I sometimes wonder how many people actually make a living wage in the field of divination, much less a handsome income. There are notable exceptions, of course, mostly respected authors, teachers, lecturers, artists, publishers and the occasional shop owner (although those are rapidly disappearing or diversifying in the face of crushing online sales). But I would venture to … Continue reading Craft, Career or Calling?
Professional Tarot
Love at First Insight
A comment I encountered on Facebook recently caused me to revisit and reaffirm my reasons for working with the tarot. The woman was arguing against its use for divination, and said "We all know that the original purpose of the tarot was self-improvement." Well, no, actually we don't. Clearly this person doesn't have a clue … Continue reading Love at First Insight
Happy Hour
I often wonder what people expect when they sit for a tarot reading. Is it encouragement (aka "empowerment") regarding their chosen course of action? Is it affirmation of their assumptions or suspicions? Is it entertainment? Is it a glimpse of future events or circumstances? Is it a psychological snapshot of themselves or another person? Is … Continue reading Happy Hour
A Matter of Trust
When I returned to professional tarot reading in 2014, my second client was a young man who clearly had some preconceptions about how his session should proceed. His wife had bought the reading for his birthday from the proprietor of the shop where I operated, but the owner is an oracle-card reader who is less … Continue reading A Matter of Trust
Tarot Therapy
Some diviners present themselves as counselors, therapists or "life coaches" offering advice via the tarot for dealing with life's problems. Some are very good at it. But the fact remains that by doing so without the requisite technical training, they often risk straying into the territory of the licensed mental health professional. I have talked … Continue reading Tarot Therapy
“You Want Fries With That?”
Another day, another new topic. I haven't quite reached the point of the weary "time to make the donuts" drudge from the old Dunkin Donuts commercials yet, but sometimes I wonder. Professional wisdom for blog management is that those who post something 11 times a month receive more viewer traffic (and potentially more advertisers). I'm not in … Continue reading “You Want Fries With That?”
Not If, But When
For those of us who believe that tarot divination is an effective tool for identifying future possibilities and tendencies in an individual's personal reality, the question of "when" looms large on the predictive horizon. There is a divergence of professional opinion on the subject of how long a reading is "good for." Some people say they have … Continue reading Not If, But When
For Lack of an Anchor . . .
In a recent Facebook dialogue we were talking about the practice of letting the cards in a spread "hijack" the reading, taking the story-line well away from the focus of the original question or topic. The usual scenario is "You asked about that but the cards are saying this, so let's go this way with the reading … Continue reading For Lack of an Anchor . . .
The Nasties
When I returned to professional reading at a local New Age shop a couple of years ago, the proprietress gave me a piece of good advice: the tarot contains a few trump cards that really throw sitters for a loop if they pop up unheralded as the "outcome" in a reading, especially if those clients … Continue reading The Nasties
Psychoactive Tarot
Every once in a while on the tarot forums, someone asks whether it's helpful (or even wise) to attempt reading the cards while under the influence of psychoactive "substances," whether drugs or alcohol. The thrust of the question usually revolves around the perceived loosening of cognitive strictures that may create a more fluid intuitive climate … Continue reading Psychoactive Tarot
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 