AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've become irritated by the fatuous claims of self-styled experts in the online tarot community who insist that the cards should not be used for divination because they were "originally intended" only for the attainment of psychological self-awareness and self-improvement. If that's the case, why are the tarot pages flooded with requests for … Continue reading The Allure of Prediction
General Tarot
Reversing Cards at the Point-of-Placement
AUTHOR'S NOTE: My long-standing practice has been to allow the population of upright and reversed cards in my decks to become cumulative over time since I never put them back into "out-of-the-box" order. Prior to use I do a quick randomizing so some of the cards will obviously change from one state to the other, … Continue reading Reversing Cards at the Point-of-Placement
The 7 of Swords: Avoidance or Self-Sabotage?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Many tarot readers find malice or deception in the Waite-Smith 7 of Swords, but I see mainly avoidance. The notions of an underhanded plan and potential theft almost certainly stem from the man's sly expression, his furtive body language and the fact that he has been "caught in the act" with an armful … Continue reading The 7 of Swords: Avoidance or Self-Sabotage?
“Boadicea’s Tarot of Earthly Delights” Personality Profile
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here I'm applying my "Tell Me No Lies" Personality Profile spread to the recently-purchased tarot deck shown above. (This is my version of the "new-deck interview.") This spread is designed to explore the quasi-psychological profile of a deck in twelve cards, conveying its immediate impact on the viewer ("first impressions") along with its … Continue reading “Boadicea’s Tarot of Earthly Delights” Personality Profile
Tattoo You (Or Rather, Me)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I borrowed the Rolling Stones' album title for dramatic effect, but this post has nothing to do with it. I've wanted a piece of my tattooist daughter's body art for several years, but until recently she was living and working in Wilmington, North Carolina and our occasional visits didn't present an opportunity to … Continue reading Tattoo You (Or Rather, Me)
Action-and-Event-Oriented Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm currently working my way through the court-card section of Benebell Wen's Holistic Tarot, and one of her observations struck an agreeable chord: the presence of these cards in a spread signifies human activity, and the more of them there are, the higher the energy level will be. In other words, court cards … Continue reading Action-and-Event-Oriented Tarot Reading
Keeping It Real: Intimations of the Truth
AUTHOR'S NOTE: While observing conversations in the online tarot community, I've noticed that attempts to interpret the cards pulled by other members veer far off-course into mystical and psychological abstractions that don't really address the question posed by the inquirer, who is invariably an inexperienced beginner looking for guidance from more seasoned readers. Part of … Continue reading Keeping It Real: Intimations of the Truth
“Igniting Consciousness” – The Tarot Reader’s Mission
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I recently plowed my way through a lengthy post on the r/Tarot sub-reddit in which the author discussed the true purpose of tarot reading, ending with the opinion that it's all about igniting the seeker's consciousness via an act of motivation. I like this focus much better than the typical goal of "empowerment," … Continue reading “Igniting Consciousness” – The Tarot Reader’s Mission
You Tell Me!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: One of the directives of the Golden Dawn's "Opening of the Key" (OotK) method and its five-step progression is to abandon the reading if the cards pulled fail to accurately identify the seeker's unspoken reason for pursuing the divination. This is the "tell the Querent why he has come" stipulation that must receive … Continue reading You Tell Me!
Vetting the Significator
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Over the past 15 year I've largely eliminated the use of a "significator" card to represent the client in my public readings after recognizing that it adds little or nothing to the story shown by the rest of the spread. But I've recently experienced an epiphany regarding the subject. When performing the initial … Continue reading Vetting the Significator
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 