AUTHOR'S NOTE: There is a handful of what might be called "first principles" or "prime directives" in reading the tarot cards, broad concepts to which I mostly adhere. One premise, for which I am indebted to Dr. James Wanless, is that "There are no 'bad' cards, only opportunities" (in a forthcoming essay I make the … Continue reading “No Blame” – A Useful First Principle in Divination
General Divination
Sympathetic Magic: The Secular Side of Spellworking
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's fascinating how dreams can unearth old memories that are still germane to present conditions, figuratively "turning over rocks to see what crawls out from underneath." Last night in one such nocturnal interlude I was discussing with an unknown savant the assumption that object-oriented magic is best performed with "power items" that hold … Continue reading Sympathetic Magic: The Secular Side of Spellworking
“No Truth, No Trust” – Cautionary Advice for the Tarot Reader
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Several years ago I met a kindly gentleman from Mississippi, a business colleague who told me pointblank that, when engaged in conversation with a Southerner, I shouldn't believe everything (or maybe anything) I hear; they are masters of amiable dissembling and there is almost certainly something quite different going on behind that charming … Continue reading “No Truth, No Trust” – Cautionary Advice for the Tarot Reader
Optimistic Divination: Opportunities for “Net Gain”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Once again I'm indebted to Benebell Wen for presenting an I Ching-related concept that I can apply directly to my tarot practice: the premise that the "cycle of life" will, on balance, provide a "net gain" in one's sense of well-being and not a "net loss" (even though we all know how it … Continue reading Optimistic Divination: Opportunities for “Net Gain”
The Diviner’s Medium: Intuitive Insight or Pure Projection?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've always been skeptical of the widely-held opinion that the subliminal insights we tap into while reading the cards are a form of spiritual illumination coming from a mystical source of higher wisdom. Those who aspire to the practice of "secular tarot" (now there's an oxymoron for you) believe that it isn't received … Continue reading The Diviner’s Medium: Intuitive Insight or Pure Projection?
Convergence Between Tarot, Lenormand and Horary Astrology
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Whenever I'm confronting a major decision or a significant occurrence in my life or the lives of my clients, I find it useful to perform both a tarot (or Lenormand) reading and a horary astrology event chart. I'm looking for convergence in their testimony, particularly in the status and placement of critical features, … Continue reading Convergence Between Tarot, Lenormand and Horary Astrology
Nourishing and Enriching: A Tarot-Reading Paradigm
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hexagram 27 of the I Ching is titled "Receiving Nourishment." The oracle begins with a discussion of "nourishing language," advising that the words we use in communicating with others should be carefully chosen to nourish and enrich them rather than striving to draw personal nourishment and enrichment from them. After that it moves … Continue reading Nourishing and Enriching: A Tarot-Reading Paradigm
Profound vs. “Disposable” Divination
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As I continue my study of the I Ching, I'm impressed by how utterly devoid of "fluff" it is; thus far I can detect no inanity or flippancy in it. My understanding is that in ancient China it was often used to manage the affairs of state, so there was no place in … Continue reading Profound vs. “Disposable” Divination
Imbibing Fire: A Self-Advancement Ritual
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
Pre-Reading Prep – “A Moment of Silence”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Questions come up frequently in the online tarot community regarding what, if any, special preparations experienced diviners make before they embark on a reading session. This is usually focused on spiritual practices like prayers, invocations or meditation; environmental considerations like lighting, seating and music; and "props" like crystals or incense. Around the time … Continue reading Pre-Reading Prep – “A Moment of Silence”
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 