AUTHOR'S NOTE: I think I've outdone (or maybe undone) myself with pun-ish titles on this one. It's a variation of the "yes-or-no" spread that takes the prediction in a more actionable direction. This approach uses the cards in a positive-reinforcement way that focuses on the desired outcome, and recognizes that the outlook the seeker hopes … Continue reading The “Amends with Benefits” Adjusted-Reaction Spread
Tarot
Wringing Out the Meaning at Three Levels
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The hierarchy of cards in a tarot reading is one feature that can be used in crafting a narrative, but it isn't always clear how they interrelate for that purpose since there can be a considerable gap in their perceived significance. The nature of an exalted trump card may have little or nothing … Continue reading Wringing Out the Meaning at Three Levels
The Realist Bids Farewell to the Romantic (or “Don’t Call Me, I’ll Call You”)
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was recently cautioned against performing the kind of investigative tarot-reading that operates in the same algorithmic space as probabilistic number-crunching (specifically for odds-making in sports betting). The critic's presumptuous attitude was that I'm tarnishing my credentials as a diviner (which I assume means my standing as an enlightened mystic). I'm not so … Continue reading The Realist Bids Farewell to the Romantic (or “Don’t Call Me, I’ll Call You”)
The Suit of Swords: An Ill Wind
AUTHOR'S NOTE: "It's an ill wind that blows no good" is an old proverb that can be interpreted in one of two ways. The pessimist would say "It is indeed an ill wind because it blows no good," while the optimist would observe more provisionally "It would be an ill wind indeed if it were … Continue reading The Suit of Swords: An Ill Wind
NFL Football: Patriots at Bengals, 11/23/25
UPDATE: Another winner, but the Patriots were sweating it all the way to the end! Looks like Joe Flacco was able to move the ball as I assumed he would. AUTHOR'S NOTE: For those of my readers who have no interest in probabilistic forecasting, this will be the last post on the subject until the … Continue reading NFL Football: Patriots at Bengals, 11/23/25
NFL Football: New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens, 11/23/25
UPDATE: This one turned out to be a winner! AUTHOR'S NOTE: Let's try this again with a modified spread. I fixed a conceptual flaw in the design to better align the offense and defense factors between the two teams; in the last reading everything I said about the superiority of the Bills' defense should have … Continue reading NFL Football: New York Jets at Baltimore Ravens, 11/23/25
The 9 of Pentacles As “Self-Indulgence”
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is another essay in my informal series of "stretch" definitions (as in "Wow, that's a stretch!") that brings a fresh set of eyes to cards I've already examined. This time, as an outgrowth of my ongoing interaction with the online tarot community, I'm presenting the 9 of Pentacles (Thoth Disks), which is … Continue reading The 9 of Pentacles As “Self-Indulgence”
Tendencies, Trends and Probabilities: Three Modes of Realization in Tarot Prediction
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Before I dive into my subject, I should mention that I no longer use tarot for the purpose of psychological self-awareness and self-development after doing so for the better part of four decades. I decided beginning in 2011 that natal astrology (which I've also done since 1972) is a far better tool for … Continue reading Tendencies, Trends and Probabilities: Three Modes of Realization in Tarot Prediction
Thursday Night Football: Houston Texans vs. Buffalo Bills, 11/20/25
UPDATE: Looks like I had the defensive advantage on the wrong side; I over-complicated what should have been a head-to-head comparison and missed the mark. This spread needed some work to sort out the offense/defense pairing. In practice, the original spread did not lend itself to a clean judgment regarding the forces at work, so … Continue reading Thursday Night Football: Houston Texans vs. Buffalo Bills, 11/20/25
The 3 of Swords: Another Person’s Pain
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As an esoteric tarot-reader, my aim is to get "under the skin" of the imagery on any card to see if there is more substance hiding beneath the surface of popular opinion. This is nowhere more appropriate than with the Waite-Smith 3 of Swords and its interpretation (I would say misapprehension) as emotional … Continue reading The 3 of Swords: Another Person’s Pain
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 