Spring Break and Summer Schedule

The day job has been a tiny bit extra the past couple of weeks while I’ve been covering for some vacationing folks, so I’m going to give myself a little bit of a vacation too – spring break in Tarot land if you will.

Thought I’d dig out some oldies but goodies out of the archives for this week, and then get back to new readings next week.

In fact, I have an idea for a weekly “Choose Your Card” series. Internet posts live forever, and focusing on a “card of the day” or a “card of the week” can get a little timey-wimey if you stumble on the posts a while after they were published. I believe the right message for you will find you when you most need regardless of when it was written, but some might argue that old readings lose value as time moves on. So my idea is this: draw a card for a theme or choose a theme for the reading that isn’t related to time. That’s how Tarot works best in my experience. Tarot tends to be abstract and conceptual and comes from outside of physical space and human-defined time anyway. That’s why distance Tarot readings work so well. (I have a page available that explains the whole distance Tarot thing HERE)

But back to the idea for that “choose your card” series.

I thought it might be fun to go through the major arcana and have the ‘choose your card’ post give you a more personalized insight into that major arcana card and how it might relate to you right now.

What do you think? I’ll start that project next week. That will give you plenty of time to drop any ideas or suggestions in the comments or use the “ask me anything” button on the home page. I’m always happy to hear what kind of Tarot content you would like to see in the blog.

Meanwhile, if you use the search bar on the right of the page (laptop or PC) or scroll way down to the search bar on the mobile version, then you can search & browse the archives to your hearts content. The old posts are mostly tagged by card, but moving forward I plan to tag each post by card AND topic(s) for easier browsing moving forward.

For example if you search “romance” here is one of the posts that come up. It is from 2011 on my old Tarotbytes blog.

“A Romance Tarot Reading with the Magician and the Lovers Cards”

Q: I met a man who seemed to be all anyone could want…a little older, financially stable, professional, interested in me. But he could be pushy, too, and he pushed me to go on a vacation together, his treat. Turns out he is a horrible gambler. The whole trip was a disaster…shocking. I keep attracting men like this, and after this experience I wonder if I will ever have a good relationship. I had a career reading with you last year, and liked the way you look at things. Can you give any insight to the romance side of things?

A: I think you are right…this experience was shocking, but it got your attention. It helped you see a pattern, and to realize you want something different. As traumatizing as it was in the short term…in the big picture this may actually be a valuable experience.

There are two tarot cards that are exquisitely applicable to your situation: The Lovers and The Magician.

They are both major arcana cards…which speaks to the power and importance of the things your are thinking about.

The Lovers symbolizes desire, and The Magician represents transformation and manifestation.

Your experience with this man, and the way it felt inevitable, shows it is an important and powerful lesson: it shows you that what is deep down matters more than the initial outward appearance…and that the deep down important stuff is what matters to you. Now you know. This will give you a wonderful contrast…the shadow to show you what you want to bring to light.

You know, now, what you DON’T want to repeat…the next step is to define in your mind, very clearly, what you DO want in a relationship…what you do want in your relationships an in your life. The feeling I got reading the first part of your story is that your connection with this man grew out of expectations…your hope for a relationship and what other people define as a good prospect…stable, professional etc etc. That doesn’t, as we see here, necessarily bring the intangible, subtle good things, like respect, caring, compassion, empathy….all those things that are REALLY important.

When I was younger, I saw a psychic, also wondering if I would ever be with anyone. She gave me an exercise…I may have mentioned this last time…that proved to be pure gold. Even if you’ve done this before…try again, start the exercise over, using your new insights and perspectives gained from the trip to vegas…

Make a list of all the things you want in a partner. What kind of relationship do you want? Marriage? Companionship? List every detail, literally, on paper. LIst physical things, interests, personality traits…anything, everything. Don’t put negatives…don’t say “not a gambler” put “enjoys ___________” That part is very important…the energy of the “not” might actually draw the undesirable trait to you rather than block it. Always list ONLY the things you WANT in a positive way.

Then release the list. Put it away, or, if you are inclined to such things, burn it in a respectful ritual of some sort. Whenever you feel the impulse, send a thought to the universe. Pray it…however it feels most powerful to you….not the whole list, just the feeling of desire for “the best of the list” or “husband for the highest and best”…something like that. Send the cry from your heart to the heart of outer space…then let go and trust the universe to guide you to the right path.

There are no time limits. There may be more things to learn along the way…but if you ask for the path to the best, you will find that highest and best journey, no matter how long it takes to get to the destination.


Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed a deep dive into the old Tarotbytes archive. More archives are available on “Sages Other Words” where I occasionally put off -Topic posts. Feel free to browse there too.

And that summer schedule? There isn’t any. I’m still going full Taoist and just following where intuition and the natural flow of things lead.

Distance readings are still available to order anytime 24/7 – no appointment needed. I usually get the reading to your inbox within 24 hours. If not I’ll be in touch with a delivery time if it is a holiday or some such thing. Distance readings in this case means email and recorded video formats.

The pen and paper readings take a while longer to wind their way through traditional snail mail, but honestly I think they are worth it. Sallie Christensen, one of the most gifted psychics I’ve ever met was right- thoughts are powerful, the spoken word is more so – but the written word is the most powerful of all.

See you at the next sip!

Happy On-sale Chocolate Day

My Tarot Valentine Tarot readings are reduced price until the end of February ’24


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My Tarot Valentine – It’s a layout now

Love and Romance Tarot Layout at a special introductory price for Valentine’s day

Over the years, I’ve done one card love & romance themed Tarot readings in the blog. I’ve collected all of those in an eBook in the shop. You can read them for free if you are willing to rummage around in the archives.

It’s pretty clear that the one card reading in the blog idea has run its course.

This year I wrote the “My Tarot Valentine” romance reading layout, inspired by the poetry collection Triquetra: The Dance of Worlds. The collection has three sections, the reading has three cards with similar themes. The three cards in this reading are:

  • The Inner World: personal growth, your relationship with yourself
  • The Outer World: the big picture, your relationship with life in general
  • The Dance of Worlds: Close interpersonal relationships – romance, marriage, family, children (whatever is top of mind for you when you seek the reading)

These readings are intensely personal and not at all well suited to a collective energy reading. I cant ever really bring myself to try. The overall structure is the same as with ALL of my email and video readings. It starts with a photo of your real world card layout plus general impressions, then it goes card by card and wraps up with a “psychic summary.” The summary is an opportunity to put any purely intuitive impressions that might connect to the cards – or not. Sometimes there are aromatherapy or crystal impressions that come through…

For example right now I’m getting the impression of rose scent (ugh…not my favorite) and clear quartz points. Why clear quartz and not the usual lovey-dovey rose quartz? I dunno. Maybe someone needs to think about making a connection to their higher selves to get through a hallmark holiday that jabs at their loneliness, or to better speak their love language to those already in their life. That’s for you to say if and how that random tidbit resonates with you

Since this kind of reading simply doesn’t translate well into blog content, these special My Tarot Valentine layouts are $5 OFF compared to all the other three card readings. Please try one today. You can purchase anytime, no appointment needed. Please allow 2-3 business days for delivery.

This special introductory price and the My Tarot Valentine layout both end 29 February 2024

Learn With Me: Collective Nope

When you listen to spirit or read the universal life energy or whatever words you like to hang on this psychic intuition thing, sometimes you have to take it at its word. Even when that word is nope.

Listening to spirit/energy is the same basic process regardless of whether you are reading for one specific person or for a general, collective audience. Either way, you are basically just translating spirit-speak into people-words that your client can actually ponder and use.

When you are reading for an individual, and something feels off the mark, you can just say that. When you are working with just one person, you can start a conversation that will eventually sort out the right message. Even working by email where the conversation unfolds over time, you can suss things out sooner or later.

Working with a collective audience is a little trickier. When you get the sense that something is wrong that figure-things-out conversation isn’t available to you. Sometimes it’s a wonder if anyone leaves a comment or feedback when you ASK for it.

When you are writing for a wide audience, it takes greater faith in your own instincts than when reading for a single person. No matter what you say, no matter what message you get/give, in a large audience there will always be a subset of people who need the opposite. There will always be some people where your message is batted away with a big old NOPE. No matter what message you give there will be someone who needs to hear the opposite.

And that’s ok.

Psychics and Tarot bloggers can’t be all things to everyone. The only thing we can be is true to our own intuition.

My Tarot Valentine is a good example. Relationship advice through a card by card reading of the Wands suit isn’t a bad idea. No doubt somebody somewhere is interested in that kind of relationship advice.

Luckily, if you need love and soulmate advice, there are LOTS of Tarot readers in the world and somebody is out there giving just the message you need to hear. I have 1000% confidence that the right message will find you.

I am also confident that this isn’t my year to give it.

A larger part of the collective spirit / energy is connecting me to a different message. There are people out there who need other things just now.

I need to bail out of the Valentine’s Day thing at the collective level.

I feel pulled toward the one to one private side.

I’ve written a new love and romance layout inspired by the poetry collection Triquetra: The Dance of Worlds

card 1 – “inner world” – what self love do you need right now?

card 2 – “outer world” – what is your relationship with life as a whole right now?

card 3 – “dance of worlds” – how can you nurture a close relationship?

This new love and romance layout is available to order any time, no appointment needed, if you feel drawn to the love and romance side of February. The “My Tarot Valentine” layout is available at a special reduced price for a limited time. If you are feeling the valentine vibe, let’s look at this one to one.

If you are no feeling the Valentine vibe, hang tight with the blog and we’ll read the cards for other stuff.

Stay tuned for a new “Learn With Me” series coming soon. Until then we will be doing more “meet your reader” “you choose” style posts.

See you at the next sip!

My Tarot Valentine ’24: Build a Cup

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My Tarot Valentine is a series of blog posts with one card Tarot readings from the collective energy with a focus on love, romance and relationships. I’ve collected the old posts from my previous blogs (TaoCraft Tarot and Modern Oracle Tarot) into an ebook. This year I’m continuing the series with a look at finding your soulmates (twin flame, life partner – whatever term you like to use) all through the lens of the Tarot suit of wands.

Wands are symbolic of fire, philosophy, spirit, and your relationship with yourself.

What does ‘self’ have to do with romantic relationships?

Everything.

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

For example the Three of Wands is about active preparation, optimism, looking forward to a bright future.

If you have found your soulmate, actively cherish them. DO thoughtful things, emphasis on the the thoughtful. In this respect, all of the card suits are engaged, no just the wands. Even if you’ve been together for decades, it’s ok to show your emotion (cups) with thoughtfulness (swords) in any tangible (pentacles) way that hints at the depth (wands) of your feeling.

If you don’t have a relationship like that in your life, and if you want one, then the idea of preparation for something that may or may not ever happen seems odd.

But, on the other hand, how can that special someone step in where there is no room.

If loneliness and searching for your soulmate fills your psyche, there is little room for an actual soulmate to come in. If you are filled with certainty that they exist, the same thing can happen.

Only an empty cup can be filled. Hold space in your life for love to come in. The walls of that room, the sides of that cup are constructed of you – you being happy and healthy and living the best life that you can. That’s the thing that creates the space. That is the thing that prepares the place in your life for soulmate to walk in.

My Tarot Valentine ’24: It Takes Two (Wands) to Tango

My Tarot Valentine is a series of one card romance themed Tarot readings from the collective energy. Private readings are available through the link below

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It’s easy to say the number two cards of the minor arcana are about balance. Pentacles talk about moving balance, swords about the known vs the unknown and so on. Beyond the easy to say idea of balance, the two cards hint at something more philosophical: duality.

To say “balance” is to imply that there are two or more things that need to be balanced. Even if you have just one plate spinning on just one stick in the circus act of life, you are still balancing the plate vs gravity vs angular momentum vs why are you doing a circus act in the first place…

The Two of Wands is particularly dialed into this aspect of balance. Where there is duality there is choice.

When it comes to relationships, choice isn’t control.

You have total agency over what you do and say and give and take from a relationship, but you have no say in your love interest’s response.

It is heartbreaking when their response is rejection.

Which shows how precious it is when the response is love in return

But whatever happens, the choice always returns to you. When you are given the precious thing, it is up to you to make choices that protect and nurture it. If you are given the heartbreaking thing, it is up to you to make the choices that help you heal. That includes the choice to reach out to other people in other ways and get help when it is needed.

Either way, our response is our choice and our responsibility. Like the two upright wands on the card, our choice is our portal. It our doorway to relationship, to the great privilege of loving and nurturing others but also to loving and nurturing our own path through life, whatever shape that takes.

The Two of Wands’ Tarot Valentine for you is simply this: choose love.

That doesn’t mean other people will choose to give it back to you. It does mean that you always have the option of giving love be it to another person or to healing your own life path.

It takes two to tango and two to make a romance happen but it only takes one person to choose love even when it is out of our control where that love lands.

Chase Your Dreams Without Moving a Step

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“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” – Carl Jung

The Knight of Cups is classically known for symbolizing travel, flirting, and romance. It’s the card that most closely matches that “you’ll meet a handsome stranger” sort of trope in books and movies.

Dreams is another key word I’ve seen pop up. Intuitively I get “vision quest.” I don’t think it means the old 80s film with the Madonna song.

It’s not the achievement focused “chase your dream” kind of thing either.

This card reminds us of inner questing. Why waste time chasing what is right there inside, right now?

Actually the inner dreams, the gift of insights that our subconscious minds and Jung’s collective unconscious can give can be more elusive than the physical realm dreams of things.

I feel pushed to talk about dream journaling. Journaling as a whole is a wonderful thing. Just grab a pen and a notebook and have at it. The only rule is there are no rules. Keep it as private as you want, write anything you want as much or as little as you want. Write to understand. Writing a journal can explain yourself to yourself in amazingly healing, empowering ways.

The knight is bringing us a cup of water and intuition and an invitation to write our dreams as soon as we wake up and remember them – or just write to make up our dreams while we are wide awake. After all, you can’t chase a dream until you know what it is.


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Learn With Me: Lenormand, Sweet & Simple

Learning Lenormand Tarot

This set of cards has the feel of a child who picks a wild flower and gives it as a gift. The energy of it is just that sweet, just that simple. The universe has gifted us with a bouquet of clover and wildflowers.

Life isn’t always good. It seems like we spend a lot of time talking about how Tarot is valuable because it can deal with the shadows and how it isn’t all toxic positive in denial of the realities of a situation. Life isn’t all love & light.

But neither is it all doom and gloom. “It can’t rain all the time” as The Crow movie told us. Sometimes you just have to take yes for an answer.

That is what today’s cards are all about. Lenormand cards have a reputation for being direct, no-nonsense, and not pulling any punches. Maybe it is because so many people turn to Tarot when they are in some sort of emotional upset, but we tend to assume direct and no-nonsense means bad news.

Tarot, both Lenormand and RWS, are excellent at easing that kind of emotional distress. They are equally good at bringing good news and straight up reassurances too.

This is a perfect example. And, coincidentally, this is the first two card combination that is in the guidebook. The combination of The Bouquet (Love, token of affection) and Clover (good luck, like any “four leaf clover” symbolism) is described as “the ultimate combination of good luck and happiness (Buler, p. 16)

For the collective, I think this is a good reminder to unplug from your worries and indulge in feeling that everything is going to be OK. The universe has our back, it’s all going to work out in the end. Let yourself believe in magic for one minute – or a million minutes.

Try it on for size. Just for one day, imagine you are a magnet for all the good things. If you like the feeling, it is yours to keep.

Maybe the best kind of good luck is the kind you believe you have.

See you at the next sip!

Healing Light Lenormand by Christopher Butler (art and text) © 2019 Lo Scarabeo srl, via Cigna 110, 10155 Torino, Italy. All rights reserved, used by permission.


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From the Heart

Four of Cups: You can speak from the heart, but you can’t force others to hear what you say.

Accepting people for who they truly are is an act of love, even when that includes a painful rejection, even when that requires that you let them go.

Other people’s happiness is not your responsibility. It’s up to you to give love. It’s not up to you whether or not it is accepted.

The only happiness you are responsible for is your own.


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Get a reading and e-book

Yeah, I know what I said. But it’s my blog and I’ll give a special offer if I want to. My Tarot Valentine is back for 2023


Special Reading for February by email – order HERE

I know, I know…I said no cutesy pants promotions.

I was planning to make this a members-only offer, but it’s February, it’s cold out there, and love is for everyone.

So anyone can order –

Please visit the Tarot readings by email menu where you can get a personal one card Tarot reading focused on love and romance PLUS a copy of the My Tarot Valentine ebook.

*PRO TIP* scroll the whole readings menu! There’s something to fit any question, any budget. Prices start at $5. Zombie Cat will yes/no answer any question about anything – crazy cat.

Stay warm! That Nine of Wands part two we talked about yesterday will post over the weekend, so stay tuned! – Sage

March 10, 2023 – special offer has closed.