Tag: no appointment

That Breeze You Feel

Collaborating with Stevie Nicks on the 1991 song “Sometimes It’s a Bitch,” Jon Bon Jovi tells us exactly that…”sometimes it’s a bitch, sometimes it’s a breeze.”

And sometimes that breeze you feel is life sucking.

Like all Tarot cards, the Ten of Swords has different threads of feeling, different threads of meaning. Like life, Tarot cards are not all rainbows and unicorns. The Ten of Swords is one of the best cards in the deck at showcasing that little fact.

From my side of the Tarot table, part of reading for other people is dealing with the suckage as well as the sparkles. It’s kind of a weird juxtaposition when, as the reader, you are perfectly fine but then along comes a card like this one. When that happens, it is time for a little re-framing of the situation for the client and nice beefy boundaries between your personal feelings and the external energies. Humor helps on both sides of that strong boundary.

When you feel the breeze of suckatude for yourself or for a client, there are two main roads to take. First you have the standard issue platitudes and pep talks. Sometimes that is the legit energy coming from the card. When that is the vibe, it’s your cue to take the card down the cheerleader path: “Fall down seven times, get up eight…when life hands you lemons, make lemonade… when life hands you limes, make margaritas.” That sort of thing. There are times when that approach puts things into better perspective. Sometimes people will be receptive to the idea that the mountain is really just a speedbump and let themselves be cheered up by a colorful verbal bandage, as a toddler with a bump on the knee might be.

Other times, the mountain really is a mountain. Unicorn poop and platitudes won’t help. You can’t re-frame real problems away. That’s a recipe for so called toxic positivity (or at least an extra helping of denial, minimization and other perhaps less than healthy coping mechanisms.)

Maybe, just maybe, misery loves company because miserable people hurt a little less when they don’t feel alone at the same time. That isn’t to say you should let yourself be made miserable. Reflection, rather than re-framing comes in handy. Try acknowledging the situation while holding on to your own strength. Think of it as a head shake and “Duuuuuude” as you stick out your hand to help them up. Even if there isn’t much anyone can substantially DO for the situation, it might help a little to embrace the suck. THAT is the advice the Ten of Swords is offering today.

That breeze you feel? That’s life sucking…as it does sometimes.

“Going with the flow” is often assumed to be all peaceful, zen and pretty. Not always. Sometimes the flow you have to go with is from the wastewater treatment plant. If that is your situation – duuuuude.

That sucks. I hear you. You have every right to feel pissed/depressed/terrified. Who wouldn’t feel that way in a situation like that? Feel it. Spend a minute embracing the suck and feeling the breeze of the suckatude – but then let’s figure out what you can DO to maybe help things suck a little less.

Wishing you all clear water and quiet breezes.

Private email readings with the blog author are always available, no appointment required HERE

Today’s Tarot: Wordless

Connect your heart

Some things are beyond words.

Mat Auryn superbly and poetically describes the idea of mystery tradition in magick (and in some ways, I might add, Tarot.) There are some things that can only be directly, wordlessly experienced. That is the essence and definition of spirituality to my mind. Spirituality is our individual experience of the wordless and intangible parts of our human experience. Religion, on the other hand, is exernal experience, not internal. Religion is social, and group focused. Spirituality is wordless, expressed from the inside out. Religion is codified, group behavior that influences from the outside in.

Expression, experience and wordless are the key words here.

The High Priest and High Priestess cards also deal with these great wordless mysteries. Although this and other contemporary Tarot decks don’t have the explicit Christian religious imagery for the High Priest/Pope/Hierophant card that you see on the Marsielle, RWS and other older decks have, the nature of the tradition keeper and even the mystery seeker priestess cards are outside-in, just a hairbreadth on the religious side regardless of their visual depiction.

So what does any of this have to do with the Knight of Cups?

The Knight of Cups has always had some degree of spiritual connotation. He carries a message. Cups are associated with water (deep water is often a symbol for deep spiritual and cosmic mysteries) and intuition (often a wordless experience.)

Knights are associated with action. We are three dimensional creatures. Even the purest, wordless, silent, direct experience if the spiritual and intangible still has some physical third dimensional corollary or action. To have direct spiritual experience requires some action or doing be that sitting in meditation, gazing at the sky, performing a ritual, or taking a shower. Whether you call it spontaneous enlightenment or simply a moment of insight, this direct, wordless experience of emotion and insight is a normal, natural, inherent part of being human.

If you have chosen to read and watch this, if you have chosen the knight of cups card today, there is a sense of urging. There is a strong push to do the spiritual things that put you in a mental and physical space where wordless experience of the profound and spiritual is an open possibility. Follow your heart to the doing of it. Do the thing that connects your heart to the wordless.

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.

All Exposed ’21

TaoCraft Tarot is exposed.

Not, thankfully, to any viruses. BUT all of my available layouts are exposed. No seasonal readings. No limited time cutesy pants special offers. All the Tarot I have to offer is all out in the open for all to see, all affordable and super convenient (only live phone readings need an appointment.)

You can order everything on the home page

  • Seven card by email $40
  • Five card by email $30
  • Three card Pathway by email $20
  • Zombie Cat yes/no $10
  • One card by email $5
  • TimeFlow (4 card get-organized) $20
  • Year Ahead (5 cards, yearly guidance) $30
  • Five card video reading by email $30
  • Five card reading gift certificate $30
  • Ask Zombie Cat Anything – FREE (submit your question HERE)

Or visit the shop for a similar selection of email readings PLUS

  • Hand made mala style meditation beads
  • “InkMagick” pen and ink hand written and illustrated keepsake Tarot readings
  • Downloadable .pdf e-books
  • unique jewelry
  • COMING SOON: mindful moments bracelets

Stay tuned for shop updates on social media (@taocrafttarot on facebook, tumblr and twitter, @taocraft.tarot on instagram) and a return to YouTube starting this coming weekend (barring further last minute schedule changes)

See you on the socials 🙂

YouChoose Interactive Tarot: The Unity Behind the Duality

Clear your mind just for a moment. No one is asking you to stop thinking about things, or worrying about whatever – you can get back to that in a minute. But for now, just for a few seconds, set all of that aside. Take a deep breath, watch the first few seconds of the video and pick a card, left, center or right. Pause the video if you need more time, then restart to see the reveal. No need to over-think it. Just pick whatever card seems like the right one for you after that deep breath. Here we go.

Left: Six of Wands. A wreath is one of the most common symbols on this card, at least in RWS based decks. That circle shape reminds me of oneness, wholeness, a certain universality to everything. The six of wands is a harbinger of a peaceful time following some sort of conflict or challenge. Peace and war are, by definition, mutually exclusive. The reasons behind them are not necessarily so. What is the reason? Why? Why do you seek peace? Why do you act against your enemy? Love can, in some circumstances be the impetus for both. This reminds me of a favorite quote, attributed to G.K. Chesterson “A true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” When hate is in front of you, a warriors stance is an act of love. Remember that the next time you see protesters chanting ‘no justice, no peace’ It isn’t a threat. It is prerequisite. Wands have to do with the inner world. The six of wands and the world today leave us with much to ponder.

Center: Two of Cups. All of the cards this week hint at looking for unity. This is the obvious one. This is THE card for everyone on the lookout for that special someone, symbolizing unity of purpose, a long term stable relationship. If you are in one…rejoice. Appreciate them, thank them. Now is a good time to pamper and treat them. The cozy intimate feeling that will come with the kindness will be nice for both of you. Love is love. Celebrate it anytime. No need to wait for anniversaries or February ‘hallmark holidays.

If you are still looking and hoping, think of biggest of big pictures. Look at the growing moon. You and your special someone are under this same big sky. When you connect to the universe, you connect with your soulmate, too, because they are an intimate and inseparable part of the greater whole just as you are.

Right: Two of Swords. Like the Six of Wands, the Two of Swords has a fairly consistent interpretation across various decks. In this case the interpretation by Diane Morgan, author of one of my all time favorite Tarot books “Magical Tarot, Mystical Tao” jumps to mind because it is both atypical and in keeping with the thread of unity that touches the other cards. In fact, she describes it as “mystical unity.” Most resources view the card as symbolizing indecision, or choosing between equal “six of one, half dozen of the other” options. Ellen Dugan puts it as choosing between heart and mind, emotions and logic. “Convergence” comes to mind here. If you find the overlap, or if you find the common background and greater unity behind the apparent duality, the need for deciding goes away. If you feel stuck between two equal choices, look for “both” or “all of the above” options. Failing that, why are you holding on to either one? Maybe the answer is ‘neither one.’

Finding the underpinning is important for everyone this week it seems. Looking to the bigger unifying view celebrates our human bonds, clarifies our choices, and asks us which way we face when we take a warriors stance.

Phone readings are back! Get a LIVE Tarot reading at the safest social distance. Appointment and pre-payment required. Click HERE for details.

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Today’s Tarot: Anchors & Aweigh

Traditions are an anchor with two sides. Traditions can comfort us and orient us when everything seems chaotic and changing. Traditions can anchor us in turbulent waters. Or they can drown us in rising waters if we hold on too tight. Changing now, adapting to our current situation, raising the anchor now, doesn’t prevent us from dropping anchor and revisiting cherished traditions once the storm has passed.

Today’s Tarot: The Lovers

Long term dreams are important, but what do you want from today? This moment? This one next step in your journey?

Not sure about about long term dreams or short term steps? Tarot readings can help sort that out. Today’s Tarot looks at general energy of the day, and is meant to be food for thought for anyony. Get a personalized distance reading just for you, no appointment needed HERE.

Q&A: Doesn’t the person have to be with you for the reading to work?

(reprise)

Q: How can you do Tarot readings from a distance? Doesn’t the person have to be with you for the reading to work?

A: They call intuition a sixth sense or extrasensory perception for a reason.  It really doesn’t have anything to do with normal seeing, hearing or feeling. It is from outside of normal time, space and distance.

I don’t need to be with you for a reading, because I’m not reading YOU at all.

I’m listening to spirit and reading universal energy on your behalf, like a translator. I can read energy and listen to spirit from anywhere because spirit and energy is everywhere. Think of it like an email for you in a language that you don’t speak fluently. Getting a reading is like getting an expert translation of that email. You might know some of the language yourself and could figure it out, but a pro could translate quicker, easier, and with more depth.

Out of the everywhere-energy, I connect to your specific message when you ask your question or give permission for it to be an open reading. That simple interaction is an exchange of information that can happen by speaking OR by reading your email message. After connecting general energy to your message through our little beginning conversations, I use the Tarot cards to help me “read” the mental images, words, feelings that spirit/energy gives for you. I translate those impressions into English sentences that you can use to help you. When it comes to energy connections and spirit messages, it doesn’t matter if we say things out loud, type on a keyboard, or write on paper. For example, if spirit gives me the impression of a flower, I give you the word “flower,” It doesn’t change the word or the message one bit if I type the word in an email or say it to you in person.

So no, you don’t have to be with me for the reading to “work” at all. The only difference is how you want to experience the reading and how you want to connect with your message from spirit. Both styles have some minor differences, advantages and disadvantages from your side of things. You can read more about that in the Q&A blog post “What’s the Difference?”

All of my readings are flat rate…you know your cost up front. If you live in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh, PA USA and would like an in-person session, contact me to schedule a reading.  If you are anywhere, and have enough internet access to read this post, you can order a distance Tarot reading any time, 24/7 on the home page HERE.