AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's a well-worn cliche that nothing presented in a tarot reading is carved in stone; any outcome is subject to adjustment by timely action (and, it must be said, negligent inaction) of the seeker. However, there are cards that lean toward a fortunate outcome no matter how ill-favored they are by surrounding cards, … Continue reading Chasing Fate: Pulling the Thread on Trends
Conflict-Resolution Spreads
The “Bridge or Tunnel” Situational Outlook Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my second spread based on the "troll under the bridge" symbolism of Scandinavian folklore. (The first one was aimed at readings for children; this one is for adults and the "troll" - here we could call it a "cave troll" - is implied rather than explicit.) The roll of a single … Continue reading The “Bridge or Tunnel” Situational Outlook Spread
The “Devil’s Due” Square-and-Cross Conflict Resolution Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is a conflict-resolution spread designed around the 3x3 "mini-tableau" of the Lenormand system, although I've altered the flow of the reading slightly. It can be used with any deck, but when working with Lenormand I would substitute the materialistic "Bear" (Card #15) for the equally materialistic "Devil" (Card #15) of the tarot … Continue reading The “Devil’s Due” Square-and-Cross Conflict Resolution Spread
Rationalizing the Inevitable: A Case Study
In contemplating the issues of "conflict and compromise" in a tarot reading, I'm exploring the idea that the cards that show up in these positions can challenge our self-confidence or trust in our ability to surmount the difficulties depending on how well-attuned we are to the energies of the cards. If they are cards we … Continue reading Rationalizing the Inevitable: A Case Study
The “Five C’s” Conflict-Resolution Spread
This spread applies my expanded interpretation of the "crossing" card as used in a Celtic Cross reading. I treat it not so much as a "problem" card as it is a "major motivator," which can represent either a challenge or an opportunity (and sometimes both at once). All cards are dealt face-up and reversals can … Continue reading The “Five C’s” Conflict-Resolution Spread
Ukraine vs. Russia: An “Enemy at the Gate” Conflict-Resolution Reading
The pundits at Fox News have been leaning toward the opinion that Russia will lose the Ukraine war. I haven't done a reading on this since Biden thought he might be able to stare down Putin while the Russian saber-rattling was still going on. We all know how well that worked out. I used my … Continue reading Ukraine vs. Russia: An “Enemy at the Gate” Conflict-Resolution Reading
The “Wages of War” Conflict-Resolution Spread
This conflict-resolution spread links tarot divination back to its Italian game-playing roots. The card-selection method presented here uses two decks to determine which card of a pair is to be read in each of five "conflict engagement" areas. It is based on the simple "trick-taking" game "War," in which one card bests another in a … Continue reading The “Wages of War” Conflict-Resolution Spread
The “War or Peace” Conflict-Resolution Spread
Here is a spread that can serve as a "first cut" to assess the advisability of taking a contemplated course of action in a conflict scenario. It's one of my "mixed-media" spreads that uses both tarot cards and dice. The outcome will either strengthen or weaken the initial urge to adopt a particular stance in … Continue reading The “War or Peace” Conflict-Resolution Spread
“My Way, Your Way or the Highway” Conflict-Resolution Spread
We've all heard of the expression "It's my way or the highway!" as the take-it-or-leave-it crowing of someone who holds the upper hand in a disagreement and is rubbing the other person's nose in it. I decided to use that concept in a conflict-resolution spread in which dice and cards are consulted to indicate whether … Continue reading “My Way, Your Way or the Highway” Conflict-Resolution Spread
The “AC/DC” Dual-Current Conflict Resolution Spread
Here is some more fun with dice and cards. It assumes that odd numbers are "active" and resolute in their function while even numbers are "passive" and vulnerable to lapsing into discord due to insufficient momentum or mixed feelings about the outcome. One path shows uneventful progress toward a clearly-marked destination while the other presents … Continue reading The “AC/DC” Dual-Current Conflict Resolution Spread
