AUTHOR'S NOTE: I should mention in advance that nothing you see here (or in any of my essays) is AI-generated because I believe resorting to AI "web-scraping" - when it isn't outright theft - depreciates the original contribution of creative artists and writers. (But artificial intelligence - isn't there an oxymoron in there somewhere? - … Continue reading “What is Dead May Never Die” – An Alternate Take on Death
Tarot Opinion
The Ruination of Tarot?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yesterday I responded to a post in the r/tarot sub-reddit that deplored the exhausting challenge of having to deal endlessly with clients' inane questions about socially-charged matters of little real import, primarily superficial affection ("Will he text me?"), animosity ("Why did she block me?") and aloofness ("Why are they ignoring me?"). It's all … Continue reading The Ruination of Tarot?
The Purposeful Diviner
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I briefly covered some of these talking points in the "statement of intent" linked at the bottom, but I thought it worthwhile to put a more personal slant on them. As a diviner I consider myself a purveyor of serious content. It would be tempting to tell my clients "Sure, I'll take your … Continue reading The Purposeful Diviner
Subconscious Induction: Bridging the Gap
"I have only come here seeking knowledge/Things they would not teach me of in college" - from Wrapped Around Your Finger by the Police AUTHOR'S NOTE: As a diviner who prefers face-to-face reading but no longer has a steady clientele (the COVID pandemic and my cross-State relocation saw to that), I now pursue my esoteric … Continue reading Subconscious Induction: Bridging the Gap
The Heart of the Matter: Quality Over Quantity and Simplicity in Action
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Early in my re-reading of Ethan Indigo Smith's The Tao of Thoth, I once again encountered his analysis of the virtue of simplicity over complexity. He observes that "Simplicity is often a quality, whereas complexity yields mostly quantities." His premise is that "qualifying ourselves and (our) surroundings" through focused "inner work" is far … Continue reading The Heart of the Matter: Quality Over Quantity and Simplicity in Action
Tarot as “Mystical Guidebook”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Ever since Jungian group-think hijacked the New Age zeitgeist of the early '70s, a great deal of emphasis has been placed on the tarot as a tool for innate self-understanding and cognate self-improvement. In that regard it's a pale substitute for astrology, one that offers a gentler learning curve suitable for the casual … Continue reading Tarot as “Mystical Guidebook”
“Right, Right, You’re Bloody Well Right”*
*From Bloody Well Right by Supertramp AUTHOR'S NOTE: I debated whether to title this essay "The Woo of We-Are-All-One" (in the saccharine spirit of The Tao of Pooh) but decided to leave that cynical observation for the body of the essay. Current wisdom in the tarot community is that no matter how we read the … Continue reading “Right, Right, You’re Bloody Well Right”*
The Fount of All Wisdom?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It could be argued that any human activity - no matter how slight - that isn't fully automatic on one hand or totally arbitrary on the other has an implicit blueprint or model that expresses its ideal performance, even if this exemplar is only a personal benchmark that we keep in our own … Continue reading The Fount of All Wisdom?
Secular or Mystical: Alternate Paths in Divination
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As I roam the internet seeking inspiration for my writing, I've become aware that the practice of divination has split into two camps, mainly along conceptual lines: one operates in the boundless realm of spontaneous conjecture while the other is more delimited in a focused and scrupulous way. There is a stark contrast … Continue reading Secular or Mystical: Alternate Paths in Divination
“Reeking of Self-Confidence” – An Astro-Tarot Reflection
AUTHOR'S NOTE: There is a question I've been chewing on for more than 30 years, and with the aid of divination I think I'm getting close to an answer. One day back in the '80s, a co-worker walked up to me with an enigmatic smile and said "You know, you reek of self-confidence." I laughed … Continue reading “Reeking of Self-Confidence” – An Astro-Tarot Reflection
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 