In keeping with my previous post about perceived weaknesses in the Waite-Smith deck, I want to talk about a telling example that fully demonstrates the questionable wisdom of Waite's and Smith's departure from their Golden Dawn roots: the Sixes of the Minor Arcana. In the Qabalistic system of the Golden Dawn (later adapted by Aleister … Continue reading What About Those Sixes?
Tarot Opinion
A Long Shadow
The Waite-Smith (aka "RWS") tarot deck, which modern revisionist thinking has insisted on renaming the Smith-Waite Tarot (nearly as much of a misnomer as calling the Thoth deck the "Harris-Crowley Tarot"), does indeed cast a long shadow (or pall, depending upon your opinion) over the world of exoteric tarot, and specifically over the art of … Continue reading A Long Shadow
“The Nature of the Evidence”
I stole a sub-title from the "Theory of the Tarot" section of Aleister Crowley's Book of Thoth for this post because I'm going to revisit the subject of "how tarot works" based on recent forum discussions (which frankly didn't change my mind on anything, just tweaked it). Premise #1: The tarot cards communicate knowledge of … Continue reading “The Nature of the Evidence”
“Tell Me Something I Don’t Know”
I've heard those words, preceded by a slightly petulant "I already knew that," out of my sitters' mouths more times than I care to remember. I'm always baffled by people who, seeing plainly that the tarot is capable of accurately describing a past that is unknown to the reader, can be so unenthusiastic about giving … Continue reading “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know”
Bursting the Bubble
The bubble I'm talking about isn't the thin membrane of false assumptions and wishful thinking that begs to be pierced by way of earnest but unsolicited advice ("I hate to burst your bubble, but . . .), it's the veil of semi-secrecy that many of us as diviners operate behind for most of our days. … Continue reading Bursting the Bubble
Adaptive Reading
I recently came across a new wrinkle in the lexicon of political correctness: adaptive sports. What used to be called disabled and before that handicapped has now been scrubbed of any negative connotation. While I applaud the objective, I sense a whiff of sanctimony in the execution. But that's not what I came to write about. Back in … Continue reading Adaptive Reading
A Question of Value
Value can be a slippery thing; it's not the same for all people and its presence is often apparent only in "the eye of the beholder." In manufacturing, adding value to something is defined as "the amount by which the value of an article is increased at each stage of its production, exclusive of initial … Continue reading A Question of Value
A Tarot de Marseille Thumbnail: Ace of Coins
I consider the TdM Ace of Coins a "gambit" card (an action that is calculated to gain an advantage), one that entails some "grit" and requires getting one's hands dirty. The expression "dirt under the fingernails" gives an idea of how much hands-on engagement and self-reliance are required. It has no patience with the proverb … Continue reading A Tarot de Marseille Thumbnail: Ace of Coins
The Tarot de Marseille “Pips:” A Divinatory Tabulation
As a service to my readers, I decided to capture all of the divinatory "snippets" from my previous posts in a single document for ease of reference. Note that I went back and tweaked the keyword entries in my Swords overview essay to match this summary after receiving some excellent comments from Lee Bursten. This … Continue reading The Tarot de Marseille “Pips:” A Divinatory Tabulation
A Tarot de Marseille “Pips” Overview: Footnotes on the Suit of Coins
Because I commented on all of the Coins individually, I'm not going to do a detailed overview of them as I did for the rest. Unless I choose to develop my thoughts on the Ace of Coins or decide to amplify my brief cameos of the pips of the other suits at "book length" (and … Continue reading A Tarot de Marseille “Pips” Overview: Footnotes on the Suit of Coins
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 