Épisodes

  • The Truth Behind the Two of Cups

    The Truth Behind the Two of Cups
    Jun 1 2025

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m sitting down with the Two of Cups, but not in the romanticized way we often think about with this card. Sure, this card speaks to connection, mutual care, and being seen, but in this episode, I’m more interested in what is hiding underneath all that sweet relational imagery. Inspired by a lively (and opinionated!) book club discussion inside The Symposium, I revisit Jessica Dore’s take in Tarot for Change, where she explores the Two of Cups as a mirror - one that reflects not just the other person, but all of our unconscious projections, unmet needs, and early attachment wiring. Spoiler alert: we had a lot to say about her interpretation.


    I also spend time honoring Paul Quinn’s more relational lens from Tarot for Life, and some attachment theory to explore how this card hits differently when you're someone with a dismissive-avoidant style. We talk about the storylines we pick, as Esther Perel says, when we pick a partner - and how intimacy can feel like a high-stakes negotiation when we’re secretly wondering if our cup will be too heavy for someone else to hold.


    There’s a big through-line in this discussion around how intimacy and autonomy often feel like opposing forces, but they don’t have to be. Eventually, I explore the Devil and Temperance cards (because of course I do) as well as ALL of the cups as a progression of this dynamic. And we end with a beautiful appearance from the Page of Cups, who offers us a gentle reminder that curiosity can be the antidote to defensiveness.


    This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt the ache of wanting to be close to someone, but fearing what it might cost them. We talk childhood attachment wounds, projections, survival strategies, and how tarot can be a tool for navigating all of it…with softness, insight, and just the right amount of therapeutic nerdiness.


    Books referenced:

    • Tarot for Change by Jessica Dore

    • Tarot for Life by Paul Quinn

    • Esther Perel


    Join me in unpacking what it really means to offer your cup, and what it takes to believe someone might actually want to hold it.


    🌙 Stay Connected With Me:

    💌 Follow me on Instagram: @thetarotdiagnosis

    🧠 Sign up for my newsletter at thetarotdiagnosis.com

    👥 Join The Symposium — my tarot & psychology membership community


    If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a super easy and FREE way to support my work. Plus, it helps more people discover the podcast. I appreciate you all so much!


    Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com

    Music by Timmoor from Pixabay
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    36 min
  • Lazy or Liberated? The Four of Swords & Eight of Pentacles go to Therapy

    Lazy or Liberated? The Four of Swords & Eight of Pentacles go to Therapy
    May 18 2025
    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I invite you to step away from your Eight of Pentacles bench of productivity and join me on the stone slab with the Four of Swords - a card I kept circling back to while creating a workshop on the architecture of stability. After pulling the Eight of Pentacles (yet again) I realized this card that’s been following me around for two months now was in desperate need for a session on the couch. So, I paired these two cards and asked: Why does pressing pause feel so threatening? And what happens when relentless mastery meets restorative stillness? I also brought the Eight of Wands into the mix because I know we have all experienced a sense of urgency when it comes to creating, checking off a to-do list, or simply just by existing.In this episode I touch on:Why rest feels unsafe. First we look at the knight in the Four of Swords with three blades suspended overhead and one tucked beneath him. I talk about how many of us lie down “at the ready,” never fully releasing vigilance. Polyvagal Theory helps us name that jumpy nervous-system state and identify the ventral vagal calm we’re craving.How hustle culture rewires worth. Drawing on Juliet Schor’s research and Devon Price’s Laziness Does Not Exist, we trace the way late-stage capitalism elevates exhaustion to a status symbol, turning the Eight of Pentacles into a bit of a warning sign.The shame spiral of speed. Brené Brown’s work on perfectionism meets the Eight of Wands, highlighting our belief that value = how much we accomplish and how fast we deliver. Spoiler: that metric is unsustainable.A values check-in. I share a quick exercise I use with clients comparing an “ideal day” with a so-called “lazy day” to expose how easily we mislabel restoration as failure.Practical invitations. From booking bodywork to choosing a new setting (nature, a quiet room, etc.), I offer ways to step outside the urgent grind and let your nervous system soften into safety.The takeaway: the Four of Swords isn’t laziness; it’s necessary maintenance. And until our Eight of Pentacles selves learn to lay down the hammer (even briefly) true stability will stay out of reach.Reference material and further reading:Devon Price, PhD — Laziness Does Not ExistBook page (Simon & Schuster): https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Laziness-Does-Not-Exist/Devon-Price/9781797120591 Simon & SchusterAuthor hub / articles: https://devonprice.medium.com/ MediumJuliet Schor, PhD — The Overworked AmericanBook page (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/Overworked-American-Juliet-Schor/dp/046505434X AmazonFaculty bio (Boston College): https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/morrissey/departments/sociology/people/faculty-directory/juliet-schor.html Boston CollegeBrené Brown, PhD, LMSW — The Gifts of ImperfectionBook page: https://brenebrown.com/book/the-gifts-of-imperfection/ Brené BrownOfficial site: https://brenebrown.comStephen W. Porges, PhD — The Polyvagal Theory Book page (W.W. Norton): https://www.amazon.com/Polyvagal-Theory-Neurophysiological-Communication-Self-regulation/dp/0393707008 Amazon Official site: https://www.stephenporges.com/ 🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform or YouTube! Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠! If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work <3Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.comMusic by Timmoor from Pixabay
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    27 min
  • Architecture of Stability: Tarot and Financial Wellness with Mimi Cirbusova

    Architecture of Stability: Tarot and Financial Wellness with Mimi Cirbusova
    May 4 2025

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I have a timely and tender conversation with my friend and favorite financial educator Mimi Cirbusova to explore what it means to find stability when the world feels like it’s crumbling. Whether it’s rising rent, global uncertainty, or emotional exhaustion, we’re all navigating something right now. This episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and reimagine what stability looks like for you.



    Mimi walks us through her Money Mountain framework, and together we explore how tarot (especially the Fours) can help us ground ourselves, soften financial shame, and build emotional resilience in real, accessible ways.



    ✨ In This Conversation, We Explore:

    • Why “stability” looks different than it used to and how to meet yourself where you are

    • How the nervous system and financial anxiety are deeply connected

    • The symbolic (and somatic) energy of the Four of Swords

    • The tension between the Four of Pentacles and Four of Wands (survival vs. joy)

    • Reframing saving, spending, and celebrating through a trauma-informed lens

    • How tarot can soothe money shame and create space for gentler decision-making

    • Why community is essential for both emotional and financial well-being

    🔮 Cards We Explore Together:

    • Four of Swords

    • Four of Pentacles

    • Four of Wands

    • Four of Cups

    • King of Wands

    • Two of Pentacles

    • The Tower, The Star, The Sun, and the Wheel of Fortune



    🧘 Final Reflections: If you're feeling the weight of the world, I hope this episode reminds you that you’re not alone. Stability isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about giving yourself permission to rest, connect, and redefine what support means for you today. Let’s pull some cards, take a breath, and remember that we don’t have to do this alone.



    💡 More from Mimi:

    🎧 Listen to the Meadow Sweet Money podcast

    🌐 Visit meadowsweetmoney.com

    📰 Subscribe to her Substack for new + full moon reflections 💞 Join her Patreon for tarot-infused financial accountability



    🌙 Stay Connected With Me:

    💌 Follow me on Instagram: @thetarotdiagnosis

    🧠 Sign up for my newsletter at thetarotdiagnosis.com

    👥 Join The Symposium — my tarot & psychology membership community



    If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is a super easy and FREE way to support my work. Plus, it helps more people discover the podcast. I appreciate you all so much!



    Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com

    Music by Timmoor from Pixabay
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    48 min
  • Damocles: A Jungian-Tarot Psychoanalysis of Sleep Token

    Damocles: A Jungian-Tarot Psychoanalysis of Sleep Token
    Apr 27 2025

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m stepping back into my music-journalist roots (yes, I share a tidbit of my personal lore in this episode haha) and I’m leaning hard on my therapist brain to do something I’ve been dying to do: a Jungian-tarot psychoanalysis of Sleep Token’s new single, “Damocles.”


    Beyond dissecting the song itself, this episode journeys into the artist’s mind and unpacks the relentless push to outdo one’s last creation, highlighting the unique ache of making art under capitalism.


    In this episode, I look at how a seemingly stripped-down metal track can crack open huge psychological themes of coping with fame, creative and emotional burnout, cognitive dissonance, and the inevitable collapse of any persona. Drawing on Jung’s ideas of the Persona and Shadow, I unpack Vessel’s lyrics line by line, explore the myth of Damocles, and show how the song mirrors key tarot archetypes like The Tower, The Moon, Seven of Wands, and The Emperor (but specifically The Emperor from the Somnia Tarot with that anvil-over-the-throne vibe).


    Along the way, you’ll hear:

    • Why the song’s minimal arrangement is a clever metaphor for longing to return to simplicity amid skyrocketing success

    • How anonymity and adoration create cognitive dissonance and create emotional whiplash

    • The inner critic’s cameo: “I know these chords are boring, but I can’t always be killing the game”

    • A tarot-infused reading of the lyrics that reveal a map from persona collapse to individuation and integration


    Even if Sleep Token never hits your playlist, you’ll still love hearing a therapist psychoanalyze a song and weave its themes through universal tarot archetypes.


    So grab your deck, hit play on “Damocles,” and join me for a deep dive where metal meets myth and tarot meets therapy.


    Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!

    If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work <3


    Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com

    Music by Timmoor from Pixabay
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    29 min
  • Tarot Therapy: The Psychodrama of Tarot & Witchcraft

    Tarot Therapy: The Psychodrama of Tarot & Witchcraft
    Apr 13 2025

    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, I’m continuing my monthly Tarot Therapy series by exploring a topic I’ve been wanting to discuss for ages: How tarot and witchcraft function as Psychodrama.


    Specifically, I explore how tarot and witchcraft can be understood and practiced through the lens of psychodrama, a powerful therapeutic method developed by Dr. Jacob Moreno. Psychodrama is essentially theater for the psyche. It’s an embodied way of working with emotion, memory, and healing through role play, creativity, and storytelling.


    If you’ve ever lit a candle for someone you love, pulled a tarot card that made your stomach drop, or cried while drawing a protection sigil - then you’ve already engaged in psychodrama.


    In this episode, I share why I believe tarot and magick aren’t just symbolic or ritualistic, but active, expressive healing tools. I talk about how tarot spreads become psyche-inspired stages, how tarot becomes characters, and how we can use these practices to externalize our inner world in ways that go beyond talk therapy.


    I also walk you through a guided psychodrama-inspired tarot practice using a technique called the soliloquy - a beautiful, embodied way to give voice to something you’ve been holding inside.

    ✨ In this episode, I talk about:

    • What psychodrama is and how it relates to tarot and ritual

    • Why embodiment and symbolism matter for emotional healing

    • How to turn your tarot spread into a living story

    • A guided soliloquy-style tarot activity to help you release what’s been unspoken

    Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!

    If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work <3


    Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com

    Music by Timmoor from Pixabay
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    23 min
  • The Wounded Caretaker: A Tarot Exploration

    The Wounded Caretaker: A Tarot Exploration
    Apr 6 2025
    This week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast I’m exploring a delicate identity that many people carry without ever naming: the wounded caretaker. Inspired by a social media trend that says, “I probably just needed a hug, so I became a therapist,” this episode takes a deep dive into the lifelong emotional patterns that develop when we’re asked to care for others before we’re ready…and before we've been cared for ourselves. In this episode, I unpack the concept of parentification - when a child is placed in the role of caretaker, whether emotionally or physically, and what that does to their developing sense of self. Through the archetype of the ⁠Queen of Pentacles⁠, we examine how this card (often celebrated for her nurturing energy) can also hold shadow traits of burnout, over-functioning, and self-neglect. I explore how tarot archetypes like the Ten of Wands, Page of Cups, Six of Pentacles, The Devil, and The Star offer a rich map for understanding the cycle of exhaustion, grief, and hidden hopes of those who were taught to meet everyone else’s needs and neglect their own. I also bring in psychological research and frameworks like Internal Family Systems (IFS) and attachment theory to illustrate how the identity of the helper often masks a quiet desperation to be held, seen, and nurtured. This episode is dedicated to those of you who have always been the “strong one,” the “go-to” person, or the “emotional rock” and who might be quietly wondering: But when will someone take care of me? And just a quick note before we dive in: the phrase “we’re all wounded healers” is often attributed to Carl Jung, who did explore the idea that healing often stems from our own pain. That said, the exact quote has been credited to several different folks over time. The first time I heard it was back in 2009, when I was taking classes to become a certified domestic violence counselor, and honestly, it was one of the most validating phrases I had ever heard. It gave me permission to keep moving forward in the healing profession, knowing that I didn’t need to be fully healed to help others. That nuance really sits at the heart of today’s conversation. ✨ If you’ve ever felt resentful after giving too much, struggled to ask for help, or found your sense of worth tangled up in how useful you are to others, this episode will speak directly to that wound. I also offer journal prompts, card pulls, and strategies to help you begin the healing process…so you can learn to care for yourself with the same devotion you've shown others. 💔 Remember, you’re not selfish for having needs. You’re human. And it’s time to include yourself in the circle of care. Deck Used: Joie de VivreStudy Referenced: Hooper, Lisa. (2008). Defining and Understanding Parentification: Implications for All Counselors. Alabama Counseling Association Journal. 34. 34-43.Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠! If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps more people discover the show and is a great way to support my work <3Have a topic you’d like to hear about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to submit a topic!Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.comMusic by Timmoor from Pixabay
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    33 min
  • Gaslighting, Over-Explaining, and the Page of Swords in Tarot

    Gaslighting, Over-Explaining, and the Page of Swords in Tarot
    Mar 30 2025

    This week on ⁠The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast⁠, I’m discussing a tender and often overlooked habit many of us carry: over-explaining. In this episode, I explore the psychological roots of this behavior through the lens of the Page of Swords, an archetype that is curious, alert, and sometimes altered by experiences of gaslighting or a lack of conflict resolution.


    We’ll unpack how early experiences with unresolved conflict or emotional invalidation can lead us to constantly seek clarity, not just for understanding and being understood, but also for safety. I explore how the Page of Swords becomes the internal part of us that can't rest until everything has been said just right, and how that habit, while protective, can also be exhausting.


    From there, we journey through the Swords court to see how our communication style evolves over time: from the anxious explaining of the Page, to the defensive urgency of the Knight, the discerning clarity of the Queen, and finally the peaceful detachment of the King. Each archetype offers insight into how we can move from over-explaining to grounded self-trust.


    If you’ve ever sent a “just to clarify…” text, stayed up all night replaying a conversation (hello Nine of Swords), or struggled with the need to be understood perfectly, this episode is for you. I also share practical strategies and tarot prompts to support your healing, self-reflection, and emotional regulation.


    ✨ Tune in for a heartfelt, validating, and empowering exploration of communication, trauma responses, and the healing journey from the Page to King of Swords.


    🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform!


    Want to find out all of the ways you can connect with me live this month? Join us inside⁠ The Symposium⁠!


    If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please consider leaving a 5 star review on whatever platform you listen to us on. It really is a HUGE help to us and allows more people to see our podcast!


    Have a topic you’d like to hear about? We’re always interested in hearing your suggestions!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to submit a topic!


    Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com

    Music by Timmoor from Pixabay
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    31 min
  • Tending to Our Parts with Tarot

    Tending to Our Parts with Tarot
    Mar 16 2025

    I’m doing something a little different this week on The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast! I’m re-releasing an episode from a few years ago on Tarot and Parts Work, where I get nerdy about the therapeutic model of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Jungian Depth Psychology through the lens of tarot.


    I have a few reasons for this: First, there’s been a surge of interest in this intersection, so I want to bring more visibility to the topic for newer listeners. Second, I’ll be traveling over the next few weeks and won’t be able to record a new episode. So, whether this is your first time listening or a revisit, I hope you find new insights in this conversation.


    🚨 Exciting Announcement! 🚨
    I’m hosting a Summer Solstice Summit from June 20th to 22nd, featuring more than two dozen of my favorite tarot and astrology practitioners! These are brilliant minds—therapists, psychologists, astrologers, and innovative tarot thinkers—coming together for a three-day immersive experience. I’ll be sharing more details soon, but for now, head over to TheTarotDiagnosis.com and click the Tarot Conferences tab to be the first to get updates!


    Now, back to this episode…


    During this episode, I explore and pull cards for different parts of ourselves—such as the exile, the firefighter, and the manager—while weaving in Jung's theory of the Self, the persona, and the shadow. I even share a personal example of an exile through the lens of the Eight of Swords, and I spend time processing The Eight of Cups and The Lovers. Plus, I discuss how The High Priestess is the most fitting archetype to represent the Self.


    Let me know what cards show up for you as you pull alongside me!


    🔮 Decks used: Pagan Otherworlds & Tarot Vintage


    💡 Have a topic you’d love to hear about? Submit your ideas here!


    If you love The Tarot Diagnosis Podcast, please hit those ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review! It really helps more people discover the show.


    Don't forget to subscribe to our email list to get all kinds of free mental health and tarot goodies on our website, as well as access to our private membership community ⁠The Symposium⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TheTarotDiagnosis.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Follow The Tarot Diagnosis on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheTarotDiagnosis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


    Audio Edited by Anthony DiGiacomo of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Deep Resonance Sound⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    Contact: DeepResonanceSound@gmail.com

    Music by Timmoor from Pixabay
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    36 min