TaoCraft tarot – Page 14 – Sage Sips / TaoCraft 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!

Choose Your Tarot Card 27.2.25

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

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Think of a question or concentrate on guidance for the next few days. Choose the right or left card. Pause the video if you need more time to think, then restart to see the card reveal.

THREE OF PENTACLES: No man is an island – you don’t have to do this alone, literally or figuratively. It’s OK to ask for a helping had or to give one where it is needed. It feels like this will make something that seems big actually easy. Many hands make light work as the saying goes. Do what needs done then everyone can go out for a beer after.

TWO OF PENTACLES: Keeping in balance often means constant small adjustments. Don’t let the constant part overwhelm you. It’s just how life goes. Only dead things don’t change at least a little bit. The body has to create new cells in order to grow or heal. The key here is the SMALL part. Small, easy simple adjustments now can save a lot of trouble later. There is an old adage for this card, too. As Benjamin Franklin told us, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

See you at the next sip!

Week Ahead Tarot 23 Feb 25

Sage Sips is Tarot in the time it takes to sip your coffee

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What the energy is: THE LILIES – folks are tired. It’s the end of winter, not quite spring. The energy environment is craving sincerity and stability. Provide that where you can to make the week better, but also protect your own peace of mind.

What to do about it: THE CHILD – the bear in Christoper Butler’s artwork here is key. Kids tell it like it is, so give your fullest honesty and authenticity as you can, but hold on tight to your teddy bear. The deck author writes that the bear symbolizes protection and empowerment. Being authentic is a place of strength. Protect your inner true self: from others, but also from your own inner critic, and let the real you shine.

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Choose Your Tarot Card 21-2-25

Thanks for watching and reading! Sage Sips is Tarot for your day in the time it takes to sip your coffee. Your virtual coffee donations and private Tarot reading purchases all support this always free to read blog.

Heirophant: The energy still lingers from this card’s message earlier this week. Live your own truth, listen to your higher self and your inner wisdom. Use critical thinking and a healthy dose of intuition before taking outside authority at face value.

Death (reversed) The change that is causing you pain may not be as bad or irreversible as you might think in this moment. But this is the death card just the same. The changes cut deep, and your feelings in this moment are valid regardless of the ultimate outcome. Give them – and the outcome their due each in their own time.

See you at the next sip!

Choice and compassion (17 Feb 25)

Sage Sips is Tarot in the time it takes to sip your coffee

Pause the video if you need time to think of your question or time to decide which card feels right for you. Restart to see the reveal.

Ten of Swords: Persistence comes from doing something, not from doing the same thing over and over. Taking a minute – or a month – or several – to collect yourself and process the big things that have happened is not a defeat. Healing IS doing something. Healing IS moving forward. Changing directions IS persisting.

Hierophant (Pope in some decks) NOW is the time for spirituality, not religion. Now is the time to follow your own inner wisdom and your personal connection to the universe or the devine, not what outside influences dictate. Follow your conscience to a path of compassion toward others AND toward yourself.

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Choose Your Tarot Card 11 Feb 24

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THE FOOL: Sometimes a new beginning is a thousand mile journey that starts with a single step. Other times it’s a thousand foot drop that starts with being shoved off the edge of a cliff. Either way, adaptability is a survival skill.

SEVEN OF PENTACLES: Focus on what you have, not what you don’t.

Ask Me Anything: use the AMA contact form to ask a question to get a free Tarot reading in the public blog. (All policies, terms and conditions apply)

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Weekend Oracle (6 Feb 25)

Choose your card, get the Oracle card reading below.

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Think of a question, a topic or the weekend ahead. Choose your card. Pause the video if you need time to think, then restart to see the reveal.

PAY ATTENTION (reversed): something important has flown under your radar. Pay attention now and you can figure out the situation. It is just more urgent now than it was before.

THE GAMBLER: Wayne Gretsky said that we “miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” If you don’t try, you have 0% chance of success. Trying, failing, re-thinking, trying again might be a more valuable experience in the long run than an easy success could ever be.

Deck: Alleyway Oracle of Secrets by Seven Dane Asmund. Used with permission from @publishinggoblin1072

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The Theme Continues

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

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Think of a question, a topic, or just the next few days to get general guidance. Choose your card. Pause the video if you need time, then restart to see the reveal. Pick a card and get it’s message for you below.

The theme, the “meta-message” that came through repeating cards over the course of multiple readings during the holiday season seems to continue. The calendar may have turned to February, but the energy hasn’t turned in a new direction quite yet.

Dire things are still happening in the US. That is a dark, stressful energy that is like low lying dense dark smoke underneath all of the rest. There is still a sense of chaos continuing as the ‘new normal’ for a while, which explains why the Hanged Man major arcana card is still, ahem, hanging around. The Page, generally speaking, resonates with the bizzarre-feeling, surreal nature of it all.

But if you pull away, focus on a higher level above the blanketing clouds of fear, there are glimmers of a more hopeful individual message:

PAGE OF CUPS: There are deep lessons to be comprehended. From the weird to the sublime, life is trying to tell you something that is ordinarily hidden or very “out of the box” Be patient, be good to yourself. There is a hard lesson to learn here, but give yourself whatever measure of grace that you need to learn what life has to show you and to deal with the emotional fallout of whatever comes to light.

HANGED MAN: Buckle up and settle in. Things are going to hang this way for a while. Expectations and attachments can make things that are outside of your control feel worse.

In The Tao of Pooh Benjamin Hoff writes about busy-ness and constant striving. We are very conditioned to that in the modern world. Not everything has to be constant movement. It is important to be still and incorporate things we’ve already done, things we’ve already learned. It may seem like stagnation to the “Busy Backsons” as Hoffman call it, but life and the universe may still the journey until old lessons are fully set. You can’t walk on a new sidewalk until the cement is dry.

The Message Will Find You

A longer read about a short Lenormand Tarot layout.

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It’s a little bit like that Blondie song “One Way Or Another.”

If you are willing to listen for it, to pay just a little bit of attention, to let yourself accept that a coincidence is as meaningful as it seems, then your guidance is all around you. Anything can reflect your own good intuition.

Two heads are still sometimes better than one.

Sometimes that intuitive guidance needs a little focus for you to see it or a little amplification for you to fully hear it.

That’s where things like Tarot cards, professional readers, tea leaves, crystals, runes and the whole woo-woo thing comes into play. They aren’t anything bad or anything special about any of those things. All of these things help our intuition in the same way glasses can help us read a book or an amplifier can help us listen to a concert.

Psychologist Carl Jung called it synchronicity (just like the Police song also from the ’80s) Some coincidences seem meaningful. If you allow them to be, they are.

A couple of weeks ago I was listening to “The Circle is Podcast” with Mat Auryn, Rachel True and a Lenorman Tarot expert whose name escapes me at the moment. The one thing that stuck with me from the episode was how they experienced Lenormand Tarot as being very verbal in the intuition it gives, while RWS style decks tend to be visual.

That is my experience in the short time I’ve used this Lenormand deck as well.

It’s typical for me to get a mix of mental images (clairvoyance) and words or music (clairaudience) in any given reading, the Lenormand deck seems to almost exclusively verbal. It speaks in full sentences more than just keywords.

The person on the podcast said she tended to use 2 or 3 card layouts for rapid daily guidance more than using the “grand tableau” where ALL of the cards are out on the table. When I was reading about how to do a grand tableau reading, it struck me as being over-engineered, far to complex to be useful as anything other than an enriched environment to spark a straight psychic reading, will the cards themselves contributing very little in that situation.

The Lenormand is very verbal. The simplest, most basic sentence is a noun and a verb – a thing and an action. It seems to me that is where Lenormand has its most simple, yet most elegant, use.

I’d like to explore two card layouts with two Lenormand cards, one to reflect the current situation…the thing that IS…and another to give you some idea what to do about it.

Beyond that, I’m leaving it fluid. Regardless of which card comes first, or which direction you read them, one is the thing and the other is the action and so far it seems fairly obvious which is which. As per their reputation, the Lenormand cards do not mess around in that respect.

For example today’s cards are a clear “stability is coming” The tower is carrying the thing message. It symbolizes stability. The Rider symbolizes something coming, a message or a messenger.

What that short sentence means to you as an individual can vary wildly. But that is, again, how your personal message always finds you. It’s an internal process as much as an external manifestation. It is how you see the world as it is reflected back to you through your individual lens of understanding.

Coming stability may for some be welcome relief from a time of chaos. For others “coming stability” might mean continued chaos, and more of the same. The important thing isn’t as much as the card as it is how you resonate with it.

You’ll know. No matter what I write or say to you in a reading, your heart and bones will know the right message. You’ll know your message when it comes to you through how right it feels to you. Sometimes your message finds you through you recognizing wrongness.

There is a comical scene in the 1960s classic The Addams Family where Morticia is telling an insurance adjuster that a pile of ash is the remains of their highly insured stuffed polar bear. When he objects, she calmly says something like “Does it look like a vulture? Does it look like ….” and seemingly goes on to ask if it looks like every conceivable animal, ending with something like “there you go! Then it MUST be a polar bear!”

Your message will find you even through a ridiculously long process of elimination. If you know in your heart and bones that a reading is off, then at least you know one thing that your message is not and can keep listening for whatever it is.

As someone with the privilege of doing readings for others (now as a hobby, as commissioned folk art) when I put this together with that meta-message that was coming through so much around the holidays of “change followed by a happy ending” I read the the Lenormand duo as being colored both ways: Stability is coming with steady “new normal” chaos in the near future AND stability is coming with relief from the chaos in a more distant future.

Again, 2026 steps forward. I have no idea why. I’ll leave that up to your lens of understanding to figure out.

Thank you so much for reading!

Want a free Tarot answer to your question? ‘Ask Me Anything’ for free using this contact form to get a public answer in the blog. I’ll be using these two card Lenormand layouts to answer AMA form questions for a while, starting in January 2025

Even though I am not operating as a business anymore, I still provide professional standards, an open policy page, and follow the same healthcare guided ethical standards for all of my readings. I do offer a ko-fi membership for fans and supporters that includes free Tarot readings and I ask for a contribution for private readings, all to help defray the costs of this website, for my time, and for my 30 years of Tarot experience.