Although he had more dire implications in mind, ee cummings might have been talking about the fortune-teller's art in his poem what of a much of a which of a wind (for example, "blow soon to never and never to twice"). http://plexipages.com/reflections/whatif.html One of the greatest challenges facing those who try to discern past, present … Continue reading The “What of a Much of a Which” Event Analysis Spread
Tarot Spreads
Economy of Scale in Spread Design
In microeconomics, economy of scale refers to the theory that average costs start falling as output increases. As I apply it to tarot spread design, it asserts that the level of effort required to read a spread decreases as the number of card positions increases. While this seems counter-intuitive, it's due to the fact that, … Continue reading Economy of Scale in Spread Design
“The Blind Pig and the Acorn” Career Outlook Spread
Although Dukes of Hazzard fans would like to claim it as part of Southern heritage, as would Appalachia, the proverb alluded to in the title was apparently of ancient Roman origin: "Even a blind pig can find an acorn once in a while." According to Wikipedia, there is a "related Latin saying that a blind … Continue reading “The Blind Pig and the Acorn” Career Outlook Spread
The “On the Fly” Random Contact Spread
Those who read frequently for others often encounter sitters who are seeking romance, and those readers probably don't have enough fingers and toes (or hairs on their head) to count how many times they've been asked whether an upcoming event (trip, party, night on the town or other gathering of peers) will produce just such … Continue reading The “On the Fly” Random Contact Spread
The “Take No Prisoners” Transition Spread
Any major transition, whether corporate, political or sociological, can produce significant upheaval in the "receiving" organization. This is especially unnerving for those on the lower rungs of the pecking order, whose best interests aren't always served by the leadership in these situations. This spread is designed for subordinate members of any group to explore important … Continue reading The “Take No Prisoners” Transition Spread
The Best-Laid Plans: An Alternative Action Spread
When querents bring a planning question to the table, they typically have at least a rough idea of what they want to do, although it may be founded more on hope and conjecture than clear-eyed foresight. Most are aware they need a fall-back position, or "Plan B," to which they can resort if things don't … Continue reading The Best-Laid Plans: An Alternative Action Spread
The “Destiny’s Dartboard” Event Timing Spread
The first thing almost every sitter wants to know from a reading is whether something will happen. But right on the heels of that objective is usually an anxious "If so, when?" The timing of a projected event is one of the thorniest questions facing any diviner, and numerous attempts have been made by spread … Continue reading The “Destiny’s Dartboard” Event Timing Spread
Personalizing the Astrological Spread
An interesting question came up on Saturday while I was giving a presentation on the Golden Dawn's Opening of the Key spread. It's been said that, due to its extreme complexity (and, I might add, its redundancy), the members of the Order almost never did all five operations of the OotK, contenting themselves with the … Continue reading Personalizing the Astrological Spread
The “Great Make-over” Personal Tune-up Spread
Many tarot enthusiasts shy away from divination of the "fortune-telling" sort and instead use the cards for augmenting their personal sense of mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. Most of the spreads I've seen for this are usually light on detail, typically no more than five cards. Here I'm offering a more complex spread for … Continue reading The “Great Make-over” Personal Tune-up Spread
Company in the Cross-hairs: A SWOT Road-map
The subject of "SWOT" analysis (Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats) comes up fairly often on the tarot forums, usually in the context of personal circumstances rather than the corporate affairs for which it was originally intended. I can see the appeal, but I think it's a bit mechanistic for that purpose and have created many SWOT alternative spreads that … Continue reading Company in the Cross-hairs: A SWOT Road-map
