Don't Drink and Divine...

Last night was a nice break for me; a nice dinner out at a fitting restaurant and a quick swing by a haunted spot. I've had a lot on my mind lately, and too much to do at the same time. Even for a few hours, it was good to get away from deadlines and the daily grind. I decided to go ahead and have a Foster's (the eco-friendly beer) with dinner which gave me a little happy glow.

Back home, I decided to do another mini Tarot experiment. The result, however, wasn't too positive. I flipped through a few 1937 Zener cards afterward and did horribly (odds lower than chance), so I figured I'd give it another shot in the morning after the beer was out of my system. Even though I wasn't anywhere near drunk, alcohol does effect the mind.

For the past month, I've been thinking a lot about something I want to plan out for 10 months in the future. Right now, it's just a goal, but after glancing at prices last night, it's entirely doable. So, I felt compelled to give my trusty Rider-Waite deck a spin, and see if it had anything interesting to say. The three cards were quite intriguing and I'm highlighting what I think it important out of all the possible interpretations of each:

1. Taste, inclination, attachment, seduction, deception, artifice.
2. Stability, power, protection; a great person; aid, reason, conviction.
3. Expedition, dispatch, achievement, end.

Not having mentioned what it is exactly that I was focusing on, it might not make any sense to the casual observer. But knowing the one thing I was questioning, it makes perfect sense. Of course, we shall wait and see how true it all is. By summer, I'll discuss it more in-depth. No putting the cart before the horse this time!

Otherwise, my busy month is pushing forward. The next two weeks will pass at breakneck pace with a constant stream of work, travel, etc. meanwhile, I have an interesting new book to read when time permits and projects to tackle. Somewhere in the whole mess, I need to find time for a ghost hunt with a few long-absent friends who are back here to stay. But for now, work beckons, as does that cheesecake to bake for an Easter family gathering...

A House of Cards...

Today is just... odd. Yesterday's plans dissipated. And I'm feeling a bit strange about everything. I haven't heard from my friend in over 36 hours.

I canceled on Monday night with a bad stomach ache and some slight uneasiness. Perhaps I nodded off for a while, but I swear I heard the muffled sound of someone calling my name three or four times around midnight, but I could chalk that one up to arguing downstairs neighbors. Last night, I decided, for old time's sake, to drag out the old tarot deck. I pulled three cards at random.

Of the 78 cards in a deck, odds are slim that the first card pulled out would be one specific one. I felt a prolonged and uneasy "oookay" escape my lips. Half of me says, "It's just a tarot deck," while the other half thinks back to the several times they've been dead-on. The point of me bringing it up in the first place isn't some "believe... believe in the tarot..." rant or anything like it. I just would rather mention it ahead of time, just in case. If I said anything after the fact, it could lose its charm. Not that such a word is a good choice.

In some ways, "it's all a bunch of hocus pocus". Anyone who has ever read tarot can tell you that it's wide-open to interpretation. No card says any one exact thing. They give a variety of choices. You arrive at your own opinions from them, and see what happens. Deep down, I have two scenarios for the disappearance of my friend which won't go away. But I'll wait until something definite is said before I assume anything.

Sometimes, not knowing is a bad thing. But knowing can be worse. Ignorance is bliss, while those who are aware of everything tend to be more miserable from having such opened eyes. For now, I don't know anything about the past two days. And until I do, I'll try my best to be blissfully ignorant.

What Tarot Card are You?

Every so often, it's neat to break up the monotony with an online quiz or two. Here's a nifty one I discovered thanks to Cat Grant and couldn't resist. While there are a few points I seem to disagree with, others hit the nail right on the head...

You are The Hermit

Prudence, Caution, Deliberation.

The Hermit points to all things hidden, such as knowledge and inspiration,hidden enemies. The illumination is from within, and retirement from participation in current events.

The Hermit is a card of introspection, analysis and, well, virginity. You do not desire to socialize; the card indicates, instead, a desire for peace and solitude. You prefer to take the time to think, organize, ruminate, take stock. There may be feelings of frustration and discontent but these feelings eventually lead to enlightenment, illumination, clarity.

The Hermit represents a wise, inspirational person, friend, teacher, therapist. This a person who can shine a light on things that were previously mysterious and confusing.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Put the Crystal Ball Down and Come Out with Your Hands Up...

Last month, new age practitioners breathed a sigh of relief in Vermont. A 1966 ban on fortunetelling was lifted in the town of St. Johnsbury on August 21st. Among the many acts deemed illegal by the former law were tarot reading, palmistry, and even feng shui.

Many communities across the country, from Oklahoma to Washington, D.C. to Florida, have similar laws on the books in an effort to prevent fraud. Arguably, these could also be considered infringements of freedom of religion in many cases.

Last year, Livingston Parish in Louisiana officially outlawed fortunetelling. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania discovered a forgotten law and cracked down on tarot readers, crystal gazers, astrologers, and psychics, closing businesses across the city.

Yet Scientology, with its belief in alien beings forming humanity and returning to earth one day, remains protected by religious freedom.

We may all have our opinions of different practices, but everything from psychics to ghosts to voodoo is a part of our culture: our human makeup. If Ebay can sell a grilled cheese Virgin Mary effigy for thousands of dollars, is there really anything inherently wrong with someone asking for a few bucks for a palm reading?

It may not last as long, but there's no worry of mold from it killing you...

Not Your Typical Tarot...

Tarot cards and playing cards have the same origins from early Europe. The earliest surviving painted Tarot deck comes from 15th Century Milan, Italy. Records indicate a deck was first used for divination of the future in the mid 1700s and remains a popular fortune-telling method.

We all have a picture in our minds when we envision these divination cards, but they have become extremely diverse. Aside from the most popular Rider-Waite deck, cards exist depicting and centered around angels, Native Americans, gemstones, astrology, baseball, Wicca, animals, gummy bears, vampires, and many others.

And then, there are the gay tarot decks.

The Original Gay Tarot started it all. Created by Paul Chirumbolo, the deck was designed to "help gay men live and love and learn and grow by touching into the unique sources of creativity found within themselves." Its images combine both traditional and digital media, and has a companion book: THE Original GAY TAROT: Everything You Need To Know About Sex, Money, Power, Love and the Secrets of the Universe.

More widely known is Gay Tarot by Lee Bursten and Antonella Palatano. The deck replaces traditional male-female archetypes with symbols of male homosexual unions. It is also the product of Llewelyn Publications, a well-known and well-respected New Age company carrying a diverse range of occult and Wiccan books.

There is also the Brotherhood Tarot. This deck is limited to an edition of 2500 copies. The images are a combination of mythology and gay history, representing a more "Radical Faerie" influence.

And that is just a small sampling. various other gay tarot decks can be found all over the web. If you prefer a deck that is more gay and lesbian inclusive, there is also The Cosmic Tribe Tarot.

Regardless of your opinions on divination methods, it's a fascinating aspect of the paranormal realm. And some of the illustrations are quite lovely as well...