AUTHOR'S NOTE: While following an r/occult sub-reddit thread, I came across the concept of "excess importance." Here is the technical definition: "Excess importance is a concept from Vadim Zeland's Reality Transurfing that refers to overvaluing a person, object, or goal, which creates 'excess potential' (unbalanced energy). It manifests as desperation, fear, or obsession, often leading … Continue reading “Excess Importance” and Zero-Sum Tarot Reading
Tarot Techniques
Subjective Bias and Objective Transparency in Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've long been a critic of the purely intuitive approach to tarot reading because I think it encourages subjective bias in the narrative, and when in a less charitable mood I've called it "subconscious navel-gazing" with no immediate objective confirmation. It's understandable that, were we to rely entirely on free-association from the images … Continue reading Subjective Bias and Objective Transparency in Tarot Reading
The Water of Cups and the Contortions of Love
AUTHOR'S NOTE: There seems to be a common misapprehension that the suit of Cups and the element of Water are predominantly about "love" rather than simply referring to the emotional aspects of a tarot reading in general. Asking about a prospective liaison doesn't guarantee receiving an answer in that vein if it isn't "in the … Continue reading The Water of Cups and the Contortions of Love
“Releasing” Positions and “Charging” Cards: Friction or Stimulation?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: While reading Roger Horne's Cartomancy in Folk Witchcraft, I encountered the curious notion that difficult positions in a spread should be viewed as "releasing" their influence, whether harmlessly banishing it or unleashing it with prejudice on the seeker I can't say since there was no explanatory text at that point in the book … Continue reading “Releasing” Positions and “Charging” Cards: Friction or Stimulation?
Somebody Wants Something: The Single-Minded Focus of the Court or “Face” Cards
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I just set aside the two uninspiring tarot books I've been reading and went looking for a volume on playing-card divination. A member of the online cartomancy community recommended Roger Horne's Cartomancy in Folk Witchcraft, and I was able to buy it on Kindle for a small sum. His writing style is a … Continue reading Somebody Wants Something: The Single-Minded Focus of the Court or “Face” Cards
Pattern-Recognition and Meaning-Making: Unlikely Twins of An Indifferent Mother
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The above title was adapted from the Dan Fogelberg-Tim Weisberg recording Twin Sons of Different Mothers, but the inspiration for this essay came from Joe Monteleone's Tarot Mysticism: The Psycho-Spiritual Technology of the Thoth Tarot. In his discussion of the second tarot trump (the Magus/Magician/Bateleur), Monteleone observed that this card symbolizes human consciousness … Continue reading Pattern-Recognition and Meaning-Making: Unlikely Twins of An Indifferent Mother
What Happened to Nancy? – A Pair of Missing-Person Readings
AUTHOR'S NOTE:I was recently asked by a magazine publisher whether I had already performed a missing-person reading for Nancy Guthrie. That prompted me to catch up to the case with my "Train to Nowhere" exploratory spread, which is a 13x6-card array that employs all 78 cards. I chose the Queen of Wands as the Significator … Continue reading What Happened to Nancy? – A Pair of Missing-Person Readings
The “Detours and Dead-Ends” Mid-Course Correction Spread
AUTHORS NOTE: Not every journey goes smoothly. Mid-course corrections are often necessary to continue making progress toward the destination after running into roadblocks. Some - like potholes in the road - can be "toughed out" and overridden, while other require a more roundabout approach. Here is a spread that follows a developmental arc from beginning … Continue reading The “Detours and Dead-Ends” Mid-Course Correction Spread
Attention-Driven Prediction: When Reason “Bumps” Instinct*
*Bump: To nudge; to prod; to goad; to incite; to spur, to urge; to provoke; to propel; to exhort (as in a persuasive appeal to follow a course of action). AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is another take-away from my ongoing reading of Joe Monteleone's Tarot Mysticism: The Psycho-Spiritual Technology of the Thoth Tarot. I'm convinced that … Continue reading Attention-Driven Prediction: When Reason “Bumps” Instinct*
“Where Is Dan?” A Trio of Missing-Person Readings
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Although there is little background information online other than a police-department request for community assistance, Dan Jones (apparently of Alexandria, NH) has been missing since December 1, 2025 in increasingly frigid weather. I performed a horary astrology reading followed by two tarot readings to see what I might learn about his current situation. … Continue reading “Where Is Dan?” A Trio of Missing-Person Readings
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 