I'm always looking for new ways to assess relationship potential, whether in private situations or predominantly public scenarios. This spread employs a "weather forecast" model in which converging systems vie for dominance. This may seem rather cold-blooded for romantic readings, but in truth any viable long-term personal relationship has all the earmarks of a sound … Continue reading The “Perfect Storm” New Relationship Spread
Tarot
Thoughts on Face-to-Face Reading
In this age of instantaneous electronic communication, there are tarot readers who may never experience the stimulation (and, yes, the trepidation) of reading the cards for other people in a face-to-face setting. Usually it's a lack of confidence rather than limited opportunity that keeps them chained to remote situations where they never get to test … Continue reading Thoughts on Face-to-Face Reading
“Painting Testimonial Pictures” – Problem Cards and Pataphysics
I think we can all agree that the tarot excels at throwing us curve-balls during the practice of prediction. Usually it's in the form of a card in a reading that just won't fit the puzzle no matter how we turn it. Often it's a major - or "trump" card - that lands in the … Continue reading “Painting Testimonial Pictures” – Problem Cards and Pataphysics
The “Carrot and Stick” Situational Development Spread
This is a type of decision-making spread that examines the odds of success or failure in any significant change scenario. It requires separating the deck into two stacks, one with only the minor cards and the other with the court and trump cards. The two sets are dealt separately into a "three-plus-three" array with the … Continue reading The “Carrot and Stick” Situational Development Spread
Of Smoke and Mirrors
. . . but not the kind you're thinking. The more popular Facebook tarot pages are constantly awash in the sentiment - prevalent among the overwhelming majority of neophytes - that spiritual energy ("good" or "bad") can cling to the cards in some unexplained fashion, encouraging the practices of mystically infusing them with the former … Continue reading Of Smoke and Mirrors
A “Missing-Person Vignette” Spread
This spread provides a "short-form" version of my earlier spreads on the subject of "missing-person" cases. It uses a court-card "significator" to represent the absent person that is either specifically selected or carried over from a previous reading in which it appeared. Two decks are required: one to populate the three-card "narrative" row and one … Continue reading A “Missing-Person Vignette” Spread
Stretchable Positions
No, I'm not talking about yoga or the Kama Sutra. Yesterday on the Tarot Professionals Facebook page Marcus Katz mentioned the notion of adjusting the meanings of spread positions according to the cards that land in them. I wasn't able to look at his full explanation because it's on the paid part of the site, … Continue reading Stretchable Positions
Stepping Back: A “Roll Them Bones” Situational-Awareness Reading
I decided that, as of today, I will be backing off from publicly posting on the status of certain missing-person cases in New Hampshire because of the volatility of the issue, especially if criminal activity is suspected. (I will continue working on "cold cases" and less provocative scenarios.) Although I've been careful about maintaining discretion … Continue reading Stepping Back: A “Roll Them Bones” Situational-Awareness Reading
The “Fool’s Itinerary” Success Path Spread
This spread assumes that there are two ways to contemplate the likely success of any endeavor: the "easy way" and the "hard way." It includes a three-card planning stage, a "trigger" card and a choice of paths dictated by the orientation of the trigger card, either upright or reversed. It is necessary to allow reversals … Continue reading The “Fool’s Itinerary” Success Path Spread
Jumping to Conclusions
In a recent conversation I described the art of cartomancy as "inspired guesswork with prompts." Anyone with finely-tuned intuitive sensibilities can do it with a little exposure to the theory and practice behind it, although mastering its nuances is another story. This nonchalance is nowhere more evident than in the curious concept of assigning special … Continue reading Jumping to Conclusions
Parsifal's Wheel Tarot & Astrology 