Those who spend any time googling will have seen the term "disambiguation" in the search results. Its full definition is "word-sense disambiguation" or "text disambiguation," and it describes "the act of interpreting an author's intended use of a word that has multiple meanings or spellings." In a recent essay I touched on the idea that … Continue reading “Symbol-Sense Disambiguation”
Tarot Opinion
Death: The “Bad Neighbor”
UPDATE: As expected, this pushed a lot of buttons in the online tarot world. Almost everyone missed the point that it is a radical rethinking (in this one narrow instance) of tarot divination in which I'm not interested so much in what will happen and its consequences as in actively using the cards as a … Continue reading Death: The “Bad Neighbor”
Belushi, Etteilla and Holy Water
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm sure you're asking yourself what on Earth the three subjects of the title could possibly have in common, even though my admitted fondness for making odd connections is no secret. Bear with me while I spin the yarn. Back in the heyday of Saturday Night Live, John Belushi occasionally did his "Samurai" … Continue reading Belushi, Etteilla and Holy Water
The Hazards of “Clumping”
I've written previously on the subject of shuffling tarot decks, both the purpose and the practice. But the topic still comes up regularly on the tarot pages and feeds, which has caused me to once again sharpen my perspective. The "how" doesn't concern me as much as the "why." The commonly-held belief that we shuffle … Continue reading The Hazards of “Clumping”
Tarot of Mystical Moments: An Atypical Deck Interview
UPDATE: I discovered that I made a "fortuitous error" in the quintessence calculation for this reading. The trump card thus derived should have been Justice and not the Hanged Man. But this deck is emphatically non-cerebral, so I'm going to leave the essay as it stands. (Maybe the Magician was peeking out cautiously from behind … Continue reading Tarot of Mystical Moments: An Atypical Deck Interview
The “Opportunity Spotter”
There is a certain queasiness in tarot circles about use of the term "fortune-teller" to describe what we do, as if we're contemplating the commission of a scurrilous or unclean act. The rational-sounding "psychological" approach to the tarot is usually trotted out to dispel any taint of moral impropriety that the mere mention of prognostication … Continue reading The “Opportunity Spotter”
The Tyranny of the Familiar
I presently own just over 70 tarot, Lenormand and and oracle decks and, although I've made great strides in my battle with "Deck Acquisition Syndrome," I despair of ever completely conquering it. But I just had an epiphany regarding the nature of my addiction. I've come to realize that, at least in the realm of … Continue reading The Tyranny of the Familiar
Celtic Cross – “The Right Tool For The Job”
As is probably obvious from the examples I've posted, I'm a big fan of the well-thought-out positional tarot spread. I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum from the "I never use formal spreads!" crowd and slightly to the conservative side of those who say they make unique spreads on-the-fly to suit the question or … Continue reading Celtic Cross – “The Right Tool For The Job”
“Fundamental” vs. “Derived” Divination
AUTHOR'S NOTE: These are just random thoughts prompted by my reaction to what I see as imprecise terminology. Take them for what they're worth. Recently I came across the notion (touted somewhat brashly as "divination for a new millennium") that there are two main types of divinatory insight: an innate approach (often viewed by its … Continue reading “Fundamental” vs. “Derived” Divination
“Intuition Pandering” (or “The Soft Underbelly”)
Alternate Subtitle: "I Don't Know What It Is, But I'll Know It When I See It" Intuitive truth, that is. For the last few years in these essays I've nibbled around the edges of what it means to read the tarot cards "intuitively," but only in the last few days has my grasp of the … Continue reading “Intuition Pandering” (or “The Soft Underbelly”)
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 