AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is a spread that uses the nominal "positive, neutral or negative" qualities of the cards to determine whether a developing situation will remain steady over time or exhibit a falling or rising trend in its fortunes. It looks like it should be a nine-card reading, but once the trends are sorted out … Continue reading The “Feast or Famine” Trending Fortunes Spread
General Tarot
Reversal As Circumvention: “Going in the Back Door”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm endlessly fascinated by the phenomenon of reversed cards in a tarot reading because I think it is something that is widely misunderstood and therefore mishandled. There are numerous adjectives describing its effects that go well beyond mere antithesis, although "redirection of focus" is a common theme. Here I'm using the catch-all term … Continue reading Reversal As Circumvention: “Going in the Back Door”
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
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”
Updated “Tarot Euphemisms” for the RWS Minor Arcana
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Several years ago I began collecting one-line "euphemisms" (imaginative circumlocutions) based on the cultural, social, historical and literary metaphors and analogies that I've come to use consistently with the Waite-Smith (and occasionally Thoth) minor cards when reading in public. Most of these are fanciful notions that popped into my head in the form … Continue reading Updated “Tarot Euphemisms” for the RWS Minor Arcana
Is the Fix In? – Prospects and Circumstances for Donald Trump’s Survival or Demise
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I almost never post twice in one day, but this is a timely subject that I wanted to get out there as soon as possible. Ever since Donald Trump was identified as the likely Republican candidate for the 2024 Presidential election, I've had concerns about a possible assassination attempt. Recent events have upgraded … Continue reading Is the Fix In? – Prospects and Circumstances for Donald Trump’s Survival or Demise
The Three-Card Reading: Omelet or Scrambled Eggs?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: At its best, preparation of a breakfast omelet is a carefully-planned affair: wisely-chosen ingredients (usually involving eggs, cheese and various fillings - herbs, vegetables, mushrooms, meats, etc) introduced in just the right order at just the right time. Scrambled eggs, on the other hand - although they may include the same components or … Continue reading The Three-Card Reading: Omelet or Scrambled Eggs?
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”
Shouting into the Void: Intuition vs. Analysis in Divination
AUTHOR'S NOTE: My themes seem to be getting more pugnacious lately. Don't take it to heart; I'm basically respectful of diverse theories, just not too tolerant of what I see as sheer metaphysical folly. I've long maintained that, while our physical senses bring us raw input, the cognitive faculties remain the only reliable tool we … Continue reading Shouting into the Void: Intuition vs. Analysis in Divination
