Test, Test, Test

I was one of those kids that was always picking up interesting rocks and forgetting them in my pockets. The noise in the washing machine would remind you about them…and annoy the daylights out of mom, which may have been a large part of the charm.

Recently, Runes crossed my path in the form of Thom Pham’s Rune cards of Mannez app. I’ve always been a fan of his Heart of Stars Tarot deck. Crystal Vaults has the best crystal metaphysical reference on the webbernet as far as I’ve seen and, as a point of spontaneous unpaid fangirling, I’ve ordered from them before with excellent price, service and products. They posted on Instagram about how to use crystal chips as a fortune telling device. Seven Dane Asmund, creator of Publishing Goblin and my favorite Alleyman’s Tarot Deck is releasing a dice oracle. Those three things together sparked a brainwave about using crystals and runestones to do a throwing or casting oracle a little bit similar to reading with dice or charms.

At first I thought about offering it as a private reading as a private share video. For now, I’ll just use them on the blog, but if anyone wants to beta test a private reading, let me know. You get the reading just for 1. taking the initiative to email me and 2. giving feedback about the reading including what you think would be a fair price for it.

I’m not sure how this will all work, Thanks for reading! I’m glad you are here. – Sage

How to Find a Psychic You Can Trust

Excerpt from the 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. It sounds ridiculous to say follow your own instincts when you are looking for someone to help you by using theirs. If you wanted to use your instincts, 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. 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 actual language that you can 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 other bad actors have created. 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 psychics and 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 ask reasonable questions. Don’t suddenly pour out your heart to a stranger or interrogate them like a prime time crime drama. Instead, ask them about practical business 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 business 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 pay attention to those feelings. It’s ok to talk to several people before you commit to an appointment. 

If you’ve talked to the psychic, 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 pizzazzy drama.  Others prefer a relaxed, cookies-at-the-kitchen table vibe. A mis-match 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 scams. “Psychics” who promise to fix your love life, cure anything, give 100% accurate predictions, or demand regular appointments should be approached with caution. I’ve met a lot of excellent psychics and Tarot readers. None of them, not a single one, ever offers a reading out of the blue to a stranger. Advertising, special offers, or giveaways to the general public are normal business practices. Targeting an individual in the guise of being ‘called’ or ‘led’ 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 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 reading 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 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 as a professional 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 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.

Order Tarot by email (my specialty) HERE

Look for TaoCraft Portfolio coming soon to the TaoCraft Tarot Shop on ko-fi.