As an American with strong ancestral ties to Scotland and Ireland, I have more than a passing interest in the outcome of the Brexit controversy. I realize that the term is a conflation for "British Exit" from the European Union (EU), but I latched onto the subsumed fragment "Rex," which was a title once given … Continue reading Puttin’ on the Rex
Tarot Techniques
Happy Hour
I often wonder what people expect when they sit for a tarot reading. Is it encouragement (aka "empowerment") regarding their chosen course of action? Is it affirmation of their assumptions or suspicions? Is it entertainment? Is it a glimpse of future events or circumstances? Is it a psychological snapshot of themselves or another person? Is … Continue reading Happy Hour
The Gift
When I hear a skilled diviner described as having "the gift," I usually think of it in its more complete form as "the gift of second sight," or precognition, regarding future events and circumstances. This technical definition - which comes from a Gaelic phrase translated as "two sights" - is commonly lumped in with similar … Continue reading The Gift
Reading Without Borders
I admit to enjoying the challenge and satisfaction of reading cards in a completely open-ended fashion (not exactly in a vacuum; let's call it a "rarefied atmosphere"). Like Google, the cards "know everything." Approached properly (that is, with sensitivity and diligence), they will invariably speak the truth in one form or another, although not always … Continue reading Reading Without Borders
The Seeker and the Spirit
Spiritually, I tend to define myself by what I'm not: that is, not religious in any conventional, monotheistic sense. Not Christian, Jewish or Muslim (although my ancestry is almost certainly Middle Eastern by way of southern Germany), not Hindu and not Buddhist (although Buddhism definitely has its appeal). After reading Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion, … Continue reading The Seeker and the Spirit
A Proper Gander
When I was in the US Army in Germany in the late '60s, I was co-editor of an anti-establishment underground newspaper called Proper Gander. The title was a puckish take on the government "propaganda" to be found in the military's official news organs, the Stars and Stripes and the Overseas Weekly. Needless to say, we … Continue reading A Proper Gander
Welcome to the Jumble*
(* With apologies to Guns N' Roses for pinching their song title "Welcome to the Jungle") As I mentioned in a previous post, every spread of ten cards that uses all 78 cards in the deck as its starting point offers over 4 quintillion (in the US that's 4 followed by 18 zeros; 4 trillion … Continue reading Welcome to the Jumble*
The Sticking Point
sticking point (noun): "a point, detail, or circumstance causing or likely to cause a stalemate or impasse." For those with enough cartomantic experience to instantly spot what is working in a reading and what isn't, there is often one card (and frequently more than one) that stands out by defying meaningful connection to the matter … Continue reading The Sticking Point
Sporting Event Prediction: Lessons Learned
For roughly two years now I've been using tarot to attempt picking the winners and the comparative scores in sporting events. Needless to say, my track record until recently has been less than stellar. I started off with a bang, accurately predicting the regulation tie between the Patriots and the Falcons in the 2017 Super … Continue reading Sporting Event Prediction: Lessons Learned
2018 World Series, Game 5 Prediction
Game 5 Recap: I'm happy to take a 5-1 Red Sox win as divinatory success when the cards predicted a 4-1 win for Boston. The assumed meltdown of the Dodgers' bullpen didn't materialize as dramatically as anticipated, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts' strategic error of leaving starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw in the game too long … Continue reading 2018 World Series, Game 5 Prediction
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 