Tag: introduction

Blah induced glow up

I don’t know if I’ve done one of these tidy-up-the-website things since I’ve been on Bluesky or not. If not, Bluesky – let me introduce myself.

If you are not new to Sage Sips blog, then thank you for putting up with yet another one of these. I’ll admit – I’ve followed that “reintroduce yourself for new followers” advice a little too enthusiastically some years. Equally important, I’m grateful to everyone who has read Sage Sips for a while or follows on any of the socials. That goes double for those of you who get private readings with me. I truly appreciate you. If these posts and readings are any little help at all, it’s worth it to keep things fresh around here for you.

The differences aren’t big, nothing that major has happened since the big re-brand in 2018, but a little infusion of energy and attention still helps every now and again. If Halloween is ‘witch’s new year’ consider this the pre-new-year housecleaning in my little corner of cyberspace.

I’m in late August BLAH mode anyway, so it’s a good time to take a week off from the usual readings and recharge a little.

But back to the re-introduce yourself thing. I always feel weird and awkward about the background and bio part. I’d much rather talk about Tarot behind the scenes or do readings or teach Tarot how-to. But still, a refreshed bio is probably for the best so you can know what kind of internet rando you are reading.

Here is the same old bio, edited down a little bit:

Private email Tarot readings, memberships, virtual coffee and shop purchases all support this no-paywall blog

Hi! I’m Sage.

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

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

I didn’t originally start out to be a professional 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 given psychic Tarot readings through Keen, Advice Trader and AllExperts. After doing literally hundreds of online readings (I stopped counting at 500) I opened my own Tarot practice with ModernOracleTarot.com, the Tarotbytes blog and the now-defunct Quirk & Flotsam shop on Etsy. In 2018 I re-branded everything as TaoCraft Tarot featuring the Sage Sips blog. In 2025, life happened, and my Tarot work circled back to the beginning as a hobby with this blog (and the private email Tarot readings that help support the cost to create the blog and host a half decent website.)

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 both magickal craft and and regular crafting including one of my favorite hobbies, knitting.

My pen name, Sage, is inspired by both aromatherapy and the wisdom of Taoism and Tarot.

The herb sage has a comforting, familiar scent and flavor that most of us know from breakfast sausage and holiday turkeys. In aromatherapy, Sage incense and essential oil can support a calm, optimistic mood. Most of all, the word sage means something or someone who is wise. Tarot and Taoism both give us very sage advice.

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 Sage.Sips on all of the usual socials. I mostly interact with BlueSky and Threads, so drop by and say hello.

Email readings are always available 24/7, no appointment needed! Click HERE to order anytime. Email readings have always been my specialty, and my favorite to do. You can trust the process because they are pure intuition and spirit- there is no way for me to read body language cues or ask leading questions.

Thanks for reading. I always appreciate your time and attention along with any likes, follows, shares or kind comments that you can spare. I wish you all well. See you at the next sip!

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.

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!

TaoCraft Portfolio: Introduction

I want to work with you and this is my portfolio

Download the entire FREE TaoCraft Portfolio booklet HERE

When an artist interviews for a job, they bring examples of their work so the employer can decide if they are a good fit for the company or project. Authentic Tarot readers have more in common with artists than they do with stage show mentalists or movie psychics. From cave paintings to Da Vinci, art has many different styles and genres. No two artists are exactly alike. No two psychic intuitives are exactly alike. There is no ultimate psychic authority. There is no official right or wrong way to do a Tarot reading. Tarot is artistry and spirituality, not rules and regulations. One thing is certain. If you read this booklet, a Tarot reading with me should meet or exceed your expectations because you will know exactly what to expect in advance.


There aren’t many Tarot portfolios around. So how do you know who is a good match to do your psychic reading? The best advice, of course, is follow your own instincts. Pay attention to your deep down, reflex feelings when you look at a website or advertisement. Because of religious and cultural prejudices that are on the rise in some parts of the country, many of the best psychics and Tarot readers are still very quiet about what they do. It may take some research, asking around or visiting small, local “new age” bookstores to find anyone at all. Once you find someone who does readings, talk to them for a minute and ask reasonable questions. Don’t pour out your heart to a stranger or try to get an impromptu free reading over the phone. Instead, ask practical questions like location, prices, payment, scheduling and so on. Their demeanor in a non-Tarot conversation will give you a sense of the level professionalism they will bring to the reading itself. If they seem evasive, impatient or leave you feeling uncertain, then honor those feelings and look for someone else. If it feels right and you can afford it, try a session. If it is a good match, you’ll know right away. A good Tarot session inspires, empowers and reassures you. A reading should never frighten you, make you feel judged, or feel as if you have done something wrong.  If it isn’t a good experience, simply try again with someone else. A mismatched personality doesn’t necessarily mean that the reader is doing anything wrong. By the same token, you should never take it personally or feel that a bad session was your fault for “not believing” or any such nonsense. Of course, always use plenty of common sense to steer clear of scams. “Psychics” that make outrageous promises or make repeating and increasing demands on your time (and money) are best avoided. 

Thanks to the Internet, no matter where you live, you can get affordable, expert, caring Tarot readings. Distance Tarot is my specialty, and we’ll talk about that in more  detail in the chapters that follow. In this booklet, we’ll look at the basic structure underneath all of my readings, both distance and in-person. No matter whether we work face-to-face or remotely, no matter whether we are working with Tarot, Reiki or Meditation, I follow the same ethics and standards that I applied in my mainstream medical work. All policies are transparent, written in plain English, and found in the “Fine Print” chapter at the end of this booklet.

Following your instincts, combined with a little common sense can help you find an excellent psychic. I hope that once you read this, your instincts will be to get a reading with me. 

I want to work with you and this is my portfolio.

Career Tarot Reading: Three Card Pathway Example

career Tarot reading example

You ask. I read. This is both a general example of how Tarot readings with me generally work, generally speaking. If this reading resonates with you, you are welcome to adopt it as your own. If not, it is after all, well, general.

I hope you’ll visit http://www.TaoCraftTarot.com and follow the blog to get all of the latest videos, special offers, and print-only content including Reiki, meditation, reading suggestions and the occasional off-topic post because it’s my blog and I can do that. Your questions and comments are welcome both here and there. Spam and inappropriate comments will be obliterated in a burst hellfire.

Thank you for watching. Thank you for your subs, shares, likes, blog follows and reading orders. Thank you for being your fabulous self and sharing this time and Tarot.