AUTHOR'S NOTE: In The Discarded Image, C.S. Lewis observed that, when first formulated, scientific theories are almost entirely conjecture (he used the word "supposal"), perhaps shored up by a few preliminary observations that foster "educated guesses." Later attempts to refine these suppositions amount to either trying to confirm their validity through experimentation (Lewis called it … Continue reading Incompatibility of Temperament: Recidivism in the Art of Tarot
Month: November 2024
The Twos and the Principle of the Triad
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In yesterday's post I used a quote from Plato's Timaeus that has a bearing on how I interpret the tarot Twos. In any reading involving two parties, there are generally three factions that must be accommodated: the two individuals or collective entities and the relationship between them, which will sometimes take on a … Continue reading The Twos and the Principle of the Triad
Deep Fake: Everything, Something or Nothing?
"Everything is not a subject about which anything of much interest can be said." - C.S. Lewis, in contemplating "a deity really believed in who, by being all things, is almost nothing." AUTHOR"S NOTE: I've been engaged in a stimulating conversation in the online r/tarot community regarding the topic "When we ask a question of … Continue reading Deep Fake: Everything, Something or Nothing?
Mercury Retrograde: A Brief Case Study
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As a natal and predictive astrologer with 50+ years of experience I've always accepted the premise that, unless they evoke a response by contacting factors in the birth chart of the entity involved (most acutely by conjunction, square or opposition), transiting influences of any kind have little impact on individual lives and even … Continue reading Mercury Retrograde: A Brief Case Study
“Logic Me This, Cardman!”
"Riddle me this, riddle me that" said the Riddler to the Dark Knight. AUTHOR'S NOTE: An online acquaintance recently described the tarot as a logic-based system, adding ". . . if you want to develop intuition, block off the right nostril with beeswax for twelve years and maybe carry a cobra on your head." I'm … Continue reading “Logic Me This, Cardman!”
Redeeming Reversed Cards Through Coping
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In a recent reddit conversation about reversed cards, the OP asked "Can it be said that the aim is to do something that will turn the card upright again? But how does this work for cards such as the Devil rx or the Seven of Cups rx? I'd assume having them rx is … Continue reading Redeeming Reversed Cards Through Coping
Barbarians at the Gate: The Rejection of Traditional Tarot Wisdom
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm currently re-rereading The Discarded Image, a fascinating treatise on Medieval society in Great Britain and elsewhere by C.S. Lewis. He talks a good deal about that culture having been strongly influenced by barbarian incursions, in particular mentioning that the vestigial English language owed far more (but in a hidden and now forgotten … Continue reading Barbarians at the Gate: The Rejection of Traditional Tarot Wisdom
A Path Made by Walking
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The Chinese aphorism "A path is made by walking it" that is associated with fourth-century BC Taoist philosopher Zhuangzi is perfect advice for 21st-Century tarot readers. The premise as I'm applying it is that one must learn to crawl before walking; walk before running; and run before attempting to fly, in this way … Continue reading A Path Made by Walking
Dogmatic Entropy in Tarot
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The idea of "dogmatic entropy" as I recently encountered it proposes that entrenched attitudes and beliefs (dogma) can put a metaphorical "Denver boot" (immobilizing entropy) on the imagination and hobble creative thinking. Progress grinds to a halt as we grapple with these irrational limitations and often succumb to them. Perhaps the most egregious … Continue reading Dogmatic Entropy in Tarot
“Four Roads to Paradise” – A Tarot Paradigm
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Although I'm not too familiar with the theological hermeneutics behind it, I just discovered the concept of the "four Pardes" (i.e. PaRDeS; the four-letter Hebrew acronym PRDS) that are described as "roads to paradise" in the form of spiritual enlightenment. These avenues are presented as "literal, allegorical, comparative and secretive" paths to universal … Continue reading “Four Roads to Paradise” – A Tarot Paradigm
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 