In thinking about the widely-held but just as widely dismissed opinion that tarot cards have personalities and "speak" to us with anthropomorphic aptness, I recalled that science-fiction writer Harlan Ellison once wrote a story titled "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream." This led me to finally pin down what makes for my ideal … Continue reading “. . . and I Must Scream.”
Tarot Decks
The Joie de Vivre Tarot
Paulina Cassidy's second deck has been described by some reviewers as "child-like," an impression that is explicitly touted by the wording on the box, leading to the assumption that it is light-weight and not suitable for answering serious questions. This is an older deck, first published in 2011, that never caught my eye because my … Continue reading The Joie de Vivre Tarot
Foreverquest
Back in the early "aughts," when I was still playing Everquest Online relentlessly (what can I say, I'm a throwback), my wife dubbed it "Foreverquest" (that was before her own fling with World of Warcraft). That epithet reminds me of the situation I find myself in whenever I decide it's time to chase down a … Continue reading Foreverquest
Medieval Cat Tarot Deck Interview
I should be clear up front that I'm not a huge fan of animal decks, unless they're a little (or a lot) quirky like the Tarot of the Magical Forest, the Marseille Cats or the Baroque Bohemian Cats (which I unfortunately missed buying when it was still in print). But I was gifted the utterly charming Medieval Cat Tarot for … Continue reading Medieval Cat Tarot Deck Interview
2019 Wish List
I think it's been a year since I last bought a new tarot or Lenormand deck. That will most likely change early next year to celebrate moving into our new home. I've had a few decks on my wish list forever, and 2019 will be the year to chip away at it. Among the 60 … Continue reading 2019 Wish List
That First Deck
There is no shortage of sage advice for neophyte tarot readers seeking their very first deck. Some of it has been debunked; for example, the old caveat that you can't legitimately buy your first deck, it must be gifted to you. But other notions linger, like the opinion that you should latch onto the first … Continue reading That First Deck
Building the Perfect Deck
Although I'm a trained graphic artist with the skills to do so, I don't have the inclination or enthusiasm to tackle the monumental task of creating 78 individual works of art to populate my own tarot deck. But that doesn't prevent me from having opinions as to how I might go about it. It is … Continue reading Building the Perfect Deck
One Deck to Rule Them All
I've long believed that for every reader there is one tarot deck that fits like a glove: skin-tight and perfectly responsive to every nuance of interpretation. While we might protest that we can read effectively with any deck, there is almost certainly one that stands out from the pack. We can all recognize those that don't quite measure up; … Continue reading One Deck to Rule Them All
The Thoth and the Liber T: A Deck Comparison
I've used the Thoth deck with the Liber T: Tarot of Stars Eternal in two-deck readings for some time, but it never occurred to me to size them up using my "Friend or Foe" deck comparison spread. The Liber T is an almost worshipful rendering of the Crowley/Harris Thoth - at least in the Major … Continue reading The Thoth and the Liber T: A Deck Comparison
The “Marchetti Mash-up” 3-Deck Interview
This is an example reading for the "Three-Deck Triathlon" spread I posted yesterday. It is my first use of the spread, so I will be learning as I go along. I don't use reversals in deck interview readings. Note that, although I don't think tarot decks have "personalities," speaking of them as if they do … Continue reading The “Marchetti Mash-up” 3-Deck Interview
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 