I'll clarify my terms before starting. "Fabulism" denotes the placement of fantastical elements into an everyday setting; "impressionism" refers to allusions based on subjective reactions, often loosely-stated. As an example, this distinction aptly displays the difference between the Waite-Smith 7 of Cups, which could best be described as moodily phantasmagorical, and the same card in … Continue reading Tarot Symbolism in Divination: Fabulism or Impressionism?
Tarot Techniques
The”Holistic Well-Being” Example Reading: A Personal Wellness Blueprint
I originally created an example reading based on an existing medical crisis (not mine) but caught myself trying to massage the meaning of the cards to fit the circumstances, so I scrapped it and started over. This time I strove to come up with a personal "wellness blueprint" capturing my present and future state of … Continue reading The”Holistic Well-Being” Example Reading: A Personal Wellness Blueprint
The Tarot Professional’s Dilemma
Along with much of the professional tarot community, I've been shut out of the local face-to-face market by Covid-19, Delta, Omnicron, et al, and have moved tentatively into online consulting, which I'm more than a little lukewarm about since my firm belief is that a tarot reading should be an interactive event, a dialogue rather … Continue reading The Tarot Professional’s Dilemma
A “Yin-and-Yang” Holistic Well-Being Spread
I'm always seeking ethically sound (not to mention legal) ways to approach health questions, and lean toward a holistic - or "whole-health" - model rather than trying to literally "play doctor" in a narrow diagnostic way. I know next to nothing about Chinese medicine, but thought I would apply my recent contemplation of the Tajii … Continue reading A “Yin-and-Yang” Holistic Well-Being Spread
An “Affirmation and Negation” Life-Path Example Reading
To test this spread and its associated table, I performed an example reading using the Retro Thoth deck. I've been contemplating a business venture as a tarot reader for corporate management, so I chose the Knight of Wands as the "Heart of the Matter." On the "Affirmation" side of the spread, the Ace of Swords … Continue reading An “Affirmation and Negation” Life-Path Example Reading
The Power of Yes and No
I continue to draw valuable insights from The Tao of Thoth. Most recently, the author described "negation" as often being a more appropriate response to circumstances than "affirmation." The observation seems to be rooted in the martial-arts principle that negating (refusing) an opponent's aggressive opening can be a more productive counter-move than directly exerting the … Continue reading The Power of Yes and No
Intuition as “Awareness Practice”
I recently came across a fascinating passage in The Tao of Thoth that perfectly captures my quarrel with the widely-held belief that intuitive tarot reading unsupported by study is the optimum way to practice the art. (The author's martial-arts context here is that of looking for openings to exploit in an adversary's defense while at … Continue reading Intuition as “Awareness Practice”
Contemplate the Edges
Here is an ancient adage that we all know well: "There are two sides to every coin." But in my ongoing reading of The Tao of Thoth I was intrigued by the notion that it might be more fruitful to contemplate the edge of the coin that simultaneously divides and unites the obverse and reverse … Continue reading Contemplate the Edges
A “Yin-and-Yang” Seasonal Pattern
As I continue to explore the Taijii ("Yin/Yang") symbol in combination with the Major Arcana of the tarot, I downloaded an image and inserted the semi-annual solstices and equinoxes to create a four-season cyclical pattern showing the interplay between the dark of Yin and the light of Yang over the course of a year. I … Continue reading A “Yin-and-Yang” Seasonal Pattern
“Tao Jones and the Wages of Yin”
Copyright U.S. Games Systems, Stamford, CT Forgive my weakness for loopy "pop-culture" titles, but this one comes from a serious place. As I previously mentioned, I'm reading a fine book titled The Tao of Thoth and went online to look for an image of the Taijii ("Yin-Yang") symbol. I came up with one that showed … Continue reading “Tao Jones and the Wages of Yin”
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 