Having given up on single-card daily draws years ago as relatively meaningless for most "real-world" purposes, I'm constantly tinkering with more advanced ways to increase the mileage I get from daily, weekly and monthly self-readings. Here is my latest effort. It uses the Golden Dawn's Chaldean wheels of astrological correspondences (developed by and offered free … Continue reading The “Chaldean Mirror” Daily Meditation Spread
Esoteric Tarot
A “Tarot and Trauma” Vignette
Early last week while working on a construction project at home, I fell off a 4-foot step-stool while dismounting with tools in my hand when it tipped on the carpet. I landed on my feet and was immediately thrown off-balance (hold that thought, it's significant here), briskly back-pedaling my way into the corner of a … Continue reading A “Tarot and Trauma” Vignette
The Fateful Dodger
This post is a continuation of my earlier thoughts on the subject of fate. I was just reading the Art of Cartomancy blog run by cartomancer extraordinaire Kapherus, in which the nature of fate or destiny was debated. Comments were closed and I wasn't able to add to the discussion, so I'm bringing my observations … Continue reading The Fateful Dodger
An Open-and Shut Case
By the time Arthur Edward Waite formulated the iconic RWS tarot deck with Pamela Colman Smith, he had forsworn the magical pursuits of the Golden Dawn era and moved on into Christian mysticism. So apparently, when envisioning the Strength card, he decided to ignore the entire Tarot de Marseille tradition behind it and show the … Continue reading An Open-and Shut Case
The “Fifth Element” Spiritual Input Spread
Consider this the “bonsai” version of the Tree of Life spread. It cuts right to the Abyss and doesn't sweat the small stuff. (Don't try this at home, kids!) The “Fifth Element” of the title is that of Spirit – the “Quintessence” - here represented principally by the hidden Sephiroth Da'ath, suggesting that Spirit knows … Continue reading The “Fifth Element” Spiritual Input Spread
Twice Bitten, Thrice Shy
Those of you unfamiliar with the Ian-Hunter-penned song Once Bitten, Twice Shy will understandably be puzzled by the title of today's post. Hang in there. A woman of my acquaintance has twice contracted an infectious respiratory illness this winter during consecutive visits to her son's family, approximately two months apart. The first was a serious … Continue reading Twice Bitten, Thrice Shy
The Fours, Fives and Sixes
In the realm of esoteric number theory, this is one of the most fascinating transitions in the entire "One-to-Ten" sequence. The Four represents the initial fulfillment of the evolving energy of an element; the One is self-contained and stationary, while the Twos and Threes are restless, one constantly oscillating between opposite poles and the other … Continue reading The Fours, Fives and Sixes
An Example Reading with the Personalized Astrological Spread
I performed a reading with the personalized astrological spread I described in my last post. The question was "How will our planned cross-State household relocation go this Summer?" I used the Thoth deck for the house/sign template and the Liber T, Tarot of Stars Eternal as the reading deck. My Significator, the Knight of Cups, … Continue reading An Example Reading with the Personalized Astrological Spread
Personalizing the Astrological Spread
An interesting question came up on Saturday while I was giving a presentation on the Golden Dawn's Opening of the Key spread. It's been said that, due to its extreme complexity (and, I might add, its redundancy), the members of the Order almost never did all five operations of the OotK, contenting themselves with the … Continue reading Personalizing the Astrological Spread
The Tarot Salad Bar
For those of us who use esoteric correspondences in reading the tarot, pulling cards for a reading is like ordering a "tarot salad" with special dressing This is especially true if there are several cards of a similar "flavor," whether elemental, astrological or numerical. Many writers have addressed what happens when you have an abundance … Continue reading The Tarot Salad Bar
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 