Shouting into the Void: Intuition vs. Analysis in Divination

AUTHOR’S NOTE: My themes seem to be getting more pugnacious lately. Don’t take it to heart; I’m basically respectful of diverse theories, just not too tolerant of what I see as sheer metaphysical folly.

I’ve long maintained that, while our physical senses bring us raw input, the cognitive faculties remain the only reliable tool we have for decoding our impressions in meaningful ways that will have a bearing on our life’s journey. In the realm of tarot-reading, intuitive “fishing expeditions” may provide unstructured sentiments about the subject of interest, but these feelings must still be organized and translated into purposeful words if we are to put them to practical use; anything less coherent amounts to frivolous conjecture that meets the definition of “for entertainment only.” Such superficial hints may be good enough for the YouTube crowd, but they are unlikely to satisfy the more accomplished diviner or the astute querent.

I’ve always been a bit puzzled by the “leap of faith” that purely intuitive tarot readers must make to convince themselves that their intimations of future reality are in fact objective truth. They gain a little exposure to the techniques of vaticination and think it empowers them to make accurate statements about what is going on in a seeker’s life. I will state flatly that this amounts to subjective navel-gazing in many cases, a subliminal “closed loop” that begins and ends with the reader’s imaginative (and often fanciful) assumptions. As a professional practitioner I find it too “squishy” and simply can’t buy it.

I’m not immune to the lure of intuitive hunches, but I always employ them in the service of a rational appreciation of the issue at hand. An analytical focus on the cards comes first, followed by more mystical ramifications that add color and texture to the narrative. Having a conceptual framework provides a vessel that can be filled with more vivid storytelling content (which is also my main justification for using positional spreads). I believe it was Rachel Pollock who observed that tarot-reading is “all story,” and I agree 100%. But that story should have some logic to it and not come across as utter fabrication based on free-association from symbolic imagery. We may be convinced that we’re in direct contact with the Divine, but in the psychic world of astral navigation we can never be entirely sure with whom (or with what) we’re communicating. Just because we’re certain that our ethereal “guides” are there to serve us doesn’t mean we aren’t being duped.

I’ve come to trust my own extensive knowledge and experience in the art of divination far more than any random insights that come “out of the blue,” even if those putative revelations appear to be completely germane to the context of a reading. I won’t dismiss them out-of-hand, but I have to successfully integrate them into the overall script before I will present them as something I can stand behind as legitimate advice; I’m not in the business of trying to pound square pegs into round holes. If this puts me at odds with a large number (and perhaps a majority) of modern tarot-readers, many of whom operate online and have no immediate access to feedback from their sitters, so be it. Despite the rise of social-media fascination with the subtle arts, they should not be viewed as electronic “parlor games” for the idly curious. There is often more at stake than momentary amusement.

Eye contact, facial expressions and body language are invaluable non-verbal aids in confirming that our observations are connecting and, more importantly, in adjusting our approach as needed. If we can’t arrange for a timely face-to-face chat about our emerging awareness of the querent’s circumstances, we might as well be “shouting into the void.” Lacking that opportunity, we just hand them the product of our supposition and walk away. In my book, that’s not “reading the cards” in an interactive sense; without the seeker’s validation, we’re merely giving voice to our private opinions with the pictures as prompts. I don’t know about you, but I’m not getting paid enough to attempt single-handedly outfoxing the Universe.

Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on July 11, 2024.