I think it's time I start getting serious about bringing cartomantic (that is, playing-card) meanings into my approach to the numbered - or "pip" - cards when reading. The RWS minor cards with their built-in narrative vignettes are like "canned soup," the semi-scenic small cards of the Thoth deck are closer to "home-made soup" that you start with store-bought … Continue reading Stone Soup
Other Divination
The “Two Out of Three” Decision-Making Spread
I've always found the typical three-card draw to be rather uninspiring. My long-held opinion is that the reader has to inject entirely too much intuitive guesswork into the gaps between the cards to make a compelling narrative out of the sequence. A five-position spread is the minimum I prefer to work with in order to "just read … Continue reading The “Two Out of Three” Decision-Making Spread
The Nature of the Beast
While doing some rather casual on-line reading about the I Ching, I came across a brief introduction to the subject that holds the following insights on the nature of divination: "Methods of divination are as old as Mankind. The purpose of divination is often considered to be foretelling the future, but while simple superstitious fortunetelling … Continue reading The Nature of the Beast
The Diviner’s Quiver
Many seekers who begin their journey into the esoteric arts with one favored method of prediction and conscientiously develop their skill over an extended period of time eventually feel the urge to stretch out into other forms of divination, if only to be able to wield a "quiver" of techniques to fit any situation. It … Continue reading The Diviner’s Quiver
Life After Tarot
I'm not going anywhere. At least not soon, and not unless I'm carried out. I've just been wondering where I might point my omnivorous intellectual appetite next in the world of metaphysical inquiry. There is still some unfinished business in that area: I have to get back to my study and practice of geomancy, which … Continue reading Life After Tarot
Cartomantic Consumerism: One Deck Too Far
A question came up on one of the tarot forums late last year that stopped me in my tracks, and after thinking carefully about it I haven't bought a new deck of any kind since (although I still lust for quite a few). "How many decks are too many?" My flippant answer at the time … Continue reading Cartomantic Consumerism: One Deck Too Far
Signs, Signs . . .
"Everything is a sign." (Yoav Ben-Dov, The Open Reading) As a life-long student of all things occult (even though I've gained no more than a nodding acquaintance with some of them), I've formed definite opinions about the "inner workings" of divination. In a shamanistic sense, what we're looking for are "signs" that point toward intimations … Continue reading Signs, Signs . . .
Casting Lots
There are many forms of divination I know little about, but I'm constantly trying to educate myself. One such practice is lithomancy (the art of casting stones), for which these is very little published literature. One of the best resources I've found is this one by Gary Wimmer. http://garywimmer.com/writer/litho_book.htm Although Gary uses stones thrown onto … Continue reading Casting Lots
Soothsayer or Master Craftsman?
The frequent on-line debates about whether the tarot cards have a distinct "personality" or whether they are in truth just inert pieces of printed cardboard bearing compelling pictures sometimes spill over into other "tools of the trade." For instance, scrying devices - such as magic mirrors and crystal balls - are often subjected to a … Continue reading Soothsayer or Master Craftsman?
Scrying: First Attempt
I got my scrying space set up and made a first attempt at gazing. I used Uma Silbey's method of visualizing the ball as filled with golden light by breathing "through" my Heart Chakra, with middling success. I tried to move into the ball and immediately had a sense of heightened awareness, followed by a … Continue reading Scrying: First Attempt
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 