Changing direction in the face of fear is not the same as being stopped by it.
Go prefrontal cortex! Go! You can do it!
Hello and welcome to TaoCraft Tarot blog and podcast. I’m glad you are here.
Today I picked up the Allyman’s Tarot Deck and drew the Undaunted card. This is the first time I’ve drawn it. Over six months into using this gorgeous deck, and I’m still discovering cards. I still haven’t gotten around to reading the guidebook. I haven’t finished that Chuck Wendig library book that is due next week either, so Mr. Wendig and Mr. Asmund are in good company together. I’ll read about the Undaunted card in a few minutes after I get this started. Who knows? This might even post before noon for a change. Let’s see.
I love this card.
Color on black is my favorite look and blue is my favorite color so this was an instant favorite on first glance aesthetics alone. To me, undaunted, connotes courage and level headed reactions to adversity. Go prefrontal cortex! That’s the area of the brain that lets us do that sort of thing. If I were to connect this card to a classic Waite Smith card, I’d be the knight of swords, but this has a different tone and direction. The knight is active, fast, now, self-confident. I associate the knight of swords with someone yelling “Geronimo” and diving right into a situation. Undaunted is strong and self confident, but undaunted is also less about galloping straight in and more about being inexorable at any speed and in any direction.
Confidence and action upside down reminds me of fear, anxiety and reticence. Fear and anxiety exist for a reason, however. Evolution drummed it up as a way to help keep us alive. I think we are meant to do something when we are afraid. It might be fight. It might be flight. Either one is still doing something.
Being undaunted isn’t about being an unstoppable juggernaut in one single direction. It is about moving and doing and trying regardless of circumstances, even when those circumstances require some finesse and change and adaptability. Changing what you plan and do because of fear is not the same as being stopped by it. Changing because of fear or anxiety isn’t failure. It’s adaptation. It’s survival.
Ok.
I’ve had my say. Let’s see what the deck creator has to say. Where is that guidebook?
Here we go – this card was created by Shan Bennon, by the way. Undaunted in reverse, page 133 of the Alleyman’s Tarot guidebook “a hidden creature unwilling to show itself for fear of being known.”
Hiding. That’s doing something. Sometimes it is both tactical and strategic to lay low. Watching, waiting, analysing, planning, changing direction…all of those things are doing something, even if it doesn’t look like our stereotypical notion of full gallop ahead courage.
Even when that something is watch and wait and hide and feel and just survive, doing something in the face of fear or anxiety makes you undaunted.
Alleyman’s Tarot by Seven Dane Asmund and Publishing Goblin LLC, used with permission.
Video music “Modern Crusaders” by Enigma via YouTube Shorts
Podcast intro and outro music “Daylight is not for Owls” by Owltree used under attribution non-commercial no-derivative creative commons 3.0 international license.
CrystalCast reading for the week ahead,: vibe and chill.
I don’t know what I did, but I lost the video of this one. Backed it up with a static photo, so hopefully this will do.
Hi and welcome to the TaoCraft Tarot blog and audio blog, A.K.A. the podcast. I’m glad you are here.
Since it’s new, and since I screwed up the video anyway, I hope today’s reading will work as a super short nano-sip of a podcast, just to let you know that these crystal cast things exist. Between now and at least January, life here is an elfcon 1 squirrel rave at full volume, so I’m not promising to do anything blog, podcast or social media related at any given time on any given day. Still, it’s my intent to post these “crystal cast” readings on Monday mornings.
Ish.
Hopefully.
But don’t hold your breath. I don’t want to contribute to anyone dropping their oxygen levels.
My intent is also to film the crystals and runestones so you can see them as they fall. Seeing the actual cast might spark something within your own mind and intuition. Just like with a Tarot reading, your hunches and feelings about what something means takes precedence over anything I might say about it.
That’s what readings are about after all. As I see it, professional psychics with all of our woo woo cards, crystals, runes, tea leaves, star charts, chicken bones or what have you are all in service to one thing: the human experience. It isn’t about predicting the future. If that is what you want, then I’m not the reader for you. Buyer beware is all I’m saying about that kind of psychic sales pitch.
Intuitive readings aren’t about any external spirit or deity unless you want them to be. I don’t see it a reading as one bit supernatural. They are no more supernatural than an image in a mirror showing us a point of view we might not have otherwise seen. It is about emotion, perspective and our individual connection to the wholeness of everything. Are psychic readings subtle? Yes. Objectively measurable by science? No. Valid and valuable and enriching to the human experience? Absolutely.
I’m hoping that those of you listening today on the podcast will at some point visit the blog to see the card draw and crystal cast videos. The crystal cast posts will be a blog exclusive after today. There is a link to the blog website in the episode description. Some podcasting platforms allow for video podcasting. I tried a few test episodes, but it seemed to defeat the whole purpose of having an audio version of the blog in the first place. If you are in it to listen while you work or work out or drive or what have you, then for safety’s sake you shouldn’t be looking at a screen. If you want to see the visuals, please, by all means visit the blog or the youtube channel. But if you just want to listen, by all means, please, grab the podcast version and just listen. I value your attention and your thoughts no matter whether you are looking or listening or both.
But, as usual, I digress.
Back to this week and these crystals.
The first and obvious thing is the row of four touching runestones, like a literal wall across the path of the other crystals.
The clustering of clear chips under the wall of rune stones reminds me of last week’s reading. It isn’t a forever blockade. The energy here isn’t a NO – it’s a “slow down and cool your jets” kind of vibe. In my minds eye I see a school crossing guard telling everybody to slow down.
Last week’s reading had a lot of sparkle with an emphasis on productivity and progress. This isn’t a full stop to that previous message, but it is a little bit of fine tuning to the speed of it all. In a way, it is a validation of what you are doing. As dynamic as last week’s reading was and as often as the chaotic Tower Tarot card has shown up lately, this pattern is saying two things:
First, it is ok to cool it with big changes and the frenetic pace.
Second, all that stuff you started is good. Keep up the good work.
Here I get the mental image of that ridiculous looking shirt from the 70’s that said “keep on trucking.” I’m also reminded of Harry Connick Jr. on American Idol talking about singing “in the pocket” or being “in the groove” with the band or some such thing. Now I’m reminded of one of my favorite Twitter memes, your friend and mine, vibing cat.
Whatever you’ve been doing, if it’s working, keep doing it. To borrow some more cliches, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it and just keep on keeping on. Stay in the groove. Vibe with things as they are for a little while.
Of the four rune stones, three are blank. I don’t get the sense of brimming “potential” that I did with last week’s blank stones. There is more of a “stay” or “hold” feel. That would go along with the one rune that is showing – Isa, symbolic of ice.
It doesn’t get much more to the point than that in the intuition and symbolism business.
Chill.
Do, but don’t push. Continue, but at a relaxed pace. You are sliding along, not frozen solid in the ice.
Just to prove that a sense of humor exists in the world…as I write that I get the mental image of olympic curling, and the slow, smooth slide of the curling rocks.
The individual crystals in the top right hand corner of the photo remind me that there are always outliers. This reading doesn’t apply to every single person who hears it. This is a collective energy, general audience kind of reading that should never bear the burden of prediction, even if such a thing were possible. If this reading doesn’t resonate with you, that’s normal. No one reading can be everything to everyone. Keep listening and your perfect message will find you in time.
Thank you so much for reading and listening today. I welcome your questions and feedback through the comments below or the contact in the right hand column over there ->
There are links in the episode description for the podcast.
The blog, the podcast and the youtube channel are not monetized in any way, so they 100% rely on your support. Please visit the TaoCraft Tarot ko-fi page where purchases and memberships all support creating these free blog and podcast Tarot readings for everyone.
I’m posting a few reminders on different days and different times of days to hopefully catch everyone, and hopefully entice a few new people to take a peek.
There is no schedule for blogs, podcasts or social media posts. They are random and in the moment. Random and strange tends to be the nature of Tarot and I’m all about that Taoist harmony with the nature of things. Like the song says, “everything I do gone be funky – from now on”
In-person readings are OPEN by appointment only.
Live online readings by appointment
This blog, the podcast and the YouTube channel are NOT monetized. I don’t see a penny from any ads or anything that you see. These totally free blog & podcast Tarot readings are all 100% supported by your purchases, memberships and virtual coffee gifts through the TaoCraftTarot page on ko-fi If you enjoy Short Sip posts and the other free content, please support them as you are able.
All email readings are going to be through the readings menu on ko-fi because you can check our AND submit your question in one easy, secure transaction
PRO TIP: scroll through the WHOLE readings menu. By not keeping a physical office, I can pass the savings on to you. I have LOTS of different layouts at bargain prices – something for any question or budget.
Long story short – it’s all pretty much the same as always except I’m giving up on schedule and joining the squirrel rave. Tarot’s random and strange is a lot more fun that way.
Please feel free to browse the website. It is a treasure trove of Tarot readings, transparency and honesty all intended with kindness. Pardon the little sprinkles of sarcasm every now and then. It’s a package deal. Please feel free to look around. What you see is what you get.
Hi. This is just a quick follow up to yesterday’s late night post about the NEW CrystalCast reading. I only recently came up with the idea for this part crystal, part runestone, all scrying, pure intuition, just for fun, look at the week ahead reading. You can see the whole post and watch the video of the actual crystal cast HERE (there is a link in show description for podcast folks) I hope you’ll follow the blog come along as this new reading evolves.
If Short Sip Tarot posts are a contemplation for your day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee, Crystal Cast posts are a few brain waves for your week in the time it takes to sip from your tea. My intent is to post these either Sunday evenings or Monday morning. Maybe. More or less. Which brings me to the fall and winter schedule:
There is none.
I’m not going to try and fit into an announced schedule anymore. What you see is what you get or wizzy wig as the old school computer programmers used to say it. It is what it is and you see it all as it happens. Intuition, psychic readings and Tarot readings are all very much a product of their present moment. I want my cyberspace presence to authentically reflect that in-the-moment process. This is about quality, not quantity. Writing in the moment whenever that moment happens gives you the best of my intuition. Everything I do here is with the intent that it comes to you in the time and place and way that is highest and bestfor you. I don’t have to write on a set schedule or use a pre-set scheduler for the universe to bring you and your energy message together.
Which happens.
All of the time.
Most of the time, actually, The likes or comments for a post or podcast episode often trickle in long after it was first published. The internet is forever as they say. You never know when someone will stumble onto one of these collective energy readings. When I write in my moment, whenever that is, then you get the best message for you in your moment, whenever that turns out to be.
When I first rebranded from Modern Oracle to TaoCraft Tarot back in 2018, I blogged about the reasons for the name change. At its core, it was about authenticity. TaoCraft is a transparent, honest expression of what my Tarot work is really all about. It was about bringing the cyberspace aesthetics in alignment with the real me; a little witchy and heavily influenced by Taoist philosophy.
All along, under both names, I tried to follow all the good professional advice about best media and marketing practices.
It didn’t work.
Halloween is said to be the witches new year. Intuitively, autumn feels right for wrapping up some things and starting other things, like a new school year – or a new business attitude.
Owning my own business was never the goal. Don’t get me wrong – I need the money as much as the next person, but I’m not out to build a media company or be ridiculously famous. I’m here to communicate, to teach and above all, to inspire. I’m a Tarot reader, a Tarot writer, artist and intuitive. This is real, sincere and authentic Tarot. It’s not a side hustle. It’s not any kind of hustle. It’s artistry and craftsmanship. It is all about quality over quantity.
August and September were the hustle’s last gasp. Did you hear all of the sawing and air wrench sounds? I’ve tweeked a few things around here , but mostly I’m fully embracing the Adam Savage quote of “follow the process, not the plan.”
No more schedule for posts, podcasts or social media. Creativity happens when it happens. Spirit whispers as it does and energy moves as it moves. My job is to honor that process and that spirit and that energy. My job is to translate and communicate that spirit and energy…not bend it to an announced schedule. Serving authenticity in this way will elevate my experience of this work and in turn elevate the quality of the readings you receive, both public and private.
After three pandemic years of few to no party appearances, I’m closing that part of the business. I’m all about individual readings now, either privately in person, privately by email (still my specialty), or from me to you by way of the blog, pod and social media.
Starting in January all in-person appointments will be on Mondays, because of non-Tarot reasons. If you can’t meet on a Monday, we can work live online through a Zoom call at another time that works for both of us. Both online and in-person are by appointment anyway.
Purchases are all through my ko-fi page now. It is a MUCH easier checkout process, still secured by PayPal. You can check out and submit your question in one super-easy seamless process.
In person sessions can pay cash in exact change at the time of the reading (I don’t carry cash or make change) OR you can pre-pay through the ko-fi shop. When you pre-purchase the in-person session you get an instant download .pdf with general instructions a free sample chapter from one of my upcoming ebooks.
Email Tarot readings are still my specialty. I’m psychic, and I’m a writer. I’m a psychic writer, I suppose. But I’m not a marketer or media maven. I’m not a hustle. I’m not a clinical therapist. I’m not a healer. I’m a muse for your ideas and messenger for your spirit guides to help inspire personal growth and creative problem solving. Forget predicting the future. Claiming your personal power and growing as a human being is what this style of Tarot is about. If you want next-level inspiration, I’m here to help. If you want to predict the future, might I suggest one of those 8-ball toys? To be blunt, this is Tarot for grown-ups and for people who want to grow.
Grown-ups tend to be practical. We work smarter, not harder, so all of the practical advantages of email Tarot are HERE on the website.
In fact, the blog website has pretty much everything about TaoCraft Tarot. It is a treasure trove of Tarot readings, transparency and honesty all intended with kindness. Pardon the little sprinkles of sarcasm every now and then. It’s a package deal. Please feel free to look around. What you see is what you get.
Thanks for reading and listening. I appreciate any questions, comments, likes, follows or shares you can spare.
Hello and welcome to the TaoCraft Tarot blog and podcast.
I don’t clutter up comments with a sales pitch and I never ever ever target an individual to offer a reading under any circumstances (if anyone does that to you…RUN AWAY!) so I expect the same courtesy, but other than that, I love hearing from you all. I want to know what you think of this fun little reading.
At its heart, this is a scrying type of psychic reading. Scrying just means gazing. Think of the Queen in Snow White gazing at a mirror or the classic trope of the fortune teller staring at a crystal ball. The famous astrologer Nostradamus is said to have used water scrying, gazing at a bowl of water and reading the ripples and reflections in order to write his famous quatrains. As best as I can tell, the practice of scrying takes the natural, innate human psychological trait of pareidolia … seeing meaningful patterns in randomness … and puts it to good psychological use for personal growth and enrichment.
Just like with a Tarot reading, your impulse and instinct about the images comes before all else. It is what YOU think it is. The reading refers to whatever YOU know it to mean. The best readings are the ones where you walk away with the feeling of confirmation, validation and empowerment. The best readings are the ones where you walk away saying I KNEW it!
These readings, when you watch the video, let’s you engage your inner knowing with the reading in the strongest possible way. All readings, Tarot included, are about amplifying, engaging and empowering your part in all of this.
That’s the up side
With a purely intuition driven scrying reading, there are no established, collective, accepted meanings for anything we see on the tabletop. It’s a big leap of faith. It’s a leap of faith for me to trust my intuition and to lay an advanced level of trusting claim on my intuitive ability and my years of psychic experience. It takes a much larger leap of faith from you to trust the reading’s validity, to trust me. It means a lot that you’ve read this far. I hope that the years of blogging have earned your trust. I’ve been doing this professionally since around 2003, so I hope by now everyone has figured out this is legit. It’s art, but with a heart. This stuff can help in a lot of ways that we’ll talk about on another day.
To start with, let’s keep this light. It is a small leap of faith to do a fun little look at the energies for the week ahead. Honestly, the vibe today reminds me of those old school newspaper horoscopes. That is pretty clost to what Crystal Cast readings will be here in the blog and podcast. The ones you order will, as always, be deeper, more detailed and personalized.
If you are listening on the podcast, I hope you’ll make time to use the link in the show description to come watch the video of the cast itself. Scrying is, by definition, visual.
Now that we’ve talked about gazing and scrying and crystal casting, there are a couple of other things I want to define before we talk about this weeks rocks.
Most of the time, the intuitive impressions come as mental images. That is true for me no matter what amplification tool I’m using be it Tarot cards or playing cards, or crystals or runestones or I ching coins or nothing at all. It all works pretty much the same on the mental and intuitive level. That’s why I originally called the podcast “Clairvoyant Confessional.” This kind of intuitive mental image is the kind of clear-seeing that the word clairvoyant means.
The thing that led me to using runestones in this reading is none other than Thom Pham’s Heart of Stars Tarot that you’ve seen me use here in the blog, with his permission of course. It’s one of my favorite decks because of its pop culture references. When I’m doing readings for individual private clients, my intuition loves pop culture references. It is a wonderful communication tool. A song or a movie or a TV show can communicate exactly what spirit, or energy or intuition (whatever you like to call it) is trying to say. Typically this kind of information comes as words or music. When that happens I’ll say “I hear.” And no, it doesn’t mean I’m hallucinating. Saying “hear” simply means the intuition is presenting as words or sounds instead of mental images.
I’ve worked with aromatherapy, so fragrance will chime in for me more often for me than for the majority of psychics. If I get anything like that it is always intended as a general room fragrance which can support emotional states. I never suggest physical applications. That is best left in the hands of an aromatherapist in a proper holistic health consult. That sort of thing does not belong in any psychic reading.
Other senses can pop up too, but that is fairly rare. If a taste comes through, it probably means I’m hungry or it’s something I like and enjoy too.
All of that being said, let’s kick off this new kind of reading post and take a look at these pretties.
As I scattered the crystals, I heard the word “busy” The clear pieces caught attention more than the obsidian. They seemed very sparkling and glittery despite the overcast skies and subdued light. The general impression is that this is going to be a busy and likely productive week. If this were Tarot cards, I would expect to see plenty of pentacle cards around with that kind of practical, productive, real-world vibe. These lapis runestones have really nice pyrite inclusions. The gold flecks are prominent on the backs of these particular stones, with resonate with a career and money pentacle-like energy. The rune stones fell blank side up. As I learned it, that is called “Odin’s stones” Whatever that may traditionally mean, I ‘hear’ “blank slate” which hints at a lot of potential here. This week is a blank canvas eager for you to paint. I also hear “lay a foundation” looking at these stones. This week is a blank slate for you to start laying a foundation for future plans.
hmmm, interesting.
That word & hearing thing is called Clairaudience like the mental images are called clairvoyance. If this reading is any indication, crystals are going to be as chatty and mental word hearing as Tarot cards are mental image inducing. Cards show, crystals talk if this is any indication of the direction this is heading.
This is going to be fun.
There you have the short and sweet of it. I hope you enjoy your productive, busy, foundation-laying week.
Thank you so much for reading and listening! I appreciate your thoughts about this new reading. Actually I appreciate any questions, comments or feedback about any of the readings we do together.
These free to access readings depend on your support. Please visit the TaoCraft Tarot page on ko-fi where your purchases, memberships and virtual coffee tips all support the work that goes into bringing you this blog and podcast. Links to the blog page with the video and the ko-fi page are in the episode description for those of you listening on the podcast.
The TaoCraft Tarot blog, podcast and youtube channel are not monetized in any way and depend on your support. Memberships, shop purchases, private readings and virtual coffees all support the work that goes into creating the free readings on this blog and podcast.
TaoCraft Short Sip blog & podcast episodes are Tarot readings for your day in the time it takes to sip from your coffee
I get it.
I kind of feel the same way myself.
Welcome to the TaoCraft Tarot blog and podcast. I’m glad you are here.
The Tower card is about chaos, suddenness and the unexpected. It sums up the past several years of politics and pandemics better than any other card I can think of at the moment. Today the Tower is reversed, which begs the question of what do you get when you turn chaos on its head?
Sameness.
Sudden change and chaos has its benefits, believe it or not. There are reasons for that proverb that there is opportunity in chaos. There has to be a bolt of lightning before you can catch it in a bottle. Chaos often forces us to the top of the tower to gain perspective and get above the fracas. Chaos can force us to be mentally and emotionally agile. Change forces adaptability which is in turn a path of evolution and survival.
No energy is – or should be – forever.
Change is part of the fabric of the universe. The universe is expanding. Stars go nova. Mountains weather. Tectonic plates shift.
But sometimes enough is freaking enough.
Too much change for too long can take a toll on the human psyche. Just as bodies need rest, mind and emotion needs respite before change turns into chaos turns into full on stress.
It is normal and natural to crave sameness after a time of stress and upheaval. That is a warrior, protective energy. “Protective” is the key word here. Craving sameness and a respite from stress is a matter of protecting the good parts of reality and right now. It is a matter of protecting peace and quiet but NOT a matter of regressing to an imaginary past dreamed through rose colored glasses.
And of course, the other extreme is not a good thing either. Too much sameness breeds stagnation and decay.
Here again we see the mind-bending, paradoxical but repeatedly repeatedly proven true interplay of opposites from the philosophy side of Taoism. Anything in its extreme fosters the seed of its opposite. Too much stress and change fosters a craving for sameness. Too much sameness fosters a craving to shake things up with a little chaos. Chaos which, in due time, gets turned on its head back into sameness.
Thank you for reading the blog and listening to the audio version aka podcast. I appreciate it. I also appreciate any likes, subs, follows, shares, questions or comments that you can spare.
See you at the next sip.
Private readings in person, online and by email are OPEN. Please visit the TaoCraft Tarot ko-fi page where your purchases, exclusive content memberships and virtual coffee gifts all support these free-for-everyone short sip Tarot readings.
TaoCraft is four years old today, but this new crystal cast reading is today years old today.
My Tarot career isn’t shiny and new, but these readings certainly are.
Hello and welcome to TaoCraft Tarot blog and podcast. I’m glad you are here.
Today is the 4th anniversary of TaoCraft Tarot’s grand opening. Even though I’ve been doing reading cards since the early nineties, publicly under the nicknames Baihu and Modern Oracle since 2003 or so, in 2018 I re-named re-branded and re-launched everything as TaoCraft Tarot. I still hope to re-introduce everything because knowing is more comfortable than not knowing and I want everyone, new and old friends and followers alike, to feel comfortable and at home here.
At four years old, TaoCraft as a whole is like a well used favorite pair of jeans with all of the reasons for the name chang well out of the broom closet, but today I’d like introduce a brand shiny new kind of reading.
New to me, in any case. I’ve never offered these publicly before.
Casting type of divination isn’t new. Throwing coins to gain wisdom from the I ching is an ancient practice. People probably have been doing psychic readings with tossed objects since someone dropped some chicken bones on a patch of dirt. Charm casting had a moment on social media a few years ago. I had a charm reading once. It was – forgive me – charming. There is just no better word for it. At was insightful and helpful and kind which a credit to the reader more than the charms.
Those are all parts of the powerful roots that I hope to bring to the crystal casting experience. For those of you listening on the podcast, you
The unique part of this is not the casting and pure intuitive reading process, the unique part is the stuff I’ve put in my wise woman’s little reading bag of tricks, so to speak. Inspired in part by that charm casting reading, but also by Crystal Vaults crystal readings, Thom Pham’s Rune Cards of Mannaz and Publishing Goblin’s Oracle Dice (which I may add to my literal grab bag once they arrive from the kickstarter in a few months) I’m using black crystal chips for protection, clear quartz crystal chips for clarity and to amplify psychic energy, and lapis lazuli rune stones for wisdom, insight and integrity.
Looking at the example video above (on the blog and podcast website. If you are listening to the podcast I’ll put a link in the show description for you if you’d like to see the example) we see two lines which brings to mind converging paths or converging concerns. On is mostly black chips, the other mostly clear chips, with the two converging in the middle of the scattered chips. I get the impression this is about protecting your vision, guarding your insight until it is the right time. I ‘hear’ … hear meaning that the intuition comes as words instead of mental images … “don’t overshare”. If I apply this to my situation, it reminds me of the whole squirrel rave meme that has been popping up the schedule announcements and all the changes in planning over the spring and summer particularly. The advice is to “play things close to the vest” so to speak. I’ll explain more later, but I’m not going to announce schedules and plans so much anymore so things can adapt and be more agile over all. Oversharing seems like a bad idea in the short term future it seems.
See the X, the Gebo rune? It means gift, generosity, partnership…all hints of being in a flow of good things. The blank side rune hints at potential. I hear “blank slate” with great potential to choose and write the future being present on the path ahead.
See how that works?
I’m offering these at an introductory price until the end of November 2022 then they will cost the same as a one card Tarot reading. Please visit the blog and podcast website for details.
i know it isn’t exactly polite to ask for presents on your own business anniversary. Every year, I break my own rule of no cutsey pants promotions rule and do something to celebrate the deep authenticity and the anniversary of the TaoCraft web name and blog title. This year it was $1 Tarot readings. Now I’m asking for a little treat from you, not tricks involved. If you could comment on the blog or to the blog if your platform supports that – I’d really like to hear from you. What do you think of the crystal casting idea? What do like, hate, or want to see more of here in the blog and podcast? If I could trick or treat at your door tonight, I’d rather hear your thoughts than get a candy.
Thank you all for listening and reading. Thank you all for being here, and making the past four years so worthwhile.
when there is never no hope, that means there always is.
There is never no hope means that there always is.
Hello and welcome to TaoCraft Tarot blog and podcast. I’m glad you are here.
To my way of thinking, the eight of swords is one of those cards with dire looking art, but a bright kernel of courage and perseverance held within it. Just like the yin yang, deep inside anything is the seed of its opposite.
The 8 of swords could be seen as hopeless. The figure is bound, surrounded by swords. As long as time still flows, there is hope. Ropes may loosen, swords fall. Gaps can be found with slow, deliberate, careful, small movements.
This eight of swords card is from the alleyman’s tarot deck by seven dane asmund, used with the author and Publishing Goblin permission. Card art by Liz Mamot.
Swords denote both intellect and action. They also connect with the element of air which can find the smallest spaces and flow between obstacles. When the eight of swords shows up it is your cue to act but thoughtfully. Use out of the box thinking and creative problem solving. Flow and adapt like an autumn breeze. Move, but gently. As long as time still flows there is something to do, even if it is to wait for your opportunity.
Thank you so much for listening. The podcast music is “Daylight is not for Owls” by Owltree, used under a attribution noncommercial nonderivative creative commons license.
The blog and podcast are not monetized. That means that your Tarot message comes first, but it relies on audience support. Please visit the TaoCraft Tarot page on ko-fi where your purchases, memberships and virtual coffees all support this unique and free to access Tarot Content.
Links are in the episode description for podcast listeners.
A good Tarot reading begins before anyone touches a card. How do you find a psychic that you can trust?
The best place to start is at the beginning. Or in this case, before the beginning.
Hello and welcome to TaoCraft Tarot blog and podcast. I’m glad you are here.
Picking up where we left off in the Real Talk Rewind blog post and in honor of the Halloween anniversary of re-branding my old Tarot work into TaoCraft Tarot, I’m re-introducing the whole story start to finish. On one hand this is the part of online work that feels egotistical and weird. Self-promotion is very icky feeling and I can totally see why there are old school superstitions about money and spirituality. On the other hand, the cure for the ickiness is communication and the cure for superstition is rigorous professionalism and full transparency. That’s why I do all of this “a rose by any other name” writing around this time of year.
I am grateful for the opportunity to do Tarot work, and the TaoCraft name and content is the most authentic expression of what it’s all about. But I’ll get back to that later. In fact, I’ll get back to all of that in the ebook I’m still trying to put together, TaoCraft: Portfolio.
If the place to begin is the beginning, let’s begin the story of TaoCraft Tarot BEFORE the beginning. The real beginning of the beginning is when you decide that you want to get a reading.
That is exactly where Portfolio begins too.
Once you have decided that you want a reading, how do you find a psychic that you can trust to do the reading? This is about that step in the process. This is about finding the right person to work with you on that reading you just decided to get. That is where Portfolio comes in. It is written to give some context and background to Tarot in general and my readings in particular so that you can see in detail if TaoCraft Tarot is the right place for you.
This ebook excerpt has a permanent page on the website, and I’ve posted it in the blog before. Here it is again as a beginning before the beginning of any reading we do together, including the collective energy, broad audience Short Sip blog posts and podcast episodes. What follows is an excerpt chapter fromthe upcoming ebook TaoCraft: Portfolio.
The Tao of Finding a Psychic
There aren’t many spiritual portfolios around. So how do you know who is the right psychic for you? How do you avoid scams and know who to trust?
The first step, of course, is to follow your own instincts.
Right away, that sounds like a bunch of double talk. If using your instincts was the answer, then you wouldn’t need to consult a psychic in the first place.
I believe that we all possess good intuition, but sometimes it helps to have another point of view. Two heads really can be better than one. It takes two separate eyes for us to physically see depth and distance. Two points of view can give depth and distance to our ideas, too. Even professional readers consult with other psychics sometimes. Tarot cards and professional psychics are amplifiers for your intuition, not a substitute for it. It’s said that spirit speaks in whispers. We professionals serve to translate spirit’s whispers into louder language that you can actually use.
Most people wouldn’t hesitate to ask friends, family or neighbors for a recommendation if they need a plumber or a mechanic or a hair stylist. Why should this be any different? I wouldn’t suggest asking your super religious granny if she knows a good psychic, but asking like-minded people is a pretty reliable way to find a good reader. Word of mouth is often the only way to find some of the best psychics . If you already know a psychic that you like and trust, recommending them is a wonderful way to support their work.
Without a personal recommendation, you might have to dig a little; read ads, visit websites, ask at small local bookstores or holistic health shops. Those of us on this side of the reading table are a little underground for all the same reasons that you need to be on guard. We still have to protect ourselves and our families from cultural and religious bigotry, even in 21st century America. We have to protect ourselves from the reputation scammers and con artists have brought to psychic services. We have to protect ourselves from people trying to scam us. We have to deal with all the same pitfalls that you do. Wariness on both sides can make it hard for sincere psychics and well meaning clients to connect with each other.
When you get a recommendation or find an ad that catches your attention, don’t be shy. Talk to the person. Text, email or call, but the trick here is to ask calm reasonable questions. Don’t suddenly pour out your heart to a stranger or interrogate them as if they had already done something criminal. Instead, ask them about practical things, like scheduling, location, hours, prices, accepted forms of payment and so on.
It is often easier to get a feel for the person’s personality and ethics from this kind of bland conversation than any other way. Questions like these are safe, neutral ground for both of you. Working psychics want to protect everyone’s privacy and comfort level. If you are just a little bit friendly, you’ll find that a trustworthy psychic will meet you more than half way. If they treat mundane business questions with professionalism and kindness, chances are they will treat your reading the same way. If they seem like they are hiding something, making a hard core sales pitch or it all just seems way too good to be true, then by all means pay attention to those feelings. It’s ok to talk to several people before you commit to an appointment.
Once you’ve talked to people or browsed the ads, if it feels right and you can afford it – try a session. If it is a good match, you’ll know right away. A Tarot reading should never make you feel judged or uncomfortable. If that first session isn’t a good experience, simply try again with someone else. Personality and style are important factors in finding the right psychic for you. Some people enjoy a little glam and drama. Others prefer a relaxed, cookies-at-the-kitchen table vibe. A mismatch in style or personality doesn’t mean that the reader did anything wrong. Neither did you. You should never take it personally or be made to feel that a bad session was your fault for “not believing” or any such nonsense.
Of course, always use plenty of common sense to steer clear of the many scams that do exist. So-called psychics who promise to fix your love life, cure anything, give 100% accurate predictions, or demand regular appointments should be approached with caution. Or better still, not approached at all. I’ve met a lot of excellent psychics and Tarot readers over the past 30 years. None of them, not a single one, ever offers a reading out of the blue to a stranger. Never. Advertising, special offers, or giveaways to the general public are normal business practices. Targeting an individual in the guise of “feeling a connection” or being “led by spirit” to do a reading for them is on par with spam bots and email phishing – or worse.
Thanks to the Internet, no matter where you live, you can get affordable, expert Tarot readings. The extrasensory, intuitive, psychic part of a reading comes from outside of ordinary space and time. Communicating the reading to you by phone or internet instead of in-person doesn’t change the content of the message itself. Distance readings are as exactly as valid as in-person sessions, possibly more so. With a distance reading, you know the message is truly intuitive. With email in particular, there is no way for you to give away body language cues or answer leading questions. Distance readings protect you from deceptive ‘cold readings’ and stage mentalism.
Finding a trustworthy psychic online poses the same problems as finding one in-person, multiplied by the sheer number of people available. Trusting your feelings is all the more important when you work online despite the many cost, convenience, and privacy benefits of a distance reading.
Distance readings are my specialty. I began my public Tarot work online. Over the years, I learned that websites can carry a vibe the same way that physical spaces do. A psychic may not have technical skill as a webmaster, but you can still get a feel for the person behind the web page. As time goes on, blogs and social media have become easier and easier to use. A psychic with few computer skills can present themselves well. An up to date website and social media presence is a good clue to the amount of care and attention that the psychic is putting into their professional practice. An outdated website can mean that the reader is no longer working professionally or that they are better suited to in-person sessions. Good distance psychics seem to be a fairly tech savvy crowd.
In-person or at a distance, there are lots of sincere, trustworthy psychics available but they are sometimes hard to find. It’s worth the effort to find the right price, style, personality, and format for you. You’ll get a better reading and more value for your money in the long run. Following your instincts combined with a little common sense can help you find a trustworthy Tarot reader.
After reading this booklet, I hope your instincts will be to work with me.
Thank you for reading and listening! I appreciate it!
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The blog and podcast are not monetized and depend on you. Please visit the TaoCraft Tarot Page on ko-fi.com where your purchases and memberships all support this free to access blog and podcast.
There are more big drink background posts to come. Until then, I’ll see you at the next sip!
Sage Sips / TaoCraft Tarot 
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