AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here I've set out to examine the differences between the two main modes of tarot interpretation: objective (or descriptive, akin to the way Lenormand cards are read) and subjective (or suggestive, which displays a more intuitive or psychic bias). A couple of years ago I was approached by a prospective client who wanted … Continue reading Tarot Signals: Symbolic vs. Visionary Impressionism
General Tarot
“Ballpark” Tarot Timing: Finesse In Action
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've made several attempts to come up with a reliable method for timing future events with the tarot cards. So far, success has eluded me because every innovation has remained susceptible to producing irrational answers that don't accurately reflect the context of the question (e.g. short-turnaround situations too often receive grossly exaggerated long-term … Continue reading “Ballpark” Tarot Timing: Finesse In Action
Hidden Things
AUTHOR'S NOTE: While it's true that reversal can skew the reader's assumptions about any tarot card and convey impressions that diverge markedly from its upright meaning (even though my own opinion is that the appearance of deviation is largely in the eye of the beholder who can't shake off the visual disorientation), here I want … Continue reading Hidden Things
“Who’s On Third?”
"Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know is on third . . . "- from Who's On First? by Abbott and Costello AUTHOR'S NOTE: In online tarot discussions I often see novice readers asking for help with their efforts to guess the thoughts and feelings of an absent "third party" who is usually … Continue reading “Who’s On Third?”
Faking It in the Key of “T”
"Lovely bloke, but posing."- Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones commenting in 1986 on Elton John's lack of rock & roll authenticity. AUTHOR'S NOTE: In music there is what is known as a "fake book" that typically provides melody and chords but no written-out "parts" for each player. It is defined as "the minimal information … Continue reading Faking It in the Key of “T”
Wringing Out the Meaning at Three Levels
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The hierarchy of cards in a tarot reading is one feature that can be used in crafting a narrative, but it isn't always clear how they interrelate for that purpose since there can be a considerable gap in their perceived significance. The nature of an exalted trump card may have little or nothing … Continue reading Wringing Out the Meaning at Three Levels
The Realist Bids Farewell to the Romantic (or “Don’t Call Me, I’ll Call You”)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was recently cautioned against performing the kind of investigative tarot-reading that operates in the same algorithmic space as probabilistic number-crunching (specifically for odds-making in sports betting). The critic's presumptuous attitude was that I'm tarnishing my credentials as a diviner (which I assume means my standing as an enlightened mystic). I'm not so … Continue reading The Realist Bids Farewell to the Romantic (or “Don’t Call Me, I’ll Call You”)
The Suit of Swords: An Ill Wind
AUTHOR'S NOTE: "It's an ill wind that blows no good" is an old proverb that can be interpreted in one of two ways. The pessimist would say "It is indeed an ill wind because it blows no good," while the optimist would observe more provisionally "It would be an ill wind indeed if it were … Continue reading The Suit of Swords: An Ill Wind
The 9 of Pentacles As “Self-Indulgence”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is another essay in my informal series of "stretch" definitions (as in "Wow, that's a stretch!") that brings a fresh set of eyes to cards I've already examined. This time, as an outgrowth of my ongoing interaction with the online tarot community, I'm presenting the 9 of Pentacles (Thoth Disks), which is … Continue reading The 9 of Pentacles As “Self-Indulgence”
Tendencies, Trends and Probabilities: Three Modes of Realization in Tarot Prediction
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Before I dive into my subject, I should mention that I no longer use tarot for the purpose of psychological self-awareness and self-development after doing so for the better part of four decades. I decided beginning in 2011 that natal astrology (which I've also done since 1972) is a far better tool for … Continue reading Tendencies, Trends and Probabilities: Three Modes of Realization in Tarot Prediction
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 