what the deck authors intended. Look for more with this deck in the days ahead.

It’s a fun deck. Just having it means something. We’ll see what unfolds.

Have a good week!

The Pittsburgh Tarot deck is by Ed Simon and Steve Teare and is available (with the guide book) through Microcosm Publishing

Of two minds, and neither one has an answer

From the archives

Of the different meanings for the Two of Swords, “of two minds” comes to mind. A lot of times when we think of that, it means that two options are equal, and there is no obvious, logical, good way to decide between the two. There is six of one and half dozen of the other as they saying goes.

So what do you do when you are of two minds and both options are equal: equally bad that is? What do you do when you don’t know what to do at all? What do you do when you are of two minds and neither one of them knows what to do?

It’s ok not to know. It’s ok for some things to be unknowable. And it’s ok to try and find out. If you don’t know, ask. If you don’t know, learn. If you don’t know, welcome to the universe. It is like that sometimes. We haven’t figured it all out, and that’s OK too.

“I’d rather have questions that can’t be answered than answers that can’t be questioned.”
Richard Feynman

In the Microwave with Saturn

I read the Farmers Almanac newsletter. And yes, it makes me feel old but also sentimental because my Grandmother always had a copy on the table. And no, I’m not a gardener but damn – the recipes. This morning’s newsletter included Theresa Reed’s article about the beginning of Saturn retrograde.

Astrology isn’t a vibe for me except for the occasional sip of shadenfreude when memes make fun of people in a flap about Mercury retrograde. It seems Saturn is taking Freddy Mercury’s place in the microwave.

I’m feeling this one. Not the Mercury thing, the Saturn thing.

Retrogrades are only frustrating if you are caught up in constant forward striving and wanted to get what you don’t have and get it now. Not everything is about new beginnings, not everything is constant personal growth and forward movement.

Sometimes the energy is about the next phase, not a new beginning.

It is about solidifying and maturing, and is very much attune to this time of year. After the seeds sprout, you have to let them grow up before you can celebrate the harvest.

This isn’t a time of manifesting what you don’t have – this is a time of investing in what you do have. Now is a time to make all you’ve learned solid and real and lasting. It’s about maturing what you’ve already manifested.

“Curing” comes to mind. Not the healing kind of way….in the resin and glue kind. Soaps, resin art, some glues, have to have time to ‘cure’ and become fully solid, durable, usable. It is akin to the aging process in fine wine.

Would you rather climb up on a stack of wobbly boxes or a nailed-together step stool? This week, or even the next several months if this retrograde type vibe holds, is a time to reinforce this new place so it can become a solid foundation for later growth.

We’ve talked a lot over the past several months about leaving what no longer serves. Walking away from the bad entails walking toward the good. Now we are at the next step in the process. We’ve given thoughts and energies to both the past and the future. Now it’s time to invest in here and now. Mindfulness is always good advice. This energy is mindfulness turned up to 11. This is very much a “repair and maintain” energy. This is a time to make it strong where you are.

I hear “invest in this.” Invest time in the here and now. Things will move again, they always do. This is that next phase and new you that you’ve worked toward. Live here for a little while. Incorporate and integrate all that you have learned and achieved so far, whatever that is. And whatever that is – is perfectly good and enough.

See you at the next sip

Pour yourself a second cup

I’m feeling very Chariot at the moment.

It’s telling me to be in the moment, look forward.

There is a hefty dose of Moon and Wheel energy.

When old things end, new things begin.

Please feel free to come browse the TaoCraft Tarot website and the Sage Sips blog archives. I think I finally have it looking the way I want it. Keep taking sips, and eventually you empty the cup. Then you can either dwell on the coffee that was or you can pour yourself a whole new cup.

See you at the next sip!

*shuffles off to the kitchen toward the coffee pot*