The Practical Magic of Tarot
Awakening Your Intuitive Path to Purpose
A 5-week journey through the Tarot & intuitive experience
Beginning September 13, 2020
Connect with your intuitive nature. Enhance your self-care rituals. Expand your spiritual context. Build a meaningful, integrated practice to inspire and empower your path to purpose and healing.
THE CALLING OF THIS MOMENT
We are living through a time of heightened energy and rapidly shifting paradigms. Many of us are asking big questions about our purpose, our communities, and our ways of living in the world. But with all of the conflict, the rapid-fire news at our fingertips, and the growing volume of urgency, it’s become more difficult to find quiet in the chaos, to tune in to our own inner voice, and to hear the answers to the questions we ask.
This moment requires the intelligent use of our extroverted energy through actions, speech, and vigilant defense of all that we value. In order to create balance and to replenish our health and energy, we can create intentional and meaningful rituals that bring us back to our center, point us toward what really matters to us, help us to tend to the wounds in ourselves and our communities, and allow us to hear, finally, the clear voice that exists in each and every one of us.
BEYOND THE BASICS
The Practical Magic of Tarot isn’t just a Tarot workshop. It is not an overview of the same, basic formulas that have come to be associated with Tarot and a general how-to of reading the cards.
While you will learn about the fundamentals of Tarot and come away with a deeper understanding of the elements at work within it, I created the Practical Magic of Tarot out of an intention to offer space to explore how our intuitive experience can weave through so many other aspects of our lives, from spiritual beliefs and practices, to rituals of self-care, to how we engage with questions about our purpose and our path. These are connections I’ve been exploring since my earliest memories, and creating space to share these explorations with you is a dream come true.
EVOLUTION & CONNECTION
After almost four years of sharing The Practical Magic of Tarot in a densely packed 3-hour, in-person workshop format, the changing times have given me an opportunity to evolve to fit the demands of this moment and to fulfill a vision I’ve had for this offering since its inception.
For the first time ever, The Practical Magic of Tarot will be offered as a 5-week study, anchored by five virtual gatherings that will allow us to connect, learn, practice, and experience together. This new format will also allow us to slow down, to listen and respond, to explore and absorb each facet of the Tarot while developing intuitive and meaningful rituals, each from our own place of authenticity.
Our journey begins as we enter a new season, and will take into consideration the phases of the moon, which deeply connected with our own bodies our embodied intuition.
THE PATH AHEAD
Intuition is part of each of us. At its core, intuition is what we experience when we are attuned to the energies all around and within us, when we notice subtle shifts and begin to open to universal guidance in its many forms.
The importance of deepening our relationship to our own inner wisdom is clear. In order to meet the opportunities before us in this moment (both big and small), we will need to create authentic, sustainable practices that help us to connect with our roots, care for our hearts, step into our purpose, and guide us through this shifting time.
I hope you’ll join me on this journey. I can’t wait to see you there.
DATES & TIMES
NEXT SESSION TBD – MESSAGE ME TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE NEXT WORKSHOP DATES HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED.
GATHERINGS
Gatherings will be held via Zoom. I recommend planning to attend all of the sessions in real time due to the experiential nature of this series. Life happens though. If you need to miss, please let me know as early as possible and I will arrange getting you the information from your missed session.
WHAT TO EXPECT
In each session, we will explore a different aspect of the Tarot with ways of relating to symbols that move beyond basic interpretations. You’ll be guided through meditations designed to unlock your intuitive understanding of the cards and as well as connect you to your own experience of intuition. You’ll also have opportunities for guidance, questions and discussion; plus you’ll receive inspired practices and prompts that expand on the themes we cover in our gatherings to take home and explore on your own.
WHAT YOU’LL RECEIVE
– A comprehensive overview of the 78-card (Rider-Waite-Smith) system of Tarot, including background, common myths, and cultural considerations
– An exploration of the Tarot through a currently relevant context
– An exploration of how other spiritual systems can intersect and merge with the Tarot
– Meditative practices to help you feel grounded and open to intuitive experience
– Small but mighty spreads and their best uses, plus opportunities to practice with guidance and support
– Practical tips for finding your personal rituals and reading style
– Space for your questions and open discussion of ideas
– An original, information-packed PDF booklet to use during the course and beyond
– and so much more…
SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
SESSION 1: EARTH | GROUND: Building a Foundation
Learn more about the foundations of the system of Tarot and explore your own connection to spiritual belief systems and intuitive experience.
SESSION 2: WATER | FLOW: Stepping into the Flow
Experience elemental practices that deepen your understanding of how energies flow through our lives through our exploration of the Minor Arcana.
SESSION 3: AIR | EXPAND : Envisioning Your Path
Illuminate your relationship to symbols and signposts that help you navigate your path toward purpose through our exploration of the Major Arcana.
SESSION 4: FIRE | IGNITE : Activating Transformation
Discover your inner teacher, a deep intuitive presence that shines light on your gifts, your shadows, and your understanding of how everything is connected through you.
SESSION 5: SPIRIT | AWAKEN : Stepping into the Sacred Life
Weave together elements of ritual, meditation, intuition, technique, and spiritual meaning to build a practice that will grow with you and support you for life.
WHAT TO BRING
– A Beginner’s Mind! Please have an open mind and heart, ready to learn in new ways and ready to learn from everyone’s shared wisdom and diverse lived experiences.
– A 78-card Tarot deck (See FAQ in next section for more details)
– A journal or notebook in which to take notes, journal after meditations, document your practice readings, and keep track of your rituals, readings, and insights throughout the series
– Physical movement & comforts: In each session we will explore meditation and, at times, movement, so dress comfortably with that in mind. I also recommend having a yoga mat, 1-2 pillows and a folded blanket for each session’s movement/meditation portion.
F A Q
Can I take this workshop if I have no experience with Tarot?
Yes. Beginners will get a complete foundation on which to develop a practice and this series will introduce you to a selection of spreads and techniques for reading. As a bonus, the longer format will allow more time to absorb and experiment with the information, plus ask all of your questions and get guidance as you need it.
Can I take this workshop if I’m already familiar with the Tarot?
Yes. If you are already familiar with the Tarot, this series will allow you to profoundly deepen your practice. In previous workshops, I have heard from a number of attendees who already had some level of experience that they expanded their understanding and context significantly. As a bonus, this new format will focus on a variety of practices to develop intuition as well as explorations of how to connect the symbols in the Tarot to your own personal cultural context in a meaningful way.
Can I take this workshop if I already have a set of spiritual/religious beliefs or if I don’t subscribe to any spiritual/ religious belief systems?
Yes. People of all religions and backgrounds are welcome, and having a diversity of spiritual contexts to share can add a lot of richness to our exploration. All you need is a genuine curiosity about Tarot and a feeling of being called to explore this way of working with your intuition. While most traditional Tarot decks contain multiple representations of Christian symbols and ideals, we will be exploring the deeper aspects of the Tarot that speak to ideas that have always been expressed by humans.
Can I take this workshop if I don’t identify with representations of gender/sexuality/race/ability/etc in Traditional Tarot decks?
Yes. All are welcome and this experience is only enriched by a diversity of perspectives and lived experiences. We will talk about the representations present in most traditional decks and explore other ways of looking at and interacting with these. Everyone’s personal experience and voice will be honored.
I’ve already taken The Practical Magic of Tarot Workshop with you in its previous format. Will this new format offer me anything new?
The answer is, of course, it depends! But I would like to think that you’ll get A LOT out of this new, expanded format. While we will be using the same materials, I have made some updates and this format will allow me to get through some of the material we didn’t have much time for in previous iterations. Additionally, I’ve added special meditations into this series that will offer you ways to connect with your intuitive experience and deepen your connection to the concepts in the cards. You’ll also receive journaling and practice prompts to work with in between our gatherings that will offer you new ways to engage with your deck and hone your reading skills. After almost twenty years, I’m still learning and coming to new insights about the Tarot, so I definitely think that revisiting the material at a different points in time provides infinite learning possibilities. Reach out to me if you want to chat!
Will this workshop teach me to do Tarot readings for other people?
No. While we will discuss ethics and how to ask questions that relate to others, in this series we will be focusing on using the Tarot as a tool for connecting with and developing your own intuition in order to create grounding, sustainable rituals of self-care and spiritual wisdom that feel meaningful to you. Reading for others is a very different workshop! Maybe I’ll offer that one at some point down the road. ;)
Will this workshop teach me to “read” or predict the future?
No. I am a firm believer in personal agency and we will talk about the realities and myths of divination practices. While this workshop will not teach you to make predictions about the future, it will teach you to hone and honor your natural intuitive abilities to use in the present, which is far more helpful in my opinion.
Will I need a Tarot deck to take this workshop?
Yes! Typically, when I’ve hosted this workshop in person, I’ve been able to bring along a number of extra decks for people to borrow and play with. Even then, however, I usually encouraged participants to take the opportunity to start looking for a deck with which to become more closely acquainted. This workshop provides a really wonderful chance to connect and bond with a new or old deck. Some dusted off old decks they hadn’t touched in years. Others unwrapped their brand new, very first deck as soon as they arrived. One thing is certain, with this new, longer format you’ll have so much more time to spend exploring the deck you use, so try to find one you like!
Here are my recommendations for finding a deck:
In this workshop, we’ll specifically be exploring the system laid out in the 78-card Rider-Waite-Smith deck, however you do NOT need to have a Rider-Waite Tarot.
To get the most from this course, I do recommend working with a deck that is at least relatively similar in structure to the 78-card deck, which is divided into the Major Arcana (22 cards) and the Minor Arcana (56 cards divided into 4 “suits”).
The good news is that there are are thousands of decks that use this structure! Most will use nearly identical symbology as the original Rider-Waite-Smith deck, but with variations, such as people being represented by unicorns or cats! There are also decks whose artwork focuses more on a particular style, like Art Deco or psychedelia. Kim Krans’ The Wild Unknown Tarot finally eschewed rehashing the Rider-Waite-Smith imagery, but because it still works within the same 78-card system, it will absolutely work for this workshop. Other decks, like The Fountain Tarot, have started to follow suit, creating new imagery for classic ideas and occasionally adding an extra card or two. This type of deck will also work for our purposes. As long as your deck falls within a similar organizational structure, it will work for this workshop.
If you’re not sure whether a specific deck will work, reach out and ask me. I’m happy to help!
What’s MOST IMPORTANT is that the imagery calls to you, connects with you, and makes you feel something. Choosing a deck whose imagery resonates with you is the first step on the path of creating an authentic Tarot practice. Again, if you’re having trouble choosing, feel free to get in touch and I’ll help you narrow it down!
If possible, shop for Tarot decks through your local bookstore or other small retail shops. Allow plenty of time for shipping, as the USPS is currently facing massive hurdles to serve us. You can also check to see if curbside pickup is an option at a local store.
Still have questions? Reach out and send me a note! I’m just an email away. :)
REGISTER FOR THE PRACTICAL MAGIC OF TAROT
REGISTRATION FOR 5-WORKSHOP SERIES
COST WILL BE SLIDING SCALE (TBD)
*Equity Commitment: If you feel called to join this journey but are experiencing financial or other barriers to doing so, please connect with me and let’s arrange something that works for you.
READY TO DIVE IN?
REGISTER
* The number of participants will be limited in order to effectively leave time and space for questions, practice, and sharing within the given schedule. If you are thinking about registering, please do so! This series will fill up fast.
1) Send your payment to secure your spot, using:
VENMO : @treetrunkwiseyoga
or PAYPAL : paypal.me/treetrunkwiseyoga
2) Send me a quick note letting me know you’ve joined!
– Be sure to include the email address you’d like me to use for correspondence (I’ll send your Practical Magic of Tarot PDF here!)
– Tell me something you’re looking forward to exploring/learning about in this series!
3) Keep an eye out for a response from me– and make sure my emails are landing in your primary inbox!
I’m so excited for this chance to connect with you. See you soon. :)
YOUR GUIDE
Hello. I’m Rachael Sage, the creator of The Practical Magic of Tarot. I have been studying the system of the Tarot for nearly two decades and have been exploring cosmic symbology for even longer. My philosophy on working with the Tarot is informed by a lifelong exploration of intuitive and healing practices, including meditation, yoga, dream work, and energy work as well as explorations in spiritualism and comparative religions.
You can read more about my journey with the Tarot here and check out my interview on the Healing Effects Tarot Podcast to learn more about how I use Tarot as a healing practice and incorporate other modalities into my session work.
I have been offering The Practical Magic of Tarot workshop since 2016, after years of working one on one with clients doing collaborative readings. The Tarot encompasses countless facets of embodied living, and I truly believe that each individual’s lens of identity and experience can reveal unique and potent expressions of those facets. My intention is to create a safe, open, and welcoming space where you can feel free to bring your whole self, to share your wisdom, and to honor your creativity and your path.
Please feel free to reach out and connect with me if you have any questions at all, or if you just want to say hello!