Here is a spread that attempts to come to grips with that age-old question: "What should I do with my life at this point in time?" It uses the archetypal qualities of the Major Arcana to "set the bar" for expectations, and a second full deck to show any gaps between the hypothetical "best case" … Continue reading An “Ideal vs. Real” Credibility-Gap Spread
Life-reading Spreads
A “Grunge Tarot” New Year
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was gifted the recent (2021) Grunge Tarot for Christmas and decided to use it in my annual forecast for 2023. The deck is billed as an homage to "the last great rock movement" that emerged in Seattle during the 1990s, with tormented souls like Kurt Cobain (Nirvana) and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) as … Continue reading A “Grunge Tarot” New Year
A Two-Tiered New Year’s Forecast Spread with Monthly Updates
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's time once more for New Year's predictions. Here is a spread that offers a little more "meat on the bone." I've used this approach before (notably in my annual "Wheel of the Year" readings), but here I'm providing additional storytelling guidance for its use. The premise is that the yearly forecast is … Continue reading A Two-Tiered New Year’s Forecast Spread with Monthly Updates
Lunar Month Look-Ahead for December 2022 – January 2023: A New Wrinkle
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This reading reflects both an update to my lunar-month predictive model and a return to "first principles." In the past I decided to remove the Major Arcana and court cards from the draw because the short-term outlook changes on roughly a 3-1/2 day frequency during the month and the Minor Arcana should therefore … Continue reading Lunar Month Look-Ahead for December 2022 – January 2023: A New Wrinkle
“Blocked Energies” in a Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Some mornings I wake up with an idea in my head for a blog post. This was just such a morning. One of the assumptions we often make as tarot readers is that the energy of a reading can be "blocked" in its usual mode of expression. This occurs most commonly as one … Continue reading “Blocked Energies” in a Tarot Reading
The “S&N or CS” Multi-Path Life-Reading Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: No, this has nothing to do with Crosby, Stills and Nash splinter groups, it is a complex, branching spread for general life-reading. As is probably obvious by now, I love complex, finely-tuned tarot spreads for the purpose of performing open-ended readings with no specific question or topic. If they offer multiple paths for … Continue reading The “S&N or CS” Multi-Path Life-Reading Spread
The “Ill Wind” Troubleshooting Forecast
AUTHOR'S NOTE - Question: What tarot concept involves zodiacal elements, English proverb, folklore, Shakespeare, Dickens, the Archangel Gabriel, yard maintenance and meteorological metaphor? Answer: This spread, obviously. English idiom: "It's an ill wind that blows nobody good." I've always felt that this proverb can be easily misconstrued as an ironclad guarantee of misfortune (e.g. "no … Continue reading The “Ill Wind” Troubleshooting Forecast
The “Box of Chocolates” Life-Reading Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Those who have seen the Tom Hanks/Gary Sinise movie Forrest Gump will appreciate the reference in the title. This spread uses all 78 cards to create a six-card reading in one of thirteen situational and temporal settings as determined by the location of a pre-selected "Significator" card. The four general topic areas are … Continue reading The “Box of Chocolates” Life-Reading Spread
A “Chaotic Complex” Random-Variable Life-Reading Spread
A couple of days ago a client asked me if I have any "chaos-based" spreads. I replied that I don't but then remembered that at an earlier time I had casually researched chaos theory, so I went back for another look. Although I have a few designs that nibble around the edges, I have none … Continue reading A “Chaotic Complex” Random-Variable Life-Reading Spread
Celtic Cross – “The Right Tool For The Job”
As is probably obvious from the examples I've posted, I'm a big fan of the well-thought-out positional tarot spread. I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum from the "I never use formal spreads!" crowd and slightly to the conservative side of those who say they make unique spreads on-the-fly to suit the question or … Continue reading Celtic Cross – “The Right Tool For The Job”
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 