TWO OF WANDS (reversed) Don’t use planning as an excuse to delay or to be too rigid. Be adaptable. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Roll with the punches if you have to but stop yearning and start doing.
“There are only four rules you need to remember: Make the plan, execute the plan, expect the plan to go off the rails, throw away the plan.”
“Captain Cold” (DC comics)
Deck: Black Cat Tarot by Maria Kuara copyright 2013 all rights reserved used with permission granted on llwellynpublishing.com
Sage Sips is Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip your coffee
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin”
William Shakespeare
Yes, by all means, go touch grass this weekend. Or any time.
I forget the source, but somebody somewhere did a small study of the effects of looking at photos of natural settings on real time blood pressure. Just looking at nature in a photo will bring blood pressure down.
Imagine what a small barefoot walk in the grass can do.
I don’t know if anyone has gone full science on it, or followed up the long term effects of engaging with nature on one level or another, even a photographic one.
It seems to me that one touch of nature is a good thing for humans, both psychologically and physiologically. We are wired that way.
It also seems to me that human nature is part of the nature that Shakespeare mentions, even though I doubt he meant it that way as he lived and wrote centuries before the advent of modern psychology. The Taoists were down with the whole idea centuries before Shakespeare.
Feeling connected is a basic human need, for everyone everywhere, throughout time. This weekend touch grass. If not the literally, touch something that is part of your own nature to enjoy. Enjoy some small part of the environment you are in, including urban ones. When you enjoy any little anything, you are connected to not only that thing, but all of your fellow humans that enjoy that thing too.
An ice cream cone, a barefoot walk in the backyard, a bike ride, jog in the park, a little phone scroll, a cup of coffee and a good book, play your favorite song just a little bit louder than usual; whatever it is in your nature to enjoy, touch that. As long as it harms no one, do what you will to paraphrase a saying. Touch your happiness, and you can connect with the energy of all the others who have found a similar joy.
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What it is: The Fool. It may not be the opportunity that you wanted, but it is the second chance that you need. Only you can walk through an open door. No one can do it for you. Some journeys we have to begin alone. Don’t let fear of being alone stop you. Walk your walk, and your tribe will find you along the way. I intuitively ‘hear’ the Annie Lennox version of the song “Sisters are doing it for themselves.”
What to do: Seven of Swords. Take action. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Use your logic, intellect, and resourcefulness to the max. No one is going to save you but you.
Tarot inspired haiku for National Poetry Writing Month continues through April 30, 2025
The shackles we choose
Even those called religion
Devils in disguise
Sage Snow
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Learning Tarot is a process, and part of that process is repetition.
Last time we looked at Lenormand cards, we started to explore two card combinations, which seem to be a big part of the Lenormand style of Tarot reading. Often when particular combinations of cards are seen, the meanings for the cards change a bit, not unlike a reversal in RWS style cards and readings.
The best way to understand that connection seems to be two card sets. It makes sense to understand the foundation, the building blocks of a larger layout before using a larger layout. In RWS style, that foundational building block is the single card reading, which plugs into the individual positions of any layout which is then woven together in a meta-analytical, intuition driven way. I’m still learning Lenormand along with you, but it seems to me that building block isn’t single cards, but the underlying connections between 2 or 3 cards, like a flat mat with dots (single card meanings) stuck on top.
To put it in arts and crafts terms, RWS is knitting while Lenormand is paper-making with speckles on top.
Today we have snake and fish.
So starting with that foundational fabric, what is the common energy matrix behind the Flow and suppleness are common traits between the two.
The fish are associated with prosperity. The snake in the guidebook is associated with typical western cultural meanings like deceit and deviousness. Intuitively, however, I am reminded of Chinese astrology. People born in the year of the snake are said to be competent, wise, intuitive and passionate. When I put all of those aspects together the two-together message is to protect your resources through wisdom and know-how (akin to a four of pentacles combined with an ace of swords sort of vibe)
I’m not sure if or how the playing card insets factor into it. Queen of clubs with the snake is akin to the queen of wands – which reinforces the idea of self-care, in the form of caring for physical resources. The king of diamonds is like the king of pentacles, reinforcing the notion that this is about common sense, physical realm money management more than some sort of grand spiritual lesson.
Sometimes, as Freud said, a cigar is just a cigar. Sometimes, as these cards seem to stay, you just have to mind the budget, even at the holidays. The energy here is all about practical, level headed things, unrelated to spirituality or emotion. Once we make the physical stable and safe, then we can turn our minds and hearts to the spiritual, emotional and intangible.
Between now and New Year I don’t intend to hold to any particular schedule other than doing email private readings as they come in.
Usually I try to do the Learn With Me on Wednesdays and the Substack newsletter as a weekly digest on the weekend, with one card posts as often as I can manage on weekdays.
I’m still of two minds about the “path through the week” thing on Mondays.
What do you think? What kind of readings or posts would you like to see in the blog? For goodness’ sake don’t be shy. As long as it isn’t spam, by all means post your questions or suggestions in the comments. Contact info is in the right hand column (or bottom of the page on mobile) too.
I’m planning to do a bunch of re-introductory and behind the scenes posts over the next few weeks sliding in and around day job, private readings and the holidays.
Consider it recycling. I’m saving the planet doing this, right?
Actually, this is me sticking to the plan for a change. Thursdays are newsletter days. Today’s substack newsletter uses the card from here yesterday. If this was made of paper I’d say we’re saving trees, but really it is just saving me a few headaches during a busy week.
Just a reminder:
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Please comment and let me know if you like the daily card or the week-ahead format better. I’ve always been partial to daily meditation one card readings. They are the most helpful most of the time unless a crisis hits or you need to make a big decision. Then the big layouts are the way to go. (Individualized one cards are more helpful than the collective energy one card posts, too)
Wishing you all a great weekend. See you at the next sip!
A big thank you to alert reader L.K. who caught that the dice from yesterday’s Learn With Me post was hard to see because of the video text!
See? I don’t bite. The comments are open, let me know whatever questions or feedback you have. Then I’ll post answers and make adjustments so that Sage Sips can be as relevant and useful as possible.
Ask me anything! Get an answer here! In true Zombie Cat style, all answers are 100% guaranteed to contain words!
Self care people…even if it’s not a holiday for you.
See you Wednesday. Be good to yourself.
The Tarot content on SageWordsTarot.com, Ko-fi, Substack or YouTube is NOT ad monetized. I don’t see a penny from any advertising you may see. These blogs are fueled by your paid subscriptions, your private Tarot reading purchases and coffee. Lots of coffee. If you want to buy me a virtual coffee, I am grateful for those too. Just click the mug on the right of the page ->
In October 2018, I re-branded, re-launched and re-defined my Tarot work from the now thoroughly defunct Modern Oracle to my now beloved TaoCraft Tarot. I don’t know about you, but I am thoroughly enjoying the witchy-ness of it. That’s the ‘craft’ part of the name.
TaoCraft is, has been and always will be inspired by the three treasures of Taoism: Simplicity, honesty (authenticity) and kindness. That’s the Tao part of the name.
In the spirit of simplicity (and transparency) I’ve given up on all the cutesy pants sales, promotions, special offers and giveaways. I’m an expert, experienced Tarot reader, and I’m letting my work do the talking.
11/12 of the time, all you’ll see is the members-only discounts in the shop because, well, that’s a benefit of membership.
But also in the spirit of celebration and gratitude, every October I create some sort of special offer or discount that is open to everyone to say thank you for reading the blogs, listening to the podcast and being a part of the Tarot community at large.
This year, all one card Short Sip private readings by email are only $1 (regularly $5). Anyone can get the reduced price. If you use the readings/commissions menu you can send your questions and purchase the reading all in one PayPal secured transaction. If you grab the one in the shop, please email your question to me here at TaoCraftTarot@gmail.com. If I don’t hear from you, I’ll just do an open reading. When we work by email, you get the EXACT same words and message that you would get face to face, but no appointment is needed. You can’t beat these readings for privacy, convenience or price.
Seriously, you can get a reading from a person with 30 years of Tarot experience for one dollar. No scam, no fees, no nothing except me interpreting a card for you.
As you may have read / heard on the blog the other day, one card readings for an individual are a different animal than the broad topic short sips we do on the blog & podcast. They are very personalized.
And, as you probably already know, Tarot readings are customized, inspirational, spiritual guidance folk art, not predictions for the future and not for medical questions.
I hope you’ll join me in a reading. I hope you’ll keep reading the blog and / or listening to the podcast. No matter what, I wish you a happy, healthy, fun, and prosperous years-to-come.
TaoCraft Short Sip is Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee. Today mystical self care until the woo woo feels come back.
Welcome to Tao Craft Tarot blog and podcast. I’m glad you are here.
As you’ve probably noticed I’m an all in fan girl for the Alleyman’s Tarot deck and today’s card is probably one of my favorites so far. It puts all of the Tarot and Reiki work I do into a little better perspective. The weird ass mystical shit is a normal part of life just like everything else. Seeing it put in so many words is a good reminder not to take things quite so seriously. The weird ass mystical shit card has a lot of the same “embrace the absurd” and “go with the flow” advice that I often get from the Page of Cups card.
Plus, today’s weird ass mystical shit card is reversed. Either that means things are gonna be extra spoopy or overly normal, one or the other.
All I can say is that it’s probably a good thing that I’m not monetized on any platform and totally rely on your support. Otherwise I’d probably be demonetized today. This card gets just a little sweary.
That’s not the only disclaimer. I’ll be talking about the card and deck as if they are an intelligent separate entity more than usual.
This deck is easily the largest I’ve ever used. It can be slippery and challenge my manual dexterity at times. That makes the deck seem like it has a mind of its own. It also has a propensity for reversals. So far, the deck has been serious about each and every one of them. In this case, my hunch is that the reversal means a block. The WAMS card (as the deck creator calls it) tells it like it is, no woo woo required. In this case, the reversal takes the mystical woo woo down yet another notch. In essence, today’s card is a validation for you if you aren’t feeling the slightest bit spiritual at all.
If you are deep in the mystical feels today, then this card is asking you to consider what you will do when – not if, but when – you hit a day where your sense of the mystic isn’t there. What is it you can rely on later when a low-energy day comes along? What can you trust when your feelings of personal power elude you? A day when you are dialed in and feeling is a good day to pay attention to what really works for you so that you can rely on it when you really need it.
I read Scott Cunningham’s Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner a few years ago. One of the most memorable parts was simply “The feeling is the power.” On one hand that is a very empowering idea. It speaks to a deep trust in ourselves, our feelings and our innate intuition. The feeling is the power regardless of rituals or tools or outward appearances. The thing you choose is secondary to the act of mindful choosing in and of itself. The external things that express your feelings are secondary to the feelings themselves.
But that also begs the question of what to do when you just aren’t feeling it. Does not feeling mystical render you powerless? Does it make you somehow vulnerable?
Vulnerable, maybe, but not powerless. We all need to pull back sometimes. We all need to balance yang with yin, haul in the envelope we’ve been pushing, and give ourselves a little TLC. If we keep pushing when we need to be still then things can go haywire. It may seem empty or powerless or outright ridiculous to lean on weird mystical shit when we just aren’t feeling it. But remember, weird mystical shit has its practical, plain-talking side. It’s something to build a bridge between now and the point in time when the woo woo feeling comes back. And it always comes back.
You might call it faith. That’s too Christian-ish for me personally. For me, the word faith conjures the con-man’s call to blindly take someone’s word about something unproven, possibly unprovable. When you’re not feeling the mystical woo woo, blind faith is a dangerous thing. Deep trust is a better way. When you are feeling more BLAH than empowered, wouldn’t it be better to lean on something you’ve tested and trusted and used before? Trusting yourself is the path back to feeling the mystical.
Sometimes that trust in yourself takes the form of waiting until the time is right. Sometimes trusting yourself means just doing what you already know works and allowing time to do its healing thing.
The card reminds me of a meme of unknown origin, one of my favorite memes.
source unknown
It reads quote Movie witches: For this spell you must gather these sacred items three, soak them in water held by the skin of a deer and drink half a cup each night before bed until the full moon…Real witches: Imma just draw a sigil or something on this toaster strudel and have it for breakfast end quote.
Some days are all weird ass mystical shit, full of power and potential. Other days are all toaster strudel and shoving your favorite crystals in your pocket until the feeling shifts. The mystical feeling will be back. Count on it because the mundane, practical, logical, and irreverent parts of life are with you everyday regardless of how you feel and those things are just as magical and mystical as anything else.
So yeah.
The rock in your pocket protects a low energy psyche. The sigil on your strudel can do what needs done until you are feeling the feels again. Whatever holds your trust does so with good reason. Forget blind faith – when you rely on things that have EARNED your trust you are, in turn, actually trusting yourself. You are trusting your own judgement about what is or isn’t trustworthy.
Thank you so much for reading and listening. I appreciate any likes, subs, shares, follows, questions and comments that you can spare. Comments are open on the blog, and there is a link to the blog in the podcast episode description.
I’m not kidding about not being monetized. That allows me to follow intuition’s lead and say what needs said without worrying about offending advertisers. It also means that I need your support. If you are enjoying the blog or the podcast please visit the TaoCraft Tarot ko-fi page. The shop proceeds and memberships go toward the time and web hosting it takes to create these free to access Tarot readings for everyone.
In the spirit of full disclosure, private readings by email with the blog author are available for purchase on the blog and podcast website. Email readings are always open and available, no appointment needed.
Thanks again and see you at the next sip.
The Alleyman’s Tarot was created by seven Dane Asmund of Publishing Goblin LLC and used here with permission.
Sage Sips / TaoCraft Tarot 
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