Emerald

I've actually found quite a few people who are interested in the Tarot from a Jungian perspective. It really just depends on how you present it. Also, what helps for me, is that I have a YT channel where I present somewhat "Woo" topics from a perspective that's more palatable to those who identify with rationalism. I'm like a gateway woo...

I reread it again. I apologize. But I don't see it as a cognitive bias. I just mis-read something and I mis-read it multiple times. No need to be passive aggressive.

I have seen that deck but I don't have it. It has some very nice illustrations to it. Normally, when I choose a card, I tend to just imagine that reality is creating a kind of synchronicity through the cards. So, no matter which card is draw, I begin with the assumption that it's relevant. But I do it by feel when I shuffle and cut the deck... and choose the significator card. I get a feel for it. But sometimes it's visual for me too.

So, what you're saying is that Veganism is the "single largest driver responsible for environmental degradation, human health degradation and economic inequality/food insecurity that we see all over the world today." How do you even take yourself seriously? How can a diet that less than 1% of the global population follows be the single largest driver of anything?

Thank you! I'll start releasing videos on it next Sunday.

Absolutely. I think it's very important to read the cards based on an awareness of what all the elements within the card represent as opposed to just the general meaning. And it's these small elements in the card, that can jump out to you and help you find new paths to think through. For example, I was doing a reading for a fellow Tarot enthusiast and he had asked the question of "What are the deeper implications of the Tower card in relation to my life and life in general?" And I had begun the reading kind of scratching my head about how the cards relate back to The Tower. But then, I noticed that the very first card that I drew was the 2 of Wands, which depicts a man at a high vantage point, overlooking the land with a globe in his hand that is yellow and red instead of blue and green. And the typical meaning that I take from this is that he's keeping himself from the world because his worldview is distorted. And he's too attached to his own worldview. And I could only somewhat make this fit with the meaning of The Tower card... which tends to represent the breaking down of systems and the chaos that ensues. But then I realized, that the man in the 2 of wands is standing up on top of a Tower. It's an obvious detail but I had overlooked it at first. So, I could then see that there is a connection in that, when the Tower falls in someone's life, it brings them from illusion and the high and safe place that they're used to look from... all the way down to the ground. And often painfully, as when we are attached to our worldviews and ideas about the world, it is painful to have those illusions and security blankets stripped away from us. It is the meaning of disillusionment. But it also allows us to have a closer experience of life. And it allows us to experience instead of just being intoxicated by the illusion of knowing.

There is always an element of danger when it comes to things of a spiritual nature. And this is specifically the danger of becoming ungrounded. If we are trees, and the mind/spiritual represents our branches and fruit and the mundane/emotional represents our roots... then if we are too focused toward our branches without developing our roots, the three can become uprooted. So, it's very important to have a stable relationship with reality and mundane existence before engaging in anything spiritual. But yes, the I-Ching is very similar in that it's a probabilistic system for mirroring meaning back to us. The same is true of cloud gazing, reading tea leaves, and doing Rorschach tests.

The thing that I think is so powerful about the Tarot is that it engages our connection with the archetypes of the collective unconscious. Each card in the Rider-Waite deck (which is the deck most people learn on), corresponds to a pattern within human life that applies to all people. So, using these images, gives us a more intuitive perspective on these cycles we experience throughout our lives. It's similar to how myths teach us about life in a non-linear and non-rational way that is more engaged with emotions and our story-teller nature. This was always how we learned prior to the discovery of rational, scientific, and linear thinking modes. Now, this is not to knock any of those ways of thinking. But we can be quite neglectful of our primary learning mechanism, which is through visuals and hearing stories. So, the Tarot is like a probabilistic mix and match myth, that you can use as a map and framing device to derive meaning from in a similar way to how people would learn from myths, fables, and fairy tales.

I recommend "The Ultimate Guide to Tarot" by Liz Dean. In the beginning part it talks about all the different systems within the Tarot that will really help your readings. There are suits, numbers, colors, astrological signs, correlation between Major and Minor Arcana cards, etc. Once you know these systems, you can read more intuitively, as opposed to just memorizing the meanings of each card separately (though I do recommend this as well).

I plan to make a video or two on my channel. But I also just opened up a second channel specifically for exploring into the Tarot. Here is the link if you'd like to subscribe... https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ9MsKTslg8bSAktOz-tZfg I don't have any content on it yet, but I'll start releasing videos on my original channel and my Tarot channel later on this week.

Great points. I always think it's important to approach everything with an open mind, but also an open hand. I know that a lot of people can use something like the Tarot to get attached to it as a tool or attached to its outcomes. I think, using it as a guide, and taking it with a grain of salt is the wisest thing to do. It's more effective that way anyway, because your mind will be able to let go more and you'll be able to shift more into that intuitive space.

It could work. I've actually seen people do Tarot readings with Uno cards before, for yes and no questions. There is a correlation between the swords, wands, cups, and pentacles suits in the Tarot and the spades, clubs, hearts, and diamonds respectively. So, all you'd have to do is to see those connections and know the meaning behind the numbers, aces, and the court cards. The Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings are related to the Jacks, Queens, and Kings in the deck. But no card represents the pages, so it's a little different. Also, the Jokers relate to the Fool card in the Major Arcana of the Tarot. But otherwise, the other Major Arcana are not represented. So, you could definitely read the Tarot, though it would be more limited and it wouldn't engage the narrative mind of archetypes, since there's not a lot of visuals to latch onto with a typical playing card deck.

It's similar to that. But it's often much more open. The way I work, is usually that I have the person draw the first card at random. It's the significator card, which means it represents themselves in their current state. Then, I share the general meaning of the card, and ask them if it resonates with them and how. And from there, I pull the other cards in the spread using that same narrative thread from the significator, as I'm using the visuals of the cards to FIND the story that comes into my intuition. But I am not a psychic. So, it's really about me using the connections that I see, to see if they fit with the other person. It's really them that has all the answers, and I'm just there to help them see it from different perspectives and to teach insights through the vehicle of the cards that are helpful in regard to the situation at hand.

Actually, I've thought the same thing. I do both life-coaching and Tarot reading (both as lines of work), and they're quite similar. The main difference with the Tarot, in facilitating a person to find their own answers is that you're using a visual framing device, that has a more direct link to the archetypal/narrative aspects of the mind. So, the Tarot is a lot like a vehicle that can drive you to aspects of the mind that you would have a much harder time reaching without that vehicle. The difference between trying to walk across the desert versus driving.

I agree with your perspective in this way. Basically, these archetypal images are always relevant to our lives in some way, as we're always running through these cycles in some form or another. So, no matter which card you draw, you can find a connection to it. And through finding that connection, a deeper understanding can emerge. Personally, don't get very interested in Tarot through a divination perspective... though I don't rule it out. I do like to assume a sense of synchronicity, but this is less important to me. My interest is more in line with helping the mind pick up on meanings and patterns that it typically wouldn't, to give better insight to either me or the querent. It's kind of like how a fable works. So, you can tell someone not to lie... or you can tell them the fable of the "Boy Who Cried Wolf". And since people are natural story tellers and our first language is the visual language, we can imagine the consequences of those actions as opposed to just knowing them rationally. So, it engages more of the heart and the intuitive faculties than just the intellect.

Yes. I am bi-sexual but have a stronger preference for men... probably about an 80/20 split if I were to try to quantify it.

I've done a ton of field tests and experiments on this already. Trust me. That's my point. I'm telling you what I've found. It just disagrees with your hypothesis, so you think that I don't understand what you're saying. Also, what you're saying about attractiveness outweighing every other indicator relationship-wise is not true for everyone... probably just from your perspective and others who share a similar perspective. But a mature man who has been around the block a time or two and is interested in a real relationship, will pick a 6 who's compatible over an 9 who's incompatible, in a relationship. Now, he may pick the 9 for a one-night stand or brief fling because it's a novel experience. But women are generally not very into that anyway. So, it's not so unfortunate from their perspective. Also, if you have any questions regarding the underlying patterns that exist in the context of this over-arching pattern, then feel free to ask. I have 30 years of experience being female. And we have a front-row seat to these phenomena that men don't and can't experience. And I totally agree that we should put aside beliefs to see what's actually there. That's what I've been telling you the entire time. My experiences are in-congruent with your beliefs... so I'm trying to help you see that your beliefs are not accurate because they are only viewing reality through one very distorted lens. But my experiences, I will not set aside. They are experiences not beliefs. That's the difference in our perspectives. But here are the results of some of my experiments... If you're an average or above woman, most men will want to have sex with you. If you're an unattractive woman, you'll still have no issue finding a man who wants to have sex with you. And about 20% or more of men who want to have sex with you will be willing to be in a relationship with you. Most men are just overjoyed to get attention and acceptance from a woman, and they crave it. This is an approximation of what I've witnessed and experienced. Now, there is privilege in terms of women who are considered attractive by the consensus. So, I'm not saying that pretty privilege doesn't exist. It's just that you're implying that looks is the only factor of any import for women in all situations, and most sectors of society aren't that objectifying or harsh to the overarching degree that you assume. And this includes the dating sector.

I understood 100% of what you said in your post. And nothing of what you said was anything new to me. I've been sorting this issue since I was a small child living in a world obsessed with women's looks. Women live the direct self-consciousness about looks daily as a result of this constant reminder. Therefore, I've been introspecting and contemplating on this issue for a very long time, and have been dating and been in relationships for about 17 years. So, I find it somewhat laughable that you're talking to me about coming to grips with something that is constantly in the background of my life that you likely only were doing some mental masturbation (or actual masturbation :D) about. But one of the things that you learn as an average woman, who doesn't look like a model, is that there are men who exist at varying levels of sexual and emotional maturity. So, there may be some who only want 10s... most of whom are not 10s themselves, and will overlook all the opportunities to be in a real relationship in hopes to be with an ideal. But there are also tons of men who are mature enough to be in a relationship with that can appreciate more modest forms of beauty and are mostly heart focused with their relationships. So, they desire intimacy with a woman more than the excitement of bedding a hottie. In fact, this is the only kind of man you can have a worthwhile relationship with in the first place. Other men, won't be able to meet you where you are emotionally which steals away all the loving and erotic feelings. So, your perspective is coming from a very 1-dimensional map of the dating world that only focuses toward the baser instincts of sexuality... specifically the male baser instincts in this case. It's also filtered through the lens of using the Tinder app, which is quite a far cry from the natural human mating ritual. It doesn't engage the entire being in the dating process in the way warm organic courtship does. So, it's very reductive. And this 1 dimensional focus, in itself, is a distortion because there is a lot more than just base instinct within sexuality and relationships. And you can even look around at the world and see that reality contradicts your ideas. People of all levels of attractiveness find mates. And people typically tend to pair-bond with someone around their looks-match. Studies have even shown it to be true. So, you're only focusing at the level of the loins and not at the level of heart or mind. Now, if reality only worked at the level of the beast in us, then it could be said that mother nature is quite cruel to unattractive people. And especially women, whose base attraction has largely to do with visual fertility signifiers. And certainly looks help to attract a mate. But this is quite obvious to everyone... women especially. So, your assertion is kind of a "duh" from the female perspective. We know what men like sexually, as that information is literally everywhere. So, it's as obvious as saying the grass is green. But despite this, the reality is that it evens out. And I know this from experience. I'm an average looking woman, and I've probably been approached over 1000 times. Not to mention all the willing ones who didn't approach. The odds are quite good for finding a mate. And the choosing is largely in the woman's hands. And this is so because men are generally not really picky. If a woman wants a man, she can find one in short order. And that's true, even if she's a 2. The only reason why women will tend to have issue finding a guy is if she's too guarded and men feel intimidated approaching her. But it will seldom if ever just be looks alone that stands in the way. A woman could be very unattractive, but very flirtatious, and there will be plenty of men who flock around her. Women, on the other hand are usually at least somewhat choosy. This difference between men and women can be chalked up to basic biology and practicality... Men can have 1000 kids per year if he really tried with potentially no practical commitment needed. Women can have one child a year, and there is a direct impact on her body and circumstances and an 18 year commitment on the other end of the pregnancy. So, women are naturally more picky when it comes to choosing a mate for this reason. And the intuition is used to do that choosing more than the eyes are. So, what you're saying about it being easier for a woman to find a mate if she's more attractive is very obvious. But also, your idea that only attractive women have men who are genuinely interested in them is untrue. It's not actually necessary at all. You're just basing this idea on your experience of either being a man who hasn't opened his heart enough to appreciate a relationship with a woman OR you're basing all of your ideas on your experience of scrolling through Tinder... which isn't anything like real dating/courtship.

@possibilities This is actually more of a problem of under-developed masculinity and lack of integration. A man who is under-developed and immature in his masculinity will only be looks focused because sexuality only occurs on the level of the loins for them and does not integrate with sexuality on the level of heart or mind. And it's only connecting on the ground floor of sexuality. Once you open your heart and mind, you will find women who aren't perfect looking attractive and you'll be much more focused toward intimacy and connection. And it's a much more pleasurable and intimate experience, and is honestly truly what you crave whether you realize it or not. But this takes a lot of work for a (young/immature) man usually because the pull of the sexual instinct will maintain a holding point in the loins until he gathers enough energy to transmute that energy toward his heart. And this works against gravity. And if a man has an issue with addiction to masturbation, that energy won't accrue and will discipate. This difficulty with heart opening is especially true with apps like Tinder because it simply doesn't function the way the normal human mating ritual is designed. So, it fundamentally doesn't allow for heart openings and getting to know women. It becomes basically like the fast food of sex and relationships, where you just throw a bunch of spaghetti at the way and see what sticks. This is not natural and goes against our natural instinct toward pair-bonding. And sex/relationship becomes only about checking boxes as opposed to developing intimacy with another human being. A woman on the other hand, whose sexuality who runs opposite to a man's, begins in the mind, will have no trouble bringing her attraction to a man down through her heart and to here loins (if she's not blocked) because it goes with the flow of gravity. But it's trickier for her to find a guy who gets into her mind. Thus, Tinder is especially ill-fit for women, because absolutely ZERO aspects of the chemistry that she needs to fall in love with a man can come through that medium. Women need to experience a man fully and intuitively for him to get into her mind. And that's tricky because women usually only hold that space for one man at a time (or perhaps a few are contenders). So, it ends up, with Tinder, just sorting through a bunch of guys and not being able to pick up on his energetic signature. Also, there is no need for women to get plastic surgery to attract a guy. No matter what a woman looks like, there will always be men that are interested if she seems open to relationships and/or sex. That's one of the perks and drawbacks of being a woman. There is never a shortage of men trying to get with you. And this is specifically why women tend to become very intuitive with regard to the maturity level of men. It's just very obvious when a guy is a high quality guy who is able to open his heart. And it's also very obvious to pick up on a guy who hasn't really stepped into mature manhood, and can't really be in tune with his heart and emotions. You get the sense that he isn't interested in meeting you where you are, and there would be no way for him to even fake it. Edit: Also, if any man wants to transmute his sexual energy from the loins up to the heart, he must first develop a strong sense of self, willpower, boundaries, and self esteem. The channel between the sacral chakra (sexuality) and the heart chakra (love and connection) has the solar plexus chakra in between which is all about personal development and self-hood. So, a little bit of self-actualization work is a necessary foundation to developing the capacity for love and connection.

I don't know about that. I think it's best to err on the side of openly vocal suspicion by the populace at large, in this particular case. And that's because it does naturally lead to suspicion for anyone considering the most reasonable possibilities. And that's frankly because of how many powerful people were likely engaging in sex crimes against minors. And Epstein was the one in charge of it all. He knew all the dirt. And because Epstein is dead now before he's testified, the chances of those names being revealed just dropped significantly. And if the powerful people have paid off and/or threatened everyone at the prison, the coroner, and anyone else involved... chances are they will also do the same with the media. And they'll try to roll their eyes like people are being crazy and spinning hokey conspiracy theories like Alex Jones... when it honestly is the most reasonable explanation. And if too many average people went with the truth that "We don't really know anything", that would just help them spin that narrative. Because a lofty truth can help obfuscate other truths. So, it may be true that we don't know anything for sure... but it sure as hell isn't helpful. So, it's not crazy to assume this at all. It's quite logical. In fact, I'd argue it's the most logical explanation. So, regardless of what's true or not, I do think it's a positive thing that so many people are vocally calling something out that smells funny. Can't let 'em get away with everything.

You don't really know. That's true. But if you aren't at least suspicious of foul play, you're being pretty naive to the way human beings work. Imagine this. Some guy has dirt on the mafia. And suddenly, he's committed suicide. A little fishy, right? If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and walks like a duck... it may just be a really weird goose. But let's be real, it's probably a duck.

I fully believe that it was foul play. It sounds like a hokey conspiracy theory at face value. But it honestly makes the most sense. I think it's a bit naive to assume that a man who had TONS of the worst kind of dirt on so many of the most powerful people in the world wouldn't have hits out on him. So many powerful people had a vested interest in him being dead, you can imagine. My theory is that, when he harmed himself a week or two ago, he was trying to get on suicide watch to be protected and watched over constantly. But if we have some billionaires that want him dead, they could easily buy off the guards and the coroner to rule it a suicide. And they could also threaten violence toward their families. At the end of the day, the moneyed class can behave exactly like the mafia when the chips are down. And that's honestly the most obvious answer as to what happened. On top of that, according to first-hand accounts by prisoners, it's a facility that would be very difficult to commit suicide in, especially on suicide watch.

Contrapoints gives some really solid socio-political analysis. And it's very entertaining as well... Here's my favorite, as it gives a snap-shot of the "alt-right", how to recognize it, and its influence on mainstream political opinions... On a similar note, Innuendo Studios does some great informative videos on the "Alt-Right" and breaks down their strategies for gaining a foothold in mainstream discourse.

It's difficult because those neural pathways have been activated toward pleasure in relation to the fetish many times. So, it gets you into a deep habitual groove where you experience pleasure the easiest and strongest through that neural pathway, where others haven't been developed much or at all. Luckily, you can create and strengthen new neural pathways as well, and (in some degree) atrophy old ones through disengaging. So, you'll have to practice climaxing during normal sex. And not get discouraged when it doesn't happen right away or isn't as intense. Also, to delay gratification, when you know you can reach in your mind toward the fetish image and orgasm quickly and strong. So, you have to have some willpower to hold back from the instant orgasm button in your mind. Then, you practice disengagement with the fetish. And like all things, it will get hazier and fuzzier with time. It's like riding a bike. You never quite forget. But you will fall off your game if you disengage with it. And you want to fall off your game with the fetish. ***Now, another thing, is that you have to remove the emotional charge from the fetish by processing the emotions and trauma that caused it. This is the root cause of all of it. Once you do this, it will be a little bit harder to orgasm from the fetish as it will have lost its charge. And it will also be much easier to disengage from and atrophy the fetish's hold over your sexual instincts, so that the energy can take other pathways. As someone who has dealt personally with trauma-based fetish before, I know that it's difficult to unlearn and unwire it. It takes a lot of time, energy, and practice. But it is possible.

There are three centers in the body that relate to sexuality and relationships. Those are the mind, the heart, and the genitals. And one or more of these become activated in a romantic relationship/situation. Generally speaking, men and women tend to have opposite currents relative to these three centers. For women, attraction tends to begin in the mind, travel to the heart, and eventually end up in the genitals. For men, attraction tends to begin in the genitals, travel to his heart, and then to his mind. And in there is a cycle that's created between the two in a sexual relationship, where the man penetrates the woman's genitals and the woman penetrates his mind. This is why it's very common for women to want to know what's going on in a man's mind, and for a man to be really focused toward the visceral aspects of sex. One particular challenge of male sexuality is that the sexual instinct in the genitals is so strong (for both man and woman) that it has a gravity to it that the other centers don't have. So, for men this genital-heavy orientation creates a holding point where it keeps that energy from rising up into the heart and mind. So, men who are a bit young or not yet fully developed as people get that energy stuck in the genitals. And it keeps them from being able to keep (or even see the value in) a relationship with women beyond sex. They are not able to see women through the heart lens. But once a man works on himself and integrates his feminine side, that energy can rise up through the other two centers and he is capable of valuing a woman as a partner and has the capacity to fall in love. Some guys are just like this, and have a mature 3-tiered attraction dynamic, even as teenagers. Some guys never develop this capacity for a variety of reasons and remain stuck in the genital orientation of relationships. But most guys have a bit of an arc, where they eventually develop a more mature masculinity. So, my thought is that you may be attracting and getting attracted to men who are still in that immature phase where the heart and mind hasn't been integrated into the sexual experience. And it's rather unnerving to be with a guy like that. Luckily, it has a vibe to it. You can pick up on it, as long as you yourself are mature in that way. And once you mature, you will discover a natural aversion to that energy that under-developed guys tend to give off. And you will start to get naturally more attracted to men with a more integrated heart. So, I recommend focusing toward growing yourself and maturing in the same way. For women, the problem they have is integrating the heart as well, especially if there are trust issues. So, the mind becomes really strong and resistant to being vulnerable. In a nutshell, the way to find someone who is mature, is to mature yourself. And after that you will naturally attract partners that will value you as a person and will make you a priority in their life.