How you know you’re a cartomancer

You like cards.

You write about cards because you like them.

People read what you write. They like the way you like the cards.

They try you out. They like the way you read the cards personally for them.

You like it that people like the way you read the cards. You’re, after all, a fortuneteller who is solidly trained in the art of reading. People even like the letters in your titles: PhD and Dr.Phil. You didn’t earn those letters for nothing.

Your fortunetelling smacks of deconstruction. Isn’t penetrating vision the reason why you read ‘word and image’? Following also into the footsteps of your mother and your father, who, although logicians and mathematicians, would pour themselves over cards, tasseomancy, bibliomancy, and capnomancy?

You walk down the street and check out the neon signs: Tarot Readings. You can teach the street magicians a few tricks. In turn they teach you something about suggestion and the art of cold reading. It’s a fair exchange.

You’re ready.

‘Teach us,’ people say, and to make sure that you say yes, they send you boxes of cards, incense, crystals, magic mirrors, sigils and talismans, more cards, special statues, paintings, skulls…

You put down your consecrated robes, and say yes.

Hermit, Popess, Sun

You’ve done your share of thinking. You’ve done your share of writing. Now radiate.

What better profession than to just stand in your own natural light, and deliver what there is to deliver, without apology and concern?

What you do, you do for yourself, just as the Sun illuminates for the sake of its own good and survival.

We call taking in this radiance, ‘our luck.’

♠

In gratitude to all the magical people who make this happen, and today especially to Debi Ann Scott, whose box of cards has reached me, just in time for our Playing Cards Foundation Course.

Featured here: Jeu de Tarot de Chloé Gaillard, Playing Cards: Spirit, Schwartzwald, Hamelin, Disruption, Kadar Fortune Cards.

For more such practice with the cards:

• Join theRead like the Devil Club.
• Visit also Aradia Academy and sign up for the newsletter that will keep you informed on upcoming courses and cartomantic activities. Note the Off the Shelf offering that also includes free resources.
• Check out my books on the philosophy and practice of divination at EyeCorner Press.
• Get a reading. When I perform a reading, I also teach, simply because as I can’t help myself, so you will be twice served.