Tag: layouts

Summer’s K.I.S.S.

Happy Summer Solstice and the ten of wands.

KISS as in “keep it simple stupid.” I frequently have to remind myself of that timeless little piece of advice. This summer definitely has a “keep it simple” vibe so far.

Just like pulling weeds from a garden, things grow better when the weeds are out of the way. It’s a clarion call to clarity if you will. Open spaces and clean energy are a path to prosperity.

And apparently also alliteration.

When it’s brutally hot out, when it is summer solstice and maximum yang, that calls us to adapt and respond with maximum yin. Think watermelon at a summer picnic – a very yin food to nourish and comfort on a very yang day.

It feels like a season of relentless simplification and lightening our load. I’m thinking Ten of Wands energy: Put down the unnecessary and get out of your own way.

I’ve been given the advice to reintroduce myself and my work periodically. It’s a chance to welcome new followers and thank The old ones. The change of seasons seems to be the natural time to do that. Summer solstice is in two days, so this is as good of a time as any to say hello for the season.

This long post is everything all in one go. I know I’ve been harping on re-introductions, explanations and promotions a lot lately – but writing it all down has helped me to organize and, you know, simplify. Sometimes writing is as much a process of self-discovery as it is an act of self-expression. Thank you all for your patience with that process. There will be less promotion and more Tarot content moving forward I swear!

Here we go:

Meet Your Reader

I’m Sage and I’ve been reading cards since 1993, professionally since around 2003. I started with online work under my old internet handle “Baihu” on Keen, Advice Trader, and AllExperts. After that I worked independently with my old website modernoracletarot.com and its blog Tarotbytes. In 2018 there was transitional rebranding to TaoCraft Tarot. Since 2023 everything is under the name Sage Words Tarot on the website and socials. My current blogs are Sage Sips and Sage’s Other Words.

Free, Three, One

In addition to the free general audience Tarot readings on the blog and socials, I offer private distance readings in THREE layouts, THREE formats and THREE prices. No appointment is needed for distance readings.

I offer ONE live reading in ONE format at ONE price, by appointment only.

Distance Private Readings – Order HERE

Layouts

  • Sage’s Sip (one card meditation) for general advice, food for thought or a highly focused follow up to a recent larger reading with me – $5
  • Eclipse (three card pathway) shows fading energies, current message, and growing energies. Shows the path you are on – $15
  • TaoCraft (five card full layout) gives your energy path like the eclipse layout but adds pivot point (advice & choices) plus an alternate path cards – $30

Seasonal and Special Request

  • Available by special request or seasonal special offers.
  • Email format only
  • To request one of these when they are off season, please contact me
  • Modern Oracle – (seven cards) the same features as the TaoCraft layout plus additional “helping energies” and “potential challenges” cards – $40
  • Year Ahead (five cards) one theme card for each of the four seasons ahead and an advice card for the year as a whole – $25
  • Time Flow (four cards) designed to help us get organized: Let it rest, let it go, line it up, and let it flow.

Formats

  • Email: Pdf document sent to your email that includes a photo of your real world cards, a detailed explanation of the cards and a psychic summary with crystal energy and intuitive aromatherapy suggestions
  • Private share video: video reading files are too large to attach to an email. Pre-recorded video readings are privately shared with you through my YouTube channel and can only be accessed through the link that I will email ONLY to you.
  • InkMagick: pen and paper handwritten reading sent by USPS available to US residents only. Available in one and three card layouts. Members discounts are not available for InkMagick physical paper readings.

Live readings by phone

  • By appointment only
  • CONTACT ME by email to schedule
  • Schedules in advance – no same day appointments are available
  • Five Card format only – $30
  • Includes follow up email and photo of your real world layout

Membership

  • Sage Sips memberships are through my ko-fi page – join here
  • $5 per month
  • Members receive up to 3 FREE one card Sage’s Sip Tarot readings by email per calendar month, discounts on larger and seasonal layouts, random special offers, DM access and occasional exclusive content.
  • REMINDER: members please request your monthly free readings through ko-fi DM or by contacting me here (link above)

Ask Me Anything

Ask any question through the Ask Me Anything website page and get a FREE answer as a blog post (not a private response) Spam and inappropriate questions are deleted and blocked.

Party and in-person readings are currently closed.

All policies and disclaimers apply to all readings in all formats. You can read the details here, including appointment policies for the live readings.

In short, this is a customized, ephemeral folk art service. No refunds or exchanges are available. These readings are intended for personal enrichment, entertainment, general advice and as a spiritual practice. They do not predict the future. No medical, legal or third party questions please.

Accepted payment: PayPal via ko-fi checkout for distance readings. PayPal invoice for live readings.

Valid email required to participate.

There you have it. Welcome everyone. I appreciate all of you. Thank you so much for reading!

See you at the next sip!

Sage Sips blog is Tarot in the time it takes to sip your coffee (or whatever beverage you like this time of day)

TaoCraft Portfolio: The Bones Of It

Click HERE to get the FREE download of all the “Portfolio” posts in one .pdf document

The Bones Of It

The details of a person’s face is unique to them, but underneath we all share basically the same skeleton. Tarot is a bit like that. The details of your reading are totally unique and for you alone. Party readings are different, but all of the individual readings I do have the same core pattern and structure, regardless of whether they are in-person or distance, live or recorded, spoken or written.  

Introduction: We will talk about the questions or concerns that brought you to the reading. For distance readings this happens during the ordering process. To speed things up during ordering you can use the “instructions to the merchant ” or “customize” buttons to let me know your question or consent to an open reading. Questions do not have to be detailed or specific. You can just give a general topic, like career, romance or what-have-you. It is perfectly fine to leave a reading completely open and not ask a question at all. Some of the best readings happen when we let the energy lead the way. Talk or type, the short introduction of seeing (or hearing) your name and your question (or your permission for an open reading) is the thing that connects my intuition to your message and gets the process started. 

Card Shuffle and Layout: In distance readings I simply shuffle until it intuitively feels right. In a live reading I’ll ask you how many times you want the deck to be shuffled or cut the deck and let you choose which section we work from. The cards are placed on the table face up in the layout pattern that you ordered. The layouts will be explained in a later chapter.

General Pattern: We look at the cards as a whole picture. This can include things like major vs minor arcana, distribution of the minor suits, repeating numbers, where cards cluster within the layout, or any purely intuitive impressions that may appear.

Card by card: We talk about each card individually including its meaning, the meaning of its position within the layout and the type of message it is giving (advice, caution, validation, etc.)

Summary “psychic reading”: This puts all the cards back together in one summary. In this part we also listen for any purely intuitive information that might come through whether it is directly related to your cards or not. This is a chance to hear things that are needed, even if they are not requested or expected. There are NO guarantees about the information that will come through here. No one gets everything, but most of the time some sort of helpful intuitive message comes through; colors, crystals, aromatherapy, positive affirmations based on the cards, spirit guides, and on very rare occasions, crossed over loved ones.

Sigil Element / Intuitive Doodles: In an in-person session, I take handwritten notes as we go along for you to take with you. If any mental images come up, I’ll sometimes be able to  draw shapes to help show you what I’m seeing in my mind’s eye. Great art they are not. If anything these little psychic doodles look like petroglyphs, hieroglyphs or some kind of circuit schematics.  Sigil elements are only routinely included in the InkMagick pen and paper readings through the TaoCraft Tarot shop.Q&A: You are always welcome to ask questions throughout the reading process. If we are working live, in-person or over the phone, please ask your questions as they come up. Questions in real time can lead a reading to some of the most interesting places! If we are working at distance, questions are welcome too, but are clustered to the beginning and end of the reading. All distance readings include a follow up email at no extra charge. Email is always my primary contact with you (even for parties and in-person sessions, if and when they return)