There is a wide range of opinion and much debate on whether any conceivable request can be brought to the tarot. Some say you can't answer simple "yes-or-no" questions in a straightforward way with it because its answers are too conditional and nuanced. Other believe you should steer well clear of anything that could create … Continue reading A Good Question
Tarot Opinion
The Ideal Study Group
Esoteric study groups of the face-to-face kind are mercurial beasts. Interest tends to wax and wane, and attendance is anything but consistent as members occasionally choose to deal with more mundane matters on meeting day. When I lived in the Hartford, CT area in the '70s, there were numerous opportunities to meet regularly with kindred … Continue reading The Ideal Study Group
Cheap Shots (The Final Cut): “Is It Live or Is It Memorex?”
This will be the last installment of my "Cheap Shots" series. My "inner curmudgeon" isn't going anywhere, of course, but I've moved on into more productive (as well as kinder) areas of expression. I've said enough already about my views on current populist tarot culture, and need to chill before the "New Age police" discover … Continue reading Cheap Shots (The Final Cut): “Is It Live or Is It Memorex?”
The “Wrapper” and the “Filling”
As a continuation of my last post, I want to talk about reading style. Interpreting a tarot spread can be a little like eating an enchilada. You have the "wrapper" (the visual presentation captured in the images) and the "filling" (the core meaning of the cards). It can be all too easy to become seduced … Continue reading The “Wrapper” and the “Filling”
Crossing the Line
There is mixed opinion in the tarot community about whether it's necessary for a reader (at least in a face-to-face setting) to know exactly what a sitter wants before attempting a reading. Some ask the sitter to tell them the specific question, others want to know as little as possible in advance. My early tarot … Continue reading Crossing the Line
Recycled Material
Since I have nothing new to say today (not yet, anyway, although the day is still young), I thought I would reflect on the course of this blog since its start-up last July. Although I make a dedicated effort to avoid it without good reason, with over 400 posts now you may notice that I … Continue reading Recycled Material
The Long Result of Time
Bear with me here, soon enough you'll see my quirky connection between Tennyson's poetry and the professional practice of tarot divination. Back in 1965, British science fiction author John Brunner wrote a novel dubbed The Long Result. He lifted the title from a couplet in Tennyson's long lyrical poem, Locksley Hall, which - even though … Continue reading The Long Result of Time
Reversals? Why Not?
I'm constantly encountering people who say "That deck has non-reversible backs. You can't do reversals with it." and "That's a Golden-Dawn-based deck, they didn't use reversals so you can't either." My unspoken response is "So? Rules were made to be broken." Another favorite excuse for not learning to use reversals effectively is "I don't need … Continue reading Reversals? Why Not?
WYSIWYG or “WYSINWYG?”
Back in the '80s, computer geeks were always talking about programming code that let a developer (and eventually a user) see the end product of their work on the monitor screen while they were in the middle of creating it. These editors were known by the acronym "WYSIWYG" ("What you see is what you get"), … Continue reading WYSIWYG or “WYSINWYG?”
Win, Lose or Punt?
To punt (Informal): To cease doing something; give up. ("Let's punt on this and try something else.") Predicting the scores for opposing teams in sporting events is a fascinating minor sidelight to our more ponderous cartomantic excursions, and - at least in my experience - one that seldom yields accurate results. I've come to believe … Continue reading Win, Lose or Punt?
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 