Tag: romance tarot

Hello from the omnibus

Just checking in – how are you all doing?

I feel like there are a thousand other things I should be doing, but if you can’t follow your instincts in a Tarot blog, where can you? There is no reason for this post other than to say hello and hopefully reconnect with the whole blog and newsletter thing. It’s been a weird winter for me and this newsletter hasn’t gotten the energy and attention it deserves. That whole “Sage Words Tarot” thing was a huge detour. TaoCraft is home and I’m back. I hope to hear from you moving forward. 2025 is still young and my website has an easy to use contact form for any questions or comments that you might have. That includes questions for a free Tarot reading of some sort in the public blog. It’s a fair trade, I think. You get a free sample-size reading and I get writing inspiration. Deal?

In the meantime…

There has been a weird, strange, surreal energy during the holidays right through until now that reminded me of 2020. Don’t get me wrong – I’m NOT predicting a pandemic an you should listen to science about all of the bird flu, flu-A, RSV and measles worries out there. Not to mention the slow moving juggernaut of an utter political catastrophe unfolding in America right now. Compound that with some epic personal stress, and the time since Thanksgiving has been, well – unproductive. High levels of BLAH mixed with high anxieties is the best way I can describe the feel of it.

Stepping out from the psychological fog leftover from this winter, I wanted to say hello and tell you how thankful I am to have you all as readers and Tarot clients. It is so very appreciated!

On the outside chance there is anyone new here, I’ll add a little to the hello so you can know who is behind this whole Sage Sips Substack.

Hello! My name is Sage, I read Tarot, write things and knit stuff.

Sage is a pen name to try to provide privacy for both of us. It is inspired the double meaning the word sage has in English. It can be a plant with remarkable aromatherapy properties; comforting, negativity clearing, uplifting and empowering. It also means wise advice or a person who is wise. I believe Tarot is all about exactly those things. Tarot can lead us to wise advice at the same time as it calms anxieties, inspires us, and empowers us. It’s always an honor to be part of that process for someone. But like I always say…

“Tarot isn’t about predicting what will happen in life. Tarot helps you figure out what to do when life happens.“

What I do –

Tarot readings by email (and phone by special arrangement – contact me for details and scheduling)

What I don’t do –

Predict the future.

How I do it –

Transparently, conveniently and privately. All of my policies are TaoCraftTarot.com for the world to see.

All of my prices are for the total reading – not per minute. Your reading gets all of my attention, however long it -no clock watching – which is one of the many advantages of working by email. There are no time constraints or appointment needed for email. No hidden fees. No spam.

If you want a reading, you have to let me know. I don’t have the time or energy to contact anyone individually and offer readings. If you get that, it ain’t me. Did I mention, no spam is tolerated here or on the website, incoming OR outgoing?

Email readings are super convenient –

You can purchase an email reading from my ko-fi page, no appointment needed. There are several different layouts to choose from, which let’s YOU choose the layout (and price) that fits your question (and budget) the best. I use ko-fi because the check out is PayPal secured and lets you send me your topic or question for the reading all in one easy transaction…no more delays while I ask for your question / permission for an open reading.

Email readings are perfect for busy schedules –

You don’t have to set aside travel time – the reading comes to you. You don’t use one drop of expensive gasoline.

In addition to being super convenient, email readings are extra private. No one sees you going to a psychic. You open and read your email in a time and place that is right for you.

Phone readings work by contacting me. We will set up an appointment time. Then I’ll send you a secure PayPal invoice and you call the phone number provided at your appointment time. All the details about appointments are on the policy page.

What a reading looks like:

All of my readings follow the same basic format. It starts with a photo of your real world layout. Then there is a “general pattern” section where we talk about the layout as a whole. That’s followed by a card-by-card discussion. Then it all wraps up in a “psychic summary” that includes any other impressions. It might relate to the cards, or it might be pure intuition. This part often includes aromatherapy and crystal recommendations but this final summary is very attuned to your personal message and there is no guarantee what it will or won’t include.

Relationship readings:

I do lots of those, but mine are probably different from what you’ve had before.

My readings focus totally on you. I follow the same professional ethics as holistic health providers. I don’t read other people’s energies without their permission. That means relationship readings won’t predict who you will marry or if you’ll get back together with your ex or if your crush loves you back. Relationship readings are for any kind of relationship and simply give advice to help you give your best in your part in the relationship.

Wealth and money readings:

Wealth and money readings tend to focus on your career and what you can DO to find your best path forward in your career or in any part of the physical realm. I’m not a career counselor, or a financial advisor – and did I mention that Tarot can’t predict the future?

Medical, pregnancy and legal questions:

Nope.

I won’t answer those. Tarot is terrible with those kinds of questions. I’m not wasting my time or your money on a question that is best left to other professionals. We should spend our time on the things Tarot that does very well: Easing troubled emotions, finding inspiration, creative problem solving, stress reduction, diversion and entertainment.

Sage Sips is the name of my blog and Substack. I love coffee. I love pithy Tarot advice. Sage Sips is Tarot in the time it takes to sip your coffee.

TaoCraft Tarot is the name of my website and the book I plan to write about how to read Tarot. It is a reflection of the philosophy behind my 30 years of Tarot and intuition development.

And that is pretty much it in one big omnibus nutshell.

Your turn!

Feel free to say hi in the comments or in the contact form.

I’m also on Bluesky if you want to say hi there. It’s the one social platform where I’ll actually talk to people instead of just like and repost.

Thank for reading! See you at the next sip!

My Tarot Valentine eBook

My Tarot ebooks are available in the Sage Sips / TaoCraft Tarot shop. Private readings are open, no appointment needed

Click HERE to purchase and download My Tarot Valentine

Email Tarot readings are my specialty. With 30 years of Tarot experience to each layout, I give you the exact same information as in a face to face reading. As a writer, I can give these readings vivid depth and detail. Excellent for book lovers or anyone wanting privacy and no appointment needed convenience.

Order private email readings here.

My Tarot Valentine ’24: Ace of Wands

Relationships begin with you.

Loneliness hurts.

It doesn’t feel good to want to be in a romantic relationship but not be. It is painful to feel cut off if you are an extrovert and it is painful to be pushed into uncomfortable social situations if you are an introvert. That particular kind of romantic loneliness can take over your mood and your mindset. It can grow large and block out the view of other things. After all, that particular kind of love and connection is profoundly important to so very many people.

Shallow platitudes are everywhere: “Be grateful for the things you already have” “Happiness comes from within.” People in the throes of loneliness aren’t necessarily in the mood for a namby-pamby woo-woo hand holding kumbaya viewpoint. Sometimes you just want to have a glass of wine and feel sorry for yourself.

Sometimes the best thing you can do for your search for that special someone is just give up.

Don’t look for your soulmate, be their soulmate first.

The ace cards are the first card of a suit so they carry a “beginning energy” but not necessarily the brand new beginning energy that you see with the Fool card in the major arcana. It’s not quite the full on second chance new beginning of the Judgement card either. Ace cards are more like a fresh direction within an ongoing process or project.

If you are feeling lonely the Ace of Wands is suggesting a new direction, an adjustment, a minor rethinking about romance.

Ace cards also carry the essence of the suit. Wands are associated with the classical element fire, inner passions, philosophy, spirituality and our relationship with ourselves.

How can something so seemingly self involved help you to find and nurture an intimate relationship with someone else? Isn’t this exactly the realm of Cups cards?

It has to begin with you.

What do you want in a soulmate? (Or whatever you want to call them. I’m an old school Richard Bach reader, so “soulmate” feels like the natural term.)

What would you think of a person who is attracted to a victim? What would you think of someone who was attracted to or aroused by someone who is hurting? Are they compassionate – or are they a predator? Do you want to be loved – or pitied?

Who do you find attractive? Would YOU be more attracted to someone who is laser focused on the very thing they lack and and wrapped up in an imagined but uncertain future – or would you be more attracted to someone who was happy and content and fulfilled right here and right now?

Like attracts like. Be the soulmate you want to have in your life.

Put your time and attention into all the OTHER things you love EXCEPT the search for a soulmate. Do every darn thing ELSE that you enjoy and that makes you happy and makes you fully you. Lighting those inner fires also lights a signal flare. It shines a spotlight on where you are so the right relationships for this place and time can find you.

Think of the ace of wands as giving you the spark to start the process.

My Tarot Valentine is a collection of romance themed Tarot readings from Tarotbytes blog and TaoCraft Tarot blog. It is available as an instant download in the Sage Words Tarot shop

Short Sip Zombie Cat Tarot: Nope

Honesty is healing even when it is harsh.

No. uh-uh. Cards say noooo.

Hi and welcome to TaoCraft Tarot blog and podcast. I’m glad you are here. Short Sip episodes are Tarot contemplations for your day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee.

Yesterday we had a whole mug full with the rewrite of “Meet Zombie Cat.”

Today we are to sounding like that insurance company commercial that knows a thing or two because they’ve seen a thing or two. I’ve done a lot of Tarot readings. I stopped counting at 300 plus way back in my online “Baihu” days.

Tarot is best suited to answer”Am I doing the right thing?” but Tarot is most often asked things like “Will we get back together?”

Not, mind you, that it’s a bad question.

There are a billion different circumstances that are bad and worse that could lead to this question, but for now, let’s think of in terms of a non-married shorter term romantic break-up.

These types of break-up questions, while common, are the best and worst of Tarot all at the same time.

The bad part is the “will…” Can Tarot predict what will happen? Nope. Can Tarot read your significant other’s heart or mind or feelings or intentions or know what they will do? Big nope.

On the other hand, this is exactly the kind of situation where Tarot is at its best.

Have you ever noticed that criticisms of Tarot and psychic work are all laser focused on the prediction part and ignore the rest, which is missing the point as completely as you possibly can? Nothing is ever said about the real value of Tarot and Psychic readings: personal development, personal enrichment, spiritual expression, facing and understanding emotional distress, brainstorming creative solutions and spitballing ideas about how to CHOOSE and to ACT to make things better.

Nothing else in the human experience can make you feel like every bone and vital organ has been shattered into a million pieces like the loss of a beloved relationship. If Tarot readings can help soothe that kind of hurt for a moment, it is more than worth it, no matter what the critics say.

But it has to be a sincere reading, an authentic reading without the onus of accurate predictions. So-called accurate predictions are impossible to make anyway and only open the door to greater hurt. As with physicians, we must do no harm.

There is a big difference, however, between doing harm and uncovering anger. Anger is an honest emotion that may, if faced, lead to better things.

If you are the one hearing the “nope” then it is normal, natural, even expected to get angry when you get the answer that you’ve been dreading the most. In the long run a harsh truth is more healing than a sugar coated platitude. I’ve gotten nopes like this before and stomped off angry like the self-involved early twenty-something brat that I was. But looking back it was one of the best readings ever. Honesty heals even when it hurts. More so when it is given kindly and with the sympathetic tone of someone who has been through this kind of experience before – which is pretty much everybody. Calling you on your -ah -stuff – is what people who care about you do. It’s like telling someone when they have food stuck in their teeth. It might zing a little in the moment but it spares them greater embarrassment later on.

WILL you get back together? A better question would be SHOULD you. WHY did the relationship end? Has any of those things changed one iota? Has the past itself changed? Nope. Unless you’ve talked things through, time has passed, and trust has been re-built, it’s still a nope. Even if you wind up back together, unless something has changed, from the “should you” perspective it’s still a big no. Without those changes, what good is it for you to return to the same situation all over again?

Will you get back together? According to a one ace layout, no. Should you get back together? Still not a good idea.

Consider the Queen of Wands symbol of nurturing leadership and inner passions. How are you owning this breakup? What role did you play? What have you learned. Are you willing to lead the relationship part of your life in a new direction? Or not? What feeds and protects your inner flame: trying to rekindle a failed relationship or being on your own with a passion for the life you have (as opposed to obsessing over the life you don’t have.)

Consider the Ace of Cups. This is about emotions. Are the emotions that ended the relationship healthy or unhealthy? Are the emotions driving your desire to get back together healthy? Or, on the other hand, are emotions that make you want to never ever ever get back together the healthy ones?

Consider the Temperance card. Are you in a balanced state of mind when you ask this question? Are all parts of life in balance or is the break-up taking all of your mental and emotional resources? Are you obsessed with romance and ignoring all the other good things in life? What do you need to release to re-balance the scales? What is missing OTHER than the relationship that may be throwing things out of balance?

Zombie Cat tells it like it is. Will you get back with your ex? Nope. BUT there is a lot of good advice under that big, fat NO. Balance this loss with other happiness and other relationships, and other parts of life. Be the leader of your own inner life. Take ownership of your own emotions and our own role in the thing that happened. Be honest about your emotions.

Then the the big, fat nope might not sting quite so much.

Thank you all for reading and listening.

I appreciate you and any likes, subs, follows, shares, question or comments that you can spare.

The blog and podcast are not monetized so your spirit message comes first, not the advertisers’. Please visit the TaoCraft Tarot page on ko-fi where the shop, memberships and virtual coffees all support the creation of this (almost) daily Tarot content

Thanks again! See you at the next sip!

Get your own private Zombie Cat reading HERE (only available by email) – no appointment needed.

Weekend Tarot Turnover: Love it

TaoCraft weekend Tarot Turnovers is an intuition building exercise that turns our usual Tarot readings upside down. I sip the coffee while you interpret the card. Learn Tarot with TaoCraft!

Today we are turning our usual Tarot posts upside down. I sip the coffee and you interpret the card. It’s not that I’m lazy. Well, actually, I kinda am. But that’s not the point. Reading Tarot is like any skill, it takes practice. It takes some time and slowly working it through for yourself. That’s what these Tarot Turnovers are intended to do. It gives you a chance to flex your intuitive muscles in a no-big-deal, safe, low key way. It’s hard to learn to read cards when you are upset or in the middle of a problem or need guidance for whatever reason.

That’s where a daily one card meditation practice like we do here on weekday or as they are described in my e-book PeaceTarot. The ebook teaches you how to do daily practice card readings plus provides peacefulness themed interpretations for all 78 RWS style Tarot cards. If you practice on days when you are calm and everything is normal, it is easy and natural to reach for your cards on the days when things are far from calm and normal.

Speaking of far from normal, prompted by world events, all proceeds from TaoCraft Tarot ko-fi shop sales of my ebook PeaceTarot will be donated to Doctors Without Borders, USA until the end of 2022. I’ve already donated myself, but with your help we can do more. Doctors Without Borders has a four star rating on charity navigator.

Back to the card. I drew a card from a random cut after shuffling three times. I’ll list a variety of possible interpretations for the card inspired by old blog posts and favorite references plus my card interpretation from PeaceTarot. Can you spot it in the list?

Take a deep breath. Read through the list of meanings below the card and see which one rings most true for you? Which one feels most right to you? Which one applies best to your individual context and situation? Does something else entirely spring to mind? If so – go with that. Your personal interpretation is the best one for you.

  • Fear and anger can come from frustrated desire. If you are afraid or angry, stop and think. What do you really want and is it really threatened?
  • Finding your true love in life – romantic or otherwise.
  • (if reversed) Your answer may lie in repressed desires.
  • Love lifts you up and heals many things, both in the receiving and the giving.
  • Love life and true love will find you.
  • Follow your heart.
  • Lust and sexuality.
  • “Even if you don’t want to desire, you still desire not to desire” – Alan Watts

So which one did you pick and why? Does the card raise any questions? Blog and and social media comments are open! Spotify and Anchor FM podcast listeners can submit questions and comments through the “ask a question” section. Podcast people – if it is hard to choose a meaning just by listening, drop by the print blog to see the bulleted list. That might make it easier to choose.

Thank you so much for reading and listening. The blogcast is not monetized and is entirely audience supported. Any likes, subs, shares, follows, tarot reading orders or Tarot Table Memberships you can spare are always appreciated!

Weekend Tarot Turnover intuition building exercises like this one typically post once per week, usually on Saturdays – hence the name. TaoCraft Short Sip Tarot nano episodes post most weekdays, usually mid morning eastern time. Short Sips are Tarot guidance for your day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee. YouChoose Interactive Tarot posts are totally random but post a few times per month. Question and answer posts or other topical episodes give you a behind the scenes look at my side of the Tarot Table. They are even more random. If you follow the blog you’ll all the TaoCraft Tarot content from every platform right in your inbox.

See you at the next sip!

Soulmates and the sum of the parts

TaoCraft Short Sip is Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee. Today, Soulmantes and the sum of the parts with the two of cups.

Hey there. Welcome to TaoCraft Short Sip: a Tarot contemplation for your day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee. I’m glad you are here.

Today’s card it the Two of Cups.

Nevermind the Lovers from the major arcana, THIS is the card you want to see in a love, romance or relationship reading. This is a card that most often resonates with long term, committed, loving, satisfying relationship. It is associated with marriage, handfasting or any life long commitment between any two human beings.

But like anything this is a yin-yang, giving-getting two-sided coin.

Remember that old candy commercial about chocolate and peanut butter? Peanut butter is delicious on its own. It’s something to eat by the spoonful if you ask me. Chocolate is sublime, the more cacao the better in my book. Love the dark stuff. Together they are extra. Together they are more than either alone.

The best romances are like that.

The worst ones are too, except the “extra” is added to the not-good side of things. Kind of like those generic candies that use terrible quality ingredients and are tasteless, weird textured and generally unpleasant.

Personally, I don’t buy into the whole other half, twin flame idea. I mean, think about it for a minute. Who would you rather spend your life with? Would you rather be with someone who expects you to complete them or someone who is a true partner adding their battery to your mutual light? Would Ironman have flown away yelling “you complete me” if Pepper was anything less than a fully independent phenomenon in and of herself? If you need someone to complete you, isn’t that a way of controlling you too? If someone needs you to complete them isn’t that controlling you too?

Good romance isn’t built on need. In a good romance both parts give and get, get and give. It isn’t about two parts completing a circuit, it is about two fully charged batteries powering up the full circuit and shining a light brighter than either one battery could alone.

Romances are like those candies. The best result doesn’t come from peanut butter looking for more peanut butter in order to make them into better peanut butter. The best result doesn’t come from cocoa butter looking for a cacao beans to make it into better chocolate. The symbiotic extra can’t happen if you are looking for another half to make a whole. The extra only happens when two free standing and fully good things work together to make the magic happen.

TaoCraft Tarot blogcast depends on your support through “buy me a coffee” donations, Tarot Table memberships and purchases through the website. Links are clickable in the blog and are found in the episode description of the podcast.

Thanks for reading & listening. I’ll see you at the next sip!

New in the shop: My Tarot Valentine

Click to purchase – instant download from the ko-fi shop

My Tarot Valentine is a collection of vintage love and romance Tarot blog posts, condensed instruction how to do one Tarot meditations, and a peek behind the scenes of doing a professional romance Tarot reading. (pdf download, 44 pages formatted to A4, standard us copy paper)

Throwback Tarot: Valentine Q&A

Romance Tarot Q&A: What do the Lovers card and the Ace of Cups mean in a romance reading?

Hello and welcome to TaoCraft Tarot blogcast. I’m glad you are here. This is the updated version of a post from Valentine season 2015:

Q: What does the combination of the Lovers Card and the Ace of Cups card mean in a tarot reading when the question is about romance?

A: It depends.

This where Tarot reading gets complicated. This is exactly why professionals charge for their services. It takes time, experience and deliberate effort to learn how to fit multiple cards together like this, especially when there is a specific context or question like romance. Good for you for taking it on and giving it such thoughtfulness! Thank you for sharing your question. I appreciate the opportunity to give everyone a behind the scenes peek at multiple card Tarot readings.

Even when you are only dealing with a one card meditation, context matters. What was the question you asked, specifically? What kind of general energy did you sense from the cards? Advice? Caution? Validation? Acknowledgement? Something else? Is there any purely intuitive impressions coming through beside the basic card meanings? Of all of the card meaning available in references and “little white books” did any of those meanings jump out at you?

Now take all of those one card considerations and raise them to the power of 2 or more cards. Understanding a full layout asks you to take all of the single card things into account than layer the card spread considerations on top. What layout were you using? What position were these cards within that layout? What meaning did those layout positions have? Professionals think about all those things as we do a reading. That’s why I always have my Tarot reading students start with a one card daily meditation practice before moving on to multiple cards.

The more cards, the more exponentially complicated the reading becomes. Which is why I don’t use large layouts like the Celtic Cross for myself or for my clients. In my experience after 7 cards or so a reading gets real gnarly, real fast. For me seven cards is the tipping point where the reading becomes more confusing than helpful.

Now take all of that technical stuff and multiply it again by ethical considerations. Romance readings are a special kind of difficult because of the other person involved. Unless you have the significant other person’s direct, real-world permission to read about them, then the reading has to focus only on the person getting the reading. Even when you are doing the reading for yourself and it seems internal and private, you still must respect the other person’s wishes on an energy level. If you don’t get a sense of the other person, then that’s it. The reading is about you and you alone. Other people have every right to keep their thoughts, feelings, intentions and energy to themselves. The key is to look for advice about how YOU can help the relationship to be the best it can be. Don’t try to know what the other person thinks or feels or will do. Try to know what is the highest and best for your part in the relationship. That focus on you applies to both the readings that you do for yourself and any relationship readings a professional does on your behalf.

All of that aside, we still haven’t tried to understand these particular two cards.

For example if the Ace of Cups is in a layout position that represents “a lesson from your past,” you might get a different overall message than if the Lovers was in that position. For example, if we interpret the Ace as “inner light” (as Diane Morgan does) then Ace of Cups as a “lesson from the past” layout position within a romance reading might be asking you to bring your inner wisdom to the question. It might ask if the relationship is making your inner light brighter or making it dimmer. How is the relationship’s effect on your inner light similar or different from past relationships?

Now switch things around. The Lovers card symbolizes your deepest desires. If the lessons from the past is to look at desires and what you’ve learned from them…the message may be more on the order of “be clear about what you desire for this romance.” In the lessons from the past position of a layout, that might change the Lovers’ advice. Or it may be asking you to think about how your romantic hopes and dreams have evolved over time. Do you still want the same thing from this romance as you used to?

So by extension…if you change the card’s layout positions and position meanings, you may not change the card’s basic meaning, but you do change the underlying message. The same card in a different layout position and in combination with different cards does changes the whole reading in some big ways. It’s a lot to think about but those layers upon layers of meanings are the difference between a good reading and truly masterful one.

So the real answer to your question is that I can’t tell what the two cards mean together without knowing more about the layout you used and the question you asked. It would be better to talk about those things in private. I never put private or identifying information in the blog.

I hope this helps a little. Let me know if you want to set up a private second opinion lesson or if you would rather have me do a new and more current reading for you.

Thank you everyone for reading and listing to this vintage post from my TarotBytes Blog on the old Modern Oracle Tarot website. I still do this kind of second opinion Tarot consulting. They are supportive, judgement free, and education oriented. The consults are available on the no appointment needed tab at the top of this page for blog readers. I’ll put a link in the episode description for podcast listeners.

See you next time in the TaoCraft Tarot blog cast for a Valentine’s Day You Choose Interactive Tarot reading.

My Tarot Valentine: Sweet

As Sigmund Freud purportedly said, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. The adage that “it is what it is” isn’t as bad as it has been used in recent politics. It speaks to a rugged acceptance of the situation at hand in the present moment.

That sort of accepting mindfulness is the essence of childhood innocence. The energy around today’s card brings to mind the simplicity of a child’s lollipop, pink and red heart shapes, and the small paper valentines school children make and exchange. Even we gnarly old folks can get a sip of that sweetness when we let go of worries and expectations and sink into the present moment with that same acceptance.

That kind of sweet innocence and acceptance is the six of cups message for Valentine’s Day. It’s been a devil of a year. As sexy as self confidence may be, whatever your opinion of all the cards and flowers and high expectations, this Valentine’s Day isn’t the usual. The advice is to let go of this year’s expectations. It is what it is, however lonely, however different, however simplified. Let it be a sweet and simple day. Let it be as open and empty and innocent of a moment as you can.

We can get back to the worry and mayhem soon enough. Let the moment be as it is, and let your heart love however it can.