Tag: about taocraft tarot

TaoCraft Tarot Credo

Wabi sabi is wonderful

Of course, the first time I heard the term, my first thought was the green paste that comes with sushi, which I also adore.

As I understand it, Wabi Sabi is a Japanese aesthetic style that embraces the rustic and imperfect. Kintsugi is an art form based in that style (and philosophy, really) where broken things are repaired but the joint are accented with precious metals.

Beautiful!

I’ve admired Japanese and Chinese culture for ages. Time and time and time again Taoism and Zen (Ch’an) has proven true for me and added to the quality of my life. I’ve gone back to it so many times, Imma stay right here (hence the re-branding name change thing.)

To my mind, wabi sabi is very much akin to the smiling Lau Tzu in the classic print “The Vinegar Tasters.” Sure, vinegar tastes sour and bitter, but OK…that is exactly how vinegar is supposed to taste. Sure, things get broken, but OK…we can fix it as best as we can and maybe make it into something better. Sure, life has its bumps, lumps, asymmetries, cracks, hiccups and outright disasters, but OK….that is what life is. As @officialmadamadam said on Instagram, “Shit doesn’t happen to you, shit just happens” or as Ajahn Sumedho titled his book Don’t Take Your Life Personally or as Duane Toops and Jim Martin have said in The Unusual Buddha podcast and social media “embrace the suck.”

Big recommends for all three sources.

But, as always, it begs the question of what does THAT have to do with Tarot. This is a Tarot blog for goodness’ sake.

It is about the pop culture perception of a fortune teller’s predictions vs the true spiritual nature and practical use of our native intuition (and the tools like Tarot that helps us to access that intuition)

Tarot can’t make the sour taste sweet, but it can help us to appreciate a good pickle every now and then. Tarot can’t tell you what is going to break or when, but it can help you put it all back together in time.

In-person readings and party Tarot readings are closed due to substantial delta covid community transmission. In-person services will re-open when community transmission returns to low as reported in CDC data. Because science.

Meanwhile, email no appointment needed distance Tarot is available to order 24/7 and LIVE online/phone readings are available by appointment

TaoCraft Portfolio: Authenticity

Authenticity is the whole reason that I re-branded from Modern Oracle Tarot to TaoCraft Tarot. It is an unfortunate reality that psychics and Tarot readers can be a target for all sorts of biases. We are often caught in the crossfire between religious fundamentalists who are convinced we are all evil and pedantic would-be skeptics who think we are all criminal. When I began in-person work in 2003, I had a whole laundry list of reasons to do so with a low profile inoffensive public image.

By 2018 that list had changed. By then, Modern Oracle no longer reflected who I am or the kind of Tarot work I want to do. I still don’t intend to deliberately offend anyone, but I am no longer willing to dilute my work to spare other people’s exaggerated sensitivities. Some places still require us to use the “for entertainment only” disclaimer. Tarot is entertainment because it really is a lot of fun. It is also much more. Tarot is a genuine expression of spirituality and life philosophy. Being honest is more important than being inoffensive. Integrity is more important than expanding market appeal.

Authenticity circles right back to the core premise of TaoCraft Portfolio. How do you find the right Tarot reader for you?

Professionalism and transparent business practices is a good place to start. If you are looking for entertainment, then a good stage personality is all it takes. But if you want a reading because you need honest to goodness guidance, both professionalism and personality matter. You wouldn’t want to talk about sensitive emotional or spiritual issues with someone who holds ideals that you find repellent.

I am Taoist, Zen, and solitary eclectic all in one. I was raised evangelical, but I’ve been an atheist for decades now. Science works regardless of what we believe. I am a LGBTQIA+ ally. Black lives matter. There is a climate crisis caused by humans and we must do everything we can to live in balance with nature. Women’s rights are human rights, especially reproductive choice. Healthcare is a universal human right. Shit happens, but love is love, and compassion is the one measure of it all.

You may think it odd that I want to come out and say these things so explicitly. You may think it is odd that anyone would care about such things. Still, if we know there are no unexpected cultural or political landmines, then we can do the reading from safe, solid ground. Both of us can relax. If any of these things anger you or offend your religious sensibilities, then I’m not the right Tarot reader for you. If you don’t mind this worldview (or maybe even agree with it) great! Let’s get started!

The free download version of TaoCraft Portfolio explains all of the basics about TaoCraft Tarot: descriptions of a session, a sample reading, explanation of the layouts, policies and so on. The “About” page in the menu gives you the same information but also has background pages about philosophy. The full expanded version of TaoCraft Portfolio will be available in the Shop late 2020 and has all of the “about” information collected in one place but adds expanded essays about philosophy and the occasional peek behind the scenes of Tarot readings.

TaoCraft Portfolio Free Download 2.0Download