This reading can resonate with anyone, anywhere, at any time – if it feels right for you, it’s yours. The reading also feels like it is directed at those of us in the US who are forecast to (GASP!!) get a bunch of snow in the middle of January. Get your snackies, beer, stuff for sandwiches if the power goes out and ingredients for soup and cookies if it doesn’t. It’s a good excuse to stay home, and stick it to capitalism by not buying a damn thing extra all weekend. Stay safe, stay warm and be good to yourself. This is an introvert’s paradise, so extroverts are on their own for this one. Imma knit and read and putz around on the website.
This layout lends itself well to Lenormand decks. It’s like a simple sentence, subject and verb. It shows us what the energy is and suggests a good thing to do about it.
Doing something (even if that something is wait, watch or conserve) can take the edge off of worries. Just having an action plan can help, even if you don’t wind up using it.
Current energy: The Stars.
I ‘hear’ “the road to riches is close at hand but hidden” This is a good omen type of card similar to the Star card in the RWS major arcana. It speaks to good fortune at hand, but it also has elements of subtle guidance. It hints at doing the necessary mental work for find your good fortune. Look before you leap, think before you act, but in the end, actions speak louder than words. You have to take steps in order to walk the road to good fortune.
What to do: The Bear.
Protect what you have. Don’t be a spendthrift just now. As Ben Franklin said “a penny saved is a penny earned.”
The deck author, Christopher Butler describes this card as a very mama bear energy.
Don’t just stand up for what you believe in, sit with it. Share space and spend time with the things and people most important to you as far as you are able. Send your thoughts and check in with friends and loved ones if you can’t physically be there.
Thanks for reading! Please subscribe with the box in the right hand column (or scroll WAAAY down on mobile) to get these free Tarot readings in your inbox.
See you at the next sip!
Deck: Healing Light Lenormand by Chrstopher Butler copyright 2021 all rights reserved. Used with permissions granted on llwellynpublishing.com.
Sage Sips is Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip your coffee
One thing hasn’t changed with this new year.
I don’t have ducks, I don’t have rows. I have squirrels and they are hosting a rave.
I made a playlist. Doesn’t mean the squirrels of life are going to spin any of it, but here is the plan even though I won’t be surprised if it goes off the rails as plans so often do.
Sage Sips on TaoCraftTarot.com and on Substack is all free, all the time, no paywall at all.
The Ko-Fi blog is members only
Members on Ko-Fi get extra, exclusive blog content plus free private email tarot readings on demand (see ko-fi for details)
Readings with YouTube video will post on most but not all Sundays
Daily Meditation readings and other topics (q&a, BTS, how-to etc) post other random weekdays
Over the next few months I’ll be updating the Taocraft Tarot .com website. Please visit often to see the tweeks
Ask Me Anything is returning soon: Ask a question through this contact form and get an answer in the blog.
To repeat from last year: This is a Tarot themed blog only. TaoCraft Tarot, Sage Words Tarot and Modern Oracle Tarot are closed. I use my 20 years experience as a professional Tarot reader to give high quality private Tarot readings to my Ko-Fi supporters as a thank-you gift – but I am no longer available for Tarot parties or individual live readings. TaoCraftTarot is my web address and email, not a business.
All proceeds from Ko-Fi are used to defray the cost of creating and web hosting this blog. Likes, follows, shares and kind comments are wonderful too. Your support is always greatly appreciated!
Thanks for watching! Likes, follows and shares are always appreciated, no matter what the social media algorithms are up to these days.
Or order a private, just-for-you, personalized Tarot reading by email or join a membership tier on Ko-Fi (includes free Tarot readings). The proceeds support Sage Sips Tarot blog which is always free to read.
You can still order private readings or join a ko-fi membership tier to get free tarot readings as part of your membership (terms and conditions apply – you know that drill. Entertainment only, doesn’t predict the future and whatnot)
For THIS week, I have a treat – for myself, but hopefully for you, too. I’m finally breaking out my “Normal Tarot 2” deck . This thing is GORGEOUS! I love the gold foil on black with skeletons aesthetic (no surprise there) and I’m really looking forward to exploring it more with all of you in a few weeks.
But now…this week. Interestingly, it might be helpful to read both, regardless of which one you chose in the beginning.
THE FROZEN KING: If we think of this card in classic Tarot terms, it is a little bit Death, a little bit Hanged Man. It is about the loss and tragedy of stagnation when the stagnation stems from choice – not the lack of choice. The frozen king is like locked up riches that can not be used. It is about lack of progress and prosperity stemming from a refusal to adapt and change. This is another facet of the Death card that has turned up in some readings lately. If you are frozen, resisting flow and change, ask what passions and loves in your life have you been neglecting. What flame do you need to (re)kindle to once again find your Flow.
THE SIXTH OF SUMMER: This is almost the opposite of the Frozen King, and the solution to it. It also marries elements of multiple Tarot cards, the Lovers and the Three of Cups with a little Ace of Wands thrown in. In short, be passionate about your relationships with people with a strong overlay of playfulness and lightheartedness – be generous with your smiles to strangers and add a little extra wattage to the intimate relationships that matter most to you. The battery for all of the extra energy is authenticity and genuine emotion. Only light the torch of passion when you genuinely and intensely mean it. But the hottest flame ends the soonest. Take care not to flame out fast. Cool the passions you want to last. Advice from trusted sources and friends can help, akin to that three of pentacles energy that is coming through here.
Merry Monday! See you at the next sip!
Sage
Deck: Normal Tarot 2 by Seven Dane Asmund used with permission and available to purchase on PublishingGoblin.com
5 card email readings ($30) are equivalent to a 1 hour in-person session. 3 card email readings ($15) equal a 30 minute session. Get my 30 years psychic tarot experience in every reading!
Pause the video if you want more time to think. Think of a question, or simply think of guidance for the week ahead. Choose your card, then restart the video to see the reveal and get your reading below:
KING OF PENTACLES: If life has been chaotic, this is a reassurance that stability will slowly return. If life has been steady, don’t force change. All is as it should be, at least for now.
Take advantage of the steady, low key energy environment to get mental, emotional and spiritual rest as much as physical rest. This isn’t Hanged Man major arcana energy. This isn’t a sign of unhealthy stagnation no matter how frustrated you may feel with the pace that things are moving. Take advantage of this pace before things pick up and start moving – perhaps sooner than you think.
SIX OF CUPS: Consider taking things at face value this week. For better or worse, sometimes things really are what they are.
In other words, don’t make things harder than they really are. It’s OK for things to be easy. That doesn’t make them less valuable. People tend to complicate things or make them harder because we think the hard work or complexity somehow makes the result more valuable somehow. That very tendency is why simple and easy with no ulterior motives is a beautiful thing. Enjoy it when comes along.
Sage Sips is tarot in the time it takes to sip your #coffee Likes, subs, and shares are always appreciated.
Thanks for watching! Likes, follows and shares are also appreciated! Use the box in the right hand column or scroll down on mobile to subscribe and get free Sage Sips Tarot readings in your inbox.
The ADA layout, opposite to all of my other layouts is read left to right, just like reading English. There is a reason for both. Reading in a direction opposite of my native language disrupts the logical process of reading and grammar, which makes it easier for intuition to flow through.
In this case, the sentence-like structure is the point of it.
I was listening to a podcast that was talking about Lenormand Tarot, and it echoed my own (albeit limited) experience with the Lenormand deck. It is very language like and better suited to small 2-3 card layouts. These small Lenormand readings are often blunt, forthright, in the present moment with a subject and predicate, noun and verb quality. This layout focuses on exactly that: the energy thing that is and what to do.
Today’s energy: Clover. Just like the famous four leaf clover, this is a card of growth, luck
What to do: The letter. Communication is key. Take care to listen and not jump to conclusions. Take care about what you say and speak into being.
Deck: Healing Light Lenormand by Christopher Butler c 2021 all rights reserved. Used with permissions on llwellynpublishing.com
Sage Sips Tarot is free to read without paywalls on WordPress and Substack. Please support me on ko-fi to support these free tarot readings.
I feel like there are a thousand other things I should be doing, but if you can’t follow your instincts in a Tarot blog, where can you? There is no reason for this post other than to say hello and hopefully reconnect with the whole blog and newsletter thing. It’s been a weird winter for me and this newsletter hasn’t gotten the energy and attention it deserves. That whole “Sage Words Tarot” thing was a huge detour. TaoCraft is home and I’m back. I hope to hear from you moving forward. 2025 is still young and my website has an easy to use contact form for any questions or comments that you might have. That includes questions for a free Tarot reading of some sort in the public blog. It’s a fair trade, I think. You get a free sample-size reading and I get writing inspiration. Deal?
In the meantime…
There has been a weird, strange, surreal energy during the holidays right through until now that reminded me of 2020. Don’t get me wrong – I’m NOT predicting a pandemic an you should listen to science about all of the bird flu, flu-A, RSV and measles worries out there. Not to mention the slow moving juggernaut of an utter political catastrophe unfolding in America right now. Compound that with some epic personal stress, and the time since Thanksgiving has been, well – unproductive. High levels of BLAH mixed with high anxieties is the best way I can describe the feel of it.
Stepping out from the psychological fog leftover from this winter, I wanted to say hello and tell you how thankful I am to have you all as readers and Tarot clients. It is so very appreciated!
On the outside chance there is anyone new here, I’ll add a little to the hello so you can know who is behind this whole Sage Sips Substack.
Hello! My name is Sage, I read Tarot, write things and knit stuff.
Sage is a pen name to try to provide privacy for both of us. It is inspired the double meaning the word sage has in English. It can be a plant with remarkable aromatherapy properties; comforting, negativity clearing, uplifting and empowering. It also means wise advice or a person who is wise. I believe Tarot is all about exactly those things. Tarot can lead us to wise advice at the same time as it calms anxieties, inspires us, and empowers us. It’s always an honor to be part of that process for someone. But like I always say…
“Tarot isn’t about predicting what will happen in life. Tarot helps you figure out what to do when life happens.“
What I do –
Tarot readings by email (and phone by special arrangement – contact me for details and scheduling)
What I don’t do –
Predict the future.
How I do it –
Transparently, conveniently and privately. All of my policies are TaoCraftTarot.com for the world to see.
All of my prices are for the total reading – not per minute. Your reading gets all of my attention, however long it -no clock watching – which is one of the many advantages of working by email. There are no time constraints or appointment needed for email. No hidden fees. No spam.
If you want a reading, you have to let me know. I don’t have the time or energy to contact anyone individually and offer readings. If you get that, it ain’t me. Did I mention, no spam is tolerated here or on the website, incoming OR outgoing?
You can purchase an email reading from my ko-fi page, no appointment needed. There are several different layouts to choose from, which let’s YOU choose the layout (and price) that fits your question (and budget) the best. I use ko-fi because the check out is PayPal secured and lets you send me your topic or question for the reading all in one easy transaction…no more delays while I ask for your question / permission for an open reading.
Email readings are perfect for busy schedules –
You don’t have to set aside travel time – the reading comes to you. You don’t use one drop of expensive gasoline.
In addition to being super convenient, email readings are extra private. No one sees you going to a psychic. You open and read your email in a time and place that is right for you.
Phone readings work by contacting me. We will set up an appointment time. Then I’ll send you a secure PayPal invoice and you call the phone number provided at your appointment time. All the details about appointments are on the policy page.
What a reading looks like:
All of my readings follow the same basic format. It starts with a photo of your real world layout. Then there is a “general pattern” section where we talk about the layout as a whole. That’s followed by a card-by-card discussion. Then it all wraps up in a “psychic summary” that includes any other impressions. It might relate to the cards, or it might be pure intuition. This part often includes aromatherapy and crystal recommendations but this final summary is very attuned to your personal message and there is no guarantee what it will or won’t include.
Relationship readings:
I do lots of those, but mine are probably different from what you’ve had before.
My readings focus totally on you. I follow the same professional ethics as holistic health providers. I don’t read other people’s energies without their permission. That means relationship readings won’t predict who you will marry or if you’ll get back together with your ex or if your crush loves you back. Relationship readings are for any kind of relationship and simply give advice to help you give your best in your part in the relationship.
Wealth and money readings:
Wealth and money readings tend to focus on your career and what you can DO to find your best path forward in your career or in any part of the physical realm. I’m not a career counselor, or a financial advisor – and did I mention that Tarot can’t predict the future?
Medical, pregnancy and legal questions:
Nope.
I won’t answer those. Tarot is terrible with those kinds of questions. I’m not wasting my time or your money on a question that is best left to other professionals. We should spend our time on the things Tarot that does very well: Easing troubled emotions, finding inspiration, creative problem solving, stress reduction, diversion and entertainment.
Sage Sips is the name of my blog and Substack. I love coffee. I love pithy Tarot advice. Sage Sips is Tarot in the time it takes to sip your coffee.
TaoCraft Tarot is the name of my website and the book I plan to write about how to read Tarot. It is a reflection of the philosophy behind my 30 years of Tarot and intuition development.
And that is pretty much it in one big omnibus nutshell.
Your turn!
Feel free to say hi in the comments or in the contact form.
I’m also on Bluesky if you want to say hi there. It’s the one social platform where I’ll actually talk to people instead of just like and repost.
Sage Sips is Tarot for day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee.
Emotions are what they are. They are what they are for a reason, usually.
We aren’t robots. We aren’t Vulcans from Star Trek. Honest emotion is normal, natural, and they’re going to happen, even uncomfortable ones like sadness, fear, and anger.
Physical pain is the body’s way of telling us something is wrong. It might be something trivial like an ice cream headache or might be life threatening like a heart attack.
Anger is one of life’s way of telling us something is wrong. It might be as small flare of temper at a little inconvenience or it may be righteous anger at true injustice. Honest emotion is something to experience and deal with.
There is no harm in that.
But there is harm when anger is preserved and propagated. Anger on the offense is where bad things happen.
Feel angry? If it is a small ego bruise, in the words of Princess Elsa – let it go.
James Marcus Bach, author of Secrets of a Buccaneer Scholar once said on social media that “people get defensive because they have something to defend.” Anger can be defensive, too. Our righteous anger can show us where we are being harmed. It shows us where the problem exists so we can start solving it.
The Alleyway Oracle of Secrets by Seven Dane Asmund used with permission by Mr. Asmund and Publishing Goblin LLC.
Being raised on a steady diet of 60s sitcom re-runs, part of me still wants nose twitching, wand waving, hand gesturing, incantation mumbling, midnight margarita saturated POOF! magic.
It’d be fun, you have to admit. But out here in the real world things aren’t so simple. There is magic, and then there is magick. I like making the distinction between stage or fictional magic and the spiritual practice of magick by using the ‘k’ at the end for the latter.
Besides, the K just looks cool.
Regardless of whether you think magic is fictional fun or if magick is your path, The Magician is a very powerful card. It is a card of transformation, in essence, of initiating and controlling change. This differs from the kind of big life change we might see with the Death or Tower card. The key is initiating the change, controlling the change and, importantly, working for the change. They don’t call it working magic(k) for no reason.
TV magic is alluring because it is all instant gratification but it lacks potential and possibility. Real magick is full of potential and possibility, but the gratification it brings is slow, inexorable, deep and lasting.
In a daily collective energy Tarot reading like this, the message is in that potential…and the change. Change really is possible. In this case it is self-initiated and primarily internal. New attitudes, new habits, new feelings, new lifestyles, new philosophies all take time.
The magician is powerful. Tap in to that power – however long it takes. Real magick is absolutely possible, given the necessary time and willingness to put in the most difficult kind of work: personal growth. Change your perceptions and expectations and POOF! you are magick.
The magician extends one arm up and one arm down. We are reminded of Hermes’ quote “as above, so below” but we shouldn’t forget the next part…”as within, so without” Our world can transform by changing the lens through which we view it.
We might not be able to change an adversary into a toad or make a coin appear out of thin air or change lead into gold, but the world within can be expressed without in an instant.
The lyrics to Tina Turner’s “We Don’t Need Another Hero” include “Love and compassion, that day is coming.” That day can be here the moment we decide to be loving and compassionate.
That is the magick that can be found in every little thing and in every passing moment. That is the magick that can change our world.
Thank you so much for reading! This post was originally published in 2020 and updated May 2024
Want a little taste of Tarot magick of your own? Private readings are available HERE. This blog isn’t monetized so a portion of the proceeds from private reading sales support the free Tarot readings on this blog and the YouTube Channel.
Sage Sips / TaoCraft Tarot 
You must be logged in to post a comment.