Black Mirror Alchemy: The Path of the Digital Hermit

Using Psychology in Tarot Readings: The King of Swords Welcome back, dear readers! We did it! We are at the end of our series about using psychology in your tarot readings for others! In our past three posts, we explored the details of cognition with the Page of Swords, systems of motivation and emotion with the Knight of Swords, and understanding personality with the Queen of Wands. Now we turn our attention to the King of Swords. In tarot, kings are invested in the superstructure of their suits. While queens foster growth, kings organize that energy into systems of meaning. From a bird's eye view, the King of Swords sees patterns and draws understanding. For tarot readers, the King of Swords challenges us to consider larger systems of meaning, not just individual differences. One powerful way to achieve this is through Social Identity Theory. Social Identity Theory Humans have a drive for high sel

Black Mirror Alchemy - No Reading is Truly a Cold Reading, Part 3 Welcome back to Black Mirror Alchemy, dear reader! Today, we are going to explore the third installment of our "No Reading is Truly a Cold Reading" series. If you missed the first two posts, make sure to check those out! Part 1: Biases and Heuristics Part 2: Motivation and Emotion In this post, we are exploring the complex world of personality with the help of the Queen of Swords. The Queens in the Minor Arcana embody the nurturing, feminine principle that promotes the growth of their suit. The Queen of Swords, in particular, guides us to bring forth ideas, knowledge, and voices to foster clarity and understanding in our readings. In our past two posts, we have looked at the smaller details of human psychology. The Page of Swords focused on the small details of human cognition, while the Knight of Swords synthesized those details into workabl

Impulse Gnome Tarot Blog Welcome back dear readers! For this week's blog post, I wanted to take a quick break from the "No Reading is Truly a Cold Reading" series, because my previous post inspired me to share my experience with tarot and looking for a job. In our current Year of Our Lord Two-Thousand and Twenty-Four, many of us are struggling with issues related to the economy, employment, and labor. So, I wanted to shift focus to another important figure in the tarot: The Knight of Pentacles. Knight of Pentacles Unlike his brother in the suit of swords, the Knight of Pentacles is a steady figure who knows how to sell his labor to the best employer. He understands his expertise and weaknesses, which allows him to be clear-eyed when it comes to work. While he is not the fastest of the mounted knights in the tarot, he understands the need to stay mobile and flexible in the ever-changing economy. He knows when to stick it out

Black Mirror Alchemy - Knight of Swords Welcome back to Black Mirror Alchemy The Second Installment of "No Reading is Truly a Cold Reading" In this week's post, we will explore the role motivation and emotion play in the tarot reading space. To do this, we will seek the help of the Knight of Swords to explore the momentum and movement associated with our interpretations of the world. Knight of Swords The Knight of Swords is a fast-moving, no-nonsense warrior. He has prepared his whole life for the battles ahead and can deploy his skills in various situations. Embodying this knight can be intimidating due to his fast-talking, intelligent, aggressive, and proactive nature. However, what truly makes the knight tick is his ability to hone and manipulate the element of air. He can be persuasive and attractive, confrontational and direct, or intellectual and cold. Because of Mercury's influence, you never know which side of t