I recently received a request to do a professional tarot reading that spanned up to a two-year period. I thought long and hard about attempting it, but ultimately decided that it wouldn't be prudent, primarily because the topic was "personal life" circumstances, which can often be a euphemism for relationship matters, and situations involving other … Continue reading The Practicality of Long-Range Readings
Tarot Theory
Bridging the Gap Between Magic and Meaning
You will often hear me say that, at least in my own work, divination is a subliminal process rooted in the unconscious (or, if you like, "Higher Self") that relies heavily on imagination, inspiration and ingenuity to tease practical messages from evocative symbolism that is typically shrouded in rather obscure "magical" imagery. In the best … Continue reading Bridging the Gap Between Magic and Meaning
A “Root-to-Fruit” Psychological Profile Reading
Since I have no suitable client readings in the queue, I decided to test this spread on myself, asking the question "Who am I at this point in my life?" I used the Waite-Smith Centennial Pocket Edition with reversals, and drew the court-card Significator randomly. All images copyright U.S. Games Systems, Stamford, CT The King … Continue reading A “Root-to-Fruit” Psychological Profile Reading
The “Root-to-Fruit” Psychological Profile Spread
Most of you know that I'm skeptical of using tarot for psychological profiling purposes, especially the "mind-reading" variety aimed at furnishing answers to "thinks-and-feels" questions that are driven by either wishful thinking or idle curiosity. Querent: "What does 'X' think/feel about me?" (i.e. "Does 'X' like me?"). Me (looking at cards): "Hmm, maybe 'X' isn't … Continue reading The “Root-to-Fruit” Psychological Profile Spread
Random Numbers: An Alternate Approach to Remote Reading
As I've mentioned before, when approached to do remote readings I prefer to have clients pull their own cards and e-mail me a list in the order drawn. Shuffling and cutting the cards myself for a distant sitter can introduce subconscious "reader's bias" and potentially hijack the focus of the reading. I believe that reading … Continue reading Random Numbers: An Alternate Approach to Remote Reading
“Mixed-Media” Reading
"Mixed-media" technique is a concept usually limited to the visual arts; a good example would be combining paste-up photo-collage and manual deposition of some kind (brush, pen, pencil, crayon, stick, etc.) to create an integrated and aesthetically pleasing image. (Before anyone asks, presentation technology often relies on "multi-media" delivery, a different animal.) I'll get to … Continue reading “Mixed-Media” Reading
Enlightened Folly?
More musings on "how tarot works," with a new twist or two (but I will spare you a few of my overused personal aphorisms and axiomatic bromides). I've long believed that the Age of Enlightenment (aka the Age of Reason) that arose out of Renaissance "humanism" between the 17th and early 19th Centuries did more … Continue reading Enlightened Folly?
The “Hopscotch” Multi-Tier Situational Awareness Spread
As is most likely apparent, I enjoy spreads that take unexpected twists and turns at some point in their journey from question to answer. This one uses reversed cards to change the direction of the flow from a typically linear, left-to-right model to a more complex, multi-tiered affair that can descend into situational ambiguity as … Continue reading The “Hopscotch” Multi-Tier Situational Awareness Spread
High-Focus Cards: An Input/Output Model
Yesterday while performing a reading I was struck by the notion that certain cards literally stand out from the pack as "high-focus" since they are symbolically replete and subject to little or no modulation in their expression. My immediate examples were the Aces, which are undivided and uncomplicated in behavior and purpose; they make a … Continue reading High-Focus Cards: An Input/Output Model
“How Long, How Long”
In 1928, Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell recorded one of the first blues "standards," How Long Blues, with the lyrics: "Heard the whistle blowin', couldn't see no train Way down in my heart, I had an achin' pain How long, how long, baby how long" What, you're asking, does this random piece of music history … Continue reading “How Long, How Long”
