Have cards ever jumped out of the deck while you were shuffling them? It happens to me sometimes, no matter how careful I am. Sometimes it is clearly clumsy shuffling. Sometimes the jumping seems unaccountable. Jumping cards happen. The question is...do they mean anything and if so, how do incorporate that meaning into a reading? There is an old tarot saying: If it falls on the floor, it's at the door. We usually take that to mean, if a card comes out of the deck, it represents something that will happen very soon. I do have a fancy for some of the old, charming tarot practices (such as viewing the 9 of Cups as the Wish Card), and like to bring them into my practice in a modern and

Catherine Chapman, of Tarot Elements, and Storm Cestavani, of Psychic Friends Live, both asked for techniques and unusual tarot exercises. Most of this month’s blogging has dealt with more philosophical questions regarding tarot reading. So let’s take a day and play with some more practical ideas. Here’s an oldie but a goody: The card at the bottom of the deck. This is a technique I learned early on in my practice…and I cannot remember where I first heard it. After shuffling and laying out the spread, use the card on the bottom to illuminate the underlying issue or something that remains hidden regarding the question. I have heard that some readers consider the card on

Do I dare Disturb the universe? In a minute there is time For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse. ~TS Eliot, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Every month when I get ready to write my blog entries, I ask my Facebook friends what they would like me to write about. Then I mostly ignore them. But this month, I am taking almost all of their ideas. Celeste Heldstab, proprietress of Bayou Witch Incense (where magic makes scents!), suggests that I talk about reversals and if they are needed. I did write about reversals back in October, over six months ago, so it is a good time to revisit this subject. For my entire tarot-reading life, I have never taken to