This spread assumes that there are two ways to contemplate the likely success of any endeavor: the "easy way" and the "hard way." It includes a three-card planning stage, a "trigger" card and a choice of paths dictated by the orientation of the trigger card, either upright or reversed. It is necessary to allow reversals … Continue reading The “Fool’s Itinerary” Success Path Spread
Jumping to Conclusions
In a recent conversation I described the art of cartomancy as "inspired guesswork with prompts." Anyone with finely-tuned intuitive sensibilities can do it with a little exposure to the theory and practice behind it, although mastering its nuances is another story. This nonchalance is nowhere more evident than in the curious concept of assigning special … Continue reading Jumping to Conclusions
More Than a Blog, Not Quite a Book
For several years now I've been encouraged by my online forum-mates to compile all of my original 200-plus tarot spreads (most of which are scattered throughout the nearly 1,150 posts of this blog) into a book for public purchase. I did in fact make an attempt to interest a couple of metaphysical publishing houses, to … Continue reading More Than a Blog, Not Quite a Book
The “3-Card a la Carte” Decision-Making Spread
Those of you who follow me know that I'm not a fan of three-card readings. In my opinion they take too narrow a slice of the deck and tell too shallow a story, requiring considerable intuitive guesswork to fill in the gaps in the narrative. I prefer not to work that hard when the information … Continue reading The “3-Card a la Carte” Decision-Making Spread
COVID-19 “Health & Wellness” Reading
Since it appears that we will be avoiding public contact until sometime in May due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I thought I would do a "health and wellness" reading to see what this means for my personal state of physical and mental fitness. I used my "All Well and Good, But . . ." spread … Continue reading COVID-19 “Health & Wellness” Reading
Public vs. Private – A Matter of Ethics
I was recently asked whether the missing-person readings I do were requested by the families or loved ones of the missing individuals; the implication was that I might be flouting ethical standards if I don't first obtain the "green light." I decided when I started exploring them a couple of years ago that, because these … Continue reading Public vs. Private – A Matter of Ethics
The “Elemental Checkpoint” Subject Location Spread
Although I find horary astrology much more effective than tarot for locating misplaced objects or missing people, there is something to be said for using the elemental properties of the minor and court cards as pointers for where to look for the subject of a reading. I built this spread around the suggestions of astrologer … Continue reading The “Elemental Checkpoint” Subject Location Spread
Should I or Shouldn’t I? – A “Measure of the Moment” Reading
After having spent most of the last month in my house, going nowhere but into the back yard, I've been itching to get into the outdoors and do something active. The governor here has been encouraging it, but so many people are following his advice that the parks and trails are crowded, defeating the purpose … Continue reading Should I or Shouldn’t I? – A “Measure of the Moment” Reading
A “Hanged-Man Moment”
I've been immersed lately in one of the more active Facebook tarot pages, where the question of reversed cards comes up with predictable frequency. New readers who don't use them wonder anxiously if they should, while more experienced diviners who do are confident that they are worthwhile (I've been one of the latter for almost … Continue reading A “Hanged-Man Moment”
COVID-19 Peak: A Best-Case/Worst-Case Scenario
With the US government predicting the nationwide impact of the coronavirus pandemic to peak in the next seven to fourteen days, I decided to do a "best-case/worst-case scenario" reading using both the most pessimistic (Night Sun Tarot) and the most optimistic (Chrysalis Tarot) decks I own (if nothing else, the color palette of each tells … Continue reading COVID-19 Peak: A Best-Case/Worst-Case Scenario
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 