It's fair to say that many (if not most) seekers who are moved to pay for a tarot reading are dealing with anxiety (or at least unsettling reservations) about whether some action they are contemplating or some situation they're confronting will work out as desired. While it's also understandable that they want an unambiguous "Yes-or-No" … Continue reading Reflections on Rephrasing and Repositioning
Professional Tarot
Tarot as “Magic Mirror”
Although I've always viewed tarot divination as "mirroring" the current disposition of the subconscious mind via the act of shuffling and cutting the deck, I had only seen it portrayed more grandly as a "mirror of the soul" in the title of Gerd Ziegler's Thoth book, Tarot: Mirror of the Soul. As such, it implies … Continue reading Tarot as “Magic Mirror”
Legal Liability and the Risk of Error
From time to time a sensational news article appears about a fortune-telling scammer who has bilked a naive client out of a considerable sum of money by proposing to free them of an imaginary curse. Some US States have laws that restrict the practice of divination to "entertainment" status, which makes it clear that no … Continue reading Legal Liability and the Risk of Error
The Diviner’s Duty
Although I frequently encounter the sentiment in online discussions, nowhere have I read that it is the solemn duty of a diviner to make a querent "feel good" about the outcome of a reading. Empowered? Hopefully. "Forewarned and forearmed?" Whenever warranted. Enlightened? Absolutely. But not necessarily cheered or encouraged by the prospects described in the … Continue reading The Diviner’s Duty
A Matter of Presentation
Questions are often posed in online tarot discussion groups regarding the various ways that readings can be presented to clients. I thought I would take some time to enumerate them along with what I perceive to be their strengths and weaknesses. Face-to-Face Reading: This is the ancestor of all delivery methods and in my estimation … Continue reading A Matter of Presentation
“Wellness” Readings vs. “Illness” Readings: Innocent Until Proven Guilty
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As I continue to explore the premise that certain cards can convey hints of therapeutic insight when it comes to health-related matters, I decided it would be a good idea to restate my case for the performance of readings in these controversial and risky areas. There is an unwritten rule among tarot professionals … Continue reading “Wellness” Readings vs. “Illness” Readings: Innocent Until Proven Guilty
“Transformation Bias”
I've been thinking about the phrase "confirmation bias" as it applies to tarot reading. It strikes me as a fancy psychological term for "projection:" we see only what we expect (or want) to see in a reading and ignore anything that doesn't agree with our preconceptions. This observation brought me to the subject of this … Continue reading “Transformation Bias”
Nature vs. Nurture in Tarot Education
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I may not be the ideal person to comment on this subject since there were no local teachers or mentors back in 1972 when I began my tarot journey and since then I haven't needed any, so my awareness of what is available in the way of tarot education (outside of self-study via … Continue reading Nature vs. Nurture in Tarot Education
“Don’t Break Your Head”
"Think about this but don't break your head, have fun."- Jean-Baptiste Alliette, Etteilla or the Only Way to Draw the Cards The above quote comes from "Etteilla's" meticulous coverage of the diverse combinations and correspondences that exist between the cards of the tarot (or in his case, those of the "Grand Etteilla" deck). So far … Continue reading “Don’t Break Your Head”
“Turn the Page:” A Personal/Professional Development Spread
I'm always looking for new ways to use the facing of the human figures and other directional elements on the tarot cards. Here I've created a spread that takes on different forms depending on whether or not the salient features are focused "off-page" and which way they're looking or pointing (left, right or straight out). … Continue reading “Turn the Page:” A Personal/Professional Development Spread
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 