You Choose Tarot (9 January 2020)

Left: King of Wands. Nevermind how things are going with other people for a minute. Are you at peace with yourself? What would it take for you to comfortable in your own skin? Peace with others is difficult if you aren’t at ease with yourself first.

Center: Ten of Swords. Chaotic energies are afoot that could leave you feeling ambushed. Heal your wounds, get up again, make changes to protect yourself next time.

Right: Seven of Wands. “If people get defensive, it’s because they have something to defend.” – James Marcus Bach. If you feel angry, understanding why can help. Defensive isn’t so bad when important things are at stake.

12 Second Tarot: Six of Pentacles (8 Jan 20)

Generosity takes many forms. Generosity with the gifts that money can not buy is the most valuable and yet most underestimated form. “The civility that money will purchase is rarely extended to those who have none.” – Charles Dickens

12 Second Tarot: King of Wands

Be the eye of the hurricane.

You are in charge of your inner world. The outer world may be chaos…or frustratingly slow. However the physical realm may incite your inner passions, your inner King can lead those intense emotions, focus them, inspire them to new directions and keep things cool.

Q&A: Doesn’t the person have to be with you for the reading to work?

(reprise)

Q: How can you do Tarot readings from a distance? Doesn’t the person have to be with you for the reading to work?

A: They call intuition a sixth sense or extrasensory perception for a reason.  It really doesn’t have anything to do with normal seeing, hearing or feeling. It is from outside of normal time, space and distance.

I don’t need to be with you for a reading, because I’m not reading YOU at all.

I’m listening to spirit and reading universal energy on your behalf, like a translator. I can read energy and listen to spirit from anywhere because spirit and energy is everywhere. Think of it like an email for you in a language that you don’t speak fluently. Getting a reading is like getting an expert translation of that email. You might know some of the language yourself and could figure it out, but a pro could translate quicker, easier, and with more depth.

Out of the everywhere-energy, I connect to your specific message when you ask your question or give permission for it to be an open reading. That simple interaction is an exchange of information that can happen by speaking OR by reading your email message. After connecting general energy to your message through our little beginning conversations, I use the Tarot cards to help me “read” the mental images, words, feelings that spirit/energy gives for you. I translate those impressions into English sentences that you can use to help you. When it comes to energy connections and spirit messages, it doesn’t matter if we say things out loud, type on a keyboard, or write on paper. For example, if spirit gives me the impression of a flower, I give you the word “flower,” It doesn’t change the word or the message one bit if I type the word in an email or say it to you in person.

So no, you don’t have to be with me for the reading to “work” at all. The only difference is how you want to experience the reading and how you want to connect with your message from spirit. Both styles have some minor differences, advantages and disadvantages from your side of things. You can read more about that in the Q&A blog post “What’s the Difference?”

All of my readings are flat rate…you know your cost up front. If you live in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh, PA USA and would like an in-person session, contact me to schedule a reading.  If you are anywhere, and have enough internet access to read this post, you can order a distance Tarot reading any time, 24/7 on the home page HERE.

 

Q&A: What’s the difference?

Q: Why get a distance reading? What is the difference between that and a live reading?

A: Inside my head the two are identical. From where I sit, the process and the message is identical. As a writer at heart, I express myself through a keyboard as easily as through my voice. Not all psychics likes to write, which is why I say that distance is my specialty. It’s easy for me and I enjoy the daylights out of it. Write, speak…same thing. It’s the same message coming in from energy and spirit no matter which way I give that message back out to you.

The only real difference is how you experience the message. Deciding between a distance or in-person session is entirely up to you. Which is more meaningful to you? Which do you enjoy more?

Both have advantages.

In-person readings are set apart, special and social. The process of making the appointment and traveling to the reading sets the time apart, gets you away from your schedule, and makes it clear to you and to everyone that this is your time. In-person sessions are private, but a little social too. You are welcome to jump right in with any questions you might have. We take care of any questions right there, no waiting. Also, a little bit of visit-y small talk at the beginning and end of an in-person session makes it more relaxed and fun for me. I get the feeling that clients feel the same way. A little social friendliness is pleasant, even between strangers, because we aren’t by the time its done.

Distance readings can be very powerful things. I love to read and I love to write, so I have a serious bias in favor of written distance readings.  When you read, it is like spirit and energy are speaking directly to your heart and your intuition without the filter of my voice and your ears. In that way, distance readings are intensely private. They are externally the most private readings, too. No one sees you go to see a psychic. You choose the time and place to read the document. Even if you are reading your phone in a train station, it is still just you and your spirit message. In my opinion, there are a better value because you can go back to them, see how they have unfolded. You can take your time with the message and re-read it as many times as you need. And they are hella convenient. Like I say about the 12 Second Tarot readings in the blog and on social media “The Tao in TaoCraft is about being in harmony with the nature of things. If the nature of your life is busy and hectic, then 12 Second Tarot is for you.” Same here. If you are busy, then you can’t beat a distance reading for convenience. Order when you want. Read it when you want. No appointment, no travel, no need to change out of your yoga pants, you know? The only down side I see to distance work is that you can’t ask questions on the spot. Every distance session includes a follow up email if you have any questions about the reading. We still answer all of your questions. It just takes a little longer to go through the email process. I keep a pretty close eye on my inbox, so it won’t be a huge wait, but it won’t be immediate, real time interaction.

So to answer your question: Why get a distance reading? Because they are private, convenient. If you like to read, they can be more powerful, emotional and direct without the social filter that is a natural part of voice, hearing and conversation.

Do they have advantages? Yes. Both distance and in-person readings have things that are special about them. If you like social interaction and the chance to ask questions immediately, then in-person may be better. If you want convenience and extra privacy, then distance is the way to go. If you want fast, then distance is your only option with me. I can do distance readings much more quickly than my in-person schedule allows.

They both share one important advantage: price. I don’t keep an office or work in a storefront. Without that overhead, I can keep my prices low. Without an office, I have to set some common limits that also help me keep my costs down, your access up, and both of our stress at a minimum. That is why in-person sessions schedule at least 24 hours in advance and why I have a clear service area for parties and in-home individual readings. Tarot may be a spiritual thing, but being a professional reader has a business side. Transparent business policies and a high degree of professionalism are an advantage to BOTH my in-person and distance Tarot readings.

Seasons Change

The year is young! The Four Seasons reading is still available and can help you navigate the energies ahead.

Since it is past New Year’s Day, I’ve discounted the Four seasons email reading to $20, but when the Equinox comes, both this layout and the special price disappears for a season or so.

Order yours HERE .

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Updated “about” page

My readings won’t tell you what is going to happen in life. They help you figure out what to do when life happens.

All of my readings have the same basic structure. Distance and in-person sessions give the same identical information. The only difference is convenience (email does not require an appointment) and the ability to ask questions in real time rather than emails back and forth.

All readings have these same basic parts.

  • Photo (or drawing) of your unique card layout
  • General pattern: any messages from the overall layout
  • Card-by-card discussion: meaning, layout position meaning, type of message from that card (advice, caution, validation, etc)
  • Affirmation based on your cards
  • Sigil elements: any shapes or sketches that intuition gives, if any. You may use these as elements to create a sigil for yourself if you like.
  • Psychic Summary: this allows for any impressions that come from intuition whether it is related to the cards or not. Often this includes helpful crystal, color, and aromatherapy suggestions.

Allow 45-60 minutes for an in-person session. All prices are flat rate, not per minute so you know your full cost up front. Appointment required for in-person and Party Tarot.

Distance readings are my specialty. As a writer, a keyboard is a direct-dial hotline into the best of my thinking and intuition. Since I can do this kind of reading almost anywhere, I do them all of the time, usually filling orders within hours, no appointment needed. I can type out a reading as easily as speaking it out loud in person, and give exactly the same information in both.

The small print: All the usual policies and disclaimers apply to all readings, Reiki sessions and meditation tutorials. The short version is that everything here is for entertainment, personal enrichment or spiritual practices, and does not ever diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any mental or physical illness. Nothing here can take the place of professional medical care. I don’t accept medical or pregnancy questions because Tarot just doesn’t work for that kind of thing. When you contact me, that indicates that you agree to the policies and use these services at your own risk; no liability of any sort is accepted.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy 2020!

Click play to see the cards for this reading. If you were to order a Four Seasons distance reading for yourself, it would work exactly like this one, except it would be a photo of your unique card layout, not a video of the card draw.

The Cards Are:

  • Winter (now-March) The Hermit
  • Spring (March – June) Queen of Pentacles
  • Summer (June – September) Ace of Swords
  • Fall (September – December) The Empress
  • Year (as a whole) The Sun

General Pattern

Every year, it has been fun to play with the idea of predictions. With all the social media zeitgeists, precedent defying politics here in the U.S. and assorted crisis around the world, the energies look like a swarm of tiny tornadoes more than any clear path. This is more like a weather report than a prediction about how 2020 will go. The word “unstable” comes to mind just now. When I drew the cards, I did with the intention that this reading will help someone somewhere who reads it, and capture the energies well enough to help us all navigate what could be a truly unpredictable time.

Three major arcana cards hint that it will be a high energy year, again my attention is drawn to volitility. Major arcana cards typically hint at big energies, and times of significant choices. I am reminded of that adage of where there is chaos there is opportunity. In some readings I’ve done lately there has been a ‘choose’ energy…lots of opportunities, lots to choose from. In this case, it feels like it is hard to choose because every time you do, the rub moves out from under you. The sense of it is “choice is your security, but entrench at your peril”. Choose, pick a direction, choose SOMEthing to be your guiding star. That inner structure, that skeleton, will be your salvation among the chaos, BUT remain adaptable. Be willing to change, adapt. In my minds eye, I see that contest show “Face Off” where they make masks and costumes. They have a ridged cast of their models face, and they design the costume in clay on the form underneath for a custom fit. If things don’t work with the original design, they change the clay on top and make changes, but the solid form underneath stays the same so the end product still fits the model, no matter how many times the initial clay design changed. The same seems important here, for this year as a whole…the Sun represents steadiness. Usually the format for a reading is to talk about an individual card in it’s turn. Yet, here, the sun and stability steps forward right away in the ‘general pattern’ part of the reading structure. So we adapt. But we keep to the structure otherwise so we can move through the reading in a way that makes sense. (If you would like more behind the scenes information about how all of my readings are structured, click TaoCraft Portfolio free download)

The minor arcana cards include two special cards, a queen and an ace. Pentacles (in some decks coins) resonate with the element of earth, and reflect our relationship with the material world. Swords resonate with the element of air and can hint at either action, intellect or our relationship with culture and authority. For both of these cards I feel pulled more to ward the more contemporary relationship with the material world / culture than with the older elemental associations.

Winter

The Hermit is a good card for winter time. Winter is a time when maximum yin energy is the norm. The weather is cold, we naturally hibernate a bit. While we are home in our cozy clothes, sipping tea or hot chocolate or what have you, it is a good time to think and plan. Activity is largely mental and intellectual. The light on the Hermit card seems very important. Read, listen, watch…however you take in new ideas and inspiration, do that. Think of gathering wood in the distant past. It was fuel for not only survival, but preparation for the coming spring. Feed your mind and creativity, gather what you need and get the rest you need so you can spring into action. Once the winter passes and the energy shifts, the shift happens quickly. Here I get mental images of Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, and the starter’s gun at a track meet sprint.

Spring

The Queen of Coins is all about “hearth and home”. Queens are a caretaking, nurturing sort of leadership. The energy points to “bloom where you are planted” particularly where work and career is concerned. If you want a change, it is a time to lay a foundation to make a smart, safe move later in the year. This is not the energy for a flamboyant walk-out. If you are thinking more in terms of promotion or working within the system where you are, this is your time to shine. I can’t quite pull it into focus, but there is a reference to some saying about a lotus blooming in mud. Be the lotus in spite of the mud. Energies are favorable for making the most of things as they are. If that doesn’t work, keep an eye out, lay the foundations for opportunities to present themselves later on. There is also a sense of literally staying near home. Staycationing might be a better choice than traveling.

Summer

The Ace of Swords has to do with creation, creativity. Steve Jobs making a ding in the universe comes to mind here. Swords denote action, but at the same time are association with doing, making, creating, and our relationship with culture and society at large. If you are a politically active rabble rouser…get to rousing, Civic duty looms large, be in a campaign, which of course speaks directly to the US presidential primary. This is politics as bloodsport, no one can stay on the sidelines. It really is the crisis the media has portrayed it to be. “Things are getting real up in here” comes to mind.

On a more personal level, if you have been wanting to shake things up, and the “bloom where you planted” energy just isn’t working out, this energy is more favorable to make a move, especially if you have done your homework and laid your foundation during the winter and spring months. That energy feels especially strong later in the season, and may spill over into the Fall.Do it right. Do it with courage, strength and integrity. This is your time to put your ding in the universe. Rise.

Fall

The Empress is about nature but also about bringing about something new. Often the card is associated is motherhood, and the Empress on the card is often drawn pregnant. It feels like coming to term. This was one fast growing baby (flash pop culture reference: Renesmee in Twilight.) There is a sense of completion or coming to full term. Here all the swirling energies start to find their footing again, and all the changing and adapting may slow just a bit. Projects prepared for in the winter/spring, and begun in the summer will either come to completion in the fall or come to a place where you can more reliably see the road ahead. Decisions become a bit easier, planning moves from short term fast adapting to something more long term.

Year

The Sun card stepped forward early. The advice about having strong inner armature that is able to adapt and change very much stands. Now I see jointed armature for a statue…a bendable metal skeleton that holds the weight of the sculpting clay that can also move and change. The early appearance of the card was a reassurance for us. As chaotic as the spring and summer may be compared to winter and fall, the sun always rises, where there is yang there is yin, chaos rises, chaos falls. I’m not touching the election results with a 20 foot pole, but whichever result there is, the response will be vigorous. There will either be great ecstacy, or a deep entrenchment and readying for more storms to come. Either way, Fall will let the pressures of spring and summer escape for a time. There will be a relief of knowing, a moment for a breath, then move on to whatever is next.

The pattern seems to be think and prepare, decide, adapt, do, adapt, see results, then adapt some more within that end of year fullness, fulfillment and respite.

I hope this helps somewhat for someone somewhere somehow.

In any case, I wish you all a very happy,

Q&A: What is the “sigil element” in the reading?

inkmagicksigil

Q: I like that you put extras like crystals, aromatherapy, and an affirmation in your handwritten Tarot readings, but what is the “sigil element”? What is that for and what does it do? 

A: I’m sorry I didn’t explain that part more clearly.

When I do in-person readings, I always write notes for the client to have. That lets me draw or doodle any abstract shapes or images that intuition may give during the reading. Most images in a reading are common and easy to describe like ‘rain’ or ‘a tree’ or ‘a teapot’ or what have you. Sometimes I get abstract shapes that hint at a concept and look like schematics or hieroglyphs.  For example, I might get a stair step image to show progress that starts and stops, or a “Y” shape that hints at a fork in the road kind of decision. The sigil element above is an example. It came to mind when I first began developing the “InkMagick” readings a few years ago. It represents a quill pen and paper, while the lines and dots symbolize it being digitized and sent by email. Thanks to new tech that converts my handwriting and doodles right into a .pdf file, now I can share those intuitive shapes in a distance reading the same as in an in-person session or a pen and paper reading.

Around the same time, I discovered sigils and began working with them for my own use. Because I am so new to the art, I don’t claim to be able to create fully formed sigils for clients. I really think sigils are most powerful when you create them for yourself, anyway.

I share the intuitive shapes, psych-a-doodles, sigil elements…whatever you want to call them… for two reasons. First and foremost to better show you what intuition is showing me. Second, I hope the image will inspire the visual, creative side of you.

Which still begs the basic question: What the heck is a sigil anyway?

Sigils are essentially drawn designs that are thought to have some sort of esoteric power or energy, and can act as a talisman or amulet. In other words, it is a shape or symbol that you design in order to attract something into your life or to influence your life experience in some way. The confusing part is the word sigil itself. It can mean old (medieval or earlier) symbols traditionally believed to name and summon demons in ritual magick. The more modern sense of the word still means power symbols, but instead of summoning demons in complicated occult rituals, these contemporary sigils can be used to focus your energy on a particular outcome. It all has to do with your intentions. So like anything intention and energy driven, set your intent clearly in your mind from the very beginning, and stay focused on being a source of light and love throughout the process. Do that, and it is pretty unlikely anything shaggy and goat-headed will show up at your doorstep.

Intention is everything. Intend the loving highest and best. It’s that simple.

That is the theory of it. Now for the nuts and bolts of it.

First decide what you want the sigil to do. Draw it. Activate it. Let it go. It is like a metaphysical Ron Popiel gadget…set it and forget it.

It is up to you how simple or fancy you want to be. You can use a calligraphy brush on fine rice paper, or a ballpoint on a napkin.

You can use some sort of method for creating the sigil, like drawing lines on a grid that corresponds to letters of a key word. You can just draw a collection of smaller meaningful symbols (lines, spirils, crescents, circles and so on) or you can combine letters and shapes.

After you create and draw your sigil, some action is taken to “activate it.” The activation process usually ends with the sigil drifting into your subconscious mind. Tradition holds that it is the subconscious intention that connects with the universe to manifest your intended outcome.

Activation takes all sorts of forms. Some will simply fold up the paper and carry it. The simple act of possessing the symbol in its written form gives it the activation energy. Sometimes sigils are printed on a commonly used object like a shirt or a mug so that when the object is used, the sigil’s intention is energized as well. Some will burn the paper to release the sigil’s energy to the universe to be manifested.

There are many ways of creating and activating sigils. The details are outside the scope of one blog post, so I would suggest reading the experts below for more details if you are interested in sigil making.

In my experience, the real value of a sigil is going through the process of designing it in the first place, however you ultimately use or activate it. It is a creative, expressive process. It converts your desires from verbal to non-verbal form and lets you engage with those desires in an emotional, visceral way that words alone can’t quite capture.

I call the doodles “sigil elements” for lack of a better name. I also hope that they hold more energy for you than simple illustrations. I hope you can use the sigil element to create your own power symbol, or at least think about spirit’s guidance in a way beyond words alone.

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