AUTHOR'S NOTE: In contemplating the nature of the "broken" (that is, interrupted) yin lines of an I Ching hexagram, it strikes me that the gap between to the two segments opens both upward and downward: one direction offers a channel through which insight can ascend to illumination if we pursue the "middle way," and the … Continue reading “A Hole in the Bucket” – An I Ching-Inspired Tarot Spread
Metaphysical Syncretism
“Auspicious to Proceed” – A Gambler’s Choice Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In its 64 oracular "judgments," the I Ching makes frequent use of the recommendation "Auspicious to proceed" when an augury is favorable and substitutes "No blame" when it may not be entirely agreeable but is still unlikely to cause harm. Here I'm using these concepts in a three-pronged tarot spread that applies typical … Continue reading “Auspicious to Proceed” – A Gambler’s Choice Spread
That Devil Moon – “Flying Under the Radar”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The unforeseen ways by which syncretic alignment between ideas can enter metaphysical thought are truly remarkable. Human beings are conceptual pattern-makers who are always trying to draw parallels where no obvious convergence exists, and the subtle arts are no exception. I've acquired many fortuitous insights for presentation in this blog while engaging in … Continue reading That Devil Moon – “Flying Under the Radar”
“The Carrot and the Stick” – A French Cross Variation
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In this spread I'm using the French Cross (tirage en croix) as the template for a tarot-based exploration of I Ching Hexagram 35 (Jin; Advancement), with its emphasis on loyalty and generosity as the keys to progress. I've tinkered with the position meanings but have left the structure largely intact. Note that all … Continue reading “The Carrot and the Stick” – A French Cross Variation
Just Walk Away: A Mixed-Media Situational Awareness Spread and Example Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This time around I'm bringing three different forms of divination together for a single inquiry: tarot, Lenormand and numerology (as expressed by standard dice). To establish some visual continuity, I'm using the Waite-Smith Centennial Edition with artwork by Pamela Colman Smith and Pixie's Astounding Lenormand by Edmund Zebrowski with artwork inspired by Pamela … Continue reading Just Walk Away: A Mixed-Media Situational Awareness Spread and Example Reading
The “Inner Question” Spread: Darkness at the Center
"When the day goes to sleep and the full moon looks/ The night is so black that the darkness cooks" - from The Green Manalishi by Peter Green AUTHOR'S NOTE: In my ongoing study of I Ching divination (a lifetime pursuit similar to astrology and tarot but much more scholarly), I discovered the premise that … Continue reading The “Inner Question” Spread: Darkness at the Center
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
A Tarot “Poke in the Eye:” Self-Serving Objectives and Loss of Focus
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It goes without saying that most people who seek a tarot reading are angling for a sign from the Universe that something they want to happen will come to pass. I doubt there are many who are looking for assurance that their vision isn't going to materialize as projected (unless their presentiment involves … Continue reading A Tarot “Poke in the Eye:” Self-Serving Objectives and Loss of Focus
Synchronizing the “Inner” and the “Outer” Self: A Tarot Mandala
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm not proposing this as a spread for divination but rather as a tool (a form of mandala) for meditation. It could, however, be used as a "birth-chart" for the moment of the pull and supplemented over time with additional cards that function like astrological transits to a natal horoscope. One possible way … Continue reading Synchronizing the “Inner” and the “Outer” Self: A Tarot Mandala
Planetary Energies and the Tarot: Seven Daily Meditations
AUTHORS NOTE: The seven days of the week all have a planet associated with them, and there are seven "planetary" trump cards in the tarot. Both the planetary energy-of-the-day and the related trump card create an environmental theme or situational backdrop against which the events of the 24-hour period play out. Thirty-six of the Minor … Continue reading Planetary Energies and the Tarot: Seven Daily Meditations
