AUTHOR'S NOTE: Between the ages of 18 and 30, I lived through the 12-year period that saw the hippie zeitgeist reach its brief zenith and then fade. It was a heady time of boundless "New Age" enthusiasm for all things exotic in the realm of metaphysics, as well as the burgeoning of unique psychological and … Continue reading The Mystical Tide: Rising or Falling?
General Divination
Rethinking My Online Business Model
AUTHOR'S NOTE: For the last nine years I've keep my charges for online tarot, Lenormand and horary astrology readings roughly in line with my face-to-face sessions, even though it takes quite a bit longer to write everything down in a report than it does to deliver it orally across a table. I even tried raising … Continue reading Rethinking My Online Business Model
Tarot Syncretism*
*Syncretism: The union of different practices whose features may be synchronized to good effect. AUTHOR'S NOTE: I last weighed in on the subject of esoteric syncretism in divination with a pair of essays in April and May of 2024, and a recent encounter with the topic in an r/occult sub-reddit thread brought it to mind … Continue reading Tarot Syncretism*
Numerical Rectification of the Minor Arcana
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Even when divining with tarot decks that include scenic or semi-scenic Minor Arcana (specifically the Waite-Smith, the Thoth and their numerous clones), I'm prone to rely on suit-and-number theory for much of my improvisational content. When interpreting the cards, I pay little attention to the images after I've identified their presence in a … Continue reading Numerical Rectification of the Minor Arcana
“Excess Importance” and Zero-Sum Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: While following an r/occult sub-reddit thread, I came across the concept of "excess importance." Here is the technical definition: "Excess importance is a concept from Vadim Zeland's Reality Transurfing that refers to overvaluing a person, object, or goal, which creates 'excess potential' (unbalanced energy). It manifests as desperation, fear, or obsession, often leading … Continue reading “Excess Importance” and Zero-Sum Tarot Reading
Six Is the Way!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In the late Dawn Jackson's "hedgewhytchery" system of playing-card divination, the number Six is considered to represent a "path" that is revealed to the seeker. Although I'm on vacation and don't have my reference material at hand, we can assume that the path's origin and terminus are indicated by the pair of cards … Continue reading Six Is the Way!
The Water of Cups and the Contortions of Love
AUTHOR'S NOTE: There seems to be a common misapprehension that the suit of Cups and the element of Water are predominantly about "love" rather than simply referring to the emotional aspects of a tarot reading in general. Asking about a prospective liaison doesn't guarantee receiving an answer in that vein if it isn't "in the … Continue reading The Water of Cups and the Contortions of Love
Harmony and Discord in Cartomancy
AUTHOR’S NOTE: According to Wiccan author Roger Horne, the Threes, Sixes and Nines in playing-card divination are the “three harmonies” of the deck in that their influence is typically agreeable (except in the suit of Spades). Conversely, the Fives and Sevens are the two "discords" (the latter more debilitating than the former), bringing disarray into … Continue reading Harmony and Discord in Cartomancy
Driving to Florida: Last Leg and Arrival
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Saturday night in Savannah, GA I pulled the cards below for the final leg of our road trip to Daytona Beach, FL. We arrived without further incident around 1:30 PM Sunday, March 1st. Overview: The three adjacent face cards seemed to have the potential for lively interaction, but beyond the King of Clubs … Continue reading Driving to Florida: Last Leg and Arrival
Driving to Florida: Third Leg
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I pulled these cards last night for today's 7-hour trip from Emporia, VA to Savannah, GA. As I write this, we're at a hotel in Savannah Gateway, so the narrative in the cards proved to be accurate. Once again, I adapted the traditional meanings for the suits that appeared in the draw to … Continue reading Driving to Florida: Third Leg
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 