I've used the Thoth deck with the Liber T: Tarot of Stars Eternal in two-deck readings for some time, but it never occurred to me to size them up using my "Friend or Foe" deck comparison spread. The Liber T is an almost worshipful rendering of the Crowley/Harris Thoth - at least in the Major … Continue reading The Thoth and the Liber T: A Deck Comparison
Esoteric
The “Be All You Can Be” Archetype Alignment Spread
There was an old recruitment slogan used by the U.S. Army for over 20 years that went "Be All You Can Be." I poached this phrase to reflect aspiration to the universal human ideals captured in the first four numbered trump cards of the tarot as Fire (Emperor/Mars), Water (High Priestess/Moon), Air (Magician/Mercury) and Earth … Continue reading The “Be All You Can Be” Archetype Alignment Spread
The Stairway from Heaven
Much has been said about the lack of a coherent traditional system for interpreting the minor - or "pip" - cards of historical tarot decks (which, after all, were never intended for divination). The scenic minor cards of the Waite-Smith deck are basically an imaginative "work-around" designed to squeeze meaning out of these inscrutable icons … Continue reading The Stairway from Heaven
A Table of Mirrors
If you've read my previous posts on the subject of "mirror cards," you'll know what I'm up to here. Using the astrological assignments for the cards of the tarot developed by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, I've assembled a set of corresponding card pairs (astrologically derived counterparts) for the entire deck. In the … Continue reading A Table of Mirrors
A “Melting Pot” Example Reading
There has been some interest in seeing how this spread works in action, so I decided to do an example reading with it. The question involves a planned relocation to the other side of the State to be near family members, and one of the options we're considering is moving into a town that has … Continue reading A “Melting Pot” Example Reading
The “Melting Pot” Decision-Making Spread
New ideas for this blog are starting to stack up; I created this spread a couple of days ago but have been trying to limit myself to one new post a day. I really should write a book (as many people have been encouraging me to do), but the "bite-size" scope of these blog posts … Continue reading The “Melting Pot” Decision-Making Spread
The “Marchetti Mash-up” 3-Deck Interview
This is an example reading for the "Three-Deck Triathlon" spread I posted yesterday. It is my first use of the spread, so I will be learning as I go along. I don't use reversals in deck interview readings. Note that, although I don't think tarot decks have "personalities," speaking of them as if they do … Continue reading The “Marchetti Mash-up” 3-Deck Interview
A Summer Solstice Processional Spread
New Year's Day is basically a meaningless date for me. My annual cycle begins on the Summer Solstice, which happens to be my birthday. This month marks the end of my 70th trip around the Sun, so I decided to create a new solstice spread to mark the occasion. I figured seven cards (one for … Continue reading A Summer Solstice Processional Spread
Involution vs. Evolution
As I continued to look for subtle patterns in the multi-faceted relationship between the cards of the Minor Arcana, I began thinking about the flow of elemental energy on the qabalistic Tree of Life. In the most commonly applied model, that flow follows the top-to-bottom Path of the Lightning Flash or Flaming Sword, with the … Continue reading Involution vs. Evolution
The Pages and the Priestess: Acolytes of the Mysteries
I've always felt that the lowly Pages have more to them than conventional wisdom assumes. They are often described as youthful students or apprentices of either sex who have yet to attain mastery of their element, and are therefore of marginal potency in the hierarchy of the tarot court. Their function has sometimes been limited … Continue reading The Pages and the Priestess: Acolytes of the Mysteries
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 