We've all heard of the expression "It's my way or the highway!" as the take-it-or-leave-it crowing of someone who holds the upper hand in a disagreement and is rubbing the other person's nose in it. I decided to use that concept in a conflict-resolution spread in which dice and cards are consulted to indicate whether … Continue reading “My Way, Your Way or the Highway” Conflict-Resolution Spread
Tarot Techniques
“Thinking Man’s Tarot”
If you listen carefully, you might hear John Wayne saying "Those're fightin' words, pilgrim!" But I'm not attacking anyone here; consider this an op-ed with a curmudgeonly observation or two (or six). Take it as you will. It goes without saying that I'm generally at odds with those who believe tarot reading thrives only on … Continue reading “Thinking Man’s Tarot”
“Pleasure with Pain for Leaven:” Blended Satisfaction
I've often pondered what Macgregor Mathers intended by the description "blended pleasure" as a pejorative for the emotional state shown in the 4 of Cups. I had to stop and think "Blended with what, and to what end?" The purpose of blending two things is usually to improve the quality of one or both of … Continue reading “Pleasure with Pain for Leaven:” Blended Satisfaction
Think Once, Then Stop Thinking
There seems to be endless online debate over the proper methodology for laying out the cards. It ranges from "Just do it!" with no planned sequence to carefully orchestrating the pull for maximum coherence. To those who profess to using no prescribed technique, I would ask "Not even self-prescribed?" I would argue that "no method" … Continue reading Think Once, Then Stop Thinking
Medicine Man or Wizard?
Why do people seek out a tarot reader? Arguably, a minority are those who are merely curious about something they may have heard from friends and who have the time and money to spend on indulging themselves; or they might happen upon a street reader and impulsively decide to "take the plunge." Among them are … Continue reading Medicine Man or Wizard?
The “One-Act Play” Example Reading: A Three-Way Conflict
I decided to test this spread on a hypothetical scenario in which three individuals are engaged in a disagreement. To do this I randomly pulled three court cards for the middle position instead of one. I used the magnificent Golden Art Nouveau Tarot with reversals. The situation assumes that two junior individuals are up against … Continue reading The “One-Act Play” Example Reading: A Three-Way Conflict
The “Life’s One-Act Play” Situational Awareness Spread
A long time ago there was a song by British blues band Savoy Brown titled "Life's One-Act Play." It struck my as a perfect idea for a small spread that shows the outcome of a single "act" or "scene" in the life of the seeker. It is a three-carder at heart, with an additional summary … Continue reading The “Life’s One-Act Play” Situational Awareness Spread
The Eyes Have It (The Nose Follows)
While reading Jonathan Dee's Fortune Telling Using Playing Cards, I came across a face-to-face reading technique that hadn't occurred to me before. I seldom look closely at my clients before or during a session because I want to avoid the impression that I'm "cold-reading" them to gather clues that I can then pretend I got … Continue reading The Eyes Have It (The Nose Follows)
A “5:30” Situational Development Example Reading
To test this spread, I chose as my topic the current status of a long-running initiative involving the sale of property. A non-local couple expressed an interest in buying some land early last year in order to be close to relatives when they visit, but a number of obstacles have intervened to prevent it from … Continue reading A “5:30” Situational Development Example Reading
The “5:30” Mixed-Media Situational Development Spread
One weakness of the traditional method of drawing from the top of the deck is that it leaves a large majority of the cards out of the running for selection. Although I trust the shuffle to bring the "right" cards to the top, I'm always looking for ways to enhance the credibility of the process. … Continue reading The “5:30” Mixed-Media Situational Development Spread
