Those who spend time on the tarot forums know that the most frequently asked questions in the reading exchanges, hands down, have to do with romance. Usually it's some variation of "What does X think or feel about me?" disguising the real question: "Does X love me?" But sometimes it gets more to-the-point and visceral. … Continue reading The Eternal Question
Tarot
Republicans and Democrats: “Ne’er the Twain Shall Meet?”
I used my "Wheel of Opportunity" relationship spread to ask whether the Republican and Democratic political parties in the United States will ever agree on a common agenda that serves the best interests of the American people. The short answer is "No," but the details are very interesting. In this reading, the "Individual #1 spoke" … Continue reading Republicans and Democrats: “Ne’er the Twain Shall Meet?”
The “Wheel of Opportunity” Relationship Spread
I have always been fascinated by the idea that a relationship between two people (or two of "anything") is really a three way proposition; it involves the two parties to the situation and the relationship itself, which can become "bigger than both of them" and require dedicated care and feeding by both participants to avoid … Continue reading The “Wheel of Opportunity” Relationship Spread
The Time of the Season
Every year on the Winter Solstice I perform my "Wheel of the Year" spread for the coming year. This a 17-card layout with one trump card for the annual focus, 4 trump cards for the four quarters, and 12 minor cards (including courts) for the twelve months, moving clockwise from the Solstice. I use the … Continue reading The Time of the Season
Cutting-Edge Cartomancy
The Cartomancer is a glossy, elegant, high-quality and high-caliber quarterly international journal for the card-reading enthusiast, mainly focusing on Tarot, Lenormand and Oracle deck study and practice. After a distinguished turn at the helm by Jadzia deForest, the publication has now been purchased and is being published by Arwen Lynch-Poe. This is Arwen's inaugural effort, … Continue reading Cutting-Edge Cartomancy
Cheap Shots #26: The Slippery Slope
One thing that can be said with certainty about divination is that predicting the future in a "yes-or-no" fashion using any of the currently popular methods of inquiry is at best a 50-50 proposition: one percentage point either way spells the difference between success and failure. In short, despite our fascination with the details of the … Continue reading Cheap Shots #26: The Slippery Slope
Philosopher or Fortune-Teller?
In his excellent (although a bit "lite" for the seasoned esotericist) volume, The Tarot, History, Symbolism and Divination, Robert Place offers his definition of the best use for tarot: "From its origin, the Tarot has been designed as a set of symbols or tools that the unconscious can use to communicate with the conscious mind. Instead … Continue reading Philosopher or Fortune-Teller?
They Loves Me, They Loves Me Not*
*My grammatically absurd title is an intentional poke at the current practice of substituting a plural pronoun in situations demanding a singular one as a way to avoid gender specificity. While there may be a place for gender-neutral pronouns in the English language, this clumsy abomination most definitely ain't it; we clearly need a new … Continue reading They Loves Me, They Loves Me Not*
Tarot Taboos
One of the perennial topics debated on the tarot forums is whether we as readers have (or should have) any inviolable "taboos" regarding subjects we prefer not to touch in our practice. Typical examples include those involving the intentions of "third-party" individuals who are unaware of the querent's interest in them; predictions of death or … Continue reading Tarot Taboos
Cheap Shots #25: “If Wishes Were Horses . . .”
A philosophy professor of mine who was also a Protestant minister (and, for what it's worth, a heart transplant survivor – the very definition of “ on a wing and a prayer”), once told our class that, according to Pascal's Wager, “It's safer to believe in a God even if there isn't one, than to … Continue reading Cheap Shots #25: “If Wishes Were Horses . . .”
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 