I'm intrigued by surprise endings in tarot readings, which I usually achieve through face-down "hidden" cards. But here is a spread that uses the successive "facing" of the randomly-drawn cards to offer the possibility of a "twist" or emphatic bend in the flow of the narrative. This spread requires the use of reversals to populate … Continue reading The 3-Card “Twist” Advice Spread
Process & Methodology
The “Morpheus Effect” Dream Message Spread
I sometimes encounter interest in a dream-analysis spread but never created one specifically for that purpose. However, the effect of dreams on waking life might be considered similar to the impact of past-life experiences on present-life circumstances, and I do have a couple of those. I tweaked one to make it work for dream scenarios. … Continue reading The “Morpheus Effect” Dream Message Spread
The Thrill of the Chase
There is an old aphorism that any activity worth pursuing is "more about experiencing the journey than about reaching the destination." In other words, the things you learn along the way are often more valuable than what you find at the end of the road. This truth is abundantly obvious in the art of tarot … Continue reading The Thrill of the Chase
A Duty of Honesty
The question sometimes comes up regarding whether a diviner has a professional duty to be brutally honest in making predictions for paying clients, or whether a little leeway should be allowed in the interest of human kindness. I believe there are a couple of different scenarios where this consideration arises. Obviously, in cases involving sensitive … Continue reading A Duty of Honesty
Half-Steps and Stepping Stones
I believe it was Paul Fenton-Smith, in his book Tarot Masterclass, who first introduced me to the idea that reversed cards represent unfinished business from the previous card in the sequence. Thus, if you get the 5 of Pentacles reversed, you still have accounts to settle with the 4 of Pentacles before the Five will … Continue reading Half-Steps and Stepping Stones
The “Good Days/Bad Days” Mixed-Media Weekly Forecast Spread
When I run out of metaphysical grist for my editorial mill I turn to spread creation. Here is another of my "mixed-media" layouts that uses dice and cards. The idea is to craft a seven-day weekly forecast out of fourteen face-down cards by using the even or odd number of face-up spots in a single … Continue reading The “Good Days/Bad Days” Mixed-Media Weekly Forecast Spread
Lunar Month Look-ahead for May-June, 2020
Here is my monthly lunar forecast for May-June of 2020. This spread is designed around astrologer Dane Rudhyar’s eight-phase “lunation cycle,” during which each sub-phase lasts approximately 3.5 days. I used the Moon Phase Calendar website to easily identify the approximate dates of the phase changes. I always use reversals with this spread. The deck … Continue reading Lunar Month Look-ahead for May-June, 2020
Psychometric Card Selection
The extrasensory technique known as psychometry assumes that an object has an energy field that can transfer knowledge, such that holding an item in your hand (or in this case holding your hand over it) will convey information associated with its history that may be relevant to present and future circumstances. In reading about an … Continue reading Psychometric Card Selection
A “Rotational Bias” Mixed-Media Decision-Making Spread
Here is another "mixed-media" spread, in this case using a coin-flip to determine the direction in which to deal and read the cards. It requires pulling "clockwise" cards from the top of the deck and "counter-clockwise" cards from the bottom. Reversals may be used with this spread.
A Case for Positional Spreads
I'm more than a little bemused by people who say that using formal tarot spreads "inhibits their intuition." Seems to me they're too easily diverted from their goal by undue sensitivity to the mechanics of the art; a spread is nothing more than a convenient template that offers a reasonable place to start, like an … Continue reading A Case for Positional Spreads
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 