I've been having a lot of fun lately trying to marry popular song titles and lyrics to the images of the tarot by creating metaphorical links between them. I realized this morning that something similar should be do-able with the mystical poetry that forms part of the "Great Works" of traditional literature. I already used the "bloody but … Continue reading Kubla Khan and the Major Arcana
Tarot Card Meanings
Tarot 101, My Way – Major Arcana: The Emperor and The Hierophant
These cards depict the twin pillars of patriarchal authority, one secular and the other spiritual: the State and the Church. Taken as a pair, there is an undeniable aura of "Father knows best" about them. In less flattering terms, we might say they've "got you coming and going." I once created a simple allegory about … Continue reading Tarot 101, My Way – Major Arcana: The Emperor and The Hierophant
Tarot 101, My Way – Major Acana: The Priestess and The Empress
Stacking these up a bit, but I'm afraid if I sleep on this I'll lose the inspiration. Here we have two dramatically different expressions of the feminine archetype. The Priestess has her head to the sky while the feet of the Empress are firmly rooted in the earth. The Priestess is virginal - even crystalline - … Continue reading Tarot 101, My Way – Major Acana: The Priestess and The Empress
Tarot 101, My Way – Major Arcana: The Fool and The Magician
Now we dive into a card-by-card examination of the Major Arcana, which I'm taking two at a time since they are brief "thumbnail sketches" (supported by links to my previous posts). Since my approach to the tarot is esoteric in the main but with a practical slant, I've decided to begin each sub-section with commentary on the … Continue reading Tarot 101, My Way – Major Arcana: The Fool and The Magician
Where Is Mollie? – A Missing-Person Reading (Final Update)
UPDATE: The body of Mollie Tibbetts was found in a cornfield in rural Poweshiek County, Iowa. She was discovered "on a farm" as suggested in the reading, but was probably not detained or murdered by a resident. In an interview this afternoon, authorities said the suspect, an illegal immigrant, had lived in the area for from four to seven years. The … Continue reading Where Is Mollie? – A Missing-Person Reading (Final Update)
Hard and Soft, Red and Black
During my intermittent involvement with the Tarot de Marseille (I'm still waiting for that "one book to rule them all"), I've come across the opinion that Batons and Swords are the "hard" suits, while Cups and Coins are "soft." There is some logic to this: both wooden batons (also called staves) and edged metal blades … Continue reading Hard and Soft, Red and Black
The “Bowling for Dollars” RWS Storyboard
This is the fourth and last of my "storyboard" studies of the RWS minor cards. The title comes from the old TV show "Bowling for Dollars" and plays off the bizarre impression created by the central image on the Ace of Pentacles. It is tempting to think of the suit of Pentacles (Coins or Disks in other decks) … Continue reading The “Bowling for Dollars” RWS Storyboard
The “Light and Shadow” RWS Storyboard
This is the third of my "storyboard" examinations of the Minor Arcana cards of the Waite-Smith (aka RWS) tarot. The suit of Swords is unquestionably the least encouraging of the set since any light it emits is muted and often fades into gloom, so the title of this post may be somewhat optimistic. Swords encompass the realm … Continue reading The “Light and Shadow” RWS Storyboard
The “Whodunit” Rogue’s Gallery Spread
I spend quite a bit of time examining missing-person cases - both current and "cold" - and have encountered a few alternate situations where the police have a body but they don't have a suspect, who is actually the absent person. These victims don't qualify as missing, so neither of my spreads designed for that … Continue reading The “Whodunit” Rogue’s Gallery Spread
Tarot Euphemisms: A Work-in-Progress
If you've been following my "RWS storyboard" posts and have read any of my example readings, you're already aware that I make extensive use of metaphor and analogy when interpreting the minor cards of the tarot, often bringing in shared cultural, social, historical and literary references. The Thoth tarot, my mainstay for many years, offered … Continue reading Tarot Euphemisms: A Work-in-Progress
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 