I've been considering a different way to handle reversed cards that I call "Chaldean mirrors." The concept may not be new, but I haven't encountered it before. Most of the cards were associated with the “decans” of the Chaldean zodiac by the Golden Dawn's Macgregor Mathers, bringing the nature of the card together with the … Continue reading Reversals and “Chaldean Mirrors”
Tarot
Carpe Momentum!
Recently, on the Tarot Professionals Facebook page, Marcus Katz mentioned the aphorism "The oracular moment is sacrosanct." This got me thinking about the instant in time when each tarot card is randomly drawn from the deck to populate a spread. These linked cards are imprinted with the subtle influences inherent in that temporal interval, whether … Continue reading Carpe Momentum!
“No Way, No How?” – A Card-by-Card Event-Timing Table
UPDATE: I revised the table to reflect that certain cards in combination can indicate that the anticipated event won't happen without extra effort on the part of the querent. https://memes.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/53119a42-5ef5-4011-a985-1d8d93234f37#o9i6Ao7uhZ.copy Timing of events with the tarot is the proverbial "tough nut to crack." None of the various methods I've explored (and some of those I've … Continue reading “No Way, No How?” – A Card-by-Card Event-Timing Table
Who’s Driving Here?
I find it curious how much hand-wringing goes on in the tarot community over how the client sees the physical arrangement of the cards on the table. Should the cards appear upright or reversed to the reader or to the sitter? Should the cards be read from left to right according to the perspective of … Continue reading Who’s Driving Here?
Favorite Things
I was recently talking to someone about "reading style." It's a subject worth examining in more detail. Although I can be a bit flippant in calling myself "half mad scientist and half mystic," what it boils down to is that my own mode of reading the cards partakes slightly more of the analytical than the … Continue reading Favorite Things
The Name of the Game
A question frequently asked by what we might call "journeyman" tarot readers is "How can I break into professional practice on a full-time basis?" In my case, I backed into it part-time through the patronage of a metaphysical shop owner who, when she learned that I was a local diviner, invited me to work out … Continue reading The Name of the Game
“Walking the Line” – A Situational Awareness & Response Spread
My father's generation had a number of colorful threats aimed at bringing unruly kids back into line. These began with "You're walking a fine line, Mister!" and ended with a thunderous "You're cruisin' for a bruisin'!!!", the second one thankfully almost never executed; delivered with enough intensity, the ominous alliteration was enough to compel immediate … Continue reading “Walking the Line” – A Situational Awareness & Response Spread
The Tens: A Lingering Farewell
A music critic once observed that Led Zeppelin seemed to be "emptying the vaults of every scrap of unreleased material" when they issued the Physical Graffiti album. I'm in a similar situation here; this post has been lurking in my drafts for a couple of weeks, waiting patiently as the rants of the last few … Continue reading The Tens: A Lingering Farewell
But What Does It “Mean?”
On the tarot forums and Facebook pages we're fond of throwing words around loosely with the assumption that everyone agrees on their inherent meaning and usage, so critical debate about them is scarce. One of those is "empowerment." We are reluctant to present harsh judgments to our sitters even when the cards deliver them in … Continue reading But What Does It “Mean?”
Cheap Shots Redux: Any Excuse Will Do
As I contemplate the flood of new tarot decks on the market (some of which are even offered as "New Tarot," apparently to signify a cultural shift), I'm struck by the impression that many of them are just an excuse to circulate portable artwork of a personal nature with little regard for the metaphysical and … Continue reading Cheap Shots Redux: Any Excuse Will Do
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 