As most experienced tarot readers know, the cards are less than stellar at identifying where an event forecast in a reading is likely to take place. Locations determined solely from the images are often far afield from the reality of the querent's circumstances. A related question is where a missing item has concealed itself. I … Continue reading Location is Everything
Tarot Techniques
The “Spirit Contact” Communication Spread
This is an odd one inspired by discussions on the Aeclectic Tarot forum about using tarot cards to contact ancestral spirits. It takes into account the hazards of invoking the Lower Astral plane when indiscriminately opening oneself up to unfiltered psychic influences. P7D-Ancestor Spread
The “Hidden Key” Advice Spread
I decided to tackle the subject of two-card readings. Because the number Two can be more about polarity and division than cooperation and resolution (depending on whether the "pendulum" in a situation is swinging in or out), two-card spreads can seem static, especially if the cards are of similar rank, number and element. I created … Continue reading The “Hidden Key” Advice Spread
Elemental Dignity Permutations by Suit
In the Liber Theta discussion of Elemental Dignities, Jim Eshelman uses the term "permutations" for the three-card combinations that can be made with cards of elementally friendly, unfriendly and neutral nature. Although I diverge in my view of the "neutral and supportive" category, instead considering those cards to be "complementary opposites" - one suit provides … Continue reading Elemental Dignity Permutations by Suit
Demystifying Elemental Dignities
In preparing material for a presentation handout on Elemental Dignities, I amassed quite a bit of detail on the background of the subject. Following the presentation, I had further thoughts on application of the Golden Dawn rules provided in Liber T and the amplification given by Jim Eshelman in Liber Theta. Demystifying Elemental Dignities
“Let Me Face It”
I once had a friend whose English pronunciation was a bit on the ragged side. He added an "s" to many singular nouns (those of you from a certain part of the world will relate) and instead of the common idiom "Let's face it," he always said "Let me face it." Looks like a ready-made … Continue reading “Let Me Face It”
What’s Your Style?
This question is more about personality than professional demeanor. What is the best "face" to present to clients when reading in-person? Sunny and breezy? Casual and friendly? Confident and focused? Sympathetic and upbeat? Clever and glib? Solemn and serious? Wise and scholarly? Perhaps a pinch of each? Personally, I'm about as far from the description … Continue reading What’s Your Style?
Changing Gears: Recovering from a Weak Start
(These observations apply to face-to-face reading; on-line reading is frequently performed in a vacuum with no opportunity to "check-and-adjust" the narrative through interactive feedback from the seeker.) Those of us who read for others sometimes sense that we're about to "fail open" like an electrical circuit breaker when the responses we're receiving from our sitter … Continue reading Changing Gears: Recovering from a Weak Start
“Cheap Shots” #9: Where’s the Beef?
Many of us remember the old Wendy's TV commercials in which actress Clara Peller grumpily complained "Where's the beef?" when handed a competitor's burger. There is a parallel phenomenon in tarot divination that takes two different paths but eventually arrives at the same place. On-line reading exchanges offer a perfect vantage point for observing this … Continue reading “Cheap Shots” #9: Where’s the Beef?
Astrology is Your Friend
Those who prefer an entirely intuitive, visual approach to reading tarot cards are in the habit of pushing back vehemently against the use of any kind of knowledge-based occult symbolism or esoteric correspondences in their practice. In some cases a certain dismissive elitism is behind this resistance, in others it's simply a matter of being … Continue reading Astrology is Your Friend
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 