Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse . . . it doesn't! Here is a very (deceptively) simple three-card spread (plus Significator) built on the "thesis-antithesis-synthesis" model (or, if you prefer, "action-reaction-resolution"). It's unique twist is that it brings the central Significator card into an active role by pairing it with each of … Continue reading A Change-up: The 3-Point Landing Spread
Tarot Spreads
Alternate Realities: The Lady or the Tiger
As I entered the stratosphere of elaborate and esoteric tarot spread creation (believe me, you ain't seen nothing yet), I got to thinking about two philosophical ideas and how they might be captured in a tarot reading: the Buddhist tenet that we create our own reality, and the Frank R. Stockton short story "The Lady … Continue reading Alternate Realities: The Lady or the Tiger
The Pentacle of Revealing Spread
This is one of my "situational awareness and developmental insight" spreads. It uses astrological (planetary) correspondences. Pentacle Spread
Astro-Tarot Decanate Tableau and Spread
It's probably obvious that I'm a tireless tinkerer. In the present case, I took the round zodiacal presentation of the Chaldean decans aligned with the cards of the tarot and turned it into a tabular structure. This arranges all of the decan cards, the court cards and the Major Arcana in an easy-to-read format that … Continue reading Astro-Tarot Decanate Tableau and Spread
The “Dysfunction Junction” Conflict-Resolution Spread
This spread is designed for examining the strategic advantages and vulnerabilities of up to four antagonists in a confrontation. It is intended as a a majors-only layout, but that isn't carved in stone. The key points are: a) what each party wants from the others; b) what each party is willing to concede; and c) … Continue reading The “Dysfunction Junction” Conflict-Resolution Spread
The “Love Links” Compatibility Spread
This is a spread for comparing five key qualities usually sought by individuals in a new relationship. It shows what each partner brings to the table in these areas and whether one is better situated to benefit than the other. The areas are: Love, Fun, Sex, Reliability, Friendship and a roll-up quintessence, Overall Compatibility. It … Continue reading The “Love Links” Compatibility Spread
Parsifal’s Wheel – A Celtic Cross Variation
The famous (or as some would have it, infamous) “Celtic Cross” (CC) tarot spread popularized by Arthur Edward Waite in his Pictorial Key to the Tarot in the early 1900s and updated by Eden Gray and others in the last half of the 20th century is a mainstay of the tarot reader's art. In the … Continue reading Parsifal’s Wheel – A Celtic Cross Variation
Parsifal’s Bow Personal Destiny Spread
When working New Age fairs, I'm usually limited to brief reading sessions, no more than 20 minutes. My favorite spread has always been the venerable Celtic Cross, which I've tweaked to my own satisfaction over the years. But doing justice to one takes me a solid 45 minutes, and even trimming it to half-an-hour is … Continue reading Parsifal’s Bow Personal Destiny Spread
“All Well and Good, But . . .”
Along with requests for financial and legal advice, health questions of a diagnostic type are best avoided by the tarot professional. With rare exceptions, we aren't trained and credentialed (or licensed, or insured) counselors or therapists, and should direct our clients to someone who is. On the other hand, as long as we stop short … Continue reading “All Well and Good, But . . .”
The Daily Draw – An Alternate View
First, a confession: I didn't perform a daily draw for many years, since it just wasn't telling me much of anything useful. This despite the fact that it's touted far and wide as the best way to familiarize oneself with the cards. I just couldn't - and still don't - see much of value in … Continue reading The Daily Draw – An Alternate View
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 