Tarot Bytes

Episode 217. Do you suffer from creative blocks? Ever get a project sidelined because you can't move past that blank page? In this episode, beloved tarot deck artist Chris-Anne Donnelly joins me to teach how she uses oracle and tarot cards to move past those blocks. She also shares other techniques that have helped keep her artistic groove.

Episode 216. In this episode, I am joined by Veronica Varlow, author of Bohemian Magick: Witchcraft and Secret Spells to Electrify Your Life as she shares how to work with "spirit cards," a technique she learned from her grandmother Helen. This simple method will add a lot of depth and magic to your tarot readings. Veronica also talks about her new book, witchcraft, her cool family lineage, and so much more. Listen in and learn how to add spirit cards to your readings (thank you, Grandma Helen, for teaching Veronica so she could teach us!).

Episode 215. Sometimes a tarot reading doesn't make sense. When that happens, readers will often choose a "clarifying card." A clarifying card can offer additional guidance and so much more. Victoria Constantino, author of Tarot by the Moon: Spreads & Spells for Every Month of the Year, shares her thoughts and techniques about clarifying cards. 

Episode 214. What makes a reading empowering...or not? Neil from Must Be A Gemini Tarot joins me to answer that question. Learn how to approach your tarot readings with the right mindset and questions, whether you're getting or giving the reading.

Episode 213. Do you wonder how tarot readers get started? Curious on how some make the transition from tarot professional to writer...or deck creator? Sarah Potter joins me today for a fun and frank discussion on our tarot journeys. Learn how we made the leap from hobbyist to pro - and author. Sarah also gives the inside scoop on her new deck, The Cosmo Tarot!

Episode 212. In order for there to be justice and equality in the world, we need activists. They have always played an important role in creating freedom for all. But activists need support - and tarot can provide guidance and healing for those who stand up, speak up, and make a difference. In this episode of Tarot Bytes, Corinna Rosella of Rise Up Good Witch joins me to talk about tarot as a tool for social justice work, healing, how tarot needs to change to better support folks, and more. Corrina also talks about their new class, Tarot As A Tool For Liberation. 

Episode 211. What happens when you bring a chef together with a tarot reader? Answer: divination + yummy things + a cookbook. Chef Courtney McBroom and tarot priestess Melinda Lee Holm join me today to talk about two of my favorite topics: tarot and food! They also share the deets on their new cookbook, Divine Your Dinner: A Cookbook for Using Tarot as Your Guide to Magickal Meals.  

Episode 210. When should I go pro? This is a question I get asked frequently. While there is no set timeline for taking the leap, you do need experience and education. Diving in before you're ready could be harmful to the client. In this episode I expand on that - and share an excellent tip from tarot legend Mary K Greer. (You can read Mary's whole post right here.)

Episode 209. If you are looking to find a great tarot reader, you’re in luck. Thanks to the internet and tarot’s popularity, you don’t have to dig hard. Modern times have made it easy to find talented tarot pros - and it’s also made it much easier for those professionals to put their work out there. Even so, how can you ensure you’re going to find the right one? In this episode of Tarot Bytes, I'll share a few tips for discovering your next tarot fave - and the red flags you need to watch out for. 

Episode 208. Ever had a tarot card "leap" out as you're shuffling? Tarot readers call them "jumpers" and Kimberly Cooley of Abundant Life Tarot reads solely with them! When I heard this, I knew I had to talk to her and learn about her method. In this episode, Kimberly shares her techniques, thoughts, and philosophy around reading with jumpers. You'll also learn what's up when no cards seem to jump out. This episode might get you looking at your readings in a whole new way!  

Episode 207. Tarot has astrological correlations - and in this episode astrologer Debra Silverman explains how you can use tarot to understand your natal chart. As you start to see astrology through a tarot lens, you'll begin to understand yourself (and your chart) in a whole new way.

Episode 206. You might have heard of Reiki and wondered how it works. Reiki Master and Tarot reader Debra Lugo Pasquale of Golden Bee Tarot and Reiki joins me to talk about the benefits of Reiki - and how you can use it with your tarot practice. Learn how Debra incorporates Reiki into her client work and how you might use it to charge your deck...and more.

Episode 205. When you’re first beginning your tarot journey, there may be times when that old friend doubt starts creeping in. What if I’m wrong? This is common when you begin but I will say this: every tarot person worries about this same thing, even if they’ve been at it a million years. Reading tarot - and trusting your gut for that matter - is risky. Intuition is that sense of knowing something without facts - and we live in a culture that demands facts. So keeping the faith in your instincts or your tarot reading capabilities? That’s not easy. So first, do know you’re not alone if you are having those moments of doubt. It’s natural. We all feel that. But one way to begin developing confidence is to simply start keeping track of your readings and flashes of intuition. This is something I recommend in Tarot: No Questions Asked. Listen in and learn more. 

Episode 204. What's a spirit guide? Can tarot help you connect with them? Glad you asked! Intuitive tarot pro and author Arwen Lynch joins me to answer my questions about tarot and spirit guides. Learn how to find out who's guiding you, and what tarot spreads to use for this type of work (it's actually easier than you might think!). You'll also learn which tarot decks Arwen thinks are best for spirit work! 

Episode 203. Here’s the deal: sometimes you’re not in the mood to touch the tarot. You pick the cards up but the feeling is meh. Maybe you’ve been doing too many readings. Or perhaps you don’t like the question or the person sitting at your tarot table. Other tarot mood killers could be a vicious hangover, sickness, or preoccupation with some drama. If you’re doing a reading for yourself, it’s quite simple: if you’re not feeling it, leave it alone. Really, that’s it. But what if you’re a tarot professional and you have an appointment scheduled - or you’re sitting at a psychic fair and not feeling it? What do you do then? I'm sharing my two best tips in this episode of Tarot Bytes!

Episode 202. If you’ve been reading for a while, you’re going to encounter someone who is freaking out at some point. This can be challenging, especially for a new tarot reader. I’ve got a few tips for you - but I also want to share a few thoughts for folks who want a tarot reading and are in a state of panic. Let’s start with that. If you’re having a meltdown or are experiencing extreme anxiety, this is not the time for a tarot reading. Here’s why: you’ll have a hard time remaining grounded - and that may make it hard to receive an accurate reading. From my own experience, I can say when I’m tripping out about a situation, I struggle to remain objective. I’ll tend to hear what I want to hear - or hear what I fear the most. I can assure you that even if I get a great reading that says “everything will work out,” that tends only to hold me for a minute when I’m in a bad state of mind about a situation. If you feel frantic, I recommend prioritizing working with a therapist, healer, or health care practition

When we think about tarot, we usually associate it with divination. Tarot isn’t just for looking at the future. In fact, there are many ways you can use the Tarot in your everyday life. Before I explore that, I also want to remind you that Tarot wasn’t originally intended for divination. It was created as a trick-taking game - and it is still played as a game in many parts of the world. If you want to learn how to play Tarot games, a quick search of the web will lead you to tutorials. Be sure to check that out. Now, on to our subject. Listen in and check out some of my favorite ways to to use Tarot in your daily life.

Episode 200. In this episode of Tarot Bytes, David Davis of Porous Palms joins me to talk about the role of Hoodoo and Tarot in the Black American Experience. How can the Tarot cards give insights into the lives of Black people? What is Hoodoo and how has it impacted Black lives, both in the past and present? How can Tarot and Hoodoo work together to support the Black community? David shares his thoughts about all of this and more. We also discuss "love-and-lightwashing" (aka toxic positivity) and the harm it does for marginalized folks as well as how to find a like-minded reader who can empathize with your lived experiences.

Episode 199. Do you tend to read the cards in the order of the spread? For example, does a Past, Present, Future reading need to be read that way - or is there a deeper, more intuitive method? Jenna Matlin joins me today to teach how she "pivots the table" and squeezes as much meaning as possible by passing back and forth over the cards. Intuitive hits and critical inquiry provide new details that might be missed if you simply read the positional meanings in a spread. She describes this as creating a "layer cake of meaning," a three-dimensional reading that goes further and provides more detail.  Jenna's method will get you spinning the spread in new directions - and igniting your intuition like never before! 

Episode 198. For too long, the tarot has been centered around white, cis-gendered able-bodied folks, Things have begun to change as more people demand representation. While strides have been made, the disabled community is still under-represented. Social justice activist and tarot reader Sara YK joins me to talk about a wide range of topics such as inclusivity in tarot decks, reading for disabled people, working as a pro when you have a disability, apps, and more. Sara opened my eyes to many things about tarot and disability - and I think our conversation will do the same for you.