Welcome to Inner Compass.

Looking for answers to life’s questions? Want to know what the universe has in store for you in love, money, and your career? Then you’ve come to the right place.

I’m jaymi “innowen” elford and I read tarot. I give reassurance and help you design a roadmap to reach your dreams.

This site contains tarot reading tips, deck and book reviews, and new and interesting ways to use your tarot cards.

This morning seemed like just any ordinary day: first day of a new month, a new moon AND a solar eclipse. I couldn’t have asked for an more auspicious energetic setting to send me off on a new magical journey. Today I dedicated myself to the element of alchemy and I am in a year long service to both this element and my deity exemplar, Kelsier, a character from Brandon Sanderson’s fantasy novel, Mistborn.

In this essay I go into as much depth as I can about this elemental working as I learned it from Taylor Ellwood and what I hope to accomplish.
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Earlier today I gave a jam-packed half-hour interview with Taylor Ellwood at Magical Experiments. Right from the get-go it was tarot, tarot, tarot. We’re not even a minute into the interview and someone called in. Instead of passing off this person, I jumped on the opportunity to show listeners a small taste of how I perform (over the phone) readings for a client.

I shared a stories of how I got into tarot, and what I like to use the cards for. I tried giving a more in-depth response and explanation of the year long elemental working I am doing and how the tarot fits into it, as well as some quick information on both my book-in-process, Experimental Tarot Techniques, as well as some of the information I give to people in two of my more popular classes. We also talked a bit about spread creation.

For those who missed my debut radio appearance, you can listen to it here:

Just wanted to remind everyone that I’m going to be talking tarot with Taylor Ellwood from Magical Experiments on Blog Talk Radio tomorrow at 2:30 PST. Would love it if you all listened in!

I’ll share stories of how I got into tarot, what I use the cards for, and my new year-long elemental journey with the element alchemy. This process combines using the cards and creative visualization to help promote a deep and long lasting transformation within one self.

Here’s the link to the show and look forward to everyone tuning in.

I learned to crochet a year ago. Mostly out of frustration for not having lovely and fun cases for all my tarot decks to snuggle into. Well, after working on two different patterns for almost an entire year, I now feel comfortably opening up an Etsy store to sell them.

Come one, come all and join me in welcoming innowen.etsy.com to the fold. I’ve added my current 21 case stock to the store and these are ready to ship. They all fit standard sized decks and I am taking custom orders for decks that are smaller or longer in size. I also offer a wide variety of acrylic and cotton fibers (I’m allergic to wool and other animal fibers) colorways as well as Fimo clay button options. I’ve even made accessing my store simple by offering a link and a sampling of the cases on the store in the right hand sidebar to this site.

In the future I plan on adding handmade journals and Kindle (or other eBook reader) cases to the site! I’m excited to be able to share my art creations with you and to give your decks a comfy home to sit in.

I’m excited to announce that on Wednesday I’ll be interviewed by Taylor Ellwood of Magical Experiments. We’ll be talking tarot and I’ll share stories of how I got into tarot, what I use the cards for, and my new year-long elemental journey with the element alchemy. This process combines using the cards and creative visualization to help promote a deep and long lasting transformation within one self.

Check out the Magical Experiments page at Blog Talk Radio here and I look forward to everyone tuning in.

Every now and then a new product comes out on the tarot radar that makes all us enthusiasts go “ooh” and wonder how it revolutionizes, and challenges, current tarot structures. A few years ago, Emily Carding did this with her Transparent Tarot deck. Well, now Jude Alexander has done it with her fun and insightful, Tarot Game. Read on to find out how much fun I had playing my first game with the creator Jude Alexander and what The Tarot Game can do for you as a tool for transformational change.

I purchased The Tarot Game right before going to The Readers Studio and since returning home, I haven’t had much time to read the rules or play. Much to my surprise, Jude was offering two person games via Skpye. So I jumped on the chance to play and learn from the creator herself.
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I just got home from the 2nd Annual World Tarot & Towel Tea Party at my friend Ember’s. We had a lovely 4 hour party sipping tea, drooling over our new tarot decks and books, and co-reading spreads for one another. Read more to find out what we did and what I learned this afternoon!
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A few moments ago I pulled out my trusty Shadowscapes tarot and asked the cards: What is the spirit of Tarot for the next year? In return, I received the King of Cups.

As a Court Card, the King of Cups represents a very passionate thinker. He is old and wise and contains much knowledge. A slow thinker, he likes to choose his words carefully. He takes time to make sure things are phrased exactly as he wants it to be said.

As an answer to the question for this year, the King of Cups suggests that we combine both knowledge and heart (passion) together to form a solid and long lasting formation with Tarot. This year will be the year that, if you study hard, and really take the time to integrate the cards’ wisdom, that you go deep and learn to become the mirror that Tarot is.

And on a personal note, the King of Cups is one of the cards that is focused on in the current Lesson (number 6—almost halfway there!) that I’m working on for my Tarot School Correspondence Degree study.

What card did you draw today? How does that perspective reflect the upcoming year’s worth of Tarot spirit for you and the rest of the world? Have more insight into the King of Cups? Please post a comment, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

It’s T minus 4 hours ’till Midnight. You know what that means? Both World Tarot Day and Towel Day begin. And tomorrow and Thursday are going to be jam packed with tarot fun for me. I’ll be adding three new posts between tomorrow and Thursday.

Follow my twitter feed (innotarot) to get first hand snippets of the fun as it unfolds. I plan to use the hashtag of #worldtarotday. You’ll get two posts from me tomorrow: a tarot tea party recap and another answering the question of “What is the spirit of Tarot for the next year?” On Thursday, I’ll share with you my experience with playing The Tarot Game with its creator, Jude Alexander.

Do you know where your tarot deck is? How about your towel? Are you ready to educate, experiment, and see what the tarot can do for you during this exciting tarot-charged day? If not, find your local tarot reader and ask them to share the wisdom of the cards with you!

I almost missed Theresa’s telecourse tonight. I was so busy focusing on layout design that when I looked up it was 3 minutes till showtime. Thankfully, this gave me just enough time to log in and be second in line for the class.

Theresa’s amazing. I’m so glad that I got the chance to partner with her at the Reader’s Studio. She started the session right on time and lead us through an hour’s worth of tips, tricks, and inspiration to start, or work on our own blogs.

So what did I learn?

1. Blogging gives us four things: it helps you get to know me; it allows me to educate you on various tarot aspects; it allows me to entertain you (well, I DO firedance… maybe not with the cards tho); and it helps increase my business awareness online.
2. Theresa gave me permission to talk about things that have “been said before”. Everything may have been said, but it hasn’t been said in my voice or with my perspective.
   That it’s okay to write for both clients and peers. I want to strike a balance between sharing tarot stories with both clients and peers while getting them the information they need.
3. I brainstormed new topics to write for and I learned that I should put blogging due dates on my calendar to really make this habit stick.
4. Blogging should be done with a “just do it” attitude. Or as I like to think of it, a NaNoWriMo mode, where I shove my author and editor brain aside and just write something and get it up. So I’ll be trying to do that more often.

She was even kind enough to answer a question that I forgot to ask during the teleclass.

“What is your take on the difference between a newsletter (email or print) and a blog? I tend to do both and have a hard time figuring out where to draw the line on sharing.”

Her response, “Ah – good question. Here’s the deal: a blog allows you to reach an audience and show your personality. And hopefully it gets people to sign up for your newsletter. Because the newsletter is where you can offer deals, etc. for your clients and get to know them better – and allow them to get to know you even better! ” Good advice indeed.

I’m looking forward to next month’s seminar on “Stop Being A Broke Ass Tarot Reader” on Tuesday June 21st. If you’re a tarot reader and could use some expert advice on growing your business, then don’t miss this one!