Excerpts from my New Book

Here are a few excerpts from my upcoming book Read Your Own Mind--A Short Guide to the Tarot.

This should be available in print or digital form around September 15, 2016. We are all looking forward to it! More details coming up shortly, in the meantime, here are a few excerpts.


1. Where you are now.  This is the seeker’s current situation in the context of his question or concern.

2. Your next task or step. This is what the seeker must do next to solve his quandary. It may not be the last thing he has to accomplish, but it’s the very next thing.

3. Obstacles and Challenges. Strictly speaking, this is what may try to prevent him from taking the next step or doing  the next task. It may also show what his blocking him from reaching his over-all goal.
The reason this is at the highest point of the spread is to show that it’s what needs to be overcome. It is potentially the most important card in the spread.

4. Strengths and Resources. This card helps show you what you have that will help you deal with the obstacles. It may be people, things, information or knowledge, or even some other action the seeker can do to make it to card #5.

5. New Focus or Outcome. I like to see the ultimate card in any spread as a new focus rather than a hard and fast outcome. Any outcomes rely heavily on the rest of the spread and take away the seeker’s personal power to run his life.

As a new focus or new ideas, the seeker can make a choice to set his sights on something or to look at his life from a different perspective. He can begin this right away. It’s like a promise the seeker makes to himself.


1. The Situation. The state of the situation the seeker finds herself consulting the tarot about.

2. What you expect. This shows what the seeker expects is happening or will happen. It is what she knows, or what she thinks she knows.

3. What you don’t expect. This may shed some light on the second card and vice versa, but usually it shows something that is coming down the line.

4-5. What you are going to do about it. These two cards show what the seeker must do in order to see the situation to the hoped-for resolution. Together these two cards should help to empower the seeker.

6. New Resources. Something the seeker may rely on or gain strength from. Sometimes a very dark card might show up here and that could show her something that is true or fixed.

7. New Perspective or Outcome. This hopefully gives the seeker some hope and a new way to deal with whatever she has to deal with.