AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've touched on this subject numerous times in previous essays, but almost always in passing. Here I will give it the full treatment from my personal perspective, with a small amount of unavoidable repetition. Traditional tarot decks feature a wealth of symbolic raw material that is "baked-in;" these fundamental meanings should be internalized … Continue reading Individual Reading Style in Divination (A Recap)
Tarot Techniques
The “Quantum Theory” of Tarot Reading
“All around me golden sunflakes/Settle on the ground.”- from Granchester Meadows by Pink Floyd AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was just reading a fascinating description of the behavior of visible light from a quantum physics perspective. Luminosity has been portrayed by scientists as quasi-particulate in that it is transmitted and received in "packets" of massless particles called … Continue reading The “Quantum Theory” of Tarot Reading
“Banishing the Clerics” Reading – Tarot Looks at the Iran Crisis
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Following up on my previous post, I did a reading on the crisis in Iran that applies the "n x 9/n2 - 5" numerological-reduction model shown therein. I used my favorite sociopolitical deck, Brian Williams' PoMo (Post-Modern) Tarot, to explore what will become of the Islamic regime over the next month in the … Continue reading “Banishing the Clerics” Reading – Tarot Looks at the Iran Crisis
Purposeful Divination
AUTHOR NOTE: I was answering a question on one of the occult forums regarding what kind of magic I've found most effective, and I came up with the following response. Although I haven't performed any ritual magic since the mid-1980s, I realized that I now pursue what might be called "purposeful divination" as a form … Continue reading Purposeful Divination
Banishing the Clerics: A Numerological Twist on the Calculated “Essence” Card
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Welcome to geek world! Here is an oddball notion that may appeal to the numerologically-inclined tarotist. It aligns with my earlier exploration of the "numerical essence" concept but with a couple of twists. For context, see my previous posts on that subject and the "quintessence" calculation. When discussing the particulars of telepathic research … Continue reading Banishing the Clerics: A Numerological Twist on the Calculated “Essence” Card
Distant Intention: An Alternative Approach to Remote Divination
AUTHOR'S NOTE: My long-time followers know that I'm skeptical of remote tarot reading because the querent has no direct contact with the cards for the purpose of subconscious induction, my fundamental understanding of "how tarot works." But with a little tweaking of the parameters, that attitude may be shifting. Recently, while reading about experiments in … Continue reading Distant Intention: An Alternative Approach to Remote Divination
“Uncontrolled Variables” in Remote Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In the category of "A Little Knowledge Is A Dangerous Thing" for the mystical tarot reader, parapsychologist Dean Radin (in Supernormal, his 2013 study of yoga) had a few critical things to say about the lack of scientific confidence in online testimony. Dr. Radin made a tossed-off remark about the fact that the … Continue reading “Uncontrolled Variables” in Remote Tarot Reading
General Life-Reading As “Logic Puzzle”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's a common practice, when a client arrives for a reading with no specific question or topic of interest in mind, for the reader to offer a "general life-reading" that explores the environmental theme or tone of the period for which it is performed. Some argue that this type of prediction is of … Continue reading General Life-Reading As “Logic Puzzle”
Objective and Subjective Significance in Tarot Cards
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The keyword meanings given in tarot books are typically objective in that they can apply to a wide range of conditions, and it's up to the diviner to tailor them to a sitter's subjective circumstances. When analytical tarot readers (i.e. those who value the traditional knowledge presented in established definitions) begin to assess … Continue reading Objective and Subjective Significance in Tarot Cards
Tarot Reading Beyond the Lookup
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In a recent post titled "Most Tarot Readings Stop Too Soon," tarot author Paul Hughes-Barlow observed that, at its most basic, a tarot reading approximates a "lookup table:" Pull a card, look up the meaning, make the interpretation. He concluded by saying that "It works, but only in the same sense that a … Continue reading Tarot Reading Beyond the Lookup