posted December 08, 2005 07:06 PM              

I don't know if people here are aware of a wonderful Tarot Software program called Orphalese www.orphalese.net so I thought I'd take this opportunity to tell you about it.

I am so excited about this software, that this is probably going to come off sounding like an advertisement but I can assure you, I have no affiliation with Orphalese (other than being a registered owner of their software) and bugging the programmer to add this and that etc. (He is very accomodating in terms of listening and implementing enhancement requests.)

Any enthusiasm expressed in this email is because I feel very passionately about the software and when I feel passionate about something, I want to sing it from the rooftops and share the knowledge round.

I first came across Orphalese about 18 months ago, when I set out to download different types of Tarot Card Software with a view to comparing and reviewing them so I could write a magazine article.

At that time, Orphalese compared reasonably well, though it lacked some features that were available in a competitor's software (albeit for a much larger price tag).

During the past 18 months, a lot of programming and development has occurred with Orphalese and I would now consider this software as the leading Tarot software.

Version 6.5 has just been released. In addition, it is unbelievably good value as it sells for about the price you would pay for a tarot deck. Now, let me add that you can download the unregistered version for FREE. Yes, free. It doesn't give you access to all of the features that are unlocked when you register, but it is still a wonderful little program in its mini version.

So, what can you do with this software?

I'm going to tell you about the registered version (so keep in mind the unregistered version does not have all of this functionality - or has reduced functionality in that you can only use three decks).

The Orphalese software is similar to some of those online free tarot reading websites that you may have used.

Orphalese offers a place on your computer, where you can store electronic images of the cards in your deck(s). (Please note, when you register this software, you are given access to a community forum where you can upload and download decks and spreads. There are currently over 400 decks and about 150 spreads that you can have access to. And some of these decks include card notes/interpretations. That in itself is worth the registration fee!)

So, you can store your decks (and information about your deck), and create your own spreads. You can even associate a spread to a deck, so that when you want to use that spread, it fetches the appropriate deck.

Orphalese is so flexible, that you can have the deck sitting on your desktop, and just click on it to draw a card(s). Then, you can drag them around your screen to place them where ever you wish. So, it's brilliant for doing readings on the fly, when you don't want to use a particular spread. Even if you do use a spread, you can draw further cards should you need to clarify any of the cards drawn in your reading.

If, you are like me, and you like to hand select your cards, you can fan them out.....and run your mouse along and click when you feel the urge. (This is called Free Selection). And, if you want to use your real deck to do the reading, but want to use Orphalese to record your reading, you can use the Free Selection tool and have the cards displayed face up in Ascending/Descending order (so it's easy to lay out the same cards as your physical reading).

It even caters for reversals in that you can tell it what percentage of cards that you want to appear reversed. For me, I don't read reversals so I've set my percentage to zero.

There are two tabs to record individual card notes so that you can store the LWB (Little White Book) meaning, as well as your Personal Interpretation. Both tabs have a place where you can enter upright and reversed meanings.

Once you've done your reading (using your own selection or a spread), you can copy the spread notes, the layout of the cards, and the card interpretations into a master screen that then becomes your reading notes. This is done simply by the click of a few buttons (and you are given a template in which you can hand-select which items to include). You can then add to this information and write additional notes about the spread and/or why you used that deck (which is something that I usually do when I am reading for others).

The reading notes can then be saved and re-read at any point down the track. You can also email a reading (which, if you are reading for someone else, is very handy). So Orphalese is like an electronic journal.

You can organise your Decks, Spreads, and Readings into a folder structure that you create.

My very favourite feature is "Compare Cards". It is a function that allows you to compare the same card from different decks. So in other words, you can view say The Fool card, for example, from every deck that you have on the Orphalese system. You can do this buy hand-selecting which deck folders, and invidual decks within those folders that you would like to display. Clicking on any of the cards loads that deck as your current deck. You can even click on a button to load a random deck, for those times when you're not sure which deck you should be working with.

There are so many wonderful features in this program that I could go on writing for days. But, instead, I'm going to strongly urge that you go and download the unregistered version and have a play with it yoursElf.

The unregistered version downloads with a sample deck, so you can instantly start reading. Oh, and it uses software called NET.Framework but that's free and can also be downloaded.

Now, one last important note. The programmer has, in the past, offered this software as freeware/shareware and anybody that is a registered user has had access to a life-time of free upgrades.

As at the end of January 2006, this will change and if you register after that date, you will need to pay for major upgrades.

So why are you still here? Go and download the software already......lol.

If you have any questions/queries I would be happy to chat further about this wonderful software.

posted December 09, 2005 09:38 AM              

The answers are within
you are your own guide
no one else

Love and Light to ALL

posted December 10, 2005 05:40 PM              

May I ask you a question? When you do a reading (either for yoursElf, or for another) how do you record your interpretations? Do you use a tarot journal?

If you are reading for another, you still need to type it up to send it to them.

You can use your physical tarot deck to do the reading as you normally would, then, use Orphalese just to record your reading notes. This is particularly helpful for daily readings if you want to keep track of what cards you've drawn and when because it allows you to look back to see if there is a pattern.

I use a tarot journal where I hand-write my notes. Often I will go back to readings I've done say two months ago, just to see how things panned out. It's often interesting to add further notes, because sometimes you may have initially overlooked something, or interpreted things differently. Now, I can record my readings using this software. Two months later I can pull up that reading and easily add to the notes.

I understand that doing a "computer" reading isn't everyone's idea of reading tarot, and, I'm not suggesting that this is how you should use Orphalese. But, there are other valuable tools in the software that can benefit anybody that keeps a tarot journal.

posted December 10, 2005 06:06 PM              

this is what I do
I do 5 readings, I write them all down
Oops, First I pray to Mother and Father
for guidance, and to not let my ego into the reading, also, I thanks them for helping me

Once I've written them all down
I sit and LOOK and WAIT and SEE
and a picture appears a story
of how things can go, and what to
avoid,
I personally, wouldn't be able to use it
the symbols in the cards and the story
show me the way
Once I've emailed the reading,
I throw the paper away
It's none of my business, and I erase it
from my MIND

I hope I explained that OK
I'm sure the program is good
Sorry I came of as being
Blank, hehe, I was having a
bad day, no excuse
sorry