Tarot and the Lo-Teks

Yesterday’s post was, obviously, about a new shop item on my ko-fi page. All the proceeds from my ko-fi page go toward web-hosting Sage Sips without ads, keeping the Substack paywall-free, and maybe generating a few donations for causes I care about (more about that in a later post.) I’m not going back into business. Handwritten Tarot readings are not a money-maker.

Trust me, I’ve tried it before.

I originally offered tangible, pen and paper Tarot readings years ago, when AI was the stuff of cyberpunk fiction – not anything anyone actually used in normal day-to-day life.

I’ve always been a William Gibson fan, dating back to Neuromancer. I originally offered handwritten Tarot because it was cool and niche. Bringing back handwritten Tarot is more the Lo-Teks from Gibson’s short story turned Keeanu Reeves movie, Johnny Mnemonic.

I never imagined that a person to person email with a digital photo would seem low-tech next to computer-generated art and writing, but here we are. Physical paper and handwriting seems like ancient, mysterious wizardshit by comparison.

If you want a talking type of reading – eesy peesy. There are psychics by the dozens out there doing that and it is up to you to figure out if they are trustworthy or not. (The Tao of Finding a Psychic might help) As far as I know, there are only a handful of us working in the typed-word and email formats, and fewer still that do handwritten pen and ink readings.

“A thought is powerful, the spoken word even more so, but the written word is the most powerful of all”

Sallie Christensen, psychic and author

I’m not going back into business, but I am offering these readings as a quiet rebellion against AI. This is my Lo-Tek Tarot.

Handwritten Tarot is magical and powerful – arguably even more so than spoken in-person ones. This kind of Tarot can never be digitally replicated. My bad handwriting and cringy doodles show you they are 100% real, 100% HUMAN .

Handwritten Tarot has all the advantages of any distance reading: You can’t unintentionally give body language cues. There are no leading questions, no stage mentalism, no tricks – these readings are pure spirit and intuition. No drama, no AI slop – just quiet wisdom in the ancient way of pen and ink writing.

Please include your name, U.S. mailing address, and question for the reading with your order. If you don’t include a question or topic, no problem! I’ll automatically do an open style reading and let intuition lead the way.

Sent folded into a standard #10 envelope, this Tarot reading is discreet and private. This is highly customized folk art with no refunds or exchanges. Available to USA mailing addresses ONLY.

This nominal charge is only to cover the cost of paper, postage, driving to the post office and the extra effort that these take to create.

Just like always, these readings are highly customized ephemeral folk art for entertainment and personal spritual enrichment, and do not predict the future. No refunds or exchanges or any of that other business-y stuff. Caveat emptor and whatnot.

Order one from my ko-fi shop HERE if you are interested in giving it a try.

A.I. Rebellion

“A thought is powerful, the spoken word even more so, but the written word is the most powerful of all”

Sallie Christensen, psychic and author

I’m not going back into business, but I am offering these readings as a quiet rebellion against AI.

Handwritten Tarot is magical and powerful – arguably even more so than spoken in-person ones. This kind of Tarot can never be digitally replicated. My bad handwriting and cringy doodles show you they are 100% real, 100% HUMAN .

Handwritten Tarot has all the advantages of any distance reading: You can’t unintentionally give body language cues. There are no leading questions, no stage mentalism, no tricks – these readings are pure spirit and intuition. No drama, no AI slop – just quiet wisdom in the ancient way of pen and ink writing.

Please include your name, U.S. mailing address, and question for the reading with your order. If you don’t include a question or topic, no problem! I’ll automatically do an open style reading and let intuition lead the way.

Sent folded into a standard #10 envelope, this Tarot reading is discreet and private. This is highly customized folk art with no refunds or exchanges. Available to USA mailing addresses ONLY. 

This nominal charge is only to cover the cost of paper, postage, driving to the post office and the extra effort that these take to create. 

Just like always, these readings are highly customized ephemeral folk art for entertainment and personal spritual enrichment, and do not predict the future. No refunds or exchanges or any of that other business-y stuff. Caveat emptor and whatnot. 

Order one from my ko-fi shop HERE if you are interested in giving it a try.

Shaka Card

Weekend newsletter card: The Hanged Man. Want a weekly digest instead of every post in your inbox? Subscribe to Sage Sips on Substack!

I adore Hawaii.

And I adore the shaka, you know, that “hang loose,” all good, take it easy, right on thumb-and-pinky hand sign from surf culture. I don’t surf. I’ve only spent a single, glorious week on Maui. But I adore the feeling and attitude of the place and culture just like I adore Tarot, Taoism, Tai Chi, Reiki, Witchcraft and all the other things that have made my life so so so much better just for knowing about it. Just thinking about the shaka sign and all it means while I’m writing this makes me feel just a little bit better.

All of those things, unfortunately aren’t typical to southern American culture. They aren’t typical to the usual Anglo-European connotations that go with the Hanged Man major arcana card. With the Hanged man with think about “stagnation” with the connotation that it is a bad thing. That in turn implies some inherent value to striving, achieving and moving forward.

Not so, bruh.

Today’s energy around the Hanged Man card is more like a kind reminder, a friendly shaka, to take it easy.

Slow your roll.

Stop even.

Take a doggone minute, take a deep breath and be where you are.


Announcements: No COTW in observance of MLK day.

Email private readings are OPEN and the listings now include the VIDEO option. If you order, please let me know which version you want. If no selection is listed, I’ll just do an email by default.

Email readings come to your email as an attached .pdf document that includes a photo of your real-world card layout, typed card interpretation and an open psychic summary that often includes crystal and aromatherapy suggestions.

Video readings come to you as a link to a PRIVATE-share video on the Sage Words Tarot YouTube channel. You are the only person with the link to access the video. The video shows your cards being drawn, a spoken card interpretation and an open psychic summary that often includes crystal and aromatherapy suggestions.

INKMAGICK pen & ink readings are available in 1 card and five card versions, sent by mail (US only.) Handwritten and hand-doodled with a fountain or dip pen on high quality paper, these readings include card interpretations, my terrible sigil and glyph-likd doodles that show you what intuition shows me and the open psychic summary with crystal and aromatherapy suggestions. Feel the potent magick of physical paper and ink.

Sage Sips blog is Tarot in the time it takes to sip your coffee. Sign up with your email to get every post as it happens direct to your inbox (right hand column on PC, scroll down on mobile)

Thanks for reading! See you at the next sip!

Little Shop of…quirky cool stuff

TaoCraft Tarot Shop on etsy...open now, with updates on the horizon. The shop is the only placd to get “InkMagick Tarot” pen and ink handwritten Tarot readings that include sigil elements, glyph-like illustrations given by intuition that you are free to use in your own sigil crafting if you like. PeaceTarot ebook is how do daily maditation readings for yourself. Meditation beads are hand strung and Reiki embued. Every Tarot reading (both email and paper) include intuitive crystal energy and aromatherapy suggestions. Mindful moments bracelets coming soon.

Happy Weekend Everyone

  • Zombie Cat yes or no readings are still half price – treat yoursrlf for Halloween
  • Enter HERE to win a free handwritten pen and ink Tarot reading in celebration of the one year anniversary of Modern Oracle’s official relaunch as TaoCraft Tarot.
  • My mom had some minor surgery and is doing very well. Thanks and gratitude to everyone for your kind words, good wishes and patience the past several weeks.
  • PLEASE still leave a voicemail if the phone doesn’t answer. I’m probably just with another client and will return your call asap!

Because the K looks cooler

Ok, ok so the background is a little muddled. I want to try and soften the look of it witn a filter for posts, but not sure how to do that for other uploads. This is a low tech solution an app that uploads from a reusable, white-board-like page. I love the eco friendly and affordability aspects along with the ink color and detail. Could solve the downsides, but can’t afford a tablet upgrade right now unless all of you good people order a bunch of readings. But I’m good with low tech with a personal touch but slightly gnarly background if you are. What say you? Does digital InkMagick look like an enjoyable format?

Other new reading formats may be on the

Email taocrafttarot@gmail.com or text @taocrafttarot  on telegram to let me know what you think.