And how an aging debate between supply-side and demand-side policies still shapes partisan politics — “Supply-side” and “demand-side” are shorthand terms for two approaches to governmental policy in a market-based economy. Each view has a long history in both theory and practice — and it’s open to debate whether either is really applicable to 21st-century economies. In fact, the study and practice of macroeconomics has…

A unique, unforgettable view of the Holocaust and its aftermath . . . — The Complete Maus is a graphic chronicle of artist Art Spiegelman’s attempt to understand his father’s life, his mother’s death, and his own identity. To say it is unique is to say the least. Spiegelman’s Jewish parents were both Holocaust survivors — or it might be more correct to say…

Excerpts from a vintage interview with the American Taoist master Charles Belyea — Working my way through stacks of saved magazines and newspaper clippings, I reached a 1997 copy of Yoga Journal. It fell open to a centerfold that seemed for a moment like the very essence of serenity. I had never heard of Charles Belyea, and despite the fact that I know…

Seeing in dark times . . . — In one month, the world has changed profoundly. I think everyone realizes that in a general way — but I suspect most people haven’t really grasped what lies ahead. …

The “Nightmare Alleys” of Guillermo del Toro and William Lindsay Gresham If you happened to see the teaser-trailer for Guillermo del Toro’s remake of Nightmare Alley last summer, you might have noticed a close-up image of a Tarot reading. …

I would love to be writing a different story . . . . — I’d hoped that writing about Tarot on Medium — in a serious (but not boring!) way would open up the topic for a broad spectrum of readers. That’s not going to happen. But a few people (not quite 100) have followed Perspectives on Tarot, and others have also read and…

Tarot travels to the City of Angels . . . — Tracing the history of Tarot so far, we have looked at three stages: the “Historical Tarot,” from around 1450 to 1750, the “Esoteric Tarot,” from 1750 to 1880, and “The Makers of Modern Tarot,” 1880 to 1925. A Quick Recap During the Historical period, the Tarot trumps appeared mysteriously in Italy and were…

The art of aligning with your own values — What is “Self-Synchrony”? Briefly — that feeling you have when: Decisions seem obvious Actions seem natural Life seems to flow rather than flounder I can’t tell you how to get there — everyone has their own path. But I can offer a visual aid that I thought of one day…