Omg Tarot! A Podcast About Reading Tarot Cards

I'm trying something new :)Every Monday, tune in for Omg Tarot's weekly tarot forecast. No, this is NOT replacing our regularly scheduled chats and deep dives on the regular pod. It's just something extra. And you get to actually see the cards I pull.

A lot of people who sit for readings with me tell me the same thing: "I've never done this before."And honestly? Great. I kind of like being somebody's first experience with tarot because I know I'm setting the bar high. I'm making sure their first experience is a great one, even if the message is something that involves the 5 of Pentacles or 3 of Swords (which sometimes, it's the clarity they need!)Being somebody's first reader is a big job, so I put together this list of my best tips for making sure it's a great experience for your querent and for you. Because really, a tarot reading is a three-way conversation: Your querentThe cardsYouSo it should be a good time for everybody involved. Music credit: Fiftysounds.com

Numbers are integral to tarot. Literally every card has a number, and each number has a meaning. But it goes deeper than this. In tarot, the numbers on the cards you pull give you their context. A 4 may generally mean stability, but a 4 that follows a 9 tells a very different story than a 4 that follows a 2 or an ace. That's what tarot reader, charm caster and numerologist Dina Berrin and I are getting into here (plus some astrology 😁)Check out Dina and her work at dinaberrin.com.

In this episode, I'm sitting down with Niels Vantzuriel, creator of The Arrival Method and co-founder of Adventures in Quiet Places. Through The Arrival Method, Niels and his partner help high-achieving women who are ready to change their lives do just that: change their lives by connecting with Ireland's ancient spiritual landscape. In our interview, we chat The Arrival method, the fae, what's happening on a biochemical level when you undergo a spiritual transition, and of course, how tarot fits into all of that!Listen now to learn more, and check out Adventures in Quiet Places at adventuresinquietplaces.info

What's the most important thing for a tarot reader? Intuition. Are some people born gifted with intuition and others, not so much? NO. We are all intuitive. We are all capable of developing intuitive skills. And the tough truth is, we live in a world that actively works against this development, with constant stimulation and lives so tightly scheduled that there's barely a moment to just sit, observe, feel, and be. Maybe that's not true for everybody, but for a lot of us, we're existing in a culture that's actively anti-intuition, even if that wasn't the intended goal.Or maybe it was. That's a conversation worth having, but it's not happening in this episode. This episode is all about connecting intuitively and bringing it to your tarot practice. Trust your intuition. It's there for a reason. Offloading your intuition is like trying to outsource your hearing or sense of taste. These sense are here to help you perceive the world. Music credit: Fiftysounds.comALSO! We're collecting Saturn Return stories. Share yours here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmn7vN_45Ifi63e80sdLRXsFzdCX-Qpw6HdBKOORt4j2gGwQ/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=113878817325210632680

In this episode, we take a little detour from tarot to explore another famous deck: the 52-card deck you play poker, rummy, war and go fish with. Based on your birthday, you have a birth card, a personality card, and a whole constellation of other cards that, if you learn how to work with their energy, can help you live your best life. I sat down with Alexander and Vikki of The Source cards to discuss the deck's origin, how it correlates with astrology, and how you can find out which cards you've been dealt and how to play them well. Interested in learning more? Visit www.thesourcecards.com

It happens. Sometimes, when you're reading tarot for somebody, the message doesn't resonate. And other times, the message may very well resonate, but it's not what the querent wanted to hear...so they act like it doesn't resonate. Or they argue with you. Or they insert their own interpretation.What should you do in these scenarios? Although they look similar on the surface, they're really three distinct situations. 🃏 You might have missed the mark. It happens. Sometimes tarot readers get it wrong. Acknowledge that you're not perfect and move on. 🃏 Recognize that your reading isn't saying what your querent's ego wants to hear. It's awkward, but it happens. Remember, they came to you for a tarot reading. Your duty is to provide the service they came for, which is an objective reading, not an ego massage. 🃏 Their intuition might be picking up on something you missed. Trust them! You're here to be helpful, not domineering. Maybe your reading can provide some structure or clarity for what the querent's already intuiting on their own. In any situation, it's helpful to return to the cards and cite why you're saying what you're saying. After all, that's what they came for -- a tarot reading. That's what this episode is all about. Music credit: Esther Garcia of Fiftysounds.com

I talk about the Rider Waite Smith deck a lot on this podcast, and that's for one simple reason: it's referenced just about everywhere and it's the template for a lot of modern decks. So my thought is, using it as a frame of reference means you can either pull out your copy and follow along or visualize your way through the podcast if you're listening while you drive or do something else. But it's far from the only deck, and one of the biggest criticisms of the Rider Waite Smith is that it's very white, very European, and its symbolism is very Judeo-Christian. Which...yeah, it is, you can't deny any of those points. So what if you don't resonate with a deck like that? In this episode, I've got some great suggestions for specific decks that get away from Rider Waite Smith-style symbolism and an amazing website you can peruse to find just about any deck you could possibly want. Do you have a go-to tarot deck? Tell us about it in the comments!

You might've noticed there are a few angels in the Rider Waite Smith deck. There's the one looming above The Lovers, the one passing water between cups on Temperance, and the one blowing the horn on Judgment to raise up the dead. But there are a few more angelic references too, like the angel baby face on the Queen of Swords' throne. Why is it there? What does an angel baby have to do with the Queen of Swords?In this episode, that's what we're talking about.

In the Rider Waite Smith deck and a significant number of decks that have followed, there are figures in the corners of The Wheel of Fortune and The World. They're a bull, an eagle, a lion, and an angel. You might have heard that these figures represent the four fixed signs: Taurus, Scorpio, Leo, and Aquarius. That explanation isn't wrong, but it only tells part of the story. The truth is, the symbolism of these figures goes far deeper than that and can be traced to ancient times. If you've studied art history, you probably know exactly where this is going, and if you haven't, tune in for a deeper appreciation of the images in your tarot deck.

The top three things people ask me about are: 1. No question. Just see what the cards have to say.2. Love. When will I meet someone? How can I find a partner?3. Career. Will I get a promotion? What field should I be in? How can I make more money?So today, we're talking about topic #3, tarot for career and financial guidance. What are the best ways to phrase these kinds of questions? Which cards are a positive sign for your career...and which are a bad omen? How can you get even more insight out of a career-related pull? Listen now and learn more.

Following up our recent episode about Neptune's generational influences, today we're taking a look at how Uranus and Pluto shape generations of people. There are some similarities between them; Uranus brings about sudden, dramatic changes and Pluto brings rebirth through intensity. Think of Pluto as the solar system's pressure cooker. By that logic, Uranus is its...toaster oven? Uranus changes things, not always for the better, and once it makes those changes, there's no going back. In this episode, we break down the Uranus and Pluto placements for the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Gen Z and Generation Alpha. We also look at some interesting crossovers and how we see similar themes crop up across the decades. In any natal chart, the outer planets have more of a cultural impact on the individual, so in a lot of ways, they're why we say an individual is a "product of their time."

In this episode, I sit down with Amanda Voinier, founder of Aries Moon Crystals, Evidential Medium and Paranormal Investigator to discuss Hot Takes in Tarot. We explore ethics, boundaries, and discernment in modern tarot and intuitive work.We talk about why she doesn’t offer emergency readings and what that protects for both reader and client.We discuss the evolution of intuition and thoughts about AI’s place within the world of tarot. Which hot take is your favorite? Join us on this journey as we tap into intriguing insights.

You've got 10 planets in your natal chart, and some of them shape you closely, while others shape you from afar. What do I mean by that? I mean that certain planets, namely Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, shape your generation. These planets spend years in each sign, which means all the people born during a given generational transit have a shared cultural perspective. A good phrase to keep in mind when reading generational planets is "she's a product of her time." These planets shape how a generation perceives the world and themselves in relation to it. This episode is all about Neptune placements. We take a look at how Neptune shows up in people's charts ranging from the Silent Generation (1929-1945) to Generation Alpha (2013-2025).Stay tuned for the episode covering Uranus and Pluto's generational influences 🌌Music credit: fiftysounds.com

You know the basics of reading a natal chart. You've got planets, the planets are in signs, and the signs rule houses. Great. And you probably know the relationships between the planets are important...but if you aren't super confident about interpreting these in your chart, this episode is for you. Degrees and aspects are components of astrology that often seem more complicated than they really are. They're also key to taking your astrological understanding to the next level, once you've got a solid grasp on where your planets are and what those placements mean for you. Ready to kick it up a notch? Listen and learn about:DegreesConjunctionsOppositionsSextilesSquaresPlacidus vs. whole signThe power of ice cream sandwiches

In our follow-up to the last episode, we're exploring tarot and spirituality. On the surface, the answer might seem like a "well, duh, of course tarot is spiritual." But there are a lot of non-spiritual ways to work with the deck...and are the cards themselves, without human interaction, spiritual? What does spiritual even mean?Here's my take on these questions, plus some fun tarot history. Music credit: Fiftysounds.com

When you pull tarot cards, are you doing something creative? I think so. In this episode, we get into how tarot and really, all forms of divination, are inherently creative acts. I also share a couple of cool ways you can make tarot part of your regular creative practice. Welcome to Season 3!Music credit: Fiftysounds.com

As the last episode for season two, I'm sharing my villain origin story 😈How did I get into reading tarot cards? What did I initially think of my sun sign? How did my first attempt at a tarot business flop miserably? Learn all that and more, plus some cool stats about you, the listeners, in this year's State of the Pod.I hope every one of you has a fantastic holiday season and a great start to 2026🎄Season 3 drops January 15 😎Track: Angels We Have Heard on HighMusic by https://www.fiftysounds.com

How is the Judgment card different from the Justice card? What about Temperance versus The Star? In your tarot deck, there are a lot of cards that have similar, yet distinct, themes. Sometimes, it can be easy to get these cards confused...or to know the difference, but have a hard time articulating it. This episode is all about those cards that have similar narratives, but tell unique stories. Music credit: Fiftysounds.com

Every tarot card reader is unique. We've all got our own special combo of deck preference, relationship with the cards, philosophy, and delivery style. How do these come together in your unique reader mosaic? Maybe you haven't thought about this question much. But it's an important question to answer because the better you know yourself, the better you are as a reader. That's what this episode is all about.

In this episode, we're diving back into the minor arcana to take a look at a handful of cards that feel like "mini" versions of major arcana cards. You've probably heard the 2 of Cups called the "mini Lovers" before, but what about other "mini" cards in your tarot deck? We also drop the minor arcana into real-life situations, because really, that's what tarot is for. It helps us navigate our lives. And there's some ASMR 🤪

What does a 1st house year really look like? Or a 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 12th house year? It's great to have the basics, but some things are best understood through concrete examples. That's what this episode is all about.Listen to a collection of profection year stories from listeners like you. With each, we take a close look at the themes at play and how these themes played out in listeners' lives. Music credit: Fiftysounds.com

With spooky season upon us, we dive into some horrific and horrifically awkward stories readers have shared with the podcast. Music credit: Esther Garcia of Fiftysounds.com

When you're feeling stuck, ready to pivot, or simply trying to figure out your next move, tapping into your inner calling will help you find the way. That's exactly how Amanda Nafash, founder and owner of Inner Calling, LLC helps people align their lives with their true needs and strengths. We recently sat down together to chat about tarot, spiritual work, helping people live their best lives, and of course, a bit of astrology! Listen now to learn more about Amanda and her work, and don't miss your chance to do her Inner Calling spread for yourself!

Here's where profection years get really interesting. Not only is each profection year colored by a sign, it's driven by that sign's ruling planet. That planet plays a big role in your experience during a given profection year...and so do certain planets in your natal chart!Music credit: Fiftysounds.com

As Mark Hoppus once sang, "Nobody likes you when you're 23." There's an astrological reason for that: profection years! In this episode, you'll learn all about profction years:What they areWhich ages align with each houseHow certain lessons and themes crop up in 12-year cyclesHow to determine the profection year you're currently working through, based on your natal chartThis is why last week's episode is all about reading your natal chart...you're gonna want it when you're listening to this one. And you'll get to hear me sing!Music credit: Blink-182Esther Garcia of Fiftysounds.com

Natal charts might look complicated, but they're actually structured quite logically. Once you understand the logic, reading your natal chart is a breeze--I promise! In this episode, you'll learn how to cast your own natal chart and the basics of interpreting it. This is in preparation for next week, when we'll be talking about profection years. Even if you're brand-new to astrology, you'll finish both episodes with a firm grip on what's going on in your chart. Trust me on that one.

No matter which deck you're working with, there's probably a bunch of trees, flowers, leaves and maybe even some other plants like seaweed and cacti in it. Those plants mean something! Everything in tarot means something. And in this episode, we're diving into exactly what those plants in your deck communicate.Music credit: Esther Garcia of Fiftysounds.com

There are lots of buildings in your deck. And bridges. And...pyramids? What's that about?Listen to this episode and I'll tell you ;)

This week, we're taking a little detour from tarot to talk about something tangential: the Wheel of the Year. Essentially, this is the calendar of Neopagan holidays, also known as sabbats. Keep in mind, though, that as its name implies, Neopaganism is a modern creation. It draws largely from Celtic traditions, some of which you may be familiar with, like Samhain. Understanding the Wheel of the Year can help you feel more grounded in your practice. It can also give some context to the things we do for certain holidays, like light the menorah at Hanukkah and share meals and gratitude at Thanksgiving. Music credit: Fiftysounds.com.

Every tarot reader has little rituals they do to set the space before a reading. What are yours? In this episode, I'll tell you all about mine...and why I do them.Music credit: Fiftysounds.com

Do you want to read tarot for other people? If not, that's fine...lots of readers only read for themselves. But if you're curious about reading for other people (and maybe even getting paid to do it), here are five questions you need to answer honestly.

Aries and Libra. Cancer and Capricorn. Yeah, they're all zodiac signs, but what else can we say about them? Hint: consider these signs as pairs. There are six axes within the zodiac wheel: Aries-LibraTaurus-ScorpioGemini-SagittariusCancer-CapricornLeo-AquariusVirgo-PiscesThe signs in each axis oppose and complement each other. You'll find their complementary energies in your tarot deck, too. That's what this episode is all about. Music by Fiftysounds.com

People ask me a lot of questions about tarot, and in this episode, I answer them. Listen for my answers to four of the most common questions people ask me about working with the cards.

The major arcana gets a lot of love on this podcast. The minor arcana, not so much. Until today.In this episode, we're diving into the minor arcana and dissecting how to read them effectively. How do they relate to the majors? Do they have astrological connections? What about the court cards? Listen now, because it's all in this episode.Music credit to Esther Garcia and Fiftysounds.com.

You've probably done a Celtic Cross at some point in your tarot life. It's the first spread a lot of us learn. Maybe even most of us. But it's not the only spread out there; there are literally thousands of awesome spreads that can help you structure and interpret your readings. That's what this episode is all about: using spreads.

We're FINALLY finishing up the major arcana as real-life situations! In this episode, it's The Devil through The World. What does a real-life Devil moment look like, and how is it different from a real-life Tower moment? How about Sun moments vs. Moon moments vs. Star moments? It's all in here, so listen now. Music credit: Fiftysounds.com

Following last week's look at how major arcana cards represent real-life situations, this week is all about cards 7-14: The Chariot through Temperance. What does a Temperance moment look like? How do you know you're in your Hanged Man era? Listen and find out. Music copyright of FiftySounds.com

What does a real-life Fool moment look like? How about a real-life High Priestess or Lovers moment?That's what this episode is all about. Certain cards tend to show up as specific situations, and knowing these situations can give a better understanding of these cards...and help you predict them when those cards show up!Music by Esther Garcia of Fiftysounds.com.

Every reader has a different relationship with the cards. That means there are certain things some readers do that others don't, like reading reversals. In this episode, I discuss five common tarot practices that I don't personally do...and why.

What's it really like to run the biggest, most magickal night market in New Jersey?Listen and you'll hear allll the details. I sat down with Tiff, Kelly and Kryssy, aka the Lunar Chicks, for a fun chat about everything Lunar Faire. We talked about the faire's origins, various venues, its evolution from a small beach gathering to hosting thousands of attendees and what they're gonna call you if they catch you trying to sneak in 👀 So don't miss it! Faire season starts Sunday, April 27. The first faire will be at East Freehold Fairgrounds in Freehold, NJ. Get your tickets at lunarfaire.com.(and if you wanna score 15% off your tickets, be sure to listen for the exclusive discount code I drop in the episode 😉

Aces make happy faces!Well, sometimes. It depends on what you're reading about. And if you wanted a fresh start. Because Aces, similar (but not identical) to the Pages and The Fool, are all about fresh starts. They're new. They're foundational. They're a pivot, an opportunity, a new path forward, a changed perspective. When an Ace shows up in a tarot reading, you're getting something new. What will you do with that new thing?

You're probably familiar with her name, but who was Pamela Colman Smith? What influenced her, who influenced her, and how did she and AE Waite change the tarot deck forever? Did you even know they changed it? Because they did. In short, without Waite's vision and Smith's illustrations, you'd likely be reading a Marseille-style deck today. Thanks to Pamela Colman Smith, we have an illustrated minor arcana. We also have astrological associations and all the depth they add to your readings. Listen now to learn more about the mother of the modern tarot deck and what it meant to her, personally.

People ask me this all the time: What happens if I get a card reading wrong?Maybe your reading was too vague, or you overlooked a detail, or you just plain misinterpreted the cards. It happens. It happens to every reader. So what should you do when you get it wrong? That's what I talk about in this episode. I share the strategies that have worked for me when I miss the mark. I also share the strategies I use to prevent missing the mark...but remember, you can be the best reader in the world and sometimes, the energy just doesn't connect! So don't take it personally.

As promised, this episode is all about the horses of tarot 🐴In the Rider Waite Smith deck, there are seven of them. Each carries a rider. But what's the relationship between a horse and its rider? Do the horses have as much symbolism as their riders, and if so, what is that symbolism? Listen and learn all about the horses in your tarot deck and the messages they deliver. Track: Make It HappenMusic by https://www.fiftysounds.com Track: ChangesMusic by https://www.fiftysounds.com Track: Red Evil Music by https://www.fiftysounds.com

If you've been working with tarot cards for a while, you know each minor arcana suit corresponds with an element. You also know those four elements are represented on the cards, usually in pretty obvious ways, but not always in obvious ways. In this episode, we're talking about how the elements are represented visually, how you can interpret the more subtle depictions, and how to read the "negative space" on tarot cards.

Your tarot deck has a lot of animal symbolism in it. Have you ever wondered how to interpret these images? And have you ever wondered if you should interpret literal animals, like the horses the knights ride, the same as figurative animals, like the butterflies on the Queen of Swords' throne? Do the dogs on the 10 of Pentacles symbolize anything different from the dog on The Fool? Is the Queen of Wands' cat an actual cat, or a manifestation of her character??Listen and find out.

It's that time of year again...love is in the air ♥️Love is also one of the most popular topics querents ask me about. And why wouldn't they? Love is wonderful! We all want love!So what happens when you see something in a love reading that isn't exactly positive? Or you pull a card like the Hanged Man or The Star and you go huh? That's what I'm talking about in this episode. Listen for my take on how to read love spreads, which cards I like to see in these kinds of pulls, and which cards I don't want to see when I'm asking about love. Music: Track: Prelude 4, LargoMusic by https://www.fiftysounds.comTrack: WhispersMusic by https://www.fiftysounds.com

People ask me this all the time: How can you stay objective when you're reading for yourself? Honestly, it's not easy. But it's also not impossible. Like anything else, it takes practice, and in this episode, I share a few strategies that have worked for me when I've had a hard time staying objective. I also talk about formulating questions, what makes a good question, and how to navigate sticky tarot situations.

I talk about astrology a lot on this podcast, and in this episode, I'm doing even more of that. If you've never looked at your natal chart before, listen for super-easy, step-by-step instructions for getting your chart...and how you can translate your Big 3 into a tarot reading. I also shared a sweet tarot formula you can use to find the main lessons you'll learn each year of your life🫶