AUTHOR'S NOTE: In its 64 oracular "judgments," the I Ching makes frequent use of the recommendation "Auspicious to proceed" when an augury is favorable and substitutes "No blame" when it may not be entirely agreeable but is still unlikely to cause harm. Here I'm using these concepts in a three-pronged tarot spread that applies typical … Continue reading “Auspicious to Proceed” – A Gambler’s Choice Spread
Coming and Going: A Dual-Spiral “Reversal of Fortune” Method
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is an ambitious concept aimed at addressing the premise that, according to Dr. James Wanless, "There are no bad cards, only opportunities." (Conversely, there are no entirely good cards, only fortuitous hints.) After choosing a card to represent the goal of the reading, I'm using the same four randomly-drawn cards to show … Continue reading Coming and Going: A Dual-Spiral “Reversal of Fortune” Method
The Joint-and-Several “Relationship Fishbone” Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The "fishbone" of the title refers to the Ishikawa (aka "fishbone") diagram that is sometimes used in manufacturing problem-solving to pin down the various causes that led to an off-normal condition (typically called "root-cause analysis"). All of the inputs are streamed diagonally into a main stem that, when fully populated, resembles the skeleton … Continue reading The Joint-and-Several “Relationship Fishbone” Spread
The “Fog Cutter” – A Tarot Disambiguation Technique
"Now when the day goes to sleep and the full moon looks/ And the night is so black that the darkness cooks" - from The Green Manalishi by Peter Green AUTHOR'S NOTE: My allusion in the title is to the potent, three-liquor "Tiki" cocktail that, in sufficient volume, will do anything but "cut the fog" … Continue reading The “Fog Cutter” – A Tarot Disambiguation Technique
That Devil Moon – “Flying Under the Radar”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The unforeseen ways by which syncretic alignment between ideas can enter metaphysical thought are truly remarkable. Human beings are conceptual pattern-makers who are always trying to draw parallels where no obvious convergence exists, and the subtle arts are no exception. I've acquired many fortuitous insights for presentation in this blog while engaging in … Continue reading That Devil Moon – “Flying Under the Radar”
Counting-and-Pairing: A Worthwhile Exercise
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In the "Opening of the Key" (OotK) method of divination presented in the tarot "knowledge papers" of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (compiled as Liber T), there are several occasions where a group of cards is to be counted out from the Significator in the direction it is facing, each series … Continue reading Counting-and-Pairing: A Worthwhile Exercise
“Hold Him While I Hit Him” – A Summary-Justice* Spread
*Summary Justice: "A . . . judicial action accomplished swiftly and without observance of certain formalities of legal procedure, with the connotation of arbitrary and unfair judgment." (If you've been unjustly harmed in a lopsided conflict and are seeking the advice of the tarot, you can ignore that last part and [like "Judge" Roy Bean, … Continue reading “Hold Him While I Hit Him” – A Summary-Justice* Spread
“The Carrot and the Stick” – A French Cross Variation
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In this spread I'm using the French Cross (tirage en croix) as the template for a tarot-based exploration of I Ching Hexagram 35 (Jin; Advancement), with its emphasis on loyalty and generosity as the keys to progress. I've tinkered with the position meanings but have left the structure largely intact. Note that all … Continue reading “The Carrot and the Stick” – A French Cross Variation
Just Walk Away: A Mixed-Media Situational Awareness Spread and Example Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: This time around I'm bringing three different forms of divination together for a single inquiry: tarot, Lenormand and numerology (as expressed by standard dice). To establish some visual continuity, I'm using the Waite-Smith Centennial Edition with artwork by Pamela Colman Smith and Pixie's Astounding Lenormand by Edmund Zebrowski with artwork inspired by Pamela … Continue reading Just Walk Away: A Mixed-Media Situational Awareness Spread and Example Reading
Reversal As Misapprehension: Blind to the Obvious
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The oracular commentary for Hexagram 20 (Observation) of the I Ching includes the advice "Sometimes it is not the judgement that needs observation, but the judge." I occasionally find that, rather than obliquely illuminating the matter itself, a reversed card in a reading will throw the spotlight back on the querent's mistaken view … Continue reading Reversal As Misapprehension: Blind to the Obvious
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 