AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've owned a crystal ball for several years with the goal of "scrying in the astral vision" but I've despaired of ever getting the light-to-dark ratio in the room just right so I can see something other than reflections or, alternatively, utter darkness in the sphere. However, I think I've found a different … Continue reading Imbibing Fire: A Self-Advancement Ritual
Experimental Methods
A Suit-of-Pentacles “Elemental Storyboard” Test Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is my final "elemental storyboard" test reading that uses the suit of Pentacles to represent the "base element" of Earth. An objective I've been working toward is at the point of requiring concrete action, so I'm going to look at how I might proceed and what my prospects for success are. Radiant … Continue reading A Suit-of-Pentacles “Elemental Storyboard” Test Reading
Sharpening the Focus: A Three-Card Daily Profile Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is a simple spread that captures my personal view of the "daily draw." As my regular readers know, I don't have much use for the single-card daily draw because it is entirely too static. Even a three-card pull can be overly generic due to being scattered across a full deck of 78 … Continue reading Sharpening the Focus: A Three-Card Daily Profile Spread
Linked Reversals As “Descent into Chaos”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In a recent post I floated the idea that an unbroken string of reversed cards in a reading can "descend into chaos." I have numerous opinions about the significance of reversal that I've captured in over a dozen previous essays, but this is a new one. I've always felt that a reversed card … Continue reading Linked Reversals As “Descent into Chaos”
The “Creeping Darkness” Shadow Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: More inspiration from Benebell Wen's book, I Ching the Oracle: A Practical Guide to the Book of Changes. I was just reading about Hexagram 23 (Bo; Partition) which has five "dark" yin lines underlying a single "bright" yang line. The commentary is "Dark yin lines ascend upward to overthrow the final line of … Continue reading The “Creeping Darkness” Shadow Spread
A Suit-of-Cups “Elemental Storyboard” Test Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is an "elemental storyboard" test reading that uses the suit of Cups to represent the "base element" of Water. I'm tackling the age-old (and largely inscrutable) subject of "true love" (as in finding and keeping). I'm stating it coyly as "Under what circumstances will I (or won't I) find emotional fulfillment in … Continue reading A Suit-of-Cups “Elemental Storyboard” Test Reading
Psychological Parallels in Tarot: The Mechanics of Redirection
AUTHOR'S NOTE: First a disclosure. After studying and working with the tarot cards for over five decades, I'm convinced that they aren't ideal for psychological profiling and character analysis (or, put less academically, what someone else "thinks or feels"), in which capacity they are too much like "mind-reading-with-props." That's why I use natal astrology for … Continue reading Psychological Parallels in Tarot: The Mechanics of Redirection
A Suit-of-Swords “Elemental Storyboard” Test Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is an "elemental storyboard" test reading that uses the suit of Swords to represent the "base element" of Air. It involves a hypothetical client who intends to leverage his intellectual property by compiling a group of previously-published essays into a formal book. (It's not me, I've already "been there, done that" . … Continue reading A Suit-of-Swords “Elemental Storyboard” Test Reading
A “Storyboard” Approach to Elemental Progression in Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Some time ago I created a set of "storyboards" for the Minor Arcana of the Waite-Smith tarot, from which I scripted a narrative "roller-coaster ride" that began with the Ace and ended with the Ten of each suit. Here I'm blending that idea with the concept of Elemental Dignities as they occur across … Continue reading A “Storyboard” Approach to Elemental Progression in Tarot Reading
A “Warring Factions” Political-Profile Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This spread needs little explanation. It is intended to examine the key qualities of aspirants to public office. (I'm leaving age and infirmity off the table.) It is best to use a different deck for each contender so all cards are available to both (or all) of them. In the US political system … Continue reading A “Warring Factions” Political-Profile Spread
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 