Those of a certain age will remember Bullwinkle Moose exclaiming "Oh, my stars and garters!" whenever something surprised him, and I certainly resemble that remark (chronologically if not semantically since a certain rude three-letter acronym now replaces such quaint language). AUTHOR'S NOTE: When I began my esoteric journey as an astrologer in 1970, I was … Continue reading Sensible Divination – Oh, My Stars and Cards!
Tarot Opinion
Cards of Finality: The Stigma of “Endings”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was just reading about cards that convey "endings" of various kinds: the 3 and 5 of Swords (sorrowful and acrimonious, respectively); 10 of Swords (demoralizing); Death (inevitable); the Tower (sudden); and the 5 of Cups (miserable), among others of less-potent stringency. To that group I would add Judgement because there is no … Continue reading Cards of Finality: The Stigma of “Endings”
The “Pattern Reader” Prevails!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As I approach the end of my re-reading of Paul Fenton-Smith's Tarot Master-Class, I came across his view of the four types of professional tarot reader: the Mystic who endeavors to channel guidance from a spiritual source; the Nurturer who "just wants to help" and the Pattern-Reader who adopts a more deductive style … Continue reading The “Pattern Reader” Prevails!
“Was It the Right Question?” – Incompatible Cards in a Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm indebted once again to Paul Fenton-Smith for bringing another intriguing topic to my attention in his comprehensive book, Tarot Master-Class. It happens more often than seems reasonable, especially if we assume that our attempts at divination are guided toward the truth: the cards in a spread will fail to come together in … Continue reading “Was It the Right Question?” – Incompatible Cards in a Reading
Shifting Gears: The Multi-Phase Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: From the day I first encountered it in 1972, I've followed Eden Gray's suggestion that we can disregard asking sitters (those who "sit" for a tarot reading) to tell us their specific question or concern prior to divining for them. I tell them to silently concentrate on what they want to know while … Continue reading Shifting Gears: The Multi-Phase Reading
Confessions of a Spread-Fiend: An Unfashionable Opinion
AUTHOR'S NOTE: There, I've said it again: I'm hooked on creating and using positional tarot spreads. Of course, those who believe tarot reading should be entirely open-ended and unstructured will never agree with me. Intuitive interpretation won't tolerate many strictures, but in my opinion it also doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in the dependability … Continue reading Confessions of a Spread-Fiend: An Unfashionable Opinion
A Tarot Conversation with Myself
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This one is just for fun! (Well, maybe there's an uncomfortable truth or two and a little sarcasm mixed in with the merriment . . . )Me the Inquisitor: "Why do you read the tarot cards?"Me the Mad Scientist: "I want to get under the skin of objective reality and see what makes … Continue reading A Tarot Conversation with Myself
Reading Reversals: “Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: "You're missing half the fun" is one of my favorite rebuttals for those who avoid reading reversals because they find the practice unnecessary, inconvenient or confusing. (My title alludes to the old Doublemint gum commercial.) But, unless we deliberately ignore or suppress them as some do, they are going to dog us whenever … Continue reading Reading Reversals: “Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Fun”
Death As . . . Well, “Death”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I find it it immensely revealing that, in historical tarot decks like the Tarot de Marseille, the Thirteenth Arcanum ("Death" in our less-superstitious age) was typically left untitled, embracing the principle of sympathetic magic that if we don't name something, we can pretend that it has no power over us. Modern interpretation has … Continue reading Death As . . . Well, “Death”
“Split-Level Tarot” – A Layered Approach to Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've touched on this subject in written form on several occasions in the past, but this time I'm illustrating it with an annotated image for a specific example, and also applying it to an unconventional analysis of the Tower card. (All cards shown are from the Thoth Tarot, copyright of US Games Systems … Continue reading “Split-Level Tarot” – A Layered Approach to Reading
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 