What makes a good tarot blog? What kinds of tarot blog exist in the wild? These are some of the questions I asked myself the other day. What surprised me is how difficult it is to find good blogs, particularly when using the search engines for ‘tarot blog’. Mary Greer’s blog invariably tops the pile, but then the quality rapidly diminishes. Blogs are a vital indicator of the health of a website – the viewer can see how much activity is going on. Many of the blogs are moribund, or just plain awful, so I had to resort to the blog rolls.

My criteria for inclusion is quite simple; the blog is in use, so there has to be one or two posts in 2009. I assumed that tarot blogs are either by professional tarot readers, or by those who aspire to read the tarot for others, so I tried to exclude those who were advertisements with one or posts on the tarot for window dressing. Despite the hundreds of decks out there, I was surprised by the lack of blogs by artists, or collectors of tarot. By now I was getting desperate, and then I had a thought; maybe I could find more by searching for speakers at Tarot Conferences, but again I ran up against a brick wall – I think the organisers had given up for some reason. Ultimately, though, I tried to look at blogs through the eyes of a newbie – would I learn something about the tarot from this blog? I then looked from the perspective of a gnarled and cynical tarot reader. This weeded the crop further.

So, the list below is entirely subjective, entirely arbitrary, subject to change, and idiosyncratic. For example, Mary Greer’s blog is easy to find, but Rachel Pollack’s is almost invisible.

The Future of Tarot Blogs

I hesitate to write this section, mainly because I can be seen as open to the charge of nepotism or favouritism (but I think if you compare the blogs of Catherine Chapman and Douglas Gibb to this blog, you will see that they are streets ahead of anything done by me). On the other hand, I am proud to say that I encouraged them both to get online and start a blog. Both are writing intelligent, articulate articles on many different aspects of tarot in an entertaining way. No other blog features the energy and discipline of regular posts, written with a passion to communicate.

Tarot reader blogs

Most tarot blogs are written by tarot readers in some form, and we can easily divide them into blatant adverts with a bit of content from those who are contributing. Naturally I will be focussing on the latter. One way of promoting yourself as a tarot reader is to post on tarot readings you have done:

• Maiden of Mystery posts tarot readings on events in the news, such as the disappearance of Madeleine McCann and the murder of a pastor in Oklahoma.
• Lisa Lloyd writes on Tarot and healing.
• Seaqueen gives examples of readings and tarot spreads.
• Bgmeyer has only been going for a few months, but she has an interesting and forthright style when writing about what can happen in a tarot reading. “Tell me tarot cards, will he come back? I know he is violent and a jerk, but I love him!” is a compelling  title for a post.
• Jase on Cards is clearly on a mission – he writes intelligently and articulately, particularly on the Lenormand cards.
• Liani’s Tarot Folio has an entirely different take, looking at contemporary and pop culture relating to the tarot.
• Garnet’s Tarot Journal indulges in a kind of tarot card a day meditation.

Author/Teacher blogs

Blogs by authors are usually more interesting.

• Mary Greer is probably one of the best known writers and teachers of Tarot. Her blog is an interesting mix of the history of tarot, an appreciation of art and symbolism in tarot, coupled with comments on tv programs that feature the tarot in some way.
• Rachel Pollack is well known in the tarot world. Her blog covers articles not necessarily on the tarot – HP Lovecraft is a current fascination – and artwork, reviews, and interviews.
• Arwen Lynch, President of the American Tarot Association, has recent interviews with James Ricklef and Paul Quinn.   There is also a series of “Character readings” with various people.
• James Ricklef’s website does not seem to have a blog, so on to Paul Quinn who also has posts on character readings, similar to Arwen Lynch. Paul Quinn has a book on tarot out, but I cannot say I learnt anything about tarot from his blog.
• Corrine Kenner is a well known speaker on the tarot. These days she posts more on current events.
• Lynda Cowles writes for TABI, and she is working on a book on the tarot.

Artist blogs

A number of the well known tarot artists have the “Enter” flash splash screen, and not much else, so they were passed over.

• Gaian Tarot by contrast is a busy blog promoting a deck that is not due for publication until Spring 2010. Artist  Joanna Powell Colbert is particularly articulate.
• Julia Cuccia Watt’s blog uses the ‘tarot card a day’ for writing about her experiences in Egypt.
• Kris Waldherr is particularly energetic – she has created a tarot app for iPhone.
• Quantum Tarot Kay Stopforth’s voyage though space.
• I have included Melisinka as she has a great stream of consciousness piece on the Star card in particular.

Tarot Students

Written by people keen to learn more about the tarot.

• Formicida is passionate about the Thoth Tarot – shame there has been no new post since August 2008.

Topics covered in Tarot blogs

News

Current events and news of books, deck and courses on the tarot. This blog is an example

Reviews

Reviews on decks and tarot books

Collections

Passions for different tarot decks.

• Adam’s Tarot Blog chronicles the acquisitions of a serious tarot collector.
• 78 Steps has a good selection of decks. Cheri Arbuckle has an interesting series of articles on the different kinds of divinatory cards available.

Your views

Outraged that your blog is not included? Am I too harsh in my criticism? Got some better suggestions? Let me know!

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