AUTHOR'S NOTE: Between the ages of 18 and 30, I lived through the 12-year period that saw the hippie zeitgeist reach its brief zenith and then fade. It was a heady time of boundless "New Age" enthusiasm for all things exotic in the realm of metaphysics, as well as the burgeoning of unique psychological and … Continue reading The Mystical Tide: Rising or Falling?
Spirituality
Subjective Bias and Objective Transparency in Tarot Reading
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've long been a critic of the purely intuitive approach to tarot reading because I think it encourages subjective bias in the narrative, and when in a less charitable mood I've called it "subconscious navel-gazing" with no immediate objective confirmation. It's understandable that, were we to rely entirely on free-association from the images … Continue reading Subjective Bias and Objective Transparency in Tarot Reading
A Foot Soldier in the “Light” Brigade
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Not long ago I started following an online conversation about Israel Regardie's development of the material for his first volume of Golden Dawn knowledge (dubbed "the brick," I assume for its impressive girth and density). I had just begun re-reading Regardie's Eye in the Triangle when this exchange grabbed my attention. During his … Continue reading A Foot Soldier in the “Light” Brigade
Embracing the Cards as a Matter of Choice
AUTHOR'S NOTE: If we are savvy in the self-empowering ways of practical magic, our encounter with a given tarot card in a reading won't invariably deliver a foregone conclusion. We can choose how much of its influence to let into our life and how to engage it. The fundamental energy won't change, just our handling … Continue reading Embracing the Cards as a Matter of Choice
Probability Management: Divination as Agent of Destiny
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In the "magical practices" section of her book, Tarot Correspondences: Ancient Secrets for Everyday Readers, T. Susan Chang offers "probability enhancement" as one definition of practical magic. It involves creative visualization (a more assertive type of creative imagination) in the form of a consciously-scripted aim to manifest what we want for the future. … Continue reading Probability Management: Divination as Agent of Destiny
The Meaning(lessness) of Life: An Appreciation
AUTHOR'S NOTE: After chasing the esoteric implications of various forms of metaphysical practice for over five decades, I've finally concluded that, despite determined efforts to find the "meaning of life" therein, all of them nibble around the edges but never really deliver on the promise. First off, don't hand me any religious nonsense; I'm just … Continue reading The Meaning(lessness) of Life: An Appreciation
The Allure of Prediction
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've become irritated by the fatuous claims of self-styled experts in the online tarot community who insist that the cards should not be used for divination because they were "originally intended" only for the attainment of psychological self-awareness and self-improvement. If that's the case, why are the tarot pages flooded with requests for … Continue reading The Allure of Prediction
The Emperor and Jus Ad Bellum: Moral Rectitude or Just a Shot of Arrogance?
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I just came across a term I had never seen before, in this case regarding the Emperor card of the tarot. Jus ad bellum means being justified in one's reasons for taking on a fight. (It sounds like "the ends justify the means" to me.) It is usually applied when presenting an argument … Continue reading The Emperor and Jus Ad Bellum: Moral Rectitude or Just a Shot of Arrogance?
Keeping It Real: Intimations of the Truth
AUTHOR'S NOTE: While observing conversations in the online tarot community, I've noticed that attempts to interpret the cards pulled by other members veer far off-course into mystical and psychological abstractions that don't really address the question posed by the inquirer, who is invariably an inexperienced beginner looking for guidance from more seasoned readers. Part of … Continue reading Keeping It Real: Intimations of the Truth
“Igniting Consciousness” – The Tarot Reader’s Mission
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I recently plowed my way through a lengthy post on the r/Tarot sub-reddit in which the author discussed the true purpose of tarot reading, ending with the opinion that it's all about igniting the seeker's consciousness via an act of motivation. I like this focus much better than the typical goal of "empowerment," … Continue reading “Igniting Consciousness” – The Tarot Reader’s Mission
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 