The “One-and-Done” Single Use Dilemma

There are at least four instances (and one related case) I can think of where a card in the tarot deck is limited to a single appearance in a reading when it might be reasonable (and in some cases necessary) to assume that it warrants more than one iteration. One of these is the 12-card …

“Who’s Got the Ball?” – Court Cards As “Agency”

AUTHOR'S NOTE: The ideas and practices described here are updated from those presented in at least one earlier post on the subject. It has always struck me that the court cards of a tarot deck have a fairly narrow range of usefulness in a reading (not to mention that they are often a source of …

A Quintessence “Thumbnail”

As I continue to post my original spreads on various sites, those layouts that include the calculation of a quintessence (aka "quint") card often receive puzzled questions and comments from tarot neophytes who have never heard of the technique. It's one I've found quite useful for neatly winding up all the threads in a reading …

Harmony: The Last Word (For Now)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm "shoehorning" this post in here because of strong interest in this missing-person case. I realized that I didn't perform my "last word" reading for the case of Harmony Montgomery. The spread, which I characterize as showing "the quick (alive), the dead and the in-between (suffering but still alive)," is intended to demonstrate …

A Twist on Elemental Dignities

As a continuation of my work in blending the influence of the astrological modalities into the sign-and-planet meanings of the 36 minor, or "decan" cards of the tarot, I thought it would be interesting and possibly revealing to bring this idea into the use of Elemental Dignities (EDs). Melding the various elements and modalities of …

My 2022 “Beef Stew” Annual Forecast Reading

This is my first use of the annual forecast spread I just created using a "beef stew" metaphor: "broth" (trump card as the background "tone" of the upcoming year); "meat/gristle" (court cards as who I should become and avoid becoming); and "veggies/sludge" (minor cards as what I should do or avoid doing - you know, …

“You’ll Fall Right In . . .” (b/w “The Beef Stew Annual Forecast Spread”)

A discussion I've been following on the "r/tarot" reddit board brought up the point that the tarot can be overused (or improperly used) in the search for personal awareness and advancement. It is a fascinating thread for what it reveals about the extremes some people will go to in overthinking their daily lives rather than …

Harmony’s Fate: A “World of Hurt” Missing Person Reading

Author's Note: Breaking my rule again by posting twice today, but I wanted to get this off my plate because I have a growing backlog of more complex essays to publish beginning tomorrow. The police are moving briskly on this case but haven't come up with anything new yet despite poking around a home with …

Harmony’s Story: A “Missing-Person Vignette”

UPDATE: An arrest was made in this case yesterday, but it was for felonious conduct prior to the disappearance. Harmony is still unaccounted-for. There seems to have been a custody battle going on, which does not bode well. https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/father-missing-7-year-old-harmony-montgomery-arrested?fbclid=IwAR3m5aM3Hj9XZEgbEdTwgWpC7pIkFfVqEABFhWqI9PdFFB4ykYQq_dmSwvY This is the second in a series of readings about the case of a missing New …

Where Is Harmony?

Author's Note: Although I try to refrain from posting twice in one day, I wanted to get this out before anything breaks in the case. Seven-year-old Harmony Montgomery of Manchester, NH hasn't been seen since 2019. The Manchester Police Department has just issued a missing-person alert, but there is something very strange going on here. …