AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was recently interpreting the reversed 9 of Wands in a reading, noting that the card when upright is about preserving one's integrity, but that its reversal implies an "erosion of stability" in that regard. This started me thinking about another broad-brush approach to the application of reversal. I've often thought that a … Continue reading Reversals As “Erosion of Stability”
Tarot Techniques
Accentuating the Negative? – Delivering Bad News
"You've got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positiveE-lim-i-nate the negativeLatch on to the affirmativeDon't mess with Mr. In-Between"(from Ac-Cen-Tchu-Ate the Positive by Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters) AUTHOR'S NOTE: This isn't the first time I've addressed this question, but it keeps coming up on the tarot sites: Do you deliver negative readings in an unvarnished way … Continue reading Accentuating the Negative? – Delivering Bad News
Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Card Meaning in Tarot Spreads
AUTHOR'S NOTE: At its finest, reading the tarot cards is a subtle art full of nuance and inflection that can't be shoehorned into a formula (or a TikTok algorithm). Ostensibly, I'm going to talk about the nominal influence of the cards in a spread, both individually and in combination, but I will also get into … Continue reading Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Card Meaning in Tarot Spreads
The “Mystical Month” and the “Practical Month” – A Two-Stage New Moon Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As I prepared to do my monthly New Moon reading at the end of February, I decided to separate it into two complementary halves: a "mystical" path reflected in tarot cards and a "practical" trajectory defined by Lenormand cards. The tarot cards are intended to provide a subliminal or psychic impression of the … Continue reading The “Mystical Month” and the “Practical Month” – A Two-Stage New Moon Reading
The Roads Not Taken (There Can Be Only One)
AUTHORS NOTE: In his famous poem, Robert Frost had two roads to choose from. Here I'm proposing four and using reversals to decide which ones should not be taken in favor of a more promising upright signpost pointing the way. Select a deck that has non-reversible card backs so you can discern orientation without turning … Continue reading The Roads Not Taken (There Can Be Only One)
A “Methodology Checklist” – Technique in a Nutshell
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've written numerous essays on the subject of tarot techniques and methods, usually in the form of criticism aimed at those practices of modern "pop-metaphysics" that I find especially pointless or unfounded. This time I decided to turn it into an exhaustive but simplified "question-and-answer" checklist that lays out my preferred approach and … Continue reading A “Methodology Checklist” – Technique in a Nutshell
What Happened to Glenn? – A “World of Hurt” Missing Person Reading
UPDATE: On March 15, 2025, the body of Glenn Chranz was found in a wooded area roughly two miles due North of the Manchester, NH medical facility where Chranz was last seen alive. Police believe it had been covered in snow (see my "frozen to death" theory in the original text) and thawing conditions exposed … Continue reading What Happened to Glenn? – A “World of Hurt” Missing Person Reading
Reading the Signs: An Astro-Tarot Topical Forecasting Method
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This technique requires a natal horoscope for the querent; an astrological ephemeris for the year in question; and the Golden Dawn's Chaldean wheel of tarot-card correspondences. (See the graphic below). Due to the necessary preparation, it will not be suitable for most walk-in clients. More than one deck will be needed for this … Continue reading Reading the Signs: An Astro-Tarot Topical Forecasting Method
Book, No Book . . . or Pure “Glorp”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: There is endless debate in the online tarot community over whether studying tarot literature is of any value when reading the cards from an entirely intuitive or psychic perspective, or whether it merely impedes fluency. It has come up again on one of the Facebook pages I frequent and, although I've covered it … Continue reading Book, No Book . . . or Pure “Glorp”
Full Moon Reading, February 12, 2025
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I normally do New Moon readings, for which I lay out the eight phases of the upcoming Lunation Cycle with tarot cards. But last night, after seeing the gorgeous moon-rise over the Atlantic Ocean in Daytona Beach, FL (photo inset), I decided to throw together a quick four-card Full Moon spread for the … Continue reading Full Moon Reading, February 12, 2025
