Ace of Cups Massage and Wellness — Local services in Austin

My first tarot reading with Sam was January 2020, and I was nervous. I'd never had a professional reading before, and I was tackling some big life decisions on multiple fronts. Plenty of change and fear (yes, even before 2020 truly changed all of our lives!).

Sam's presence and warmth immediately calmed my nerves. Between the hot herbal tea, welcoming space and Sam's clear communication, I felt much more open to seeing what the cards had in store for me. Sam offered for me to record the reading's audio, and to take pictures so that I could follow up with any questions afterward if I felt that I needed further clarity on that particular reading. The audio recording was such a gift, especially now as I listen back and reflect on all that's happened and changed in my life since. (Much of which was in the cards after all!)

I've since had professional readings from Sam every month or so, following my own intuition on when I need to tap back into her powerful intuition and guidance. I feel a weight lift after readings with Sam, even (often especially) if there were challenging aspects to the reading.

Sam never shies away from difficult subjects in a reading, but delivers her communication in such a way that you leaves feeling empowered and hopeful. She helps you understand that there are always choices we can make to alter our paths. I like to think of readings with Sam like getting a full reflection of where my life is today, along with a glimpse of what that could mean for what's next. They always give me plenty to think about and act upon in the near future.

Sam has also been incredibly flexible and mindful during this difficult year of changes to the way we all function in the world. Her readings have been so very helpful in navigating my personal challenges within the broader issues 2020 brought, whether we met in person, outdoors and socially distanced or via Zoom.

I also have to thank Sam for welcoming me into the wider world of tarot. Beyond her capability as a reader, Sam is an incredibly knowledgeable resource. She has clearly spent years researching and teaching tarot esoterica, in addition to herbal healing qualities, which she'll weave into her readings where appropriate, As a forever student myself, I generally prefer to seek out guides who are as knowledgeable as they are intuitive. Sam is precisely that.

After a few readings, I chose to take Sam's tarot classes, starting with the Minor Arcana, working my way through to 'Putting it All Together,' which has enabled me to gain my own tarot interpreter certification. While I don't practice professionally, I regularly use the knowledge gained from the course in my own readings, and readings for friends, and I'm grateful to be able to tap into the power of the tarot in my daily life. The group of readers I met through the classes - even when we had to move to Zoom - were kind, thoughtful, and open-minded souls to whom I'm very grateful to have been introduced. Sam expertly led our classes so that we learned as much from each other as we did from her guidance.

I consider tarot with Sam to be a great blessing in my life, and highly recommend a session (or more) with her to anyone with an open...

The Ace of Cups Yoga Teacher Training for the Mystically Inclined was such an amazing and magical program- I wish I could relive the experience. It was transformative for me, and the opportunity arose when I needed it the most (maybe it was a little nudge from the universe?). My training began in the fall of 2020. Then and now, there have been so many uncertainties and additional turmoil in the world during these times. The world has been suffering and I was suffering on a personal level during the start of my training. The yoga path really helped me alleviate some of this suffering and to feel into the essence of my being. The yoga path deepened my compassionate for others and opened me to self-compassion in a way I had never experienced before.

The teachers were all phenomenal and each brought their own unique set of experiences and knowledge to the lessons with deep respect for yoga. Learning from this place of honoring and appreciating the roots of yoga is so important. We learned so much history, ethics, paths, and philosophy of yoga. We learned about the 8-limb path, anatomy, Ayurveda, different forms of meditation and pranayama practices, chakras and more. We learned how to guide asana (the physical practice) in a spiritual and communicative way while honoring all the branches yoga offers.

The program was taught virtually. I am so thankful for how well adapted this program was in the virtual setting. I connected with my peers on such a personal, deep level that it often felt we were in the same room together. I learned so much from my teachers, the other students and learned to find the teacher within (which is truly within all of us!). The program being in a virtual setting offered a unique way to hold space for myself by learning and practicing in my own home.

Thank you, Samantha, Kaytee and Jenny for your love, sharing, guidance, teaching styles, support, and compassion. Whether you are completely new to yoga or have been practicing for years, I highly recommend stepping into this program with curiosity and immersing into the experience. This opened a door for me into a world that I am just...

I was drawn to this community because of my deep passion for subjects like gardening, organizing, cleaning, and holistic healing. I was ready for a sincere healing journey and believed Sam and her community would support that path. Over time, Samantha Blackthorn encouraged me to deepen my involvement—more money, more training—without acknowledging my growing concerns. When I asked for a refund, her tone with me shifted and became hostile: "Do you need neighborhood resources?" That felt dismissive and hurtful. She didn't stop there; while on the phone with her she berated me about needing the refund and being confident that the training was not professional enough for me to return, then uttered a weak apology—“I wish I was a better person”—and made the refund conditional: I would get only half of my money back—and only if I met with her in person. It felt manipulative, disrespectful, and completely disregarded my healing needs. 👍 Pros: The hands-on work (gardening, organizing, cleaning) was meaningful and aligned with my personal healing practice.

👎 Cons: The refund experience was abusive and boundary-violating. Communication felt evasive and emotionally draining.

I’m sharing this not to shame—to warn others and advocate for empowered, transparent healing spaces. When people invest money and engage emotionally, they deserve clear, respectful communication and boundaries. What began as a hopeful, aligned partnership ended in control, emotional harm, and financial disrespect. I hope this review prompts wellness providers to take a hard look at their practices—and support truly trauma-informed care, rather than transactional...