In The Way of Tarot, Alejandro Jodorowsky floats the idea of "charging" the Major Arcana cards with personal significance instead of relying on the memorization of traditional keywords, in effect turning them into talismans imbued with the power of our own subjective vision. The implication is that conventional teaching methods based on the tarot literature … Continue reading “Charging” the Reader and the Reading
Spirituality
Universal Love: Magnetism, Gravity or Wishful Thinking
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Consider this the "curmudgeon's-eye-view" of the subject since, philosophically speaking, I find most exhortations of unconditional, universal love at the spiritual level to be debatable at best and improbable at worst. But don't take this too seriously (except the anti-religious part); my goal is as much sly humor as criticism. (For the record, … Continue reading Universal Love: Magnetism, Gravity or Wishful Thinking
The Post-Rational Diviner
I've always felt that the Enlightenment (or "Age of Reason"), which spanned the 17th and 18th Centuries, was the single most devastating blow to mysticism in general, and to the practice of divination in particular. To this day, causal determinism trumps the more allusive modes of cogitation in the dim view of the average intellect. … Continue reading The Post-Rational Diviner
“Riddle Me This” – An Astral Exploration Spread
I've seen more than a few online requests for advice and spread suggestions about communication with disembodied entities (spirit guides, ancestors, angelic powers, etc). My personal belief is that our access to such beings is channeled through the Astral Plane, with the inherent risk of self-deception and the psychological peril that traveling the Lunar path … Continue reading “Riddle Me This” – An Astral Exploration Spread
“Fundamental” vs. “Derived” Divination
AUTHOR'S NOTE: These are just random thoughts prompted by my reaction to what I see as imprecise terminology. Take them for what they're worth. Recently I came across the notion (touted somewhat brashly as "divination for a new millennium") that there are two main types of divinatory insight: an innate approach (often viewed by its … Continue reading “Fundamental” vs. “Derived” Divination
Magic du Jour
I recently came across a discussion in the "r/occult" Reddit feed about something called "Gallery of Magic," which is apparently a series of books (reported by detractors to be dumbed-down grimoires full of angelic names in modern Hebrew) that purport to demystify (I would instead say "denature") ceremonial magic for today's instant-gratification crowd. As a … Continue reading Magic du Jour
Head to the Sky
I've resumed reading Paul Marteau's Tarot de Marseille book after a month's hiatus and immediately encountered another interesting idea. He mentions that the Knight of Cups is bare-headed and therefore "he is directly receiving inspiration and support from Above." In contrast, although Marteau doesn't elaborate further, it struck me that those members of the tarot … Continue reading Head to the Sky
The “End Game” Spread (aka “Life’s Big Questions”)
Few tarot readers will attempt to answer "Life's Big Questions." Either they're spooked by the possible outcome or they feel it's unethical to delve into such matters. I don't think any of us would say to a client "This is the Death card. Better update your will." It reminds me of the old, faintly vulgar … Continue reading The “End Game” Spread (aka “Life’s Big Questions”)
The Power of Vibration
Many years ago (in the Spring of 1967, to be exact), while attending art school in New York City, I participated in an anti-Vietnam-War "peace" march. I wasn't part of a group, just a solitary marcher, and I fell in with a large contingent of "Hare Krishna" people with their shaved pates and saffron robes. … Continue reading The Power of Vibration
Tarot Reading and “Psychic Vampirism”
As it frequently does, the subject of defending oneself against negative influences while reading the cards for other people came up again on one of the Facebook tarot pages. I usually approach this perceived vulnerability as Astral Plane intrusion (think "Ouija board") but it is even more likely to come from the person across the … Continue reading Tarot Reading and “Psychic Vampirism”
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 