Ted Striker (Robert Hayes): "Surely you can't be serious."Dr. Rumack (Leslie Nielsen): "I am serious . . . and don't call me Shirley."- from the movie Airplane! AUTHOR'S NOTE: After many years away from it, I'm now re-reading The Kybalion, a learned text on esoteric philosophy. In one of the early lessons the author insists … Continue reading The Diviner as Middleman – Sharing the Burden of Proof
Professional Tarot
“Do You Believe in <Pick One>?”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm not entirely sure what motivates them beyond an opportunity for mindless chatting (which is never in short supply online), but I often see people asking in the global occult community "Do you believe in <tarot, astrology, magic, astral travel, mediumship, etc>?" Giving them the benefit of the doubt, maybe they experienced an … Continue reading “Do You Believe in <Pick One>?”
The “Liberating” Tarot and the “Locksmith’s” Portion
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In Tarot Currents, Paul Hughes-Barlow recently observed that the true aim of tarot reading is not solely the telling of fortunes but rather the delivery of relief from suffering and liberation from a feeling of entrapment. In Paul's words: "The proper use of TARO is not simply to predict events. Its purpose is … Continue reading The “Liberating” Tarot and the “Locksmith’s” Portion
‘Tis O’er the Hills and Far Away: Clairvoyance as a Hedge Against Cold Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: First a disclosure. Ever since the day I returned to public tarot reading in 2011, I've been a vocal critic of remote divination in general, and especially of that offered by online practitioners in the form of "psychism-with-props" (cartomantic clairvoyance or precognition). But here I'm approaching it a bit differently, beginning in the … Continue reading ‘Tis O’er the Hills and Far Away: Clairvoyance as a Hedge Against Cold Reading
Is “Might” Safer Than “Must?” – Thoughts on Risky Predictions
". . . does precognition perceive the actual future, the one that must occur, or does it perceive a probable future, a future that might occur? And how can we tell which is a better explanation?"- from Real Magic by Dean Radin AUTHOR'S NOTE: When I read the cards for another person, I typically avoid … Continue reading Is “Might” Safer Than “Must?” – Thoughts on Risky Predictions
The Problem of Replication in Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm not a scientist by education or profession, but my understanding of the cardinal rule for any scientific experiment is that, to be accepted as legitimate, the conclusions must be reproducible (i.e. "replicable") with a high degree of confidence via later independent trials, ideally at an unaffiliated laboratory. I'm also not an occult … Continue reading The Problem of Replication in Tarot Reading
Programmed to Receive: Psychism and “Blind Faith”
"Relax," said the night man. "We are programmed to receive."- from Hotel California by The Eagles AUTHOR'S NOTE: In Real Magic, his fascinating and - for this metaphysical maverick - highly influential 2018 book, parapsychologist Dean Radin mentions that in common discourse the tenets of psionics (including psychism) are subsumed under the neologism psi (pronounced … Continue reading Programmed to Receive: Psychism and “Blind Faith”
Logic and Imagination: The Twin Pillars of Secular Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I just rejoined the r/SecularTarot sub-reddit feed, and another member asked how the secular diviner reads the cards without mystical input. Lately I've been thinking of myself more as a "rational" reader than a "spiritual" or "psychological" one, so in answer to this request I decided to summarize where I've landed since I … Continue reading Logic and Imagination: The Twin Pillars of Secular Tarot Reading
The Anecdotal Angle in Divination
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The reliability of highly speculative forms of divination like cartomancy is an open question that is normally approached from an anecdotal angle. Did the querent experience the outcome exactly as described in the forecast? A more empirical viewpoint would seek to quantify the results based on more than just subjective perception, perhaps along … Continue reading The Anecdotal Angle in Divination
“Three Sizes Too Small:” My RWS Apostasy
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've worked with the Thoth deck for over 50 years because I think it cuts much deeper than the rest. I'm also fond of the Tarot de Marseille (TdM) and the Lenormand cards, and I'm chipping away at playing-card divination, the I Ching and geomancy. The Waite-Smith (RWS) deck is far down in … Continue reading “Three Sizes Too Small:” My RWS Apostasy
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 