Sage Sips is Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip your coffee. Today please enjoy this behind the scenes look at how I believe long distance Tarot actually works.
Q: The email readings sound interesting, but how can you read me if we aren’t together?
A: The distance between us doesn’t matter because I’m not reading you directly, I’m reading universal energy or spirit for you, on your behalf. This is the same kind of universal life energy that they talk about in Reiki, Tai Chi, qi gong, acupuncture, yoga, etc. This energy is everywhere, and if you are still alive you are connected to it and a part of it. You and I are within that energy field during your reading, no matter how physically separated we might seem or how long our conversation takes.
Star Wars wasn’t far off with “The Force”
Time and space are a connected thing. Modern physics has called it the space-time continuum. Time is as whole and connected as space. It doesn’t matter if our reading together unfolds in real time across a table or in a phone call or if the conversation unfolds slowly though emails or snail mail, the core ideas are the same. Distance Tarot works with the biggest of big pictures. We might be on opposite sides of the Earth and still be in the same energy together. We might write paper letters back and forth like they did a hundred years ago but the reading is still helpful even if takes months to unfold. It is all interconnected and valid.
The words and ideas of any reading are exactly the same regardless of whether I say them out loud, type them into an email or write them on paper.
There are a few differences between distance and in-person readings. The first is the way that you enjoy receiving your message, not in the message itself. It might depend on your mood or personality style. Phone or in-person sessions tend to be light, chatty, and friendly. They are great for when you are feeling outgoing and craving some social conversation. Written readings are private and intense. Written words amplify the emotion and magic of the moment. They are a good match for book lovers and busy, stressed people who need a moment to relax or anyone who just wants a little ‘me time.’
All of my distance Tarot readings include a follow-up email to answer any questions you might have.
The best suggestion I have is to give it a try. My five card readings would last close to an hour in person, but only cost what most psychics charge for 15 to 30 minutes.
Starting January 2025, the business portion of TaoCraft Tarot that offered in-person, party, phone and live online Tarot readings has closed.
Email readings are still available at very affordable prices and no appointment needed. Private readings, ko-fi memberships and ko-fi virtual coffee all support this blog, this website and the Substack newsletter to keep these Tarot readings free for you to read without paywalls.
Sage Sips is Tarot in the time it takes to sip your coffee
I’m sitting here with a cup of coffee and a slice of leftover pizza (the breakfast of champions) wishing I had some earth shaking Tarot insight, brilliant read or the year ahead, or at least some good advice to offer.
After the traditional playing of U2’s “New Years Day” I have to admit Bono is right in the lyrics “nothing changes on New Year’s Day”.
You know what is same-est thing about New Years Day? It is the way everything changes on New Years Day – and every other day too.
Shift your inner perception, and the whole universe can look just a tiny bit different.
That being said, I still don’t have any particular wisdom to offer about 2025. I don’t have anything to say about today, except to let it be what it is, whatever it is. If it is exactly like yesterday, that’s OK. If it is a profound new beginning, wonderful! If it sucks in uncountable ways, I’m sorry. I feel you. We just have to hold on to the notion that it will suck a little less eventually. It’s New Years Day, and like any other day, it is whatever it is: joyous, tragic, or kinda average.
One of the things I like about Taoist philosophy is the way it embraces seemingly opposite things as part of a bigger wholeness. Today may be a brand new beginning. Today might be the pit of despair. Today might be a massive hangover. Whatever it is, it is part of the biggest big picture. Whatever it is you are not alone. Whatever today may be, old days are still with us and tomorrow brings another new day. Yet still, today is all we have. Might as well be at peace with it.
Whatever this new year may actually turn out to be, my hope and my wish for all of us is for a time of health, happiness, safety and ease.
Happy New Year, everyone!
If a Tarot reading would help you find your way through New Years Day and all of the other days, I’m here. Distance readings are my specialty, so they are open and available to order all of the time.
Most orders are delivered to your email within 24 hours. I’m not a big business, a scam or a media maven, so I don’t have ‘a team’ It’s just me, my laptop, my cards and my intuition. Sometimes there might be delays depending on the day job, holidays with family, needing to sleep and whatnot.
Thanks so much for reading! Please support this Tarot work: Any virtual coffees or private reading orders support this blog, the free readings on social media and the non-monetized YouTube channel.
Tarot open for the holidays, no appointment needed.
Add “open during the holidays” to the list of advantages
Why email Tarot?
As good as (probably better) than in person sessions: 100% of my intuition is focused on your message without distractions.
Convenient: order anytime, no appointment needed. Most readings arrive within 24 hours of receiving your order.
Private: engage with your Tarot message in a timely and place that is right for you
Comfortable: get your reading with all the comforts of home. No travel, no appointment, no stress
Great for first time readings: get an easy sip of Tarot to see if it is right for you
Affordable: no physical location means lower costs – I pass the savings on to you.
Best for book lovers: email Tarot is a reader’s reading.
Why Email Tarot?
It’s my specialty: My email readings are equally as good & probably better than live sessions. For me, typing or handwriting the reading is a relaxed mindset closer to channeling or automatic writing. I can fully engage with the intuition and energy without having to reserve bandwidth for spoken language or social interaction. The intuition is more intense and flowing on my end, giving you a richer, more expressive reading experience. At minimum, any distance format will give you the SAME reading as you would in person – but at a fraction of the cost.
Q: How can you read me if we aren’t together?
A: The distance between us doesn’t matter because I’m not reading you, I’m reading energy or spirit to get guidance on your behalf. Spirit energy is universal, it’s everywhere all at the same time, physical distance doesn’t matter.
The words are the same whether I say them out loud, type them into an email or write them on paper. The only difference is the way in which you enjoy receiving your message, not in the message itself.
Phone sessions tend to be social, light, chatty, friendly. Your questions are answered in the moment as we go along. Written or recorded readings are private, powerful and intense. Written words amplify the emotion and magick of the moment. All distance Tarot readings include a follow-up email to answer any questions you might have.
Free for you now: The archives are free to explore with the search bar on the right of this page (scroll down on mobile) There are years of general audience / collective energy Tarot readings to browse. Those might hold the answer you need. At the very least it will give you a sense if we are a good match to work together on a larger, personalized reading. “Ask Me Anything” using the contact form on the AMA page. That gets a FREE Tarot inspired answer in the blog, no promises about when it will post. It is a public post, but all identifying information is removed to protect your privacy as best as we can.
PRO TIP: scroll the entire readings list! I have lots of layout options to fit any question or any budget!Readings from $5 – $40total cost. Order yours HERE
It’s my specialty: My distance readings are equally as good & probably better than in-person sessions. You get the SAME reading as you would in person but at a fraction of the cost. Intensely private, distance readings engage your intuition, imagination and emotions in a way that live readings cannot. You can re-visit the document or video multiple times for greater understanding. Hectic schedule? First time for a Tarot reading and feeling uncertain? Just not feeling social? These readings are perfect for you.
Convenient: No appointment is needed for email or video readings. Order the reading whenever you want, 24/7. Open the email (or snail mail for the InkMagick pen & paper version) and experience your reading whenever you want, as often as you want. Live phone readings are almost as easy, but require an appointment.
Affordable: With email, I can offer smaller layouts that are not available in-person. E-mail readings start as low as $5. A one card reading by email is an affordable way to sample a reading and see if you think we are a good match to work together.
By working online (or by phone) I don’t maintain a physical office space and pass those savings on to you. On the phone or live online, my five card readings last on average 45 – 60 minutes. Other readings in this price range are usually limited to 15 – 30 minutes
Private: No one sees you go anywhere. It is entirely up to you when, where and how you experience the session. Read on the fly, or turn it into “me time.”
Eco-friendly: Neither of us travel anywhere. No is gasoline is burned, no paper is used, no trees are cut. I opted for a renewable electricity provider, so there is zero carbon footprint for a distance reading!
Q: How can you read me if we aren’t together?
A: The distance between us doesn’t matter because I’m not reading you, I’m reading energy or spirit to get guidance for you. Since that spirit energy comes from outside of physical space, our proximity within physical space doesn’t matter.
The words are the same whether I say them out loud, type them into an email or write them on paper. The only difference is the way in which you enjoy receiving your message, not in the message itself. Phone sessions tend to be social, light, chatty, friendly. Your questions are answered in the moment as we go along. Written or recorded readings are private, powerful and intense. Written words amplify the emotion and magick of the moment. All distance Tarot readings include a follow-up email to answer any questions you might have.
Want to sample a reading for free? The archives are free to explore with the search bar on the right of this page (scroll down on mobile) There are years of readings to browse. You might find your answer there, or at least you can see if we are a good match to work together on new, paid private reading for you.
I have a change in my day job schedule starting in November. Here’s the plan, such as it is.
Email Private Tarot is STILL open for orders 24/7, no appointment needed. Order anytime at the link above the video. Delivery times will vary depending on when your order comes through – I’m one real person doing real world readings for you, so holidays, nights and weekends slow things down a little bit.
In-person, phone and online readings are still by appointment only and schedule a few days in advance.
There are STILL free “Zombie Cat” Tarot readings in the blog now through October 31, 2023 for anyone brave enough to leave a comment (or use the Ask Me Anything page) with a nickname and question for the cards. It’s all just for Halloween funsies, entertainment only. Zombie Cat’s readings are 100% guaranteed to contain words and have 50% chance of being dead wrong
I’m dropping the week ahead readings (for a while, anyway) and returning to the old daily meditation Tarot reading format from the “Tarotbytes” blog days on Modern Oracle. The Wednesday Learn With Me series and Thursday newsletter won’t change.
These daily readings aren’t about any kind of “forecast.” Daily meditation is about right here, right now. This is meditative mindfulness. This card applies to you in your moment whenever you read this. Even though I’m reading the collective energies for today, spirit or synchronicity will bring you to the card whenever YOU need its message, no matter when that is. Psychic, intuitive information comes from outside of space and time anyway. That’s why distance Tarot readings are perfectly valid and why you can get real guidance from books and blogs no matter when you read them.
Now for today’s card: Death in reverse. Death means big life changes. Reversals hint at energy that is blocked or turbulent. Change blocked doesn’t mean Hanged Man style stagnation. This feels like a simple “wait a minute.”/
It’s OK to be OK
There is a sense of solid, practical, advice life advice here all wrapped up in an avalanche of proverbs and old adages:
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Let sleeping dogs lie. Watched pots never boil.
There is nothing wrong with striving to be better. There is nothing wrong with experimentation. But you have to know your results before you make further changes. Sometimes too many changes spoil the soup just as much as too many cooks can.
“Remember kids, the only difference between science and screwing around is writing it down.” – Adam Savage
There is an urge to charge out there and take the week by storm, grab Monday by the beans and constantly strive, eyes on the prize and all of that.
Sometimes that a good thing.
Sometimes it’s good to give it a rest and enjoy the beans instead of grabbing them.
Merry Monday everyone! Cheers!
Sage Sips: Tarot contemplation for your day in the time it takes to sip your coffee.
Pictured- the author’s morning mug including home made caramel cream pumpkin pie spice.
TaoCraft Short Sip is Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee.
Welcome to TaoCraft Tarot blog and podcast. I’m glad you are here.
Today’s card is the Five of Pentacles from the classic 1909 Waite Smith Tarot.
Today’s Card seems to be asking to be put in the broader context of cards from the past few days, which in itself is a helpful message for me.
Spring is always slow for Tarot. Even after all these years, it makes me worry about taxes and bills and all the rest of it. The artwork on the card looks pretty dire, especially for a pentacles card. It can put money anxiety right in the pit of your stomach with one look. Which is kind of the point of it. The card is important for the way it acknowledges difficult times. The card doesn’t sugar coat anything. It validates any fear or worry you might be feeling. It hears you and sees you and whatever challenges life might be dumping on you right now. The card is validating but it is also reassuring. The light through the window and the church looking building in the background is intended to symbolize shelter and refuge and help available in times of need. This builds a connection to the Hope card in the “anchor rock” post and episode a few days ago.
Pentacles are earth connected and have to do with the physical realm. This points to practicality and mindfulness, in contrast to the pure emotion and melancholy we see in the five of cups. Both five cards are ominous in their own way, but the pentacles is about the practical real-world solution more than dealing with the emotion of a situation. If anything there is a sense of putting head over heart. The sanctuary in this case is the facts at hand and the cold hard reality of the present moment. That present moment focus connects with the vibe and grind, focus on what you are doing and work the problem energy from the Chariot card “Power Prompt” episode yesterday.
That is the top-line, high level message for today. If things seem bad, look at the facts and reality of the situation. It might suck, you might feel afraid and that is perfectly fine. The trick…today’s Tarot inspired life hack…is to put the fear in its place and try to not let it overwhelm your logical problem side. Let’s get literal with the image on the card. If you are poor, poorly dressed and in a snowstorm, the cold could pose a real life and death threat – but help is at hand. Shelter is right by your elbow if you can make it just a few steps more. It would be an avoidable tragedy for the figures to be so wrapped up in fear and emotion that they walk right by the life saving shelter. That is, I grant you, an overly simplified, melodramatic example but it puts small nuisance first world problems in perspective doesn’t it? Again, we have that advice from earlier cards to not make mountains out of molehills.
The thing that is interesting to me as a Tarot reader is the way this week’s cards offer you a concrete example of how Tarot readings are not tied to literal time and space. An intuitive message has unspooled over the course of days and was sent across the whole globe through the world wide webber net. Speaking of which – special hello to those of you who have viewed the website from Ireland, the UK, India, Brazil and all those other places. I appreciate you, all of you, every single reader, listener and subscriber / follower!
During this slow business, slightly confidence rattling time of year, it’s been nice for me to see this slowly evolving but still cohesive message emerge. It proves yet again that email readings really are as functional and valid as in person readings. We’ve seen it in action right here. Multiple cards connecting across space and time to give a little advice. With the energies such as they are right now, it might be all to easy to feel a little afraid. There may be very real challenges going on and storms on the horizon so to speak. This set of cards over these few days reminds us to use any help at hand, work the problem, be in the moment and keep a cool head. Don’t make mountains out of what could in time turn out to be an anthill.
If we can get cohesive inspiration from two or three cards strung out over a week and focused on a broad online and social media audience, imagine what five or seven cards in one email document focused on you individually can do.
But back to the five of pentacles. It’s a simple, straightforward reminder that even though things may be kinda terrible in some moments, help exists in the world. Keep walking and you’ll find the front door. The energy message really is akin to that old World War Two British poster to “keep calm and carry on” although it is coming through clairaudiently as “stay chill and work the problem.” Today is a day for head over heart and trying to keep fear from overwhelming the facts.
Thank you so much for listening! Your support through likes, follows, shares, questions and comments is always appreciated.
If you would like to give one of those private, individually focused email readings a try, they are available in the “no appointment needed” tab at the top of this blog page, in the menu on mobile, or on the blog website in the podcast episode description.
Or please visit the Tao Craft Tarot ko-fi page also linked in the description. Proceeds from the shop, memberships and virtual coffees are used to create this blogcast and the youtube videos of the real-world Tarot card draw that goes with each short sip post and episode.
Thanks again for reading and listening! See you at the next sip
Just started reading Be Water, My Friend by Shannon Lee about Bruce Lee. Martial arts philosophy, Taoism…SO in my wheelhouse. Just a few pages in, and already loving it.
Am thinking about reviving my personal blog “Stuff” on RondaJSnow.me to do writer-y type stuff and all of the not-tarot poopgoo and Kittenwhisker-ish type stuff. After starting this book, I might add book reviews into the mix.
I’m curious. Which would you guys like better? Surf over to the other site and follow that blog (right column on desktop, scroll down on mobile) and get 100% of everything or just read a few select posts cross pollenated onto this one even though it’s off topic? If you can spare a minute, drop a comment and let me which suits you better. While you are there, feel free to give any feedback you want. Luv it, hate it, whatever. Same goes for any Tarot questions you might have. It can be personal, like the boyfriend question yesterday, or it can be about psychics, intuition, Tarot in general.
Full disclosure: any question that comes to me other than a paid private session will be answered in the blog (scrubbed of any identifying information to protect your privacy of course) It’s kinda like a Tarot swap meet – you get a free one card reading, I get blog/podcast content. Don’t forget two important things 1. The answer is more than likely going to be in full Zombie Cat mode so be prepared for a little light snark and 2. Any and all spam or inappropriate anything will be destroyed in a blinding flash of hellfire. TaoCraft Tarot is a safe space and I am the absolute ruler and gatekeeper and writer of the policies to which it all is subject.
On other words, ask Zombie Cat anything in the comments, but do so at your own peril.
What do you think?
If you aren’t feeling the blog / Zombie Cat thing, private readings by email are available to order anytime, no appointment needed HERE
Even though we are having a vegetarian supper, it’s Meatspace Monday.
Usually for me it works out to be Meatspace Sunday, but alliteration makes everything better. Even when that’s not the kind of meat I’m talking about. Any other William Gibson fans out there? I can’t remember how long ago I read Neuromancer or how many times I’ve re-read it since, but I’m pretty sure (considering how old my gen-x backside is getting) he’s the one who coined “meatpuppet.” It has a bit of an, ahem, adult meaning in the book, so let’s just say it means the physical body….meat instead of mind, physical reality vs virtual reality kind of reference. I’m not sure who came up with “meatspace” as the physical real-world counterpart to “cyberspace” (also a Gibson word, if memory serves) but I think it was Adam Savage who is another one of my favorite inspirations and creative influences. Neuromancer and Every Tool’s a Hammer are both excellent reads. Several thumbs up for both
But on to the Chariot card. Sure it has all of the chariot race Ben Hur kind of energies that Thom Pham depicts here in the Heart of Stars deck. To win a chariot race you have to pay attention to what the heck you are doing. I often explain it as the ‘test pilot’ card. Whether you are racing chariots or flying fighter jets, being preoccupied or letting your mind wander can land you in big trouble. But that’s not quite the energy of it for today.
It’s a little more meta than that. Pay attention to where you pay attention.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m very thankful to all of you who read the blog and watch the videos. Please keep it up! I love having you to talk with (and for goodness’ sake feel free to talk back. I have the comments moderated to keep the energy spam free and reasonable for all of us) But just for a minute, pull back. Be a person reading a screen instead of letting your mind rest IN the screen. Pull back to meatspace, be aware of your surroundings, your device as a whole, the words on the screen, yes, but also of the environment you are in. Be aware of you where you are right now as part of that meatspace whole.
It’s easy, especially for those of us who tend to “live in our head” anyway, to get caught up in an intellectual, conceptual virtual reality be it found in websites, or movies, or TV or books. For us, it is even more crucial to reconnect with physicality. Take a mental vacation into meatspace. Get a little exercise. Savor your favorite dessert.
Pay attention to paying attention. Put your mind into meatspace sometimes.
First and foremost, thank you all for reading the blog, following the socials, listening to the podcast and being so supportive. It means a lot. I hope all the goodnesses and more come back to all who give them
Was in a store yesterday, when there was a giant thunderclap and brief downpour outside. Afterward, for a moment, even that public place was silent. For a while longer it was very quiet. Not a lot of people where there, but there was still an oddly quiet, subdued, almost serene few minutes.
The energy has been a little weird lately, but it feels a little less so today. It feels like a moment of silence, a holding of breath and a turning of moments between seasons. It isn’t quite the drudgery of summer ending but not quite yet the excitement and festival atmosphere that Fall can bring. It is a moment of silence and motionlessness between the thunder and the aftermath. May it be the silence after the storm, and not before yet another.
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Just checked the CDC and Mayo Clinic sites. Community transmission and new case rates in our area are still listed as “substantial” so in-person and party Tarot remains on hold.
YouChoose Interactive Tarot posts and the podcast are on on break for a couple of weeks. Distance readings are OPEN. No appointment needed for email. TaoCraftTarot@gmail.com is the fastest way to reach me to schedule a phone or online video call Tarot reading.
Because I’m still moderately mind blown over realizing I’ve been reading Tarot for a hot minute that’s lasted 30 years, 7 card email readings are still at a REDUCED PRICE through the website here only. It’s $30 instead of $40, one dollar for each year of Tarot experience I bring to your reading. Offer ends 20 September 2021 (the Autumnal Equinox)
TaoCraft Tarot / Clairvoyant Confessional virtual tip jar supports the blog and future podcast episodes. This helps me keep the blog ad-free and open to everyone. Please visit the ko-fi page and see the new membership tiers before they are announced next month too!) #kofimemberships
Sage Sips / TaoCraft Tarot 
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