The 5 of Coins is the obvious next stop in this series of TdM "thumbnails," showing as it does an interesting departure from the 4 of Coins. Here the encirclement of the central emblem (formerly a shield) has now been completed and, lo and behold, we have another coin (or fruit, or seed) at the … Continue reading A Tarot de Marseille Thumbnail: 5 of Coins
Learning
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
A Tarot de Marseille Thumbnail: 4 of Coins
The 4 of Coins is fascinating in that it is the only one of the Coins pip cards to display a fabricated artifact (other than the coins themselves, which in fact could be seen as fruit or seeds). There is a shield with an abstract central blossom on it separating the two sets of coins … Continue reading A Tarot de Marseille Thumbnail: 4 of Coins
A Tarot de Marseille Thumbnail: 7 of Coins
Here is a kind of "trial balloon" floating some of the ideas I've been talking about in my most recent posts. The image in the Conver 7 of Coins suggests a trellis bearing ripe fruit, some of which have fallen (or are in the act of falling) to the ground. It shows the harvest at … Continue reading A Tarot de Marseille Thumbnail: 7 of Coins
Who Killed Stacey? – A “Whodunit” Rogue’s Gallery Reading
On Mother's Day in 2009, 41-year-old Stacey Burns of Wolfboro, NH was found stabbed to death in her bed; nobody has ever been charged with the crime, although the investigation is still active. I have a special tarot spread for these circumstances, the "Whodunit Rogue's Gallery Spread," and decided to put this case through it … Continue reading Who Killed Stacey? – A “Whodunit” Rogue’s Gallery Reading
Straight, No Chaser: A Project-Management Reading
The old-time whisky drinkers in the crowd will get the hint in my title: taking things "straight" in this situation could be a harsh dram to swallow. We have a landscaping project pending at our new home that was stalled last year because of the early onset of winter. Although our grounds are now dry … Continue reading Straight, No Chaser: A Project-Management Reading
Stiff-necked Scholars, Attend!
Although it's an over-simplification of the truth, I can easily pass for a card-carrying member of the "Stiff-necked Scholars' League" of Lenormand practitioners: I value the historical basis of this cartomantic system above all else, and take a dim view of too much imaginative tinkering with its customary methods. (On the other hand, is there … Continue reading Stiff-necked Scholars, Attend!
What Happened to Adam? – A Missing Person Reading
UPDATE: Adam Camarato was found deceased on the shore of Great Bay in Newington, NH after a three-week search. There was no further information about the cause of death, other than he seemed to be "slightly intoxicated" in surveillance videos the night of his disappearance. No toxicology results had been published as of October 3, … Continue reading What Happened to Adam? – A Missing Person Reading
Elementary, Really
I recently did a Celtic Cross reading that strongly emphasized the importance of elemental qualities in tarot interpretation. I realize that many people don't appreciate or apply esoteric correspondences in their readings, but if there is a single method that should be in every diviner's toolbox, that would be a good grasp of the four … Continue reading Elementary, Really
The Double Jeopardy Rite-of-Passage Spread
Just when it looked like I wasn't going to post today, I've come up with another new spread. We're all familiar with the phrase "you're your own worst enemy," but in this "Age of Empowerment" we don't see it trotted out very often in tarot practice. My impression is that in this particular paradigm it's … Continue reading The Double Jeopardy Rite-of-Passage Spread
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 