TaoCraft Short Sip is Tarot contemplation 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 Performer” from the Alleyman’s Tarot by Publishing Goblin LLC used with permission.
This is one of the cards I’ve never seen before, and just like always I try to read it before going to the deck’s guide book. When I haven’t seen or read the card before, I approach it just like reading a pip card like we talked about with the two of disks recently. Going into this card cold is the best of both worlds. There is a picture with lots of intuitive prompts, but no preconceived theme to box in the interpretation.
Too bad I got nothin’.
My first thought was “violin guy” and that was about it.
With a little more staring and contemplation, something I’d read finally came to mind from my old natural health reading. I can’t for the life of me remember much less cite the source, but I once read that it was a common thing for indigenous healers to ask when the patient stopped dancing.
It times the illness. It gives insight into the illness through the lens of mind-body connection. Western medicine (however begrudgingly) acknowledges that perceived mental stress can affect physical health. They also admit the benefits of exercise and activity. The mind-body connection flows in both directions. Poor physical habits and lifestyle can have a negative impact on mood just as much as stress can worsen disease. The converse is true. Healthy interventions on either side of the mind-body equation can benefit the other side of the equation.
Dancing is more than just physical activity. It is art and self expression and one of the most joyful things a human can do. I remember seeing interviews with Desmond Tutu when Apartheid ended in South Africa. He said he must dance with the rest of his people in his joy. Recently, on social media, I saw a post about the oppression of Native American culture in the past and how the person in the video dances now for all those who could not before.
No performance, no dance is empty unless we make it so. Even if we dance alone, we dance with our own humanity. Don’t stop dancing.
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Q: What does the Universe most want me to know right now? What are my next steps on my life’s path?
A: I love this question!
This is the absolute best kind of question for Tarot. I’m so grateful for the anonymous donor that allowed me to share this question with the blog. It’s a perfect example of what Tarot is most meant to do: to guide us along our life path, not make specific predictions.
Whenever I’m doing a reading with someone for the first time, I try to explain about my layout and how it may differ from the classic layout that inspired it. All of the layouts I offer are either updated versions of classic layouts (like this one) or ones that I’ve written from scratch (like the 7 and 5 card “TaoCraft” layouts). I’ve put the layout explanation in the video. If you want that detail, feel free to watch. If you want to just get to the cards, then scroll on.
If you order any email reading with me this is what you would get: photo of your actual, real-world card layout, general pattern, card by card discussion, and psychic summary that can include things like crystal or aromatherapy suggestions. That part is super individualized and works entirely from intuition. Given that, there are no real promises or guidelines about what the summary will include or not include. The three card pathway reading that follows is an example, used here with permission.
Keep in mind that the energy and message of each person’s reading naturally adapts to that individual’s needs. Some people might need a spiritual frying pan to the face while other people need a gentler touch. As such, example readings ONLY show the general format and process. The actual detail and content varies from person to person. YOUR reading will be unique and tailored to YOUR individual needs, just like this reading was given to this person in this way at this time.
The cards today are:
Energy moving away from you: Nine of Cups
Energy around you: Knight of Swords
Energy moving toward you: Knight of Cups
General Pattern
There isn’t much to say about the pattern in a one or three card layout. That comes more into play for the larger layouts. But you do have two knight cards, which is attention getting in a layout this size. Knights are about action, doing. You are being asked, I think, to take an active responsible role in your well being. If you have a habit of thinking of yourself as a victim, the energies now may be helpful to you if you want to change that thought-habit. But that kind of change is work and requires much effort. There is no shame in talking to experts or professionals who know a lot about such things. I’m not an expert. But the action / knights energy of the reading suggest that you do what you know to do to make things better, seek knowledgeable advice when you don’t know what to do.
Two cups cards hint this has to do with emotions more than external or physical circumstances. That is the mind part of mind-body holistic wellness. It also touches the spiritual aspects of mind-body-spirit in balance. Improvement in any one of those areas is going to have benefits in the other areas. Managing stress / emotional health can support physical situations and vice versa. This is speaking of general principle, NOT about any specific impressions or situations.
Energy Moving Away: Nine of Cups
Cups as a suite represent closest relationships, not just romance as some think. It can include any kind of important relationship: friends, family, children. In this case, it doesn’t feel like the energy is moving away from you as much as it is a change. There is a little bit of advice and a little bit of cautioning here. There is a danger of psyching yourself out a little bit, reading things as more negative than they really are. The advice is to be steady and try to see things as they are and not reading things into it that really aren’t there. If you aren’t sure, ask. The nine of cups in particular has to do with close knit family celebrations and traditions. I see this card a LOT during the fall and winter holiday season. There is a much greater sense of comfort and hospitality with other decks than there is with this one. If you get a chance, google Ellen Dugan’s Witches Tarot for this card. Mark Evans’ artwork for the card captures the feel of your card better than this does.
Seasons change. Families change. Celebrations and holidays change, especially as young ones get older. It is easy to become sad or overly nostalgic. On the other hand, what greater joy than seeing children grow into caring, thriving adults? The nine of cups is a happy card. It showing itself in the ‘moving away’ position does not, in your case, mean that the happiness is moving away from you. That part hints at the risk of you isolating yourself from happiness. Instead of seeing change as a loss of old times, try to embrace change in the family as normal and happy and an accomplishment for everyone. This card is reminding you to celebrate the new times even as the old times move away.
Energy Now: Knight of Swords
The knight of swords is a card of action and daring and courage. The message here is DO something. I get the feeling it has to do with self-care. DO something to take care of yourself. DO something…any small thing that will feed your sense of accomplishment. Do something that is just inside your comfort zone. Find something that you enjoy to no end…DO something that you enjoy and that gives you joy. It’s a pop culture, back of a mug silly little platitude, but one I read that we should “do yourself into a new way of thinking, not think yourself into a new way of doing.” I see that as speaking to the mind-body connection and holistic wellness. I get the feeling that this is also nudging you toward some sort of activity for health and wellness. I don’t take health questions and never ever comment on medical or heath conditions…I’ll post more about that policy in the blog in coming days if you like….but what comes to mind here is something gentle like yoga, walking outside, mild stretching…something that encourages mind/body health and stress reduction. I suggest that you find a class, or consult a holistic wellness expert or at the very least look into some sort of meditation perhaps. Mind-body wellness seems to be a big part of this cards energy and advice.
Energy moving toward you: Knight of Cups
In the old days, this card was the dashing and handsome stranger. Another classic meaning is one of messenger. It is the messenger energy that I’m sensing for you. Hold tight. Wandering what is next and wondering what to do is top of mind for you right now, as we saw in your question. I’m sorry I can’t be more specific, but this card is letting you know that the answers are on the way. I don’t have any sense of the details right now. I know this is exactly the kind of vague, evasive, useless nonsense that skeptics use to criticize intuitive readings of any kind. They aren’t wrong. It’s hard to put this card into words, but I think what this is saying is “God helps those who help themselves” in a sense. Knights suggest discovering your own power and ability to act and do. The knight of cups specifically is letting you know that encouragement and emotional support … likely from spiritual sources … is on the horizon. Stand up for yourself now, and that will help the spirit of good news and a feeling of closeness with your spiritual supports come to you as you walk the path ahead.
Summary
This isn’t a matter of superficial self-confidence. The energy here is about refocusing on the energy of surviving and turning that into an energy of thriving.
Red colors and crystals support the root chakra that has to do with that sort of energy shift. Red jasper, red spinel, anything ruby red colored comes to mind for you. It is a powerful, fire energy.
I also see a red jar candle, something you can safely use. And I get the fragrance of cloves. Not just some pumpkin spice fall blend, but deep rich cloves, maybe a little cinnamon but not much else. If you like fragranced candles or room scents, maybe try something that is very SPICE scented.
Wearing red might be helpful too.
And there the energy steps back.
I hope you find this helpful…that goes both for the person who so generously allowed this AND for all of the blog followers. Please, lets all send thoughts of love and support to each other. An individual reading is very unique, BUT appreciating Tarot and all that is can do is a COMMUNITY. Anyone with an interest in Tarot can lend their energies to helping each other.
Intention is everything in energy work.
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Today’s Tarot: Eight of Pentacles – yes, pentacles. This is still resonating with the pandemic. Stay home, don’t touch your face, clean everything, and wash your hands
Back in the long dark days before the webbernets, we had coffee mugs, posters and t-shirts instead of memes.
Somewhere along the way, on something like that, I read “Don’t think yourself into a new way of doing, do yourself into a new way of thinking.” At first I wrote it off as a hallmark grade shallow platitude, but for some annoying reason it stuck in memory along with other 70s debris like the “keep on truckin'” shirt and pet rocks. Much later, after I started working with holistic health, it came in handy as an example of the mind-body connection. The mind-body connection is very much a two way street. Even more than our little leftover platitude would suggest.
It’s true (see the literature review in my dissertation) that changing you mindset, or in other words, “decreasing perceived stress” will have a positive impact on physical well being. It is also true that physical wellness can have a positive impact on our emotional outlook. The idea is to bring mind, body and spirit into best possible balance and function. Books have been written about how to do that. The kicker is where to start, which is very much an individual choice. Do you start on the mental side and work you way into improved physical health or go physical and let the more comfortable body support a more relaxed mind and more pleasant emotions?
Just like Zombie Cat is my answer to Schrodinger’s thought experiment, my thought here is to do both, but that’s another story. I might have to fire up my old holistic health blog for that one.
Today the 8 of Pentacles nudges us to a physical side start. The boilerplate advice these days seems to do something small, however minute, to give yourself a feeling of accomplishment or comfort; make the bed, water the houseplants, brush your hair, change out of those 2 day pajamas into a fresh pair of yoga pants….something. Do yourself into a fresher mental and emotional state while you are at it.
The intuitive feel around this card today is that it is aimed with direct targeting cross hairs at the privileged among us (myself included) who can stay home with functioning internet. uninterrupted utilities and pick up groceries. If you are fed, safe and well, you have no business complaining.
If you are out there in the thick of it, then the “do” in this case is all about self-care. The “do yourself into a new way of thinking” thing strikes me as way too snippy, and judgy, implying that anybody’s thinking needs changed. If anything, the “change” is to decrease stress and find some tiny granule of hope in it all. To “do” yourself into that, take care of yourself, even if right now that care comes in the form of a crappy cup of coffee or a five minute chair nap. And thank you for what you do.
Sage Sips / TaoCraft Tarot 
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