sticking point (noun): "a point, detail, or circumstance causing or likely to cause a stalemate or impasse." For those with enough cartomantic experience to instantly spot what is working in a reading and what isn't, there is often one card (and frequently more than one) that stands out by defying meaningful connection to the matter … Continue reading The Sticking Point
Esoteric Tarot
“Adam Cardman”
There is a qabalastic tradition that places an image of the male human body within the structure of the Tree of Life, such that the ten spheres (or sephiroth) of the Tree relate to different parts of the anatomy. This image is known as "Adam Kadmon," or the Primordial Man. The most common version of … Continue reading “Adam Cardman”
Devil Inside
One of the most well-known tunes by Australian rock band INXS is the breathy "Devil Inside," with singer Michael Hutchence doing his best Lou-Reed-meets-Billy-Idol impersonation. I heard it a few days ago and it got me thinking about the tarot Devil and its somewhat disjointed jumble of meanings. A widespread belief is that the card … Continue reading Devil Inside
A Life-Factors Reading: Who Is Brett Kavanaugh?
I decided to test my Temperament and Character spread on Judge (now Justice) Brett Kavanaugh to see what kind of person it shows him to be. I used the Thoth deck, with reversals, and selected the senior member of the Swords suit (the Thoth Knight) as Significator. My camera is packed away for our move, … Continue reading A Life-Factors Reading: Who Is Brett Kavanaugh?
The Life-Factors Spread: A Human Temperament and Character Mash-up
Some time ago I was reading about the difference between temperament and character as aspects of the human personality. These terms are frequently confused in conversation, but they aren't interchangeable. Temperament is viewed as fundamental "human nature," embodying innate qualities that are present at birth, while character is understood to be the product of environmental … Continue reading The Life-Factors Spread: A Human Temperament and Character Mash-up
Building the Perfect Deck
Although I'm a trained graphic artist with the skills to do so, I don't have the inclination or enthusiasm to tackle the monumental task of creating 78 individual works of art to populate my own tarot deck. But that doesn't prevent me from having opinions as to how I might go about it. It is … Continue reading Building the Perfect Deck
A “Turning-Point” Example Reading
We are on the verge of a major household move to the other side of the State, so I thought I would use that event as a test case for my "Turning Point" spread. I used the Golden Universal deck with reversals, and the RWS Centennial Edition for the one duplicate trump card that came up … Continue reading A “Turning-Point” Example Reading
The “Turning Point” Life’s Journey Spread
Most of us have had the experience of reaching a major turning point in our lives (a death, a divorce or break-up, the loss of a job, a relocation or other new beginning, etc.), with no idea what lies ahead. This spread is intended to explore that uncertain future from a "destiny" perspective - spiritual, … Continue reading The “Turning Point” Life’s Journey Spread
Tarot 101, My Way – Minor Arcana: The Tens
Plato considered Ten to be a perfect number when viewed from a philosophical rather than a mathematical perspective (in the second case, the term has an entirely different derivation attributed to Euclid). In the qabalistic model of the Universe, Ten delivers the "last gasp" of an elemental energy in its increasingly encumbered progress down the Tree of Life. The original, largely spiritual, force … Continue reading Tarot 101, My Way – Minor Arcana: The Tens
The “Just Folks” Personality Profile Spread
I don't do much personality profiling with the tarot because I think it works best as an action-and-event-oriented approach to divination (the "situational awareness and developmental insight" thing I'm always on about). But when I do it, I tend to be comprehensive. Here is a spread that is aimed at examining the multiple personae that an … Continue reading The “Just Folks” Personality Profile Spread
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 