In microeconomics, economy of scale refers to the theory that average costs start falling as output increases. As I apply it to tarot spread design, it asserts that the level of effort required to read a spread decreases as the number of card positions increases. While this seems counter-intuitive, it's due to the fact that, … Continue reading Economy of Scale in Spread Design
Month: March 2018
The Ideal Study Group
Esoteric study groups of the face-to-face kind are mercurial beasts. Interest tends to wax and wane, and attendance is anything but consistent as members occasionally choose to deal with more mundane matters on meeting day. When I lived in the Hartford, CT area in the '70s, there were numerous opportunities to meet regularly with kindred … Continue reading The Ideal Study Group
“The Blind Pig and the Acorn” Career Outlook Spread
Although Dukes of Hazzard fans would like to claim it as part of Southern heritage, as would Appalachia, the proverb alluded to in the title was apparently of ancient Roman origin: "Even a blind pig can find an acorn once in a while." According to Wikipedia, there is a "related Latin saying that a blind … Continue reading “The Blind Pig and the Acorn” Career Outlook Spread
Cheap Shots (The Final Cut): “Is It Live or Is It Memorex?”
This will be the last installment of my "Cheap Shots" series. My "inner curmudgeon" isn't going anywhere, of course, but I've moved on into more productive (as well as kinder) areas of expression. I've said enough already about my views on current populist tarot culture, and need to chill before the "New Age police" discover … Continue reading Cheap Shots (The Final Cut): “Is It Live or Is It Memorex?”
The “On the Fly” Random Contact Spread
Those who read frequently for others often encounter sitters who are seeking romance, and those readers probably don't have enough fingers and toes (or hairs on their head) to count how many times they've been asked whether an upcoming event (trip, party, night on the town or other gathering of peers) will produce just such … Continue reading The “On the Fly” Random Contact Spread
A “Take No Prisoners” Example Reading
I decided to test my transition spread with a current situation in the State of Vermont. The State's only nuclear power plant, closed since 2014, is under negotiation for sale to a company that claims it can decommission the site much more quickly and cheaply than the present owner (incidentally walking away with several million … Continue reading A “Take No Prisoners” Example Reading
The “Take No Prisoners” Transition Spread
Any major transition, whether corporate, political or sociological, can produce significant upheaval in the "receiving" organization. This is especially unnerving for those on the lower rungs of the pecking order, whose best interests aren't always served by the leadership in these situations. This spread is designed for subordinate members of any group to explore important … Continue reading The “Take No Prisoners” Transition Spread
The Multi-Billion-Dollar Question
Full Disclosure: Before I get into this, know that I'm a cryptocurrency skeptic, even if Microsoft did infuse it with credibility. I just can't see how something with no intrinsic value, created out of thin air and fueled only by hope and greed, can have a secure place in "real world" economics. Some critics call … Continue reading The Multi-Billion-Dollar Question
The Best-Laid Plans: An Alternative Action Spread
When querents bring a planning question to the table, they typically have at least a rough idea of what they want to do, although it may be founded more on hope and conjecture than clear-eyed foresight. Most are aware they need a fall-back position, or "Plan B," to which they can resort if things don't … Continue reading The Best-Laid Plans: An Alternative Action Spread
An Example Reading with the “Destiny’s Dartboard” Timing Spread
I had a near-term timing question that I thought would be a perfect opportunity for testing this spread. A couple of weeks ago I submitted an article to the publisher of The Cartomancer quarterly journal for possible publication. (This wasn't a "shot in the dark" since I've had several articles published there already). She got … Continue reading An Example Reading with the “Destiny’s Dartboard” Timing Spread