AUTHOR'S NOTE: One of my sly assumptions when court cards appear in a tarot reading is that, rather than defaulting to psychological, ethical or spiritual conventions, they will quite often signify the direct involvement of another human being who has a stake in the querent's future "for good or ill." I say this mainly because … Continue reading “Waiting for Godot” – Court Cards in Long-Range Forecasts
Tarot Readings
Court Cards “On the Diamond”
"Roundin' third, he was headed for homeIt was a brown-eyed handsome man."- from "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" by Chuck Berry (who wasn't talking about the Knight of Swords or Pentacles but certainly could have been) AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, my title is a "lure" to spark interest but the objective is nothing more than coming … Continue reading Court Cards “On the Diamond”
A “Body/Mind/Soul” Positional-Bias Matrix
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is a compact tableau that proposes to identify the ideal positional alignment the seeker should maintain going into a looming "showdown with circumstances." It uses a pre-established set of "situational bias" cards that facilitates adopting a "forward," "reverse" or "neutral" posture toward one's approach to a potential conflict scenario or uncertain evolution. … Continue reading A “Body/Mind/Soul” Positional-Bias Matrix
Numerous Reversals as Trade-offs: Pyrrhic Victories and Strategic Retreats
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Encountering numerous reversed cards in a brief tarot reading can present a challenge that is difficult to resolve. In an otherwise favorable forecast they can mean willingly giving up just a little more than you get to achieve your goal (the "Pyrrhic victory"), while in a less fortunate augury the implication is that … Continue reading Numerous Reversals as Trade-offs: Pyrrhic Victories and Strategic Retreats
Leveraging the French Cross: An Alternative to Yes-or-No Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Conventional wisdom is that tarot is ineffective for addressing simple "yes-or-no" questions because it is more suitable for telling stories. I've always taken issue with this opinion, believing that the cards will provide an answer for any inquiry that is phrased properly. So rather than wanting to know "Will I or won't I … Continue reading Leveraging the French Cross: An Alternative to Yes-or-No Reading
Missing in Plain Sight? – A Local-Area “Search Envelope”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: What's to be done when one wakes up at 2:00 AM and can't get back to sleep? I don't know about you, but I think about tarot. Here's my latest insomnia-fueled spread. I normally use horary astrology when I'm helping someone look for a lost item, or when I'm examining a missing-person case, … Continue reading Missing in Plain Sight? – A Local-Area “Search Envelope”
Mars Abides: A Question of Surgery
AUTHOR'S NOTE: An acquaintance of mine has a long-standing medical issue related to several previous surgeries that looks like it may need another surgical intervention. In February I did a French Cross (tirage en croix) spread to ask that question. (Note that I performed this reading two hours before I learned the surgeon's recommendation.) Thoth … Continue reading Mars Abides: A Question of Surgery
Locating Those Who Vanish – An Informed Opinion
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I just discovered a thread on the r/tarot sub that questioned whether tarot can be used to locate missing people. The consensus ran strongly in the direction of "No," with one person saying that only law-enforcement professionals can find them and another stating that psychics never succeed. Both of these attitudes are misinformed, … Continue reading Locating Those Who Vanish – An Informed Opinion
The Roads Not Taken (There Can Be Only One)
AUTHORS NOTE: In his famous poem, Robert Frost had two roads to choose from. Here I'm proposing four and using reversals to decide which ones should not be taken in favor of a more promising upright signpost pointing the way. Select a deck that has non-reversible card backs so you can discern orientation without turning … Continue reading The Roads Not Taken (There Can Be Only One)
What Happened to Glenn? – A “World of Hurt” Missing Person Reading
UPDATE: On March 15, 2025, the body of Glenn Chranz was found in a wooded area roughly two miles due North of the Manchester, NH medical facility where Chranz was last seen alive. Police believe it had been covered in snow (see my "frozen to death" theory in the original text) and thawing conditions exposed … Continue reading What Happened to Glenn? – A “World of Hurt” Missing Person Reading