Q&A: Work & Retirement

Visit the “Ask Me Anything” page to get a free Tarot answer as a blog post like this one

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Q: Will I be at same job and company I have now til I retire? At what age should I retire?

Hi ****

Thank you so much for your question. I hear you. Career and money is such a huge part of our lives. It occupies an enormous chunk of our time and mental bandwidth so I applaud you for giving it this kind of care and attention. Work and retirement are a big part of life as a whole. The happier you are as a whole person, the more present you can be in all the non-work aspects of life too. When work and career are in a good place, then we can turn our best attention to putting or keeping the other parts of life in a good place, too.

Unfortunately, the honest answer to your question is that Tarot can’t give you a fair answer to this at all.

“Will” is always a problematic way to think of things when it comes to psychic and Tarot readings because, as I’ve said a zillion times, Tarot can’t tell you what will happen in life, Tarot helps you figure out what to do when life happens.

It is all up to you. The answers to your questions are already in your hands and always have been.

Will you stay I this company? I dunno.

Are you planning to quit? Are you looking for other work? Have you done anything to get fired? Is there any risk of layoffs? Is the company solvent enough to last until you retire? Tarot can’t predict these things so Tarot can’t tell you if you will be at this job until you retire.

More importantly – do you WANT to stay at this company until you retire? If so, why? What about the job do you want to continue as part of your life? If this particular company or job goes away due to unforeseen circumstances beyond your control, what about this job would you want to replace? What about this job could you replace?

Now dig a little deeper. Why are you asking this question? Are you worried about the job’s stability? If it is unstable, do you need to make a backup plan instead of asking Tarot about it? Do you hate it and want to change? Worried about making enough income to live? How can you best meet this real, deep underlying need? Answer that and the need to know “if” or “will” this job last until retirement goes away and puts the power squarely in your hands. Think about why you want to know if the job will last to retirement, then you know what to DO. You can think about ways to keep the job if you like it and what you need to do to replace it if it goes away.

When you should retire is absolutely positively up to you, your individual situation, and your actual financial resources. Retirement timing is 1000% NOT a question for Tarot. That calls for real-world logic and financial know-how. If you don’t know what you need, then it is important to talk to a financial advisor, or someone knowledgeable about retirement planning. Assess your needs logically and crunch the numbers and get real, expert guidance if you need it. Asking me, an artist, what age you should retire is like asking a plumber about your coronary bypass.

All of that being said, let’s pull a card that should give you one of two things:

Either it will give you a place to start thinking about these work related things, OR it will nudge you to look at something outside of your career that needs your attention. If your career path is unclear right now, that might be a hint from the universe that something else needs your attention first, and getting that something in order might, in turn, make the job and retirement question come into better focus for you.

Your card today is JUSTICE

This is from the major arcana portion of the Tarot deck. Major arcana cards typically carry higher energy, a bigger emotional impact, big life lessons or an important turning point in life. Retirement decisions certainly qualify for that!

The old fashioned way of reading cards connects Justice with literal legal concerns. So be on your guard, get good advice, don’t fall for anything scammy or shady out of fear or concern for retirement. This is not a time to “call Saul” as the television series goes.

Justice also points to wisdom, integrity and balance.

This is another reminder that retirement planning is a ‘use your head’ logic and fact driven decision primarily but also a reminder to keep the big picture in mind. “Work-life balance” comes to mind. Don’t sacrifice quality of life NOW with regards to health, family, relationships, friendships and the like for the sake of some arbitrary point in the future. That isn’t to say go all YOLO and be reckless or selfish now, that is to say to be mindful, appreciative and get the most emotional and spiritual connection out of this present moment as you can while at the same time you make reasonable plans for the future.

In other words, don’t sacrifice current quality of life on the alter of some arbitrary future point. Be adaptable. Keep the big picture in mind, making sure the big picture contains both the present needs and reasonable, logical future planning.

I hope that helps a little bit.

Best Wishes to you!


Would you like a one card private Tarot reading by email similar to this public one for only $5? Order private email readings, no appointment needed HERE. Most readings come to your inbox within 24 hours.

Choose Your Card Tarot: week of 15 April 2024

Sage Sips blog is Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip your coffee.

Want an affordable private Tarot reading? Click HERE and scroll the list. Prices and layouts for every question and budget.

Ugh…forgot to set the thumbnail AGAIN. Sorry about that. Guess your choices are that half-covered one on the right, the Flippy one in the middle, or the normal one on the left.

Am thinking about doing next week’s CYC with the non-RWS oracle-like Alleyman’s Tarot cards. What do you think? Or would you prefer the classic Pamela Smith artwork for a while? Lenormand? Comments are open if you have an opinion or any questions at all.

Ace of Swords: Head rules heart this week. Listen to your emotions but try not to let them cloud your thinking. Decisive action is needed.

High Priestess: It may feel like other people may know more than you, but they don’t know more about you. Don’t sell yourself short. You are the absolute expert about you. You know best what you need even when what you need is help or guidance.

Judgement: The boat never moves forward if people on the boat are all rowing in different directions. Use clear-headed judgement combined with courage to put the most harmful people off the boat and onshore all together. The boat moves forward very slowly if there is no one left to help you row. Use clear-headed judgement combined with wisdom to be be as generous as you safely can with second chances.

Deck: Alleyman’s Tarot, used with permission

Learn With Me: Lenormand, Key and Ship

Tarot reading with key and ship Lenormand cards

Let’s do a few more two card readings to get back into the swing of things after the holidays

Today we have the key with an 8 of diamonds inset, and the ship with a 10 of clubs inset.

The author, Christopher Butler, connects this with locking vs unlocking, security vs openness, secrecy vs transparency. I associate the 8 of diamonds with the eight of pentacles, which is prospering through work, effort and craftsmanship.

The ship, logically, has to do with journeying and has undertones of prosperity (ships are connected to trade and transport, after all) The 10 of clubs resonates with the 10 of swords, which connotes defeat…but also the “fall seven times, get up eight” proverb. It could be read as “perilous journey” but the peril here feels connected to the unknown, the things locked away.

“Keystone” and “cornerstone” come to mind.

There is no logical reason for it, but I’m getting that finding the key, finding the cornerstone, finding that one thing that makes everything else fall into place THAT is what is needed for a successful journey with regard to career or finances.

Next up: Freeform Friday. Not sure what I’ll post, but it will probably be a re-introduction posts that I wanted to do in blurry time that never actually happened. Either that or a cookie recipe, I dunno.

See you at the next sip!

Housekeeping!

New stuff! Same Stuff! Website update stuff!

Just finished a little light housekeeping on the website…

New! Handwritten “InkMagick” readings and video readings are back!

The same! Order Tarot readings 24/7 no appointment needed 

Limited availability! Live online and in-person readings are only available on Monday afternoons by advance appointment.

2024 Schedule: There is none

Blog: Monday (your choice card of the week) Wednesday (Learn With Me) and Friday (quotes, reviews, random stuff) – maybe.

Social Media: I’m on Threads most days if you want to say hello. You can find Sage Words Tarot content on Facebook, Tumblr, TikTok and Instagram, too.

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Learn With Me: Tarot on Target

I want to take a little break from exploring the Lenormand Tarot deck and talk about something that has been on my mind since a conversation with a potential client yesterday. We’ve talked about it before (don’t forget you can use the search bar to browse the 1500+ posts in the archive) but it’s time to revisit the idea of accuracy in Tarot.

As I see it, accuracy in psychic or Tarot readings begs the question “Accurate compared to what?”

Accuracy of anything is a measurement of that thing compared to some desired goal. Accuracy measures how on-target something is.

To measure anything, you have to make a comparison of one thing that you don’t know with something you do know, like a ruler. Even if one of the things you are using to measure is your eyeballing estimation based on experience – it’s still a comparison.

So what do you use as your ruler to measure the accuracy of a Tarot reading?

Is your measure predicting the future?

I can tell you that level of accuracy right now – zero.

If a Tarot reading tells you what actually happens ahead of time it is one of two things:

  1. Self-fulfilling prophecy – Cause and effect is a real thing. If you choose to DO something based on the reading, that action contributes to the end outcome. In this case, the reading caused the future, it didn’t predict it. Which is a good thing! That means you can use a Tarot reading to help you decide your best course of action. You can use a Tarot reading to help cause (or at least contribute to) the desired effect. The drawback here is that you don’t have control over everything. You can increase the chances of something happening, but you can’t 100% control everything and you certainly can’t 100% predict anything.
  2. Pure dumb luck. A broken clock is still right twice a day.

Is your measure getting good advice?

If that is the case, then there is a very high degree of accuracy, and it happens without regard for distance or delivery method (more on that tomorrow)

Is your measure stress reduction?

With that measure, Tarot has 100% accuracy.

People come to Tarot readings for a reason. There are as many reasons to get a Tarot reading as there are people and moments along their life’s journey.

A Tarot reading is a peaceful moment. A Tarot reading is a moment of hopefulness and optimism. A Tarot reading is a moment of calm, clarity and the hope of finding a solution.

If guidance, advice, and a peaceful moment is your measure, then my Tarot readings are as accurate as they come.

Want to learn to do DIY one card meditation readings to find a peaceful moment whenever you need it?

Order my ebook PeaceTarot HERE

Want a bigger Tarot reading done by a pro, no appointment needed?

Order your Private Tarot by email HERE

Page update – email readings

Check out the newly updated email Tarot readings page

Pro Tip: Scroll the whole list! I have layouts to fit any question…and any budget!


I’m not a bot! All email readings are done with real world cards by a human Tarot Reader with 30 years of experience. Distance Tarot is my specialty! Meet your reader HERE

All readings include:

  • a photo of your real-world card layout
  • card-by-card interpretation
  • psychic summary with crystal energies and intuitive aromatherapy.
  • See an example email reading HERE.

Choose from:

  • Power of 3 (9 cards) Set of three yes/no questions for complex “this or that” questions but with the clarity of a simple yes/no answer. Question or topic required. If you describe what you need, I can adapt it to this unique yes/no format for you – $45 only available to ko-fi supporters
  • Extended TaoCraft (7 cards) The same layout used in live readings in-person and online. Shows the 3 card path you are on, advice, alternatives, helping energies and potential challenges – $40
  • TaoCraft Tarot (5 cards) Written by me and in use since 2003, this layout empowers you and your choices with the original five cards in the extended layout above – $30
  • Year Ahead (5 cards) Gives a theme for the four seasons coming up and a card to symbolize the entire year ahead. Great for New Year, birthdays and more – $25
  • TimeFlow (4 cards) the get-organized reading with “Let it rest, let go, que it up, and let it flow” cards – $20
  • Pathway (3 cards) A modernized version of the classic past-present-future layout with a focus on navigating your path, not predicting the future – $15
  • Zombie Cat’s Yes/No (3 cards) reads ANY questions with 100% guarantee to contain words, and at least a 50% chance of being dead wrong – $15
  • Short Sip Contemplation (1 card) – Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee. General advice or a focused follow-up to a longer readings we’ve done together – $5

Contacting me indicates that you agree with the policies listed HERE.

The Infinite and The Empty

TaoCraft Short Sip is Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee. Today, the infinite and the empty.

Hello and welcome to TaoCraft Short Sip, Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip from your morning coffee, or evening tea, whatever happens to be the case. The blogcast is posting much later than usual today because of adulting and schedules and the like. Whatever day or time of day that you are reading or listening to this, I’m glad you are here.

Today’s card is The Empty, which as best as I can tell was created by Seven Dane Asmund specifically for the Alleyman’s Tarot Deck. In the guide book he makes it very clear it was not intended as an “anything is possible” sort of card.

Indeed.

For all of its zen simplicity and stark beauty, conceptually this card is Schrodinger’s cat meets the Bene Gesserit box test from Dune. For those of you listening on the podcast, there is a link to the blog in the episode description if you’d like to see the real world card draw for today. Seriously, I hope you’ll google the deck and the card. This thing is seriously gorgeous.

This card also reminds us that the observed and the observer leave their mark on each other.

As Seven writes, quote … it doesn’t mean that anything is possible, only that you will irrevocably stain and paint this thing as you begin to interact with it. Be mindful what imprint you leave on its surface. End quote

Be mindful, too, of what you are drawing out of the infinite void of possibility. Anything may be possible, but you leave your mark on that process. When you contemplate the infinite, it leaves its mark on you. You are an active participant in what is attracted and manifested from the infinite, even when that activity is on the subconscious level.

Or, in the words of Carl Jung, quote Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will all it fate. End quote.

Empty is powerful. But empty is not pristine. Empty observed is different from empty ignored. Empty is where all things can become potentially possible. Only the empty cup can be filled. There has to be a deficiency of electrons in one part of a circuit for electricity to flow. Thinking positive with outward flowing desires and expectations and efforts often doesn’t serve as well as being open and empty and in some sense surrendering to the larger and emptier universe. What will you draw from infinity into your empty.

Empty is where infinity hides.

Thank you for listening.

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Of course, your likes, subs, shares, commissioned Tarot readings, follows, questions and comments are always apprecitated.

See you at the next sip!

In-person Readings are back

In-person individual Tarot reading services are re-opening in April. Serving Pittsburgh’s South Hill neighborhoods of Carnegie, Scott, Collier, Bridgeville, Nevillewood, Mount Lebanon and Upper St. Clair

For the next week or so, social media will be more random than usual.

Email readings are open the same as always.

And (drumroll please) in-person readings will re-open in April. Appointments need to schedule at least 2 days in advance. No same-day appointments are available.

Just as a reminder, since it’s been a hot minute since in-person readings have been available:

  • In-person sessions are $40
  • Appointments are required. Contact me to schedule.
  • TaoCraftTarot@gmail.com is still the BEST contact. The phone number you see around the website is for text messages only.
  • Contactless pre-payment is available HERE on the website.
  • Cash in exact change is accepted at the time of our meeting. I don’t carry cash to make change. Payment is due at the time of the reading either way.
  • In-person readings last 40 minutes to 1 hour, give or take. I charge per card not per minute to allow the energy to move at its own pace. That gives you the highest quality of reading when we don’t have to focus on a fixed quantity of time.
  • I don’t keep a physical location and pass the savings along to you. We meet at a quiet public place within my service area. I suggest Panera bread at one of these convenient locations (with plenty of parking!): Great Southern Shopping Center in Bridgeville, 1900 GreenTree Road in Scott Township (in the plaza near Marshalls), Galleria Mall in Mount Lebanon, or Settlers Ridge in Robinson Township.

#Short Sip Tarot: Spin

Thank you for watching, reading and listening to TaoCraft Short Sip Tarot. Any likes, subs, shares, or reading orders that you can spare are always greatly appreciated!

Today’s card is the Wheel.

I also get a strong sense of it bringing the World card right along with it. The idea for today is very much a combination of the two.

The Wheel reminds me of how dynamic life is. It brings today’s energy into the realm of time. A season is part of a year, a day is part of a week, a moment is part of a lifetime. Like it or not, we are all part of something larger than ourselves just by virtue of our very existence.

The World reminds me of this interconnection of all things. Neil DeGrasse Tyson points it out on a physical level when he said “We are all connected; To each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe atomically.”

The one spin of a wheel is part of the longer journey. Each moment of a lifetime is a shining gem of its own, worthy of our full attention. At the exact same moment, that time, is also an inseparable part of a greater whole.

Michael Talbot’s book “The Holographic Universe” comes to mind here. I wonder if time can also be imagined as a hologram, a totality where each part contains the essence of the whole (thus explaining the phenomenons of prescience, clairvoyance, clairsentience and so on) But that is a whole coffee pot worth of pondering, not just a sip.

Anyway, these cards represent the point of view that was on my mind when I created the woven bead bracelets in the shop. That’s why I created them, to honor that energy. That’s why I wear one, to remember that perspective as time spins on.

Thank you again for reading, watching and listening. See you at the next sip.

The author with one of her handmade bracelets