The Tarot Podcast with T. Susan Chang

T. Susan Chang

The Tarot Podcast, hosted by author and teacher T. Susan Chang, is a weekly tarot podcast for everybody - those who love tarot, and those who are just tarot-curious. Here we ask tarot scholars and experts the big questions everyone has about the cards; we explore card meanings as they actually show up for modern-day readers, and we talk to the creators of some of today’s most popular decks.  By supporting the podcast on Patreon, you can help the show expand and support its mission to connect the global tarot community!

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 55: Tarot and the Predictive Brain, with Siddharth Ramakrishnan

    In today’s show, the Tarot Podcast veers off the beaten path and turns to science! for an explanation of how prediction works. My guest is Siddharth Ramakrishnan, a neuroscientist who also practices tarot. He’s also a terrific explainer of brain biology for those of us without advanced degrees in the sciences. How has evolution shaped our perception of the future? What role does our brain play in decoding what’s to come? Join us for some facts, some educated guesses, and some wild speculation! Siddharth Ramakrishnan, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist, artist, and educator. He is the Chair of Neuroscience and Professor of Biology at the University of Puget Sound and a recipient of the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER award. His research spans developmental biology, neuroendocrinology and neuroethics. A Fellow of the UCLA Art|Sci center, his collaborations with artists have led to exhibitions and documentaries that blend the worlds of art and science highlighting topics like Hox genes, animal umwelts and biomimicry.  An avid Tarot reader, he has designed and created the NeuroTarot deck based on the major arcana of Tarot and infused with neuroscience. He was the keynote speaker at NWTS 2023, StaarCon 2025, the UCLA Art Sci Center, and a panelist at the Masters of Tarot workshop (2023) with Mary K. Greer at Omega, Rhinebeck NY. In addition he has been featured at various scientific conferences, art museums and tarot workshops. His book "The Neuroscience of Tarot", is out with Llewellyn Worldwide. "The Neuroscience of Magic" will be out in 2026! Instagram/BlueSky/Threads: @siddbits Youtube: @brainmystic Email: neurotarot@gmail.com website: www.brainmystic.com _____________________________________ Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista Sign up for readings and explore books and classes! thetarotpodcast.com Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!) 😊 And...don't forget to like, rate, subscribe, and share!! 😊

    16 min
  2. Jun 17

    Episode 54: The Tarot Readers of Amsterdam

    For this week’s episode, we present something completely different for the Tarot Podcast! We recently traveled to Amsterdam and decided to do an episode on the tarot scene there. We interviewed three readers: Trippy, Melanie Webb, and Giulia Castagna. Trippy and Melanie are readers at the Embassy of the Free Mind, a Hermetic library in the heart of Amsterdam. Both Trippy and Melanie are Jungian-influenced archetypal tarot readers, and you can visit them on Thursdays and Fridays at the Embassy. Our third interviewee, Giulia Castagna, is an Italian tarot reader and astrologer who is based in Amsterdam. She currently gives readings at Black Moon Botanica, in the charming Spiegelgracht neighborhood. Stick around for the end of show! where Trippi and Melanie do readings for me—and I do one reading in return. ALSO: Be sure to catch this week’s Patreon bonus content, a video short of a terrific collection of tarot decks housed in Fabula Rosa, in the Jordaan district of Amsterdam. The owner, David Schors, kindly permitted  us to look around and examine some very unusual and beautiful decks he’s acquired over the years.   Giulia Castagna Website: https://lunaticanocti.com Upcoming courses (in Italian): https://elenaronzio.socialacademy.com/pages/corsi-di-tarocchi Instagram: @lunaticanocti Melanie Webb Melanie takes her audience into a world that is not usually seen, but deeply felt — a place suspended between dream and reality. Having grown up with Tarot cards, she developed an intuitive and playful connection to visual language from an early age.       During her twelve years at the Academy for Applied Astrology in Amstelveen, she developed a strong interest in the relationship between Jungian psychology and Western astrology. Tarot formed an additional module within this astrological and Jungian curriculum, allowing her to interpret the cards through the archetypal frameworks and psychological theories of Carl Jung.      With her Tarot cards, she not only reads what lies beyond but also unpacks the signs that are present all around you. A reading with Melanie allows you to pause, take a breath, and look again: at yourself, the moment, and everything that moves beneath the surface. In her sessions you can expect imagery, intuition, and silence to come together. A session with Melanie allows you to sink into the moment and gain a truly unique perspective. Trippy Trippy has been reading Tarot for more than thirty years. Her connection with the cards began in childhood, shaped by early mystical experiences that opened her sensitivity to the unseen.      For the past nine years she has read regularly for Thuishaven, where clients often describe her readings as clarifying, grounding, and deeply supportive. Her work blends intuitive insight with years of exploration in esoteric and meditative traditions, including the Tarot study with Kenton Knepper on Meditations on the Tarot, as well as her ongoing Jungian exploration inspired by the works of Marie-Louise von Franz.         Trippy’s style is warm, compassionate, and direct. She aims to help people reconnect with their inner guidance and leave each session with a renewed sense of clarity and empowerment. The Embassy of the Free Mind http://embassyofthefreemind.com Keizersgracht 123, 1015 CJ Amsterdam, Netherlands Museum: open Wednesday through Sunday Tarot readings: Thursdays and Fridays Events & workshops: All year! Hermetic text viewing: by appointment __________________________________ Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista Sign up for readings and explore books and classes! thetarotpodcast.com Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!) 😊 And...don't forget to like, rate, subscribe, and share!! 😊

    31 min
  3. Jun 10

    Episode 53: How Do I Care for My Cards? with Barbara Moore

    In today’s episode, we take on a totally practical question for both new and experienced tarot readers: How do I take care of my tarot cards? The care and maintenance of a metaphysical object is just different from the way you deal with your ordinary household items. Whether or not you feel your cards are actually sentient (and some people do!) they deserve special consideration. And Tarot Podcast favorite Barbara Moore is back! to walk us through some of the tarot community’s most common physical, metaphysical, and ritual practices around card care.   Barbara Moore (Saint Paul, MN) has been in love with tarot for over thirty-five years. She has shuffled her cards and taught tarot all over the world. Now she embraces her Hermit self by writing books and creating decks. Her Steampunk Tarot, Good Fortune Tarot, and Trick or Treat Tarot are among her favorites.   Links for this episode: Barbara’s website: https://barbaramooretarot.weebly.com/ Magician’s Fanning Powder! Barbara’s author page at Llewellyn: https://www.llewellyn.com/author.php?author_id=3396   Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista Sign up for readings and explore books and classes! thetarotpodcast.com Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!) https://www.amazon.com/Living-Tarot-Connecting-Everyday-Readings/dp/0738772259 https://tsusanchang.com/class   😊 And...don't forget to like, rate, subscribe, and share!! 😊

    25 min
  4. May 27

    Episode 51: Five Questions with M. M. Meleen + the Tabula Mundi Tarot

    The tarot deck known as the Tabula Mundi is a modern tarot masterpiece, a memory palace, and a love song to esoteric tarot. Its creator, M. M. Meleen, is known for her work producing Thoth-inspired cards, as well as for co-hosting the Fortune’s Wheelhouse esoteric tarot podcast with me. In today’s show, we explore the interlocking astrological intricacies of the Tabula Mundi, and its origin story. And we have a close look at the Tabula Mundi Devil card, in all its muscular blue-skinned glory. As always, there’s a patron reading, using the deck, at the end of the episode. We also have a few more readings, offered as Patreon bonus content for the week.  If you’d like to submit a question for a reading on the Tarot Podcast, sign up as a paid member! You’ll find out when readings are happening on Patreon or Discord and be able to share your question then! M. M. Meleen is the artist and creative force behind four modern esoteric tarot decks: Tabula Mundi Tarot, Rosetta Tarot, Pharos Tarot, and the latest work of talismanic and decan magic, Telos Tarot of 777. She is the author of Book M: Liber Mundi, Book of Seshet, Spectrum Fari, and Scions of 777: Vol. I, Six-and Thirty Decans, and Vol. II, Forty-two Truths. She also co-hosted and co-created the Fortune's Wheelhouse tarot podcast, and co-authored Tarot Deciphered, both with T. Susan Chang. For info on past, present, and future works of love and will visit tabulamundi.com. The decks and the books can be found at www.tarotcart.com.   Links for this episode: tarotcart.com for Mel’s books and decks and to subscribe to her newsletter. tabulamundi.com for Mel’s blog. patreon.com/fortuneswheelhouse for the Fortune’s Wheelhouse podcast Tarot Deciphered: Decoding Esoteric Symbolism in Modern Tarot, by T. Susan Chang and M. M. Meleen ________________________________ Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista Sign up for readings and explore books and classes! thetarotpodcast.com Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!)

    45 min
  5. May 20

    Episode 50: The 10 of Wands in Real Life

    Tarot IRL is back! with the final installment of our numeric minors in the Wands suit. In this episode, we examine how the mighty—but exhausting!—10 of Wands shows up in the lives of ordinary folks. It could be called the Triumph of the Will, capable of channeling human ambition into extraordinary achievement and astounding brutality. The Lord of Oppression will demand everything you have, and more. What you make of that crushing pressure, however, is up to you. When you draw the 10 of Wands, look out for the following themes: Responsibilities Grit Trees/Sticks/Wood Endings/Achievements Maximum people/Maximum things ADHD/AuDHD Fascism For decan basics and examples, see episode 39 (Decan Basics) and 40 (Decan Deep Dive) with Mary Greer: ✨To share your stories about the Page of Wands for the next Tarot in Real Life segment - please join as a Patreon supporter of the Tarot Podcast! You can also write in to the show at thetarotpodcast.com/about, using the contact form at the bottom of the page. More resources: 36 Secrets: A Decanic Journey through the Minor Arcana of the Tarot (Amazon link if you must!) Shop for cool stuff made by your host!  Dreaming the Decans webinar (yours free with Soothsayer-level membership!) Become a Tarot Podcast member! Sign up for readings and explore books and classes! https://tsusanchang.com Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!) 😊 And...don't forget to like, rate, subscribe, and share!! 😊

    24 min
  6. May 13

    Episode 49: How to Read the Tarot de Marseille, with Sherryl Smith

    In Episode 48, the tarot historian and independent scholar Sherryl Smith gave us an introduction to the classic European deck known as the Tarot de Marseille, or TdM. In this episode, our focus is how to read with these historic cards—which many modern tarot readers find intimidating. Sherryl demystifies the ins and outs of the TdM, explaining why some readers find the deck downright liberating. Be sure to listen through to the end of the episode for a demonstration reading with the TdM! Bonus TdM readings—and full graphics for the episode—can be found on our Patreon website (www.patreon.com/thetarotpodcast). If you’d like to submit a question for a future reading on the Tarot Podcast, sign up as a paid member! (https://patreon.com/thetarotpodcast). You’ll find out when readings are happening on Patreon or Discord and be able to share your question in advance. Sherryl Smith’s tarot journey began over 50 years ago when she saw David Palladini’s Aquarian deck in a bookstore and instantly recognized an important turning point in her life. She has been studying the history of tarot and reading with historic decks for 25 years.  Her website Tarot-Heritage.com tells the story of tarot’s 600-year history. The Cartomancy section of the website has everything you need to get started reading with historic decks like the Tarot de Marseille Links for this episode: Sherryl’s website: https://tarot-heritage.com Purchase historic decks at Tarot Arts https://tarotarts.com/collections/tarot-decks-and-kits/realm_historic-decks? Episode 48: What is the Tarot de Marseille? with Sherryl Smith. YouTube version of this episode: https://youtu.be/WxiI8mVQJkM   Sherryl’s TdM Resources: Books Yoav Ben Dov. The Marseille Tarot Revealed: A Complete Guide to Symbolism, Meanings and Methods. (Llewellyn, 2017) https://www.amazon.com/Marseille-Tarot-Revealed-Complete-Symbolism/dp/0738752282 Carrie Spider. Tarot de Marseille: Reading the Cards as They Were Used. Self-published 2026. https://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Marseille-Reading-Cards-They/dp/B0GBT7SYD4 Wayne Limberger. Pips, Courts and Trumps: A Simple Guide to the Tarot de Marseille. Ebook available at Lulu.com. https://www.lulu.com/shop/wayne-limberger/pips-courts-and-trumps-a-short-simple-guide-to-the-tarot-de-marseille/ebook/product-5mm5rp.html   Where to purchase decks in the US US Games: https://www.usgamesinc.com/?target=search&mode=search&substring=marseille&including=all CBD Tarot de Marseille. Produced by Yoav Ben Dov, author of the book listed above. Tarot Arnoux & Amphoux 1801, produced by the French card maker Yves Reynaud listed below. Tarot de Marseille Convos Llewellyn.com: https://www.llewellyn.com/browse_category.php?start=0&sort_by=&product_category_id=232 Universal Tarot de Marseille Tarot de Marseille Tarot de Marseille Mini Artisan Tarot https://artisantarot.com/ Unique and whimsical decks: Marseille Cat Tarot Squid Cake Marseille The Rider-Marseille Tarot Deck Where to purchase decks in Europe https://tarot-de-marseille-heritage.com/ Yves Reynaud of Marseille makes facsimiles of historic Tarot de Marseille decks he finds in museums. The production quality and price are designed for the average card reader. https://www.facebook.com/Marco.C.Benedetti.Tarot Marco Benedetti of Rome has a Facebook page—no website. Handcrafted decks at reasonable prices. Pierre Madenié 1709 is a favorite. _______________________________ Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista Sign up for readings and explore books and classes! thetarotpodcast.com Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!)

    32 min
  7. May 5

    Episode 48: What is the Tarot de Marseille? with Sherryl Smith

    The Rider Waite Smith and Thoth tarot decks may be the most recognized decks in the English-speaking world. But it is the Tarot de Marseille, known in tarot circles as the TdM, that has the furthest intercontinental reach and the longest history. Even today, it is the deck most widely used in European countries. This week, tarot historian and independent scholar Sherryl Smith takes us on a journey through the origins and idiosyncrasies of the TdM.  Next week, we’ll have a discussion of how to actually use the TdM! which intimidates many readers with its cryptic woodcut imagery and non-scenic pips. Be sure to listen through to the end of the episode for a demonstration reading with the TdM! Bonus TdM readings can be found on our Patreon website (www.patreon.com/thetarotpodcast), and we will have another set of readings to go with next week’s episode. If you’d like to submit a question for a future reading on the Tarot Podcast, sign up as a paid member! (https://patreon.com/thetarotpodcast). You’ll find out when readings are happening on Patreon or Discord and be able to share your question then! All images for this episode can be viewed on Patreon, or on the YouTube version of the show. Sherryl Smith’s tarot journey began over 50 years ago when she saw David Palladini’s Aquarian deck in a bookstore and instantly recognized an important turning point in her life. She has been studying the history of tarot and reading with historic decks for 25 years.  Her website Tarot-Heritage.com tells the story of tarot’s 600-year history. The Cartomancy section of the website has everything you need to get started reading with historic decks like the Tarot de Marseille Links for this episode: Sherryl’s website: https://tarot-heritage.com Purchase historic decks at Tarot Arts https://tarotarts.com/collections/tarot-decks-and-kits/realm_historic-decks? Episode 20: What is the Rider Waite Smith Tarot? with Mary K. Greer https://youtu.be/qOcUbM9t8eo Episode 21: What is the Thoth Tarot? with Lon Milo DuQuette https://youtu.be/njY_oyfgb7g Video version of the episode: https://youtu.be/mpvDn7fNSc8 Sherryl’s TdM Resources: Books Yoav Ben Dov. The Marseille Tarot Revealed: A Complete Guide to Symbolism, Meanings and Methods. (Llewellyn, 2017) https://www.amazon.com/Marseille-Tarot-Revealed-Complete-Symbolism/dp/0738752282 Carrie Spider. Tarot de Marseille: Reading the Cards as They Were Used. Self-published 2026. https://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Marseille-Reading-Cards-They/dp/B0GBT7SYD4 Wayne Limberger. Pips, Courts and Trumps: A Simple Guide to the Tarot de Marseille. Ebook available at Lulu.com. https://www.lulu.com/shop/wayne-limberger/pips-courts-and-trumps-a-short-simple-guide-to-the-tarot-de-marseille/ebook/product-5mm5rp.html   Where to purchase decks in the US US Games: https://www.usgamesinc.com/?target=search&mode=search&substring=marseille&including=all CBD Tarot de Marseille. Produced by Yoav Ben Dov, author of the book listed above. Tarot Arnoux & Amphoux 1801, produced by the French card maker Yves Reynaud listed below. Tarot de Marseille Convos Llewellyn.com: https://www.llewellyn.com/browse_category.php?start=0&sort_by=&product_category_id=232 Universal Tarot de Marseille Tarot de Marseille Tarot de Marseille Mini Artisan Tarot https://artisantarot.com/ Unique and whimsical decks: Marseille Cat Tarot Squid Cake Marseille The Rider-Marseille Tarot Deck Where to purchase decks in Europe https://tarot-de-marseille-heritage.com/ Yves Reynaud of Marseille makes facsimiles of historic Tarot de Marseille decks he finds in museums. The production quality and price are designed for the average card reader. https://www.facebook.com/Marco.C.Benedetti.Tarot Marco Benedetti of Rome has a Facebook page—no website. Handcrafted decks at reasonable prices. Pierre Madenié 1709 is a favorite.     Become a Tarot Podcast member! patreon.com/thetarotpodcast Shop for Tarot Podcast MERCH! & cool stuff made by your host! etsy.com/shop/tarotista Sign up for readings and explore books and classes! thetarotpodcast.com Continue your tarot journey with The Living Tarot book and/or The Living Tarot online class (discount for class available if you purchase the book!)

    31 min
4.9
out of 5
48 Ratings

About

The Tarot Podcast, hosted by author and teacher T. Susan Chang, is a weekly tarot podcast for everybody - those who love tarot, and those who are just tarot-curious. Here we ask tarot scholars and experts the big questions everyone has about the cards; we explore card meanings as they actually show up for modern-day readers, and we talk to the creators of some of today’s most popular decks.  By supporting the podcast on Patreon, you can help the show expand and support its mission to connect the global tarot community!

You Might Also Like