AUTHOR'S NOTE: "It's an ill wind that blows no good" is an old proverb that can be interpreted in one of two ways. The pessimist would say "It is indeed an ill wind because it blows no good," while the optimist would observe more provisionally "It would be an ill wind indeed if it were … Continue reading The Suit of Swords: An Ill Wind
Tarot Theory
Tendencies, Trends and Probabilities: Three Modes of Realization in Tarot Prediction
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Before I dive into my subject, I should mention that I no longer use tarot for the purpose of psychological self-awareness and self-development after doing so for the better part of four decades. I decided beginning in 2011 that natal astrology (which I've also done since 1972) is a far better tool for … Continue reading Tendencies, Trends and Probabilities: Three Modes of Realization in Tarot Prediction
A Skeptic’s View of Mystical Pretenders
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was recently accused by someone in the online tarot community of being an elitist gatekeeper when I voiced my doubts about the mystical drivel that too often passes for professional guidance in the social-media marketplace. I'm too thick-skinned to feel the urge to wage war against those who take it upon themselves … Continue reading A Skeptic’s View of Mystical Pretenders
Point/Counterpoint: The Interplay of Cards in a Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Whenever the meaning of the "outcome" card in an online spread analysis is unclear, I expect to encounter advice from the community to "look at the rest of the cards in the reading for the answer." This is wise counsel since no single card operates in a vacuum when accompanied by one or … Continue reading Point/Counterpoint: The Interplay of Cards in a Reading
The AI Assault on the Art of Divination
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I can't quite fathom why anyone would think that the intrusion of AI (artificial intelligence) technology into the art of divination is desirable. Regarding the entire phenomenon, we might well substitute "AI" for "America" in the old Funkadelic album title "America Eats Its Young." I'm disturbed (although I can't say shocked) by the … Continue reading The AI Assault on the Art of Divination
“Tell Me What’s Going to Happen, Percy!”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was just reading an online comment that stated in part "Tarot isn't meant to give you answers (about the future) per se . . . " I looked up the current definition of that phrase, which is "by or in itself; intrinsically." For the purpose of this essay I decided to transmute … Continue reading “Tell Me What’s Going to Happen, Percy!”
Rank Has Its Prerogatives – A Departure from the Norm
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As I understand it, those diviners who use only the 22 trump cards in their readings frequently assign all of the cards equal weight in the same way that Lenormand cards are interpreted. I've also been told by some in Europe that they accord the trumps no more significance than they would any … Continue reading Rank Has Its Prerogatives – A Departure from the Norm
The Middle Way: Finding the “Sweet Spot”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It is often said that, within its range of customary definitions, every tarot card contains all possible shades of positive and negative meaning that will invariably yield a piece of the puzzle when wisely applied to a specific question. The analysis is typically approached as a deductive exercise that first zeros in on … Continue reading The Middle Way: Finding the “Sweet Spot”
A Reversed-Trump Triptych: the Devil, the Tower and Judgement
SUMMARY: I now have over twenty draft essays in my pre-publication queue, and my writing has been so prolific lately that I can't seem to whittle the population down, so I'm going to lump a few of them together when they share a theme. In this composite post the common topic is trump-card reversal shown … Continue reading A Reversed-Trump Triptych: the Devil, the Tower and Judgement
Cards of “Accelerated Circumstances”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In a previous post I explored the cards of the Waite-Smith deck that generally indicate "movement" in the matter at hand. I cast a fairly wide net in assembling that population, but here I'm sharpening the focus to identify only those cards that create a propulsive "push" to get on with business. In … Continue reading Cards of “Accelerated Circumstances”
