AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's time once again for my biennial reading on United States politics with Brian William's PoMo (PostModern) tarot. The focus of this analysis is the upcoming Congressional midterm election The PoMo tarot is my all-time favorite deck for sociopolitical readings because the tone is cynical enough to avoid being fooled by appearances, and … Continue reading The 2026 Congressional Midterm Election: A PoMo Tarot Analysis
cultural-and-social-commentary
Consider the Source: Crafting A Personal Tarot Philosophy
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Near the beginning of Robert Anton Wilson's book Prometheus Rising there is a drawing that shows a man contemplating a model of his private universe at its narrowest cross-section, completely ignorant of the sweeping, sidelong view that would have given him a much broader perspective on its true size. It's as if he's … Continue reading Consider the Source: Crafting A Personal Tarot Philosophy
Beyond the Facts: The Role of Speculation in Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: First a disclaimer. I'm no fan of the word "intuition" as universally applied to tarot reading because I think of it as a "one-size-fits-all" mystical answer-generator that encourages over-reliance on subjective bias, as in "If it feels true it must be true." I'm far too cautious (not to mention too skeptical) to swallow … Continue reading Beyond the Facts: The Role of Speculation in Tarot Reading
Subjective Bias and Objective Transparency in Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've long been a critic of the purely intuitive approach to tarot reading because I think it encourages subjective bias in the narrative, and when in a less charitable mood I've called it "subconscious navel-gazing" with no immediate objective confirmation. It's understandable that, were we to rely entirely on free-association from the images … Continue reading Subjective Bias and Objective Transparency in Tarot Reading
The Maverick Cartomant, Part 4: The Waite-Smith Tarot
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As I recently told one of my online tarot groups, I've saved "the worst for last." When compared to the majority of modern diviners, I'm very far off the beaten path in my dim view of the RWS deck. While the Waite-Smith (RWS) tarot may be the most popular deck in the world, … Continue reading The Maverick Cartomant, Part 4: The Waite-Smith Tarot
An Insurrection Panorama
"Pass the dynamite 'cause the fuse is lit"- from Riot in Cell Block #9 by The CoastersAUTHOR'S NOTE: Here I'm using my favorite sociopolitical deck, Brian Williams' PoMo Tarot, to pose the question "What are the prevailing circumstances for invoking the Insurrection Act in Minnesota?" (I decided that national/international politics and world events are still … Continue reading An Insurrection Panorama
“Squishy” Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Not long ago I came across a post on one of the Facebook pages that railed against the current "state of the art" (if I may dignify it as such) in on-line tarot reading. The relevant part of the rant is worth quoting here: "I know intuition and the client's question/situation will influence … Continue reading “Squishy” Tarot Reading
Death As . . . Well, “Death”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I find it it immensely revealing that, in historical tarot decks like the Tarot de Marseille, the Thirteenth Arcanum ("Death" in our less-superstitious age) was typically left untitled, embracing the principle of sympathetic magic that if we don't name something, we can pretend that it has no power over us. Modern interpretation has … Continue reading Death As . . . Well, “Death”
“Prediction Bias” in Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Lately, online pundits who are pushing a psycho-sociological agenda have been all over the topic of "bias" in human relations: confirmation bias, cognitive bias, affinity bias, attribution bias, conformity bias, gender bias, etc. It has me thinking that maybe tarot needs another label: "prediction bias." There is already a framework for it in … Continue reading “Prediction Bias” in Tarot Reading
The Less-Traveled Byways of Tarot: Knowledge and Inspiration Meet Insight and Wisdom
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Whenever I contemplate the unstructured psychic or purely intuitive approach to tarot reading as currently practiced in "live" settings, on internet platforms and via telephone-hotline "prediction mills," my skeptical nature goes into overdrive. I summon a fanciful vision of a youngish mystical diviner (who is largely untutored and inexperienced in the historical roots … Continue reading The Less-Traveled Byways of Tarot: Knowledge and Inspiration Meet Insight and Wisdom
