Since Aleister Crowley's birthday was October 12, I thought I would run my new "Measure of a Man" (aka "homunculus") spread to see what it might say about him. Of course I used the Thoth deck for this, although the layout got a bit crowded. I didn't apply reversals because, in many ways, Crowley was … Continue reading Aleister Crowley: The “Measure of the Man”
The “Measure of a Man” Personality Profile Spread
Back in my early 20's, before I discovered Monty Python, I was a big fan of the Bonzo Dog Band, the British "novelty" act headed by the brilliant eccentric Vivien Stanshall. They were fond of sticking an occasional non-sequitur into the middle of their album tracks. In one, a band member piped up with "And … Continue reading The “Measure of a Man” Personality Profile Spread
A List Of My Tarot and Lenormand Spreads
NOTE: This list gets out-of-date with alarming frequency since I have to print, scan, edit and import a new set of pages every time I add a spread to my inventory. The Dropbox link at the sidebar location that most likely brought you here is the best way to see the current list. You can … Continue reading A List Of My Tarot and Lenormand Spreads
The Ringmaster Speaks
While digging through on-line interview material looking for videos by Enrique Enriquez, I came across a quote of his that put something into perspective for me. "The first metaphor in tarot happens when we shuffle the tarot. There is a carnivalesque stance in this debasement of hierarchies. I associate this with sabotaging reality. Shuffling the … Continue reading The Ringmaster Speaks
Poetry in Motion
I've been thinking about Enrique Enriquez' imaginative approach to the Tarot de Marseille that aims to turn the cards into "visual poetry," apparently without the intervention of inductive reasoning. (I believe it's intended to be more inventive and inspiring than ordinary free-association, which works rather poorly with the TdM anyway.) It seems to me that, … Continue reading Poetry in Motion
Who Killed Lynne? – A Rogue’s-Gallery “Whodunit” Reading
Lynne Brennan, a 53-year-old Manchester, NH mother of three was found dead in her apartment on October 11, 2010; it was ruled a homicide but no-one has ever been charged with her murder, and no further details were released by police. https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-unsolved-case-file-lynne-brennan/23480932 I applied my "Rogue's Gallery" spread to this cold case to see what … Continue reading Who Killed Lynne? – A Rogue’s-Gallery “Whodunit” Reading
The Skinny End
We've all seen the Hollywood version of the investigative psychic: the brow furrowed in concentration, the eyes squeezed shut, the hands to the temples, proclaiming "I think I see the letter 'B' . . ." One thing I've learned during my pursuit of missing-person situations is that the number of unsolved homicides far outweighs incidents … Continue reading The Skinny End
“It’s Good to Be the King!*” – A “Match Game” Example Reading
This is a hypothetical reading using my "Match Game" Relationship Dynamic Spread. It portrays an old-fashioned patriarchal (that is, "male-dominant") marital relationship; at my age I've seen plenty of those going back to the 1950s. Essentially, the man calls all the shots and the woman pretty much sucks up whatever he deals out. (I might … Continue reading “It’s Good to Be the King!*” – A “Match Game” Example Reading
“A Match Made In . . .”
a) Heaven (Your Wildest Dreams) b) Hell (Your Worst Nightmares) c) "The back seat of a '60 Chevy"* This morning I read an article titled "12 Signs You May be Headed for Divorce," which inspired me to create this spread for those who may be agonizing over the state of their relationship and are looking … Continue reading “A Match Made In . . .”
On-Line Reading: An Appreciation
I've now had several on-line clients since I posted my "Open for Business" article, and I must say that the practice of having them pull their own cards while concentrating on their question or topic area has been working out exceptionally well. My assumption has always been that if our subconscious has something to tell … Continue reading On-Line Reading: An Appreciation