AUTHOR'S NOTE: In previous posts I've mentioned in passing that the purpose of the shuffle is not to randomize the cards but rather to subconsciously arrange them in the proper order to tell the story. Judging from the responses I received (or more tellingly, didn't receive) nobody really "got" what I was trying to say. … Continue reading Randomizing and Shuffling: “Generating White Noise” and “Creating Order Out of Chaos”
Tarot Opinion
Tarot and Physical Appearance: “The Packaging vs. the Content”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: One of the least useful questions I've encountered in online discussion groups, after the ubiquitous "What does this person think or feel about me?" is "What will my future lover look like?" Probably because most of its later development occurred in Western Europe, traditional (that is, non-inclusive) tarot is notoriously poor at identifying … Continue reading Tarot and Physical Appearance: “The Packaging vs. the Content”
General Life-Reading: A Convenient Fallback
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I often see consternation brewing among tarot neophytes over the fact that, although they want to "get serious" when it comes to divination with the cards, they are unsure how to proceed because they have no pressing questions to ask. Following is a summary of ways to offset that shortcoming through a "general … Continue reading General Life-Reading: A Convenient Fallback
Divination: What Is It Good For?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Don't ask Edwin Starr (even if he is deceased), he'll just tell you "Absolutely nothing, uh huh." In a recent post on using tarot in a business setting, I likened a card reading to a "metaphysical process-control audit" that looks beyond the physical dimensions of a client company and into its less tangible … Continue reading Divination: What Is It Good For?
“Third Time’s the (C)harm”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: We all recognize the proverb "The third time's the charm" when we've failed twice at something and are trying again with finger's crossed. (Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote "The luck of the third adventure is proverbial.") But when it comes to divination, asking the same question over-and-over again and expecting a more agreeable answer … Continue reading “Third Time’s the (C)harm”
Off-Topic Tarot Readings: Crossing the Conceptual Divide
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here I'm tackling the evasive defense (OK, it's a convenient excuse) that is often trotted out to justify why tarot readings yield advice that seems valid while not even remotely addressing the question we asked: "They're responding to a different issue that may be more important but that wasn't recognized by the querent." … Continue reading Off-Topic Tarot Readings: Crossing the Conceptual Divide
“But Does It Work?”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: If dismay among junior members of the online tarot community is any indication, it's not uncommon for beginners to expect far more factual accuracy and predictive discernment from a tarot reading than it is reasonably able to deliver, causing many new readers to question its usefulness. Lack of observable success leads to disillusionment, … Continue reading “But Does It Work?”
“Nonsense In, Gibberish Out” – Trivial Goals and “Bad” Cards
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Taking a cue from my current study of the I Ching, I've jotted down a few thoughts about the proper mindset to bring to a tarot reading, and the significance of unfavorable cards in a spread according to their traditional meaning and/or as-dealt orientation. The "god of gibberish" (or deity of incoherent babble) … Continue reading “Nonsense In, Gibberish Out” – Trivial Goals and “Bad” Cards
Tarot Analogies: Three-Part Harmony and Feeling*
*With apologies to Arlo Guthrie for deliberately misquoting Alice's Restaurant. AUTHOR'S NOTE: The fact that a tarot deck can be subdivided into three distinct but interdependent tiers - trump, court and "pip" cards - invites numerous analogies describing how they interact from the top down in "three-part harmony." Here are a few ideas. We might … Continue reading Tarot Analogies: Three-Part Harmony and Feeling*
“Canceling” Effects in Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In Chinese cosmology there is a premise that certain forms of qi (life-force) subdue and diminish other types, subordinating their influence. I'm intrigued by the idea that something similar could be going on in tarot divination. It's a well-established concept that certain cards in a tarot spread will dominate the reading and push … Continue reading “Canceling” Effects in Tarot Reading
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 