The Word Witch

It's the triumphant (ish?) return of tarot lesson episodes! In this one, Charlie picks up where they left off long ago with the 8's of the Tarot. We explore the Minor Arcana 8's through movement and change, Strength through tapping into our wild and hidden selves, and The Star through radical acceptance and hope in the midst of upheaval. This group of cards has some potent and necessary messages for the times we're living in.

A transcript of this episode is available here.

Support this podcast on Patreon for as little as $2 a month and get early access to new episodes and other cool patron-only stuff!

Connect with Charlie on Instagram @the.word.witch to get the latest on their new decks and creative projects, and snag your own copy of Fifth Spirit Tarot at thewordwitchtarot.com.

In Part 2 of my conversation with tarot and oracle deck creator and all-around artistic powerhouse Coleman Stevenson of The Dark Exact, we dig into the practical, business side of being an independent creator that not many people talk about! From small-batch printing, to creative inventory storage struggles, to deciding whether or not to put gilded edges on your deck, Coleman peels back the curtain on running a one-person business and also offers excellent, real-talk advice for prospective deck makers.

If you haven't listened to Part 1, I definitely recommend doing that to get Coleman's insights on the creative process of making tarot and oracle decks! It's right before this one in your feed.

We have transcripts now! Find the transcript of this episode at thewordwitchtarot.com/transcripts and support the cost and labor of transcription by supporting this podcast on Patreon.

ABOUT COLEMAN: Coleman Stevenson is the author of three collections of poems (Light Sleeper, Breakfast, and The Accidental Rarefication of Pattern #5609), several books about divination and creativity including The Dark Exact Tarot Guide and two collections of card spreads, and a book of essays on creativity accompanying the card game Metaphysik. Her writing has appeared in many literary journals and anthologies and on the website tarot.com. In addition to her work as a designer of tarot and oracle decks through her company The Dark Exact, her fine art work, exhibited in galleries around the Pacific Northwest, focuses on the intersections between image and text. She has been a guest curator for various gallery spaces in the Portland, Oregon, area, and has taught tarot, poetry, design theory, and cultural studies at a number of different institutions there, most currently for the Literary Arts Delve series, which includes seminars at the Portland Art Museum. She is the co-creator of the divination series Third Eye Sundays. Find her work at colemanstevenson.com and @darkexact on Instagram.

CONNECT WITH CHARLIE:

TheWordWitchTarot.com

Instagram @the.word.witch

Support this podcast on Patreon!

Buy Fifth Spirit Tarot

Tarot and oracle deck creator and all-around artistic powerhouse Coleman Stevenson of The Dark Exact joins me to talk all about the process of deck creation from concept to art to publication. In this first part of our two-episode interview, we dig into the different processes behind tarot and oracle creation, what makes a good oracle deck (and what makes a bad one), evolving traditional deck systems, and what makes a deck of cards magical.

Tune in next week for Part 2, where we get into the joys and challenges of independent deck publication and running your own business!

Coleman Stevenson is the author of three collections of poems (Light Sleeper, Breakfast, and The Accidental Rarefication of Pattern #5609), several books about divination and creativity including The Dark Exact Tarot Guide and two collections of card spreads, and a book of essays on creativity accompanying the card game Metaphysik. Her writing has appeared in many literary journals and anthologies and on the website tarot.com. In addition to her work as a designer of tarot and oracle decks through her company The Dark Exact, her fine art work, exhibited in galleries around the Pacific Northwest, focuses on the intersections between image and text. She has been a guest curator for various gallery spaces in the Portland, Oregon, area, and has taught tarot, poetry, design theory, and cultural studies at a number of different institutions there, most currently for the Literary Arts Delve series, which includes seminars at the Portland Art Museum. She is the co-creator of the divination series Third Eye Sundays. Find her work at colemanstevenson.com and @darkexact on Instagram.

CONNECT WITH CHARLIE:

TheWordWitchTarot.com

Instagram @the.word.witch

Patreon

Buy Fifth Spirit Tarot

Nick Kepley (he/they), a.k.a. Man of the Cards, joins me to talk about one of my very favorite subjects: gender in tarot. Together, we dig into the court cards, the masculine/feminine duality, the idea of “traditional” card meanings (who’s tradition are we talking about?), tarot as a tool for deconstructing social programming, tarot as an essentially nonbinary journey, and why we’re both so in love with this deck of cards that we’re trying to evolve and expand them beyond these sticky and ingrained limits.

As Nick points out in the episode, this topic of gender in tarot ISN’T just for trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer folks. It’s for cis people, too. In Nick’s words, “Gender affects all of us in huge ways… It’s not about eradicating gender. It’s about trying to open it up to make it less limiting for everyone.” So tune it, cis friends!

SEARCHER’S SOLSTICE TAROT SYMPOSIUM

THE LITERARY TAROT KICKSTARTER

CONNECT WITH NICK:

ManOfTheCards.com

Instagram @manofthecards

Patreon

CONNECT WITH CHARLIE:

TheWordWitchTarot.com

Instagram @the.word.witch

Patreon

Buy Fifth Spirit Tarot

In this special co-interview episode, I sat down with Ashley Brooke James and Elizabeth Moore to talk tarot, spirituality, donuts, and the messy in-between spaces of becoming. Ashley and Elizabeth are the co-founders of TRILUNA Wellness, a non-diet, pro-donut, anti-racist community wellness company in Nashville, TN, as well as the hosts of the Wellness Community Magic Podcast, where they host real talk about the wellness world and seek to make self-care realistic, sustainable, and inclusive.

Our conversation is all about the magic and pain and possibility of transitional spaces, so if you're feeling those vibes right now like I am, this episode is for you!

The Wellness Community Magic Podcast

TRILUNA Wellness

TRILUNA's Instagram

Follow me on Instagram @the.word.witch

My website: The Word Witch Tarot

Get the tarot deck: Fifth Spirit Tarot

If you want to try the cornbread donut recipe I found (no promises it's good--I haven't tried it!):

Cheddar Sriracha Cornbread Donuts

Cheddar Jalapeno Green Onion Donuts

After an unexpected year-long hiatus that started in March 2020 (gee I wonder why...), The Word Witch Podcast is returning to your earbuds soon!

SHOWNOTES

Find us on Instagram @the.word.witch

Our website is www.thewordwitchtarot.com

Pick up Fifth Spirit Tarot at www.fifthspirittarot.com

Our theme music is by Bitches in the Beehive

In this tarot lesson episode, Claire is joined by Reverend Erik of the Arnemancy podcast to guide you through The Chariot, The Tower, and the Sevens! This deep and meaty conversation contains lightbulb moments for both Claire and Erik, and it also offers the most laughs you’ll probably ever hear about The Tower.

Fifth Spirit Tarot launches on Kickstarter on March 20th! Mark your calendars to help bring this queer and inclusive tarot deck into the world! Visit www.FifthSpiritTarot.com to check out the cards and sign up to the newsletter to get updates.

Connect with Reverend Erik at www.Arnemancy.com or on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @arnemancy. Become a patron for extra occult goodies at www.patreon.com/arnemancy. And listen to the Arnemancy podcast on all your podcast outlets! 

Take home some of the knowledge you heard here by ordering Claire’s zine series, The Word Witch Tarot Guides, in their online shop, plus learn about upcoming classes and events at www.TheWordWitchTarot.com.

Become a patron of The Word Witch podcast for as little as $2 and get access to bonus episodes and more here: https://www.patreon.com/thewordwitchtarot. 

Connect with The Word Witch: 

Instagram: @the.word.witch

Facebook: @thewordwitchtarot

Twitter: @WordWitchTarot 

Website: www.thewordwitchtarot.com

The Word Witch is produced, written, and recorded by Claire Burgess. Editing help and tech support come from Danu Vino. Our logo is designed by Claire Burgess. Our theme music is "Counting Rice" by Bitches in the Beehive. Their album, Itty Bitty Spaces is available now on iTunes, Spotify, and elsewhere!

The podcast is 1 year old today! In this special anniversary episode, Claire gets personal with cards of the year and shares their experience of living through a Death year. We talk about shedding, transformation, and the sacrifice required to bring anything new into the world. Also in this episode: updates on wtf has been going on since the last episode, and Claire briefly reads the podcast’s natal chart. It’s a double air sign, just like Claire! (To no one’s surprise.)

The Word Witch is a podcast about tarot, astrology, magic, and belief made especially for queer folx and others making magick from the margins. The host Claire Burgess (they/them) is a queer and nonbinary tarot practitioner, teacher, writer, and witch. Claire is the creator of Fifth Spirit Tarot, a trauma-informed tarot deck for queers, outsiders, survivors, and anyone striving to not just survive, but also thrive. 

Check out the deck: www.fifthspirittarot.com

Connect with Claire: 

Instagram: @the.word.witch

Facebook: @thewordwitchtarot

Website: www.thewordwitchtarot.com

Join the Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thewordwitchtarot 

The Word Witch is produced, written, recorded, and edited by Claire Burgess. Editing help and tech support come from Danu Vino. Our theme music is "Counting Rice" by Bitches in the Beehive. 

In this tarot lesson episode, the Lovers teach us to choose ourselves, the Devil invites us to free ourselves, and the minor Sixes guide us to re-alignment after the struggle of the Fives.  

The Word Witch is a podcast about tarot, astrology, magic, and belief made especially for queer folx and others making magick from the margins. The host Claire Burgess (they/them) is a queer and nonbinary tarot practitioner, illustrator, writer, and witch. They're the person behind The Word Witch Tarot, along with plenty of help from their partner and business wizard, Aaron Caffee (he/him). Claire is the creator of Fifth Spirit Tarot, a trauma-informed tarot deck for queers, outsiders, survivors, and anyone striving to not just survive, but also thrive.

Connect with us:

Instagram: @the.word.witch

Facebook: @thewordwitchtarot

Website: www.thewordwitchtarot.com

If you want to support this podcast, please join us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/thewordwitchtarot

The Word Witch is produced, written, and recorded by Claire Burgess. Editing help and tech support come from Danu Vino. Our logo is designed by Claire Burgess. Our theme music is "Counting Rice" by Bitches in the Beehive. Their album, Itty Bitty Spaces is available now on iTunes, Spotify, and elsewhere!

The Fives aren’t everyone’s favorite cards in tarot—but they are at The Word Witch! The Fives are full of challenge, conflict, and contraction, but they are also where we meet our biggest opportunity to learn, grow, and spiritually evolve. This episode, we explore the Hierophant, Temperance, and the Minor Fives, and Claire shares why they chose to name their in-progress tarot deck Fifth Spirit Tarot. (Hint: it’s because of the Fives!)

Tarot Cards in this episode: the Hierophant, Temperance, 5 of Wands, 5 of Swords, 5 of Cups, 5 of Pentacles.

Check out the Fifth Spirit Tarot deck at www.fifthspirittarot.com

The Word Witch is a podcast about tarot, astrology, magic, and belief made especially for queer folx and others making magick from the margins. The host Claire Burgess (they/them) is a queer and nonbinary tarot reader, educator, illustrator, writer, podcaster, and witch. They're the person behind The Word Witch Tarot, along with plenty of help from their partner and business wizard, Aaron Caffee (he/him). Claire is the creator of Fifth Spirit Tarot, a trauma-informed tarot deck for queers, outsiders, survivors, and anyone striving to not just survive, but also thrive.

Connect with us:

Instagram: @the.word.witch

Facebook: @thewordwitchtarot

Website: www.thewordwitchtarot.com

If you want to support this podcast, please join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thewordwitchtarot

The Word Witch is produced, written, and recorded by Claire Burgess. Editing help and tech support come from Danu Vino. Our logo is designed by Claire Burgess. Our theme music is "Counting Rice" by Bitches in the Beehive, used with permission.