Tag: biography

Meet Your Reader Fall & Winter ’24

The seasonal hello: reintroducing myself, the website and the blog

The holiday season is zooming in and our first glimpse of snow is forecast for tomorrow. Time flies when you are having fun – or having occasional existential crises as the case may be. I hope it is the former and not the latter for you.

I‘ve recently restarted the Substack again. They say third time is the charm. I’m not charging for it, but at the same time I’m hoping it will appeal to people who don’t care for algorithm driven social media or the traditional blogosphere.

Speaking of social media, I’m Sage.Sips on Bluesky now too. Still on the meta platforms, Tumblr and YouTube with no plans to leave. Bluesky is the most enjoyable at the moment and the best place to actually interact if you want to say hi.

Given the new-ish newsletter, new social media and impending new season it seems time to do yet another refresh and re-introduction. If you are new, welcome. If you’ve been here – you have my deepest thanks.

Hi! I’m Sage.

I’m also the author of Sage Sips blog, PeaceTarot and TaoCraft Portfolio

I’ve been reading Tarot cards since around 1992 which adds up to 30 years of experience with intuition development (!)

I didn’t originally start out to be a Tarot reader (who does?) At first I did readings for friends (why PAY for it when you can DIY it?) A close friend suggested I go online with my readings (forever grateful!) I’ve offered professional psychic Tarot readings through Keen, Advice Trader and AllExperts under my old internet handle, Baihu. After doing hundreds of online readings (I stopped counting at 400 and that was a long time ago) I opened my own Tarot practice with ModernOracleTarot.com, the Tarotbytes blog and the now-defunct Quirk & Flotsam shop on Etsy. It was all good, but had become a hodge-podge of things over the years. In 2018 I leveled it all and re-branded everything as TaoCraft Tarot featuring the Sage Sips blog.

The TaoCraft name is drawn from my love of Taoist philosophy. My work will always be guided by the principles of simplicity, authenticity, and kindness. The name is also a nod to magical craft and my favorite hobby, knitting.

Sage is a pen name, which protects both of our privacy. White christian nationalism and evangelical bigotry are a reality here in the US. I want this to be a safe space for you. While religion and certain politics are not permitted in readings, I want my writing and online presence to feel warm and welcoming to anyone interested in the subject of Tarot. My strict privacy policy and use of a pen name is a part of that.

The herb sage has a comforting, familiar scent and flavor that most of us know from breakfast sausages and holiday turkeys.

In aromatherapy, Sage incense and essential oil can clear negative energy, calm anxiety and promote a feeling well being.

Most of all, the word sage means something or someone who is wise. The word sage speaks to all of the wisdom that Tarot can bring to our lives.

Comfort, calmness, wisdom and a feeling that things are going to be alright are all qualities that I hope you’ll experience when you read the blog or read your personalized Tarot email.

I’m Sage Sips on Substack and some version of Sage.Sips or SageSipsBlog on all of the usual socials. Party, phone and in-person readings are currently closed, please follow the blog for further details.

Click HERE if you would like to order a private reading by email, no appointment needed.

Blurry Time ’23: Meet Your Reader

Using blurry-time to reintroduce myself. Hello & Happy Holidays!

Happy Festivus to all who celebrate! Welcome to what I’m calling Blurry Time ’23. Elfcon is over, the preparations are done. It’s all cookies and coffee from here.

I subscribe to Outlined, the web comic by Chaz Hutton. My favorite comic is the drawing of a December calendar page where the second half is basically a bunch of wiggly lines.

That perfectly captures the feel of the season. Even for those of us working a normal day job schedule, there is a sense of shared down time and camaraderie among those out and about actually doing the things for that week between Christmas eve and New Years day.

It’s truly liminal space and time. It is magical time. It is time disconnected from time – or something like that.

2023 as a whole felt very liminal and transitional. It was a blurry-ish year moving from the extended pandemic / dumpster fire years 2020-22 (2016-22 if you live in the U.S.) We’ll get back to how 2024 is looking when we do the annual just-for-fun (and wishful thinking) year-ahead Tarot reading next weekend (-ish)

In the meantime, I want to use blurry time to bridge years.

2023 was the first full year of Sage Words Tarot. I want to circle back around and use the blurry time re-introduce it all for the bright, shiny new year on the way.

I don’t know why – probably no reason at all – but it always seems to start with musing about names.

Hi! I’m Sage.

I’m also a Tarot reader and author of Sage Sips blog with its “Tarot contemplation in the time it takes to sip your coffee.”

I’ve been reading Tarot and oracle cards since around 1992 which adds up to 30 years of experience with Tarot and intuition development (!)

I didn’t originally start out to be a Tarot reader (who does?) At first, I did readings for myself and friends (why PAY for it when you can DIY it?) After close friend suggested I go online with my readings (eternal gratitude!) I offered psychic Tarot readings through Keen, Advice Trader and AllExperts under my old internet handle, Baihu. After doing hundreds of online readings (I stopped counting after 400) I opened my own Tarot practice in 2003 which grew to include ModernOracleTarot.com, the Tarotbytes blog and the now-defunct Quirk & Flotsam shop on Etsy.

It was all good, but had become a hodge-podge of names and logos over the years. Then along came the Covid pandemic and changed things even more. After a short interim as TaoCraft Tarot (2018-2023) I’ve been working as SageWordsTarot.com and writing Sage Sips blog ever since.

TaoCraft lingers in layout names. TaoCraft was drawn from my love of Taoist philosophy. My Tarot work will always be guided by the principles of simplicity, authenticity, and kindness. It was also drawn from my affinity for solitary eclectic witchcraft. The TaoCraft name means a lot to me, but not so much to anyone else who sees it and that’s a problem because these Tarot readings aren’t about me – they are for YOU and about YOU.

Sage is a pen name, which helps to protect our privacy. Christian nationalism and religious bigotry is a very real thing here in America. I will do all I can to make this a safe space for everyone, especially for the lgbtquia+ community and those of us who are not Christian.

The herb sage has a comforting, familiar scent and flavor that most of us know from home cooking and holiday turkeys.

In aromatherapy, sage incense and essential oil can clear negative energy, calm anxiety and promote a feeling of general well being.

The word sage also means something or someone who is wise. The word sage describes the wise advice Tarot gives.

Safety, comfort, calmness, wisdom and a feeling that things are going to be alright are all qualities I hope you’ll experience when you read the blog, visit my social media or best of all get a private reading of your own .

Click HERE if you would like to order a private Tarot reading by email, no appointment needed.

Click HERE to schedule a flat rate ($40) in-person, phone or online reading (valid email required to participate)

Click HERE to subscribe to Sage Sips membership on Ko-fi to get discounted email readings, free one card readings, and exclusive content on the ko-fi blog.

Enter your email in the right hand column (or scroll down on mobile) to get new posts in your inbox as they happen. If you prefer a once weekly digest please subscribe to Sage Sips on Substack

Re-introductions are in order: #KofiChallenge 2022

Welcome to TaoCraft Tarot – reintroductions for 2022

The blog, the podcast, and the YouTube channel are free for everyone. None of those things are monetized one bit. I do, however have a ko-fi page that supports those things. Your reading purchases supports me and my time in creating the free content, but the ko-fi goes towards additional expenses like web hosting, replacing dead headphones and the like.

Ko-fi has “challenges” that are both inspirational creator prompts and a way to get both our names into social media. This month’s “challenge” was to reintroduce our page on that blog. I thought it might be a good time for a small reintroduction here, too.

This is the ko-fi post:

The Ko‑fi blog suggested re-introducing our page for the new year and their January “challenge”. I think it is a great idea. If you are new to TaoCraft Tarot, this will give you some extra context. Welcome. I am SO glad you are here.

If you have followed my work for a while – wow! You are something special. Thank you from the bottom of my Tarot-lovin’ heart!! I am SO glad you are here.

But anyway, my name is Ronda. I read Tarot, write Stuff and make things.

The ko-fi tip mug, shop and memberships all go to support the no-charge Tarot content that I create under the TaoCraft Tarot name on multiple platforms: blog, podcast, YouTube channel and social media. None of these are directly monetized so Ko-fi is my only support for this no-charge, free-for-everyone content. I do offer private readings by email, online video call, and (pre-covid) in-person sessions in the PIttsburgh, PA, USA area. The readings subsidize the time I spend writing and posting the free content, but the ko-fi page goes toward web hosting and any production costs (like replacing the headphones that died mid-video that one time)

Most of TaoCraft is Tarot content. I’ve been reading cards since 1991 or so, professionally since the early 2000s. I’ve self-published a small how-to ebook “PeaceTarot” that teaches you to do daily meditation one card readings for yourself for stress reduction (it’s in the shop if you are interested.)

My style of reading Tarot is influenced by Taoism, Zen, and my background in Reiki and Tai Chi. My Tarot reading style is very calm and no-drama as a result. These readings are all about advice, guidance, inspiration and making good choices that can help you to create the future you want, not predict it. Like I always say, “Tarot doesn’t tell you what will happen in life. Tarot helps you figure out what to do when life happens.”

Before 2018, my work was a patchwork of things: Modern Oracle Tarot, handmade meditation beads and jewelry for Quirk & Flotsam Esty shop, with natural health, Reiki and meditation tutorials and ebooks under my name. Since Halloween 2018 everything has been re-branded and bundled together under the TaoCraft name and owl-themed logos.

The pandemic brought changes here just like everywhere. I’ve put party reading on hold until further notice and cut waaayyyy back on individual in-person readings. To make up for the difference, I’ve made improvements in the online parts of TaoCraft Tarot thanks to things like Zoom and the expanded services here on ko-fi. Thanks to your support, progress will continue through 2022 with streamlined ordering for email private readings, learn tarot online classes, and more ebook titles.

One of those upcoming titles is TaoCraft Portfolio. It will tell you all about the philosophy and mechanics of this style of Tarot and probably more about my background than you want to know. In a nutshell, I started out as a physician assistant in psychiatry and cardiology. Then I went back to school by way of remote learning before remote learning was cool. In 2011, I was awarded a Ph.D in Natural Health from Clayton College of Natural Health for my dissertation Reiki and Relaxation (also in the ko-fi shop.) I have taught Tai Chi in the past, and have been a Reiki Master-practitioner since 2000. I still offer distance Reiki through the TaoCraft Tarot website, but meditation & natural health workshops and tutorials are still on pandemic hold. Like Rachel Maddow says “Watch this space.” for announcements as things come back online in days to come.

That’s pretty much it. I occasionally write for my personal just-for-fun blog “Stuff” on http://www.RondaJSnow.me Other than Reiki, that’s where the natural health part of things lives for now.

Thank you so much for reading through all of this! If you have any questions or are interested in a private reading feel free to get in touch here, through the contact on the blog, on Instagram (@TaoCraft.Tarot) or on Twitter (@TaoCraftTarot)

See you at the next sip!

The Un-selfie Psychic

I hate having my picture taken.

Always have, it seems. One of my favorite photos from when I was about 6 or 7 was the whole family seated against the wall at grandma’s house, looking oh so 1970s. Mom, Dad, and my 2 year old sister had enormous “say cheese!” grins. Mom also had her arm around my waist with me in full sprint position making a break for it, fast exit stage right. I won’t tell you how old the picture below is, but it will have to do because I don’t do selfies. I’m trying to make myself do one of those speech to camera introductions for a TaoCraft YouTube channel, but we’ll cross that bridge later. Much later.

It is only slightly less excruciating to write a bio for a book or what have you. I hadn’t updated mine in ages. I copied and pasted the “Meet Your Reader” page right from the old Modern Oracle page. I mean, ewww, right?

But logic finally won. Updated the old bio this afternoon. It’s below.

As long as I’m introducing Reiki and meditation to TaoCraft Tarot, might as well reintroduce myself to you so you’ll know who is coming to your reading or your party, or is behind the cards for your distance session.

*Deep Breath*

Here goes….nice to meet you

MEET YOUR READER

Read Client Reviews

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My name is Ronda. I read Tarot, write things, and make stuff.

I started out with no intention of reading cards professionally. I have a Bachelor of Science in Medical Science, 13 years clinical experience as a physician assistant in psychiatry and interventional cardiology, a non-accredited Ph.D in Natural Health, Reiki Master-practitioner certification, U.L.C. ordination and am a retired Tai Chi instructor. The original idea was to do Natural Health Consultations. Natural, holistic health is all about mind, body and spirit in balance. There are lots of practitioners out there who can help physical heath. As it turns out, my calling is to help emotions and spirit through the art and entertainment of Tarot.

In the early 90s, when I was working in mainstream medicine, I began reading Tarot and oracle cards for my own spiritual development. That, and the fact I was too cheap to pay overpriced phone bills and have psychic friends to do it for me. Turns out I have a knack for it. After reading for friends and family, my best friend encouraged me to try reading online. In the early 2000s I did readings under the handle “Baihu” on Keen, Advice Trader, and Allexperts. When my Ph.D dissertation expenses came along, I took the next logical step, started to work for myself, and Modern Oracle Tarot was born. The extensive Tarotbytes blog archives are still available if you are interested.

In October of 2018, I brought Reiki and meditation under the same cyber roof as my tarot work, transforming Modern Oracle into the TaoCraft Tarot you see today.

That’s the “I read Tarot” part.

Things I’ve written includes the old “Tarotbytes” blog, the blog at RondaSnow.com, Modern Oracle: Hello, Peace Tarot, my dissertation Reiki and Relaxation and Bead Mindful, Begin Meditating. PeaceTarot is available in the etsty shop with other titles coming soon.  PeaceTarot and my poetry collection “Triquetra: The Dance of Worlds” are already on amazon.com for Kindle. I have written  articles about Natural Health for Point of Light magazine, and about Tarot for Find Your Psychic e-zine. My poetry has been in magazines and contest anthologies including Kindred Magazine, Nature’s Echoes, Quicksilver Moon, and Sparrowgrass Poetry Forum.

Now for the making stuff…

I make handcrafted meditation beads (mala) for your meditation practice or to go with the meditation lessons offered here. You can find them in TaoCraft T.arot Shop  on Etsy. I also knit and make handmade jewelry as a hobby. Some of those projects are in the shop too.

Now we’ve come to the part where author’s bios put some jazzy 3rd person comment about where I live and and stuff…

Ronda lives in the Pittsburgh suburbs with her musician / concert photographer / computer genius husband, her yarn stash and a deep dislike for doing yard work.

I hope we can work together soon.