There has been some on-line discussion lately about the Random Number Generators that tarot software apps use to select the cards for a reading. I was resistant to the idea for a long time because it seemed too disconnected from the tactile "feel" of the cards to produce valid results. But eventually I realized that … Continue reading The “Round It Goes” Decision-Making Spread
Rare, Medium or Well-Done: A Timing-Card Experiment
Having made a stab at identifying specific "yes, no or maybe" cards, I decided to try my hand at assigning "fast, slow or moderate" speediness to all of the tarot cards for use in answering timing questions. Although practical success with it has proven spotty, the general consensus is that Fire cards are the most … Continue reading Rare, Medium or Well-Done: A Timing-Card Experiment
“The Nature of the Evidence”
I stole a sub-title from the "Theory of the Tarot" section of Aleister Crowley's Book of Thoth for this post because I'm going to revisit the subject of "how tarot works" based on recent forum discussions (which frankly didn't change my mind on anything, just tweaked it). Premise #1: The tarot cards communicate knowledge of … Continue reading “The Nature of the Evidence”
Mystical Motivations: A Weekly Meditation
This idea has been a long time coming to fruition, but I think I've hit upon a meaningful way to use the handful of oracle decks I currently own. I've commented elsewhere that oracle cards seem more "atmospheric" than pragmatic for the purpose of divination; in sports broadcasting terminology, they are more about the "color … Continue reading Mystical Motivations: A Weekly Meditation
Lunar Month Look-ahead for July 2019
Oops, it seems I completely forgot my intention to use only the minor cards with this spread, and left all of the cards in the Tabula Mundi deck when I shuffled. But I think it came out OK, so no harm done. Note that I use astrologer Dane Rudhyar's "lunation cycle" titles for the Moon's … Continue reading Lunar Month Look-ahead for July 2019
The “Light-and-Shadow” Decision-Making Spread
The "Holy Grail" of decision-making advice is the simple, straightforward "yes-or-no" answer: "Should I or shouldn't I? Will she or won't she? Is it or isn't it?" There are numerous short spreads that strive for this goal; this isn't one of them. It recognizes that every sunny street has a shady side, and a ray … Continue reading The “Light-and-Shadow” Decision-Making Spread
The “Speed-Bump and Pothole” Decision-Making Spread
In New England, one of the "Rites of Spring" when driving is the emergence of frost-heaves and potholes in the roadways, forcing us to slow down and steer a devious course around them. Here is a simple (at least for me) decision-making spread that acknowledges the fact that any course of action can be fraught … Continue reading The “Speed-Bump and Pothole” Decision-Making Spread
Sacred Geometry Cards for the Visionary Path: A Deck Review
First off, I want to say that I bought this deck by accident. I thought I was getting Francene Hart's original Sacred Geometry Oracle deck, which has a "Frieda-Harris-synthetic-projective-geometry" vibe to it, and which I hoped to use in combination with the Thoth deck. That said, my first impression is that this deck has charms … Continue reading Sacred Geometry Cards for the Visionary Path: A Deck Review
The “Flashing Colors” Tarot/Oracle Lemniscate Spread
I haven't created many spreads for use with oracle decks (to be honest, except for Lenormand, exactly none). But I know people love their oracle cards, so here is a spread that is intended to blend your favorite tarot and oracle decks into a single comprehensive overview of any situation. It displayed "flashing colors" on … Continue reading The “Flashing Colors” Tarot/Oracle Lemniscate Spread
2019 Summer Solstice GT: A Tarot Perspective
The Storks card in my annual Summer Solstice GT (see previous post) implied positive changes in the romantic picture (perhaps involving the "Other Woman," although I'm not currently seeking one.) But, since the thrust of the reading pointed in a direction that I won't be actively pursuing, I decided to do a tarot reading to … Continue reading 2019 Summer Solstice GT: A Tarot Perspective