*Lyrics quoted are from the Dave Mason song Sad and Deep as You. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Quantum theory in modern physics holds that until an elementary quantum object is observed (by direct measurement according to mainstream scientists and in response to conscious attention in paranormal circles), it is in an "indeterminate state" and has "no definite … Continue reading “Eyes That Are the Windows, Eyes That Are the View” – Tarot and Quantum Mechanics*
Professional Tarot
Uncomfortable Questions and Hidden Variables: Tarot and Lenormand on the Witness Stand
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Although the inspiration for this essay came from reading about the design of scientific experiments in quantum physics, I identified parallels between that model and my style of cartomantic interpretation. The opinion of the experimental researcher was that mainstream physicists are typically unwilling to contemplate uncomfortable questions or probe hidden variables if those … Continue reading Uncomfortable Questions and Hidden Variables: Tarot and Lenormand on the Witness Stand
Individual Reading Style in Divination (A Recap)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've touched on this subject numerous times in previous essays, but almost always in passing. Here I will give it the full treatment from my personal perspective, with a small amount of unavoidable repetition. Traditional tarot decks feature a wealth of symbolic raw material that is "baked-in;" these fundamental meanings should be internalized … Continue reading Individual Reading Style in Divination (A Recap)
The “Quantum Theory” of Tarot Reading
“All around me golden sunflakes/Settle on the ground.”- from Granchester Meadows by Pink Floyd AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was just reading a fascinating description of the behavior of visible light from a quantum physics perspective. Luminosity has been portrayed by scientists as quasi-particulate in that it is transmitted and received in "packets" of massless particles called … Continue reading The “Quantum Theory” of Tarot Reading
Distant Intention: An Alternative Approach to Remote Divination
AUTHOR'S NOTE: My long-time followers know that I'm skeptical of remote tarot reading because the querent has no direct contact with the cards for the purpose of subconscious induction, my fundamental understanding of "how tarot works." But with a little tweaking of the parameters, that attitude may be shifting. Recently, while reading about experiments in … Continue reading Distant Intention: An Alternative Approach to Remote Divination
Online Tarot Reading for Profit: An Outsider’s Perspective
AUTHOR'S NOTE: There is currently a glut of aspiring tarot readers who believe that starting up an online practice is a surefire way to make enough money to survive. Until disabused of the notion, they don't realize just how many of their peers they will be competing against, many of whom read for free or … Continue reading Online Tarot Reading for Profit: An Outsider’s Perspective
“Uncontrolled Variables” in Remote Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In the category of "A Little Knowledge Is A Dangerous Thing" for the mystical tarot reader, parapsychologist Dean Radin (in Supernormal, his 2013 study of yoga) had a few critical things to say about the lack of scientific confidence in online testimony. Dr. Radin made a tossed-off remark about the fact that the … Continue reading “Uncontrolled Variables” in Remote Tarot Reading
Objective and Subjective Significance in Tarot Cards
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The keyword meanings given in tarot books are typically objective in that they can apply to a wide range of conditions, and it's up to the diviner to tailor them to a sitter's subjective circumstances. When analytical tarot readers (i.e. those who value the traditional knowledge presented in established definitions) begin to assess … Continue reading Objective and Subjective Significance in Tarot Cards
Occult Knowledge: What’s the Use?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have a few less-meaty essays in my backlog of pending posts. This is one, and I will publish the others over the next couple of days. A fellow member of the r/occult sub-reddit community recently asked a particularly vexing question: "What do you people even do with occult knowledge?" This individual was … Continue reading Occult Knowledge: What’s the Use?
Tarot Reading Beyond the Lookup
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In a recent post titled "Most Tarot Readings Stop Too Soon," tarot author Paul Hughes-Barlow observed that, at its most basic, a tarot reading approximates a "lookup table:" Pull a card, look up the meaning, make the interpretation. He concluded by saying that "It works, but only in the same sense that a … Continue reading Tarot Reading Beyond the Lookup
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 