It appears from the on-line conversations I've been following that there are two distinct chains of archetypal descent in the tarot. One of them - the older one - is culturally-specific, symbolizing conventions that were widely understood and accepted during the pre-Enlightenment era when they were first captured in the trump cards. Their appeal to … Continue reading Archetype, Archetype, Who’s Got the Archetype?
Culture
Donald Trump’s “Quintessence” Profile
These days everyone is a pop psychologist. In the minds of the culturally over-stimulated, every egotistical high-achiever who exhibits the slightest lack of empathy is labeled a "narcissist," and any borderline misfit who ever harbors a dark thought is automatically branded a "sociopath." The fact that few of these assumptions would satisfy the medical definition … Continue reading Donald Trump’s “Quintessence” Profile
Big Fish, Little Fish, Old Fish, New Fish
Not long ago, after I was published for the second or third time in The Cartomancer and had made a few appearances in the American Tarot Association's monthly and quarterly publications, while at the same time seeing my professional reading career display tiny sparks of life (so what has changed?), my sister-in-law said to me … Continue reading Big Fish, Little Fish, Old Fish, New Fish
“Why-Cuz”
When my niece was young she pestered my sister with so many "Why"questions that her mother began simply answering "cuz" (as in "because I say so"). Eventually the youngster started automatically prefacing her questions with "Why-cuz," skipping the dialogue and answering herself. But this post isn't about cute family history; I have a bigger fish … Continue reading “Why-Cuz”
Archetypes, Alpha-Types and Stereotypes
Warning: I'm going to be politically obtuse here and talk about gender, as in demographics, because at the purely biological level (barring surgical intervention), it is what it is. For the record, I'm an Old White Male (but not quite the "Bernie Sanders of the Tarot" yet), married to the same woman for 40 years … Continue reading Archetypes, Alpha-Types and Stereotypes
Bursting the Bubble
The bubble I'm talking about isn't the thin membrane of false assumptions and wishful thinking that begs to be pierced by way of earnest but unsolicited advice ("I hate to burst your bubble, but . . .), it's the veil of semi-secrecy that many of us as diviners operate behind for most of our days. … Continue reading Bursting the Bubble
A Road Less Traveled
I've written on this topic before, but have since gained a number of fresh insights and decided that it's time for an update. My impression of modern English-speaking tarot culture is that casually curious beginners pick up one of the "easy tarot" kits (a deck and companion book such as those by Rosalind Simmons or … Continue reading A Road Less Traveled
The Mountain
In 1967, Donovan Leitch recorded a song titled "There Is A Mountain" that reflects at least obliquely on the philosophical detours (and occasional dead-ends) we encounter when attempting to abstract the objective nature of reality to suit our personal belief system. It features the refrain "First there is a mountain, then there is no mountain, … Continue reading The Mountain
Donald Trump’s 2020 “Electability Profile” Reading
Since he isn't likely to face a Republican challenger for the Party's nomination, I decided to focus this reading on Trump's chances to win re-election as shown by his current credibility with the same constituencies I used for the Democratic candidates. In broad terms, none of this looks very promising for Mr. Trump, although he … Continue reading Donald Trump’s 2020 “Electability Profile” Reading
Kirsten Gillibrand’s 2020 “Candidate’s Profile” Reading
Sometimes the tarot is so precise it's uncanny. Gillibrand has built her campaign around a number of women's rights issues, and has made a point of identifying herself as a mom. Wouldn't you know that the Empress - the card signifying the Archetypal Mother - appeared twice in the quintessence section, and the Moon - … Continue reading Kirsten Gillibrand’s 2020 “Candidate’s Profile” Reading
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 