AUTHOR’S NOTE: One of my unshakeable convictions about modern society is that there is nothing less relevant to my own life than the Hollywood actor, the professional sports figure and the online “influencer,” all of whom seem to think that their social, cultural and political views matter.

I rarely sit still to observe an entire sporting event, seldom watch movies (so many of which are trite) and steer clear of television shows, which for many years now I’ve found to be an insult to my intelligence. Equally repugnant are the mainstream media “talking heads,” who at one time were impartial purveyors of the news but who are now shameless propagandists pushing an ideological agenda.

I also avoid YouTube pundits unless I have something to repair, and I just now decided to delete my Facebook account because its AI algorithms are too high-handed in pushing unwanted content on us. (I won’t go into the various and sundry religious “priesthoods,” all of whom can – as the old cliche has it – “go take a long walk off a short pier.”)

To this population I would add social-media tarot readers, whose generic output is rarely applicable to each and every one of their followers unless those individuals translate the vague content of a “collective” narrative into personal terms, which is not about directly engaging with the cards but rather swallowing someone else’s disconnected viewpoint. In my opinion, tarot reading should be an interactive process, not a one-sided affair, which is the main argument I have against remote reading in general.

When it comes to my own practice, I find the third-party “mind-reading” form of divination to be largely irrelevant to the seeker’s true purpose because it is often of the “What does Joe or Mary think or feel about me?” variety and is typically driven by idle curiosity. In most cases the querent wouldn’t dream of acting on what they hear because it might expose their feelings to ridicule.

What they are really anxious to know is “Does Joe or Mary like or love me?” but they may not want to admit that even to themselves. It’s not my job to bolster their confidence or disabuse them of their fantasies, although I will comment on their assumptions and expectations if so moved by the reading.

I also evade inquiries that want to know “Should I do something I’m contemplating, and will it work out well if I do?” These concerns are usually immaterial to the broader question: “What action can I take to navigate these potential opportunities and pitfalls?” On the rare occasion that I do consider a “yes-or-no” scenario, I rely on all of the cards acting in concert to produce a legitimate response that requires qualitative evaluation, and not merely a single card in the spread.

Relevance is a tricky subject since my view of it may not align with that of my client, so I prefer not to know the specific thrust of the sitter’s question in advance. That way, the relative significance of the outcome becomes a private matter between the seeker’s conscious awareness of the situation and his or her superior comprehension (i.e. usually-subconscious native wisdom or implicit understanding). I won’t assume to be an authority solely on the evidence of a few tarot cards, but if asked I will weigh in with my perspective based on my personal knowledge and experience as a seasoned diviner. However, I expect the owner of the issue to take the first crack at it.