AUTHOR'S NOTE: What's to be done when one wakes up at 2:00 AM and can't get back to sleep? I don't know about you, but I think about tarot. Here's my latest insomnia-fueled spread. I normally use horary astrology when I'm helping someone look for a lost item, or when I'm examining a missing-person case, … Continue reading Missing in Plain Sight? – A Local-Area “Search Envelope”
Tarot Spreads
Kicked Upstairs: A Numerical Displacement Method and Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The assumption behind this spread is that the top tier of cards is more likely to be "fast-tracked" to closure, the middle tier will play out more gradually and the bottom tier will be substantially delayed. The table at the end of the essay offers a tool to determine which tier a card … Continue reading Kicked Upstairs: A Numerical Displacement Method and Spread
The “Full House” – A 78-Card Tarot Tableau and Readings
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In my previous post about 78-card tarot arrays I hinted that I might come up with a new spread based on that premise. Here it is, and there are two suggested ways to use it that will identify a subset of cards for the actual reading. (Obviously, I don't advise attempting this sprawling … Continue reading The “Full House” – A 78-Card Tarot Tableau and Readings
The Roads Not Taken (There Can Be Only One)
AUTHORS NOTE: In his famous poem, Robert Frost had two roads to choose from. Here I'm proposing four and using reversals to decide which ones should not be taken in favor of a more promising upright signpost pointing the way. Select a deck that has non-reversible card backs so you can discern orientation without turning … Continue reading The Roads Not Taken (There Can Be Only One)
Full Moon Reading, February 12, 2025
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I normally do New Moon readings, for which I lay out the eight phases of the upcoming Lunation Cycle with tarot cards. But last night, after seeing the gorgeous moon-rise over the Atlantic Ocean in Daytona Beach, FL (photo inset), I decided to throw together a quick four-card Full Moon spread for the … Continue reading Full Moon Reading, February 12, 2025
Dexter and Sinister: The Straight and Crooked Paths
AUTHOR'S NOTE: In classical astrology, planetary motion was tracked in two directions: dexter (toward the right or counterclockwise through the signs) and sinister (toward the left or clockwise through the houses). On a monthly, annual or multi-year basis depending on their orbital speed, the planets traverse the signs in sequential order from Aries at the … Continue reading Dexter and Sinister: The Straight and Crooked Paths
The “Purge of Mars” – A Banishing Sigil
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The premise behind this exercise is that the querent has something he or she would like to eliminate from present and future circumstances - it might be a difficult person or an unpleasant condition. This conjuration applies the cleansing agent of Mars as embodied in the Tower and the four most relevant "Mars" … Continue reading The “Purge of Mars” – A Banishing Sigil
Relationship Dynamics at Three Milestones
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Not every romantic interlude delivers the promise we see in it; prospects may look good at first, but chances for success could fade for a number of reasons. First, a convenient occasion for coupling must present itself; second, both parties must be available to participate; and third, the reality of the situation will … Continue reading Relationship Dynamics at Three Milestones
“High Road or Low Road?” – A Crossroads Navigation Spread
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm not one to interpret the Lovers as a "soul-mate" or "twin-flame" card because the Hebrew letter associated with it is often translated as "sword," implying an important decision to be made by taking a judicious stab or swipe at it. Here I'm using the Lovers to represent my favorite definition, a "crossroads" … Continue reading “High Road or Low Road?” – A Crossroads Navigation Spread
The “Ace-in-the-Hole” Spread: Just a Little Extra
AUTHOR'S NOTE: "Ace in the hole" is a stud poker-players term for a face-down Ace or similar high card that the other players don't know about until it is played for the win. Here is a spread that uses reversals to create a "resource pool" of hidden cards that can be tapped when the predicted … Continue reading The “Ace-in-the-Hole” Spread: Just a Little Extra
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 