The Star Spread: Will I Find True Love?

I wanted to share the following reading because it provides a good example of how I approach a small spread that is dominated by Court Cards. I recently posted two articles on how to read the Court Cards: The Court Cards As People and When Court Cards Do Not Represent People. I hope the following example reading will help further showcase these ideas in action.
For this reading I used the Star Spread. I have encountered several versions of the Star Spread from various sources. The version I prefer comes from the book, The Way of Cartouche by Murry Hope.

This example Star Spread was part of an actual reading done on 4/21/06 for the daughter of a good friend.  You’ll notice that 4 of the 5 cards pulled for this layout were Court Cards which provide psychological insight into the interactions between the people involved in the situation.  

Question: Will I find true love?

Cards In the Order They Were Drawn:

King of Hearts
Queen of Spades
King of Spades
5 of Diamonds
King of Clubs

The King of Hearts at the first point of the star represents the nature of the question.  As a member of the suit of hearts, this card confirms that the question deals with an emotional matter.  The King would specifically represent the ideal partner the querent is wishing for– family man, good provider, protector, faithful husband, etc., which are all of the characteristics associated with this card.

The Queen of Spades at the 2nd point of the star represents the cause or basis of the question, the reason for the wish, or the cause of the problem.  The suit of Spades represents sadness and loneliness, which are obvious reasons for searching for true love. Specifically, the queen represents the querent in her current aspect of sadness and loneliness.  The Queen of Spades can also represent a divorced woman, and the querent was in fact divorced.

The King of Spades falling at the 3rd point of the star represents a contributing factor, or additional information to be considered in the situation. It’s easy to see that he represents the querent’s ex-husband, as the King of Spades would denote a divorced or widowed man. As a spade falling in this position, he represents an obstacle to the successful outcome of the situation.

If we look at the dynamics of the cards in this layout, we see that the Queen of Spades (the querent) is looking away from the King of Spades (the ex-husband), but the ex-husband is looking directly at the querent.  These interactions suggest that although she is finished with the relationship, and is ready to move on, he is still holding on.  The querent confirmed that this was the case.  The ex-husband had continued to pursue her even after she made it clear to him that she was not interested in a reconciliation.

Despite her desire to move on, the queen’s stance also suggests that the querent still harbors anger and hurt feelings from the past relationship.  These negative emotions as represented by the Queen of Spades may be holding her back from finding new love.  Interestingly, the Queen of Spades is  turned away from all of the men in the layout, including her ideal man, the King of Hearts.  This further suggests that she has closed herself off emotionally.

At the 4th point of the star we find the only pip in the layout.  This position answers the question, or provides advice for finding a solution to the problem or concern.  The 5 of Diamonds is the card of “physical and mental attraction,” and it reminds us that we create our experiences based on the energy we project out into the the world.  This card can be a warning to be more aware of how we present ourselves to those around us.

The 5 of Diamonds in this position advises that a change is needed in the way the querent is perceiving herself, and presenting this image to the world–and in particular to potential partners.  This card suggests that in order to move forward, the querent must release her anger, forgive the ex, and drop the Queen of Spades persona as the sad, lonely, hurt, angry, wronged woman.

The card in the final position at the 5th point of the star represents the final outcome if the advice of the card in position 4 is heeded.  Here we find the King of Clubs.  He is the actual man, as opposed to the ideal (King of Hearts), that the querent can potentially attract (5 of Diamonds) into her life.  The King of Clubs is friendly, reliable, trustworthy and stable, the very qualities the querent needs.  It is interesting to note that the King of Clubs also looks away from the Queen, which suggests disinterest in her current aspect as the hurt, angry woman.

For this yes-or-no question I set the intention that the answer could be derived by the ratio of red to black cards in the spread. The predominance of black cards would suggest a “no” answer.  It’s important to keep in mind that the “no” does not mean “never.”  It simply means “no” for the duration of the whatever time frame is set by the reading.  In the case of the Star Spread, the time frame is usually between 3 to 6 months.

The King of Clubs represents a new man coming into the querent’s life, but the encounter could be delayed by her inability to release the negative emotion from her past relationship with the ex.  It’s also possible she may meet the new man within the time frame of the reading, but the relationship may not develop right away.

Feedback:

The querent took the advice to heart, and worked at forgiving and releasing the baggage from her failed marriage.  She did meet someone new about year after the reading, and eventually remarried.

Horoscope Spread: The Perfect Match?

The Cartomancy Horoscope Spread is perfect for exploring complex situations that require addressing multiple related questions. I find this spread to be particularly useful for business inquiries which may include several elements that must be evaluated. For example the spread works well for exploring all of the details involved in purchasing or selling a home.
Is He the Perfect Roommate?

I drew the following cards for my brother when he was debating over the idea of taking a roommate. He needed insight into the pros and cons of sharing his home with an acquaintance he did not know well. My brother was living alone in a three-bedroom townhouse. He knew that taking a housemate made financial sense, but he wanted to be sure that the man would be a suitable roommate. Because this is a complex topic with several aspects to consider, I chose the Horoscope Spread to address the various concerns.
Area of focus: Would this friend be a suitable roommate?

I asked my brother to shuffle the cards while concentrating on his area of focus for the reading. Then I dealt 12 cards from the top of the shuffled deck, and laid them into the 12 houses of the astrological wheel as illustrated in the following diagram:

Areas of Inquiry

My aim was to do the intuitive equivalent of a background check on the prospective roommate. I needed to explore the following questions in order to make a determination about his suitability as a roommate, and assess the future success of the living arrangement.

• Does the roommate have a stable source of income?
• How does the roommate handle his money?
• Is the roommate emotionally stable?
• Does the roommate have good communication skills?
• Does the roommate keep his living quarters neat and clean?
• Does the roommate have a wild social life?
• Is the roommate's life philosophy compatible?

Relevant Houses for the Questions

1st House: represents the querent himself, his attitude, and motivations.
4th House: represents the querent's townhouse
4th House (roommate's 10th House): represents the roommate's career
7th House: represents the roommate himself, his attitude and motivations.
8th House: (roommate's 2nd House) the roommate's finances
9th House: the querent's philosophy on life
9th House (roommate's 3rd House): how the roommate communicates
10th House (roommates 4th House): the roommates lifestyle in the home
12th House (roommates's 6th House): the roommate's work ethic

Each house of the horoscope encompasses a wide range of possible meanings. For this reading I focus only on the meanings that apply directly to the area of focus for our inquiry.

Relevant Cards and Keywords

8 of Diamonds: careful planning, caution with money
8 of Hearts: sharing and cooperation, optimism
4 of Hearts: partnership, union, comfort and security
7 of Clubs: hard work, steady actions, evaluations
10 of Spades: fear, worry, ambition, heavy responsibility
Queen of Spades: authoritative, detached, conscientious
Jack of Spades: watchful, reserved, emotionally awkward
9 of Clubs: travel, good luck, distance, expansion
7 of Spades: stagnation, routines, frustration, unable to move forward

Interpreting the Cartomancy Horoscope

First I looked at the attitudes and motivations of both the querent and the prospective roommate. What is the querent looking for in a roommate? Is the roommate a suitable house companion? Or does the roommate lead a double life as an ax murderer?

The 1st House (House of the Self) represents the querent and his personality. It describes his attitude and motivations in reference to the question. The 1st house also sets the tone of the reading. The 8 of Diamonds describes my brother as cautious and deliberate. He intends to carefully evaluate all of the pros and cons of accepting the roommate.

The 4th House (House of the Home) represents the querent's townhouse. The 4 of Hearts is the card of partnerships, and confirms that the cards are in tune with the question of bringing a roommate into the home. The 4 of Hearts also shows that my brother loves his home. It is a place of comfort and security.

The 7th House (House of the Partner) represents the roommate and serves as the roommate's 1st house. It describes the roommate's attitude and motivations in reference to the question. The 8 of Hearts describes the roommate as companionable and cooperative. He is honest, and open-minded and willing to compromise. He is motivated by a willingness to share.

The 8 of Diamonds suggests that for my brother, the decision to take a roommate is a very serious matter. He is motivated by the prospect of reducing his monthly expenses with the supplemental income from the roommate. But he wants to be sure that taking on a roommate will not upset the harmony and tranquility of his personal space. The 8 of Hearts suggests that the prospective roommate is friendly and trustworthy. In terms of his personality, attitude and motivations, he seems to be a perfect match.

Then I wanted to take a look at the roommate's finances to determine if he spends his money wisely, and if he will have enough to cover the expenses each month.

The 8th House is the Roommate's 2nd House of finances. The 7 of Clubs indicates a steady income. The roommate works hard for his money, and he is careful with his spending.

The 4th House is the roommate's 10th House of career. The 4 of Hearts shows that the roommate loves his work. He feels comfortable and secure in his job. We could even say that he's married to his work.

The 12th House is the roommate's 6th House of service, which can tell us something about his work ethic, and his attitude toward work in general. The 10 of Spades indicates high ambitions. He takes his work very seriously and worries about meeting his responsibilities.

The cards indicate that the roommate is conscientious about his work and about his spending. He should have no trouble covering his monthly expenses.

Next I needed to evaluate the roommate's lifestyle at home, and assess how he maintains his living quarters. Is he a slob? Will he be negligent with the furnishings and fixtures? I also wanted to look at the kinds of people he may potentially entertain in the townhouse.

The 10th House is the roommate's 4th House of house and home. The Queen of Spades is meticulous about her appearance and surroundings. She is authoritative, and not afraid to take responsibility. She is detached and private.

The 5th House is the roommate's 11th House of friendships and social activities. The Jack of Spades is watchful and reserved. He can be jealous and spiteful when provoked.

The Spades can be negative influences, but their significance must be weighed against the 8 of Hearts which describes the roommate's basic demeanor. The Queen of Spades indicates that the roommate will be respectful of the townhouse and of my brother's property. The roommate will clean up after himself, and accept any chores or responsibilities required of him. He will keep to himself, and not infringe on my brother's personal space. The Queen of Spades further suggests to me that the roommate is not going to bring women into the house. The Jack of Spades suggests that the roommate may experience social anxiety, and probably has a few close friends. He isn't likely to host wild parties in the townhouse.

Finally, I needed to evaluate whether the roommate and my brother will get along together. There are two houses I can look at to help me determine compatibility. First, good communication is crucial in any relationship. Next I can evaluate each person's basic life philosophy to see if they share a common ground.

The 3rd House shows how the querent communicates his ideas to others. The 9 of Clubs indicates that my brother is an expansive communicator. He enjoys participating in conversations on a wide-ranging topics. He is straightforward, and he is not afraid to speak his mind.

The 9th House is the roommate's 3rd house of communication. The 7 of Spades warns that the roommate is more reserved. He holds back his thoughts and opinions, which may cause resentments to brew under the surface. He is easily frustrated in his communications, and isn't always willing or able to hear the other person's point of view.

The 9th House represents the querent's philosophy of life. The 7 of Spades suggests that my brother espouses traditional values. He is set in his ways. He follows established routines, and does not accept change easily. He is slow to take action, and he avoids making rash decisions.

The 3rd House is the roommate's 9th House. The 9 of Clubs suggests that the roommate is more broad minded. He enjoys culture and travel and learning new things. He is impulsive and spontaneous. He is not afraid to dive head first into unfamiliar territory, and explore all that life has to offer.

It struck me that the opposing perspectives on life, and the contrasting skills with communication, could result in the two men having a beneficial influence on each other. The prospective roommate could inspire my brother to rise above his limitations, and more readily embrace spontaneity and change. My brother might help the roommate learn to communicate more freely, and to better manage his social awkwardness.

I advised my brother that the prospective roommate would be a wonderful fit. He is honest and dependable, and will respect my brother's property and personal boundaries-- the perfect match for a roommate.

After weighing all of the information, my brother decided to move forward with taking on the roommate. They have been living together for several months, and both are pleased with the arrangement.

Cartomancy Horoscope Spread for Answering Questions

The Cartomancy Horoscope Spread is perfect for when the querent requires detailed information about an important matter which may include several related questions. This spread allows me to hone in on a specific topic, and answer all the related questions without the need to reshuffle the deck and redraw cards.

The Horoscope Spread is based on the horary astrological chart which is divided into twelve sections. Each section (or house) is ruled by one of the signs of the zodiac. By combining the basic horary astrology house meanings with the cartomancy card meanings, the Horoscope Spread can provide very specific information regarding all aspects of the matter in question.

Drawing the Cards

Shuffle the cards while focusing on the general topic to be explored. You may decide that certain cards will serve as significators in the spread. For example, if the querent wishes to know about a love interest, you can set your intention that the Queen of Hearts will represent the querent, and the King of Hearts will represent her love interest. These cards may not show up in the spread, but if they do they will carry special significance determined by the houses into which they fall.

Next the cards are dealt around the astrological wheel, placing one card into each house of the zodiac, beginning with the first house, as shown in the following diagram:

 Guidelines for Interpreting the Spread

• The specific questions will determine which houses are relevant (not all of the cards in the spread may be relevant). The card in each relevant house will provide the information to answer the question.


• The relevant cards are interpreted within the context of each question, and within the framework of the houses into which they fall.


• I deal from the top of the shuffled deck. Alternately, you can spread the cards face-down on the table and randomly draw one card for each house of the horoscope.


• I place only one card into each house because the focus is on one topic only. I experience a high level of accuracy with this spread provided that all of the questions are related to the single topic that was the focus of the shuffle.  I have asked up to 8 questions with excellent results.

For a general reading, or for multiple questions that are not related to a single topic, you can place up to three cards into each house to focus on each individual area of the querent's life in more detail. 

Meanings of the Houses 

1st House

Represents the querent. The querent's personal life and appearance, beginnings, new projects, length of life.

Direction: East

2nd House

Finances, values, lost or stolen objects, movable possessions, potential poverty or wealth, resources, material things desired, business transactions, earnings.

Direction: East North-East

3rd House

Siblings, relatives, neighbors. Short journeys. Schooling, early education. Personal communication, letters, emails, advice. Gossip, rumors, news. 

Direction: North North-East

4th House

Home, parents, father, domestic issues, buried treasure, land, real estate, inheritances from parents, houses, farms, agriculture, old age, mines. The end of any matter 

Direction: North

5th House

Children, women, luxury, affairs, gambling, hobbies, stocks, romance, pregnancy, elections, entertainment, feasts, eating, drinking, parties, fun. Personal creativity. Bodies of water, rain. Teaching.

Direction: North North-west

6th House

Health, illness, diseases, injuries, misfortunes. Hygiene, healing. Daily work, daily routines. Pets, small animals. Servants, employees.

Direction: West North-west

7th House

Partner (marriage and business), lover, spouse, divorce, lawsuits, contracts. Quarrels, open rivals, competitors. Thieves, robbers, dishonors. Any unidentified person. The astrologer.

Direction: West

8th House

Shared resources, death, and birth. Surgery. Life transformations, occult studies. Taxes, debts, mortgages and loans. Legacies, inheritance from other than parents, other people's money or resources, corporate money. Investigations. Poverty, suffering, dangers. Sleep.

Direction: West South-West

9th House

Long-distance travel, religion, philosophy, education, higher learning. Lawyers, professionals. Dreams, divination. Wisdom. The arts. Public communication, media, publishing.

Direction: South South-West

10th House

Career, vocation. Mother. Superiors, authority, employer, government. Status, fortune, success, glory, reputation, honors. Environment, the weather. 

Direction: South

11th House

Friends, sources of help. Protection, riches, presents. good fortune, Joy, hopes and wishes, praise, confidence, goals. Social activities, group endeavors.

Direction: South South-East

12th House

Loss, imprisonment, secret enemies, black magic. Retreat and solitude. Widowhood, fears. Secrets, suffering, afflictions. Large animals. Hidden life, unconscious thoughts. Institutions, hospitalization. Suicide, murder. Vagabonds, prostitutes, beggars. Charity. Drugs and alcohol.

Direction: South South-West

Cartomancy Technique for Answering Yes-or-No Questions

When I was a fledgling card reader in that long-ago age before the invention of the internet and psychic phone lines, most psychic readings were done locally and in person. The dynamics of the psychic reading were different in those days. There was  little interaction between reader and client prior to spreading the cards. Once the cards were on the table, and the cassette recorder was flipped on, the reader would begin to describe important events in the client’s life. The client might grunt approval or groan in surprise, but for the most part questions and comments were saved for the last few minutes of the session. Today, in our modern world of chat readings and per minute charges, psychic readings have become much more focused, and the guiding force behind the modern reading is the question.

Perhaps the most common type of inquiry heard from clients today is the yes-or-no question…

• Will I get married soon?


• Is my spouse cheating?


• Does he love me?


• Will the business deal go through?


• Will I get the job I just interviewed for?

I suppose it is not surprising. Today’s clients come to a reader with specific questions, and expect definite answers.

Questions that are phrased in this way can be challenging for the reader because yes or no answers are not always so clear-cut in the cards. The reader is forced to make a judgement call based on the combined influence of all of the cards in the spread, in conjunction with intuition  Not all readers are comfortable with this process, and many choose to avoid answering predictive questions that require a definite yes or no response.

The yes or no questions have always been popular with my querents, and over the years I have experimented with various spreads designed to answer these specific type questions. I have tried spreads that include techniques for divining yes or no by way of card number combination, or card suit designation or suit color predominance.

I’ve discovered that, for me, the most successful technique is to draw an odd number of cards, and base the answer on the predominance of red or black cards. The red cards are considered affirmative, and the black cards are negative. I find that drawing five cards work best for me. I think three cards are too few, and seven are too many.

I use the following guidelines for interpreting the answer based on predominance of card color:

• 5 red and 0 black = definitely yes, the outcome is predetermined


• 4 red and 1 black = most likely yes, there could be free will involved, or the querent may be able to influence the matter


• 3 red and 2 black = probably yes, there is definitely free will involved, or the querent may be able to influence the matter


• 2 red and 3 black = probably no, but the querent may be able to influence the situation for a more positive outcome


• 1 red and 4 black = most likely no, there is small room for change, but the situation is not hopeless


• 0 red and 5 black = definitely no, it is not meant to be

Once I determine the answer based on card coloring, I then interpret the line of cards to provide more information about why the answer is affirmative or negative.

On the subject of the predictive reading, I think it’s important to note that the cards can foretell the most likely outcome of a situation based on the current influences surrounding the matter. I believe that it is a mistake to ignore the influence of free will in a reading. In the end we create our experiences with our expectations and our choices and decisions. I believe very little is preordained, and that  for the most part, we write our own destiny.

Example Yes or No Spread

In order to provide an example of this type of reading, I just drew five cards off the cuff as I’m writing this post. I asked the question: Will Barack Obama be re-elected president of the United States?

This example was originally posted on September 19, 2012, on my old blog, prior to the election.

The three red cards, and two black, tell me “probably yes.” The outcome may not yet be determined, but the situation looks hopeful. Obama has more work to do to convince the American public to award him with another presidential term.

Now we can look at the specific meanings of the cards to glean more information from this spread. The 9 of Hearts and 5 of Hearts show that Obama was the hope for a bright future. The 10 of Diamonds and 10 Spades show that his financial plan for the country fell short, and the 8 of Spades shows that this caused a general sense of disappointment for the American people.

We could delve even deeper into this spread say that there is dissatisfaction (10 of Spades) with both the financial (10 of Diamonds) and the Health care (8 of Spades) agendas. I also have the impression from the predominance of red cards at the start of the line that expectations were high when Obama was first elected president. It may have been nearly impossible to meet those exaggerated expectations. The 8 of Spades as the outcome shows that his accomplishments and failures are being carefully analyzed, and a final decision is pending.

I have had tremendous success using this yes-or-no method. I suppose you could say it’s because in most cases the answer could go either way, and in a sense this allows me to hedge all of my bets. But in practice this spread has been very rewarding because it can show where the querent may have the power to influence the outcome of a situation, and the cards will usually offer advice on how to turn the tide for a more favorable outcome. I find this to be infinitely more practical and useful than simply telling a querent “yes or no.”

How I Shuffle the Cards For a Reading

In response to several questions from readers of my blog about how I shuffle and draw the cards for my readings, I decided to write an article about my process...

I think it’s important to point out that my method works for me, but it may not work for everyone. Don’t be afraid to experiment to see what process works best for you. I also want to mention that what follows is my approach for handling the playing cards specifically. My process varies with other oracle cards.

Which Hand?

When I first learned to read the cards I was taught to always cut the deck from left to right using my left hand. I was also instructed to draw cards with my left hand. The rationale is that the left side of the body is the receptive or spiritual side, and that the left hand is closest to the heart. Because I am right-handed, this feels unnatural to me. So before long I switched to using my right hand exclusively for the cut and draw. That was many years ago, and my readings have only improved over time. For this reason, I’m convinced that it’s best to use whichever hand feels most natural to you.

Shuffling the Deck

When I started reading professionally, almost all of my readings were done face-to-face in person. For an in-person reading I always allowed my querent to do the shuffling in whichever way felt most comfortable. I have watched clients riffle the deck like a practiced card shark. Others clumsily mash the cards together, bending  the corners, and leaving me thankful that good quality playing cards are reasonably inexpensive. Most clients prefer a smooth over-hand shuffle. A few like to slide and scramble the cards on the table like they’re tossing a big salad. And on more than one occasion I have witnessed a client merely cut the cards once or twice in hand before returning the deck for the reading without shuffling at all. In every case, the quality of the reading did not seem to be affected by the technique used or the time spent on the shuffle. I decided over time that the shuffle is spirit-guided, and always perfect.
Over the last few years my readings have shifted almost exclusively to phone or email, requiring me to do the shuffling for my clients. Prior to beginning a new reading I riffle shuffle the deck because I believe this breaks up any residual energy from the previous reading. If I utilize multiple layouts during a session, I prefer the smooth overhand shuffle between laying out the cards in order to avoid scattering the energies.

Drawing the Cards

I have discovered through trial and error that I get a higher rate of accuracy when I draw the cards randomly for a reading. For this reason, I almost never deal a reading off the top of the shuffled deck. I will spread the cards out face-down on the table, and as I draw each card I focus on the querent’s question. I have the impression that my hand is divinely guided to choose the appropriate cards. This is what works best for me. You might find you get better results drawing from the top of the deck. I suggest you practice both techniques to see which gives you the most reliable results, or “feels right” for you.

Card Spreads

I prefer smaller card spreads. In fact, other than the Answer Spread, I rarely use structured spreads any more. Most often, I will draw no more than three or five cards to answer a specific question. For a general reading I use a process for drawing the cards that  my grandmother taught me whereby I deal every third card looking for the Aces and other meaningful cards which serve as significators in the reading.  This process allows me to fall back on a structure if I need to answer specific questions from the cards already on the table.
I have discovered that I am able to keep focus, and provide a more accurate reading with fewer cards. I never draw more than 12 or 15 cards for a general reading. In my experience, more cards do not necessarily mean more relevant information. So much of the meaning in a card reading is derived from how the cards influence each other.  It’s easy to become muddled when having to account for too many cards in a spread– especially when answering a simple question.

Clarification Cards

When I do use a structured spread, such as the Answer Spread for specific questions, I am not a fan of drawing additional cards for clarification. I find that if I’m not able to piece together the meaning of a small grouping of cards, drawing one or two additional cards is not likely to help, and only serves to further muddy the interpretation.  The one instance when I may employ a single clarification card is when a spread or group of cards end in a court card. I sometimes use an additional card to clarify the influence this person will have on the matter in question.

How to Interpret Multiple Court Cards in a Reading

A common question I get from students is, "How do I handle multiple court cards in a reading. I derive meaning based on how the cards interact with each other, so I prefer to use a structured layout. But that’s just my personal preference. It’s perfectly fine to deal out seven or ten cards in a row and read them in sequence. In fact, I know some very successful readers who don’t ever use a structured layout.

Second, I’ve learned through experience that court cards almost always represent people in the querent’s life. But of course there are exceptions.

The following Line of 7 was submitted by a student:

When a group of court cards fall together, it usually means a party, a get together, or a group outing with friends is coming up. That’s the first thing that comes to mind when I look at your grouping of cards because the Ace of Diamonds can represent an invitation.

Your interpretation also makes perfect sense. It could be an engagement party coming up that you’ll either hear about, or be invited to (Ace of Diamonds could indicate all three possibilities).

There’s another possibility if we pair off the court cards. Two Kings can represent a policeman or judge, and the Queen + Jack combination can represent a old female friend from the past. You have two such combinations in your spread. So another possible interpretations is that you’ll run into a female friend you haven’t seen in a while (Queen of Diamonds + Jack of Clubs) who will bring news (Ace of Diamonds) about another old female friend you’ve not seen in a while (Queen of Hearts + Jack of Spades) who has been in trouble with the police (King of Spades + King of Diamonds). The Queen of Hearts shows it was probably a close friend or even a family member and the Jack of Spades shows trouble.

Well, those are some basic ideas without even considering the direction that each card faces. Court cards that face toward each other can indicate collusion or conflict, and those that face away indicate anger or indifference. Cards that face toward the left usually have the querent’s best interests in mind. Those that face to the right are more concerned with their own interests.

For example, the King of Spades and King of Diamonds are interested in each other. We could assume they know each other and are probably friends. The Queen of Hearts is interested in what’s going on with the King of Diamonds, she could have romance on her mind (Heart), but his focus is elsewhere. The Jack of Spades is engaging the Queen of Diamonds. The Jack of Clubs is focused on the invitation, so the invitation is most likely coming from him.

You can find more information about reading the court cards in groups in the Cartomancy Court Cards Category.

A student asks:

Kapherus, I would like to know if there is more to understand when reading court cards. I realize there are suit interactions here that will help the reading to make more sense. Another site states that kings are power/ ideal partners; queens are, truth and jacks are messages in addition to being people in our lives. When I draw court cards I see them so literally as people but perhaps I am missing their broader meanings. Could you write some about this.

Sure, here’s some more information on how I approach the court cards:

The Kings

In card combinations, a king will almost always represent a mature man either in age or behavior. For example, the King of Spades can represent a divorced or separated man who often appears as an ex-husband, ex-lover, or ex-friend in the cards. He can also be read according to his “Spade” nature. His positive traits are sexy, charming, intense, mysterious, determined, and powerful. On the negative side, he might be aggressive, secretive, demanding, etc.

Because the King of Spades is a natural born leader, he may often represent a man in your life who is in a position of power over you. This could be your father, employer, landlord, professor, or even husband. I know that all of these levels of meaning can seem overwhelming to the beginning card reader, but you’ll find that soon enough your intuition will kick in to help you choose the most appropriate interpretation. (Please see my article on The Court Cards As People for specific information on how to identify the other face cards in your reading, and suggestions on how to read the directions they face.)

In a card spread where the individual positions carry specific meaning, the King can sometimes be read as a quality. The King is top man on the totem pole. He represents influence and authority. The King can represents the querent’s authority in a reading regardless of whether the querent is male or female, or young or old. The specific suit will usually give a clue as to the area of influence. For example, the King of Spades can indicate that the querent is being overbearing in a situation. The King of Hearts can show protectiveness. The King of Clubs shows taking full responsibility for resolving a problem or issue. The King of Diamonds can denote taking financial or intellectual control of a situation.

In combination, the Kings can be read as men interacting with each other. Two Kings is symbolic of a handshake, and can indicate some kind of partnership or mutually beneficial deal. Two Kings can also represent a man in uniform–the first King would represent the man, and the 2nd his uniform. For example, the two Kings could represent a policeman, a fireman, a rescue worker, or a military officer. As a side note, two Jacks can also represent a man who wears a uniform for work, but not necessarily as a symbol of authority. Groups of Kings would indicate an event or organization consisting of mostly men.

The Queens

The Queen is ageless (meaning she can represent a female of any age) and the Jack is a young male or female, so this pairing is wide open to a multitude of possible interpretations. In other words, there is not a general meaning I can give you that will always apply to any Court Card pairing.

Here are some guidelines that work for me:

When two or more Face Cards of any matching suit appear together, they can represent a family connection. Therefore, the Queen + Jack could be mother and son, or sister and brother, or older sister and younger sister, or even a young married couple.

The combination of Queen + Jack can also be read as an old female friend coming back into your life. The Queen of Hearts might indicate old love interest returning. The Queen of Spades could be an old rival. The Queen of Clubs could be an old work associate, and the Queen of Diamonds could be a long lost relative returning.

Two Face Cards of the same suit can also denote compatibility. For example, the King and Queen with matching suit will usually indicate a married couple, or at the very least a compatible relationship. The Jack of the same suit often represents their offspring.

Sometimes the Queen + Jack can indicate a woman who is involved with a younger man.

The Queen can also represent the subconscious. or something happening behind the scenes. In a reading she can reveal the subconscious motivations that are influencing the situation. For example, the Queen of Diamonds could denote someone subconsciously motivated by money and/or power.

Then on top of all of that, you can also figure in the specific personality traits associated with each suit. So as you can see, the possibilities are almost endless. Your intuition is always your best guide when interpreting the Court Card combinations.

The Jacks

I’ve found in my own readings that the Jacks almost always represents young men, although they can also represent young women or children of either sex. The specific suit can be used to determine interests or personality traits to help place the person in the querent’s life.

Jacks almost always represent people for me, but in layouts with individual spots that convey a specific meaning (such as the Celtic Cross or 5-Pointed Star) the Jacks do often represent thoughts or ideas. Of course a card almost never means only one thing, so it’s also possible to read a Jack first as a specific person in the querent’s life, and then again as an important thought or idea.

I use the Jacks in two ways to represent thoughts or ideas. First, if the King or Queen of the matching suit appears in a reading, the corresponding Jack could represent that person’s thoughts, and the surrounding cards would describe what was on this person’s mind.

Secondly, the Jacks can represent the querent’s thoughts, or an idea being contemplated, particularly if no other Face Cards appear in the spread. In this case, the Jack of Hearts could represent thoughts of love or family, the Jack of Diamonds = thoughts of money or power, the Jack of Clubs = thoughts of work, business or study, and Jack of Spades would denote thoughts concerning a challenge or problem-- often negative thinking. The Jacks can also be read as something new or something offered, but this has rarely been the case for me.

When the Jacks appear in pairs, I use the one falling on top (to the right) to convey the mood of the union or encounter. If a heart falls on top, it would show cooperation, and a friendly interaction such as two good friends sharing a mutual experience. If a Club falls on top, then the interaction is more practical, such as shaking hands on a business deal. If a diamond falls on top, there is probably money or scheming involved. A Spade on top almost always denotes a problem or challenge, and can indicate trouble or conflict between the two young persons.

I have had the pair of Jacks (most often the Jack of Diamonds + Jack of Spades) indicate a lawsuit in my readings. Usually the 5 of Diamonds is also somewhere in the spread indicating a court case. The Jack of Hearts + Jack of Spades would clue me in to a disagreement. Of course the surrounding cards would also influence the final interpretation, and any pair could denote a quarrel with Spades.

Card Pairing in Cartomancy: Basic Lessons in Reading Playing Cards

In response to repeated requests for more introductory information on the best way to begin the study of Cartomancy, and also how to make sense of a group of random cards in spread, I thought I would post a detailed breakdown of how I approach the cards in a reading…

Step 1: Card Meanings

Naturally, the first step in learning to read the cards is choosing a core set of meanings. You want to choose a comprehensive system that will allow you to pick up on a wide range of events and experiences in your readings. The system should make logical sense to you, so that you will be able to build onto the core meanings and make them your own.

Look for consistency…

In other words, it helps if all of the cards of a particular suit convey a similar influence, and if all of the pips of the same number share a common theme. For example, in the system I use the suit of Spades represents challenges, delays, and obstacles. The 8′s all deal with balance. So in a general sense the 8 of Spades would indicate the need to overcome an obstacle (sickness) or a challenge (disappointment) in order to restore balance to mind, body or soul.

You will find this consistency helpful for memorizing card meanings, and to be immeasurably useful when you’re faced with a card that seems to make no sense in a reading. In most cases, if you fall back on the general card meanings based on suit and number, the purpose of the card in the spread will suddenly become clear.

Step 2: Card Pairings

Once you understand the suit influences and number meanings, and have memorized one or two keywords for each card, the next step is to learn how the cards relate to each other in a layout or card spread. The basic unit in card reading is the pair. Reading a card pair is much more than just combining the meanings of each individual card into a third conglomerate meaning. Card pairing is also about the flow of action between the cards that tells an important story.

The following examples are based on the particular set of meanings that I utilize, but the techniques should be applicable to any set of meanings of your choice.†

When pairing cards the card order is important because the first card (card A) acts as the premise of the situation, or the initiator of the action. The second card (card B) shows the result or outcome, or acts as the receiver of the action.

Another way to look at the pairing is by card sequence. The flow of action moves from left to right. We could say that Card A represents the past, and card B represents the future— but depending on the context of the situation any sequence is possible…

Card A	Card B
Now	Later
Distant Past	Recent Past
Past	Present
Present	Future
Near Future	Distant Future
Tomorrow	Next Week

Now let’s take a look at a couple of examples to see the pairings in action…

For the following examples, I am utilizing the following card meanings:

2 of Diamonds = an exchange of money, a payment
4 of Diamonds = a bank account

In a general sense, the Diamond suit represents money and financial matters, the 2′s represent cooperation or exchange, and the 4′s represent stablilty or a solid foundation.

Please note that other meanings are possible for these cards, but for this exercise I am limiting the interpretation to combinations of the above listed core meanings.

Example 1

In the first example, Card A (the 2 of Diamonds) indicates that an exchange of money is the premise of the matter. Card B shows the result or outcome or receiver of the money exchange, a bank account. So based on the card order in Ex. 1 the interpretation would be read as money is being deposited into a bank account, or a payment to the bank.

Example 2

In the second example, Card A (the 4 of Diamonds) indicates that a bank account is the premise of the matter. Card B shows the result or receiver of the action. In this case the money is received. So based on the card order in ex. 2, the interpretation would be that money is being withdrawn from a bank account (or a bank loan, dividend yield, etc).

Step 3: Incorporating Additional Cards

Now we can introduce an additional card (C) to the mix to see how the flow of action continues toward building a detailed interpretation of the cards. We have already paired cards A + B, and now we will pair the cards B + C for each example…

In the above examples, Card C is the Ace of Hearts, and for me this card represents home and family. In a general sense the Aces represent the beginning or the source, and the suit of Hearts represent emotional matters. For most of us, home and family is the source of our emotional security.

Example 2.1

The 4 of Diamonds indicates that the bank account is the premise of the reading, and the 2 of Diamonds is a payment being received from the account. The Ace of Hearts tells us who or what receives the payment. Hence, this could be a bank withdrawal that is spent on the home, or money lent to a family member, or a bank loan for the home. Other interpretations are possible such as real estate earnings, a small loan on a house, etc.

I had this combination show up in a reading for a client who was applying for a home improvement loan to repair the roof on her house. The combination of red cards showed a positive outcome, and the client was approved for the loan.

Example 1.1

The 2 of Diamonds falling first shows a payment as the premise of the readings. The 4 of Diamonds tells us where the payment is received; it is deposited into an account. The Ace of Hearts describes the account as dealing with home or family. Hence, these cards show a payment made to account on a house mortgage, or home loan.

It’s important to note that each card is combined with the adjacent card to either side, but cards are not “reflected” as in Lenormand. In other words, I would not combine cards A + C because that would negate the flow of action which is important for an accurate interpretation of a card sequence in cartomancy. To maintain the flow of action, the cards are read (A+B) + (B + C) + (C + D)….

Practice

A very useful exercise for practicing card pairing is the three-card daily draw. While you’re enjoying your morning cup of coffee or tea, before starting your day, you can ask the cards, or your spirit friends through the cards, what you most need to be aware of this day. Then draw three cards, interpret the cards in pairs, and journal your impressions. That evening or the following morning you can review your journal entry to see how well the cards described the energy that played out in your day. This is an excellent exercise for bonding with your cards, and picking up new meanings or gaining a new perspective on old meanings.

The Next Step

Once you feel comfortable with your three-card draws, you can graduate to using more cards. In a row of more than three cards, you would continue to pair the cards in order to build your meaning. I look at the card suits for a general impression of the energy of the reading. The final card in the series will describe the outcome of the matter. Red cards reveal a positive outcome, Clubs suggest the need for effort, and Spades show delays, obstacles and challenges.

A row of cards with predominantly red cards that ends in a Spade will show obstacles and delays. A card row with predominantly black cards that ends with a red card shows overcoming challenges to achieve a positive outcome. You can find an example for how to read a row of 5 cards in my blog article: Cartomancy Skills: Linking a Row of Cards.

†You can find a copy of the card meanings at Basic Card Meanings.

Basic Cartomancy Skills: Number Meanings

Part 2: Number Meanings

I think the biggest problem most new cartomancers encounter is how get the card meanings to fit together and tell a story.  The beginner will memorize all of the various meanings and the important combinations for each card. In actual practice, those special combinations don’t always show up in a layout to make things easy.  That’s when a good foundation in the symbolism of the suits and numbers becomes so important.

Once you have a good understanding of the Suits and how they interact as outlined in Basic Cartomancy Skills: Part 1, the basic number meanings can be used to delve more deeply into the symbolism of each card.

In the system that works for me, each number has two opposing meanings.  The appropriate meaning applied to each card will be determined by it’s suit symbolism.  The first meaning listed (positive meaning) usually applies to a red card, and the second meaning (negative) will most often apply to a black card.  It's important to note that the card falling to the right will always influence the final meaning, and it’s always best to allow your intuition to make the final determination.

Basic Number Meanings:

1 – beginning or ending

2 – cooperation or conflict

3 - expansion or loss

4 – foundation or instability

5 – activity or restlessness

6 – communication or ignorance

7 – improvement or stagnation

8 – Health or illness (balance/imbalance)

9 – wish or disappointment

10 – success or failure

11 (Jack) – thoughts/message, also young helpful person, or troubled youth

12 (Queen) – receptivity/intuition, also female friend or rival

13 (King) – action/force/mastery, also male friend or rival

The basic Suit Interactions combined with the Basic Number Meanings are all you need to produce accurate, insightful Cartomancy readings.  You can add additional meanings to each card to broaden the scope of your readings, but you’ll find that you’ll return to the basic information again, and again when the more detailed meanings don’t seem to jive in your card layout.

Example Reading with Basic Number and Suit Meanings:

To illustrate this basic method of Cartomancy, I shuffled the cards while focusing on my question.  When I felt the shuffling process was done, I cut the cards into three piles from left to right using my left hand.  Finally I flipped over the top card of each pile to reveal the three cards for my reading.

Question: Will I be hired in the new job position I’m pursuing?

Cards:

1. 9 of Clubs


2. 6 of Diamonds


3. Queen of Hearts

Interpretation:

Since I asked a “yes/no” question, the first thing to take note of is the balance of red vs black cards in the layout.  In this spread we find a predominance of red cards indicating that the basic answer to the question is “yes.”

Next, let’s take a look at the Suit Interactions:

♣ + ♦

Club + Diamond =   an increase in money, rewards, or power.

♦ + ♥

Diamond + Heart = rewards, positive attraction, and sharing money.

The suit combinations confirm the good news, and suggest that the new position will bring a raise in pay, and emotional well being.

Now let’s dig for more information by taking a look at the Basic Number Meanings:

The number 9 represents a “wish or disappointment.” Because the 9 is followed by a red card, I would read it to represent a wish.  The 9 is a club, and if we look to the basic suit meanings, we find that clubs represent business and work, among other things.  So the 9 of clubs is the perfect card to represent my wish for a new job.

The number 6 represents “communication or ignorance.“  Since this number 6 is a red card, and it’s also followed by another red card, I would go with the positive interpretation of “communication.”  The basic suit meanings tell me that diamonds represent energy, power, rewards, money, etc.  So the 6 of diamonds would indicate some good news (followed by ♥ ) regarding money, and could represent the forthcoming news that I am hired for the new position.

The final card is number 12 (or Queen) which represents “a female friend or rival,” and may also denote the qualities of “receptivity and intuition.” Either or both of these meanings could apply.  In either case, I would interpret the Queen of hearts as a friendly influence since hearts indicate love, friendship, peace, happiness, and pleasure.

The Queen of hearts falls in the end position of the layout which represents the final outcome. Therefore, I can read this card in a general sense to mean that the new job brings (I receive) pleasure and happiness.  Or I could read this card to represent a kind-hearted female who will be instrumental in helping me secure the new position.  Either way, this card denotes a happy outcome to the question.

As you can see, with just these simple meanings it is possible to get a lot of detailed and accurate information from the cards.  When you encounter a card in a layout that doesn’t seem to make any sense, you can fall back on the basic symbolism of suit and number. You’ll be amazed by how the reading will suddenly come together and make sense.  Give it a try, have lots of fun, and happy readings!

Basic Cartomancy Skills: Suit Interactions

Part 1: Suit Interactions

I first learned to read playing cards from my paternal grandmother, who was professional reader in New York City back in the 1950′s and 60′s. She had learned to read the cards from an aunt back in Italy before immigrating to the U.S. I remember, as a young child, eavesdropping on my grandmother’s readings with fascination, and when I turned 12 years old, she agreed to teach me her method.

The first thing I learned was to read the cards based on the symbolism of the four suits only. At the time, I was feeling restless and disappointed because I desperately wanted to learn the “meat and potatoes” of card reading. Now in retrospect, I appreciate my grandmother’s immense wisdom. My ability to perform a complete, in-depth reading using only the symbolism of the four Suits, and how they interact, has contributed greatly to my success as a reader.

The cards will speak to you in a unique and personal way if you are willing to open your heart and mind to their wisdom.  These are the basic suit meanings that work best for me:

Basic Suit Meanings:

♠ Spades - negativity, problems, challenges, failure, illness and loss.

♥ Hearts – emotion, love, happiness, sharing, pleasure, and healing.

♣ Clubs - good luck, growth, activity, work, business and social interactions.

♦ Diamonds - energy, power, imagination, money, rewards, success and legal judgments.

Basic Suit Interactions:

Each Suit is influenced by the Suit that tops or falls to the right of it. Here is a table of suggested meanings for the interactions of the Four Suits that work for me. This list only scratches the surface, so don’t be afraid to work out your own interpretations based on your own unique understanding of the four suits.

	♠ Spades	♥ Hearts	♣ Clubs	♦ Diamonds
♠ Spades	serious trouble, illness, possible harm	physical or emotional healing	actively working through problems	imagined problems, improved finances
♥ Hearts	hurt feelings, emotional pain	joy, happiness, love, romance, enjoyment	creativity, service to others & good luck	happiness & success, comfort & security
♣ Clubs	increased difficulties, problems with work	happy outcome, developing emotions	action, increased activity, taking control	increase in power or money, rewards from work
♦ Diamonds	energy block, money problem, spending money	rewards, positive attraction or sharing money	applied power or investing money	great success or acquiring and saving money

With just the basic meanings to the Suits, it’s possible to provide an accurate, insightful reading. And a good understanding of the four suits and how they interact is an excellent jumping off point for delving more deeply into the symbolism of the individual cards.

In Part 2, I’ll review the basic cartomancy number meanings, and how to combine them with the suit interactions to provide a surprisingly detailed and accurate cartomancy reading.

Basic Cartomancy Skills: The Court Cards As People

Part 3 – The Court Cards As People:

When Court Cards appear in a reading, they will most often represent actual people in the querent’s life.  When I first learned to read the cards, I had a terrible time trying to sort out “who was who” in my readings.  I found it helpful to familiarize myself with the personality attributes associated with the four suits, and then apply that information to the basic physical attributes for the specific Court Card.

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Basic Physical Attributes:

Jack – Young person of either sex usually under 35 years old.  Can represent a child.  May also represent an older person who is immature, or just young at heart.

Queen – Traditionally a mature female, but the queen may represent a female of any age.

King – male, usually mature, or in a position of authority.  May also represent a younger man who is mature for his age, or is burdened by responsibilities.

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Basic Personality Attributes Based on Suit Correspondences:

Hearts:  emotional, creative, romantic, compassionate, generous, sensitive, nurturing, dependable, protective, moody, lazy.

Clubs: practical, friendly, reliable, trustworthy, helpful,  ambitious, enthusiastic, sensible, stable, stubborn.

Diamonds: independent, extravagant, impulsive, impatient, optimistic, dynamic, restless, analytical, intelligent, high strung.

Spades: Powerful, intense, demanding, controlling, secretive, possessive, spiteful, charming, mysterious, calculating, detached.

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Traditional  Attributes and Descriptions Associated with the Court Cards:

The following table lists the traditional physical attributes used for choosing a significator to represent the querent in certain layouts.  Alternatively, the significator may be based on the personality attributes listed above, or stereotypical correspondences outlined further below.

	Blond or red hair & blue or green eyes	Sandy hair with brown, blue or green eyes	Brown to dark brown hair, brown eyes	Dark brown to black hair, dark brown eyes
Male under 35 years old	Jack of Diamonds	Jack of Hearts	Jack of Clubs	Jack of Spades
Male over 35 years old	King of Diamonds	King of Hearts	King of Clubs	King of Spades
Female under 35 yrs old	Queen of Diamonds	Queen of Hearts	Queen of Clubs	Queen of Spades
Female over 35 years old	Queen of Diamonds	Queen of Hearts	Queen of Clubs	Queen of Spades
Female under 18 yrs old	Jack of Diamonds	Jack of Hearts	Jack of Clubs	Jack of Spades

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Basic Court Card Stereotypes:

I found it also helped me tremendously to think of the Court Cards as stereotypes, or cardboard cutouts.  It’s a natural psychological function to sort by archetype, and I found that when I described a Court Card as a stereotype, the querent had an easier time placing that person in their life.

Of course real people are shades and combinations of all of these and many other “types,” but if you focus on a predominate personality feature, it’s not too difficult to pick a card to represent any real person in your life.  When I was learning, I found excellent practice in assigning a playing card Court to each real person in my life.  Then when that card would come up in a reading, I would describe some of the major characteristics of the person I knew.  I was amazed at how often this description rang true for the querent.

Below I suggest two stereotypes for each Court Card.  Once you are familiar with the Suit meanings, you’ll think of many more on your own, and eventually you’ll flesh out the Court Cards into real people. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it should give you a starting point for developing your own associations for each Court Card.

Jacks:

Jack of Hearts ♥ – The Dreamer:  He or she is also The Lover, and he can represent a loved one, or family member of the querent. He is sensitive and romantic, but can be moody or lazy.

Jack of Clubs ♣ - The Athlete: He or she is also The Trusted Friend, or helper, and can represent someone who admires the querent. He is helpful and sincere, but he can be stubborn.

Jack of Diamonds ♦ – The Student: He or she is also The Letter carrier or The fashionista, and can represent someone who is related to the querent through marriage. He is intelligent and optimistic, but he can be restless and impatient.

Jack of Spades ♠ – The Charmer: He or she is also the The Soldier or the Spy, and may represent any young person in uniform. He is dynamic and perceptive, but he can be spiteful and controlling.

Queens:

Queen of Hearts ♥ - The Homemaker:  She is also The Nurturer, and may represent the wife, mother, or quality of “motherhood.”  She is sensuous and loving, but she can be self-indulgent.

Queen of Clubs ♣ – The Trusted  Friend:  She is also The Business Woman, and may represent a female work associate. She is logical and organized, but she can be headstrong.

Queen of Diamonds ♦ – The Socialite:  She may represent a woman with money, or who works in finance. In love triangles she may represent The Other Woman.  She may also represent a woman related to the querent through marriage. She is intelligent and independent, but she can be extravagant and highstrung.

Queen of Spades ♠ – The Widow:  She is also  The Divorcee, and although certainly not true today, prior to the 1950′s there was a social stigma attached to the divorcee who was not to be trusted.  This idea is reflected in the symbolism of the Q♠, and she may also represent a rival in business or love. She is decisive and fearless, but she can be secretive and controlling.

Kings:

King of Hearts ♥ – The Family Man: He is also The Protector, and may represent the querent’s husband or father or any  paternal influence. He is dependable and kind, but he can be temperamental and self-absorbed.

King of Clubs ♣ – The Advisor: He is also The Businessman, and may represent an executive, a business owner, or a work associate.  He is ambitious and practical, but he can be tenacious.

King of Diamonds ♦ – The Entrepreneur:  He may have wealth, or work in finance. He is also The Magistrate, and may represent a politician or government official. He is intelligent and enthusiastic, but he can be aggressive or fussy.

King of Spades ♠ – The controller:  He is also The Man of Authority, and may represent the querent’s boss or landlord, or a policeman or military officer or judge.  He may also represent a divorced or widowed male in the querent’s life. He is charismatic and astute, but he can be jealous or possessive.

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The Court Cards in Groups:

When the Court Cards fall in groups they will indicate the interactions between the people in the querent’s life.  A cluster of Court Cards may denote a social function.  The final Court Card in the series will generally indicate the mood of the get-together.
Hearts = partying, having a good time, or a family function.
Clubs =  a practical function such as a class, or a work engagement.Diamonds =intellectual pursuits, or earned or reward celebrations.Spades = a gathering out of obligation, or necessity.

In a cluster of Court Cards, the direction they face can reveal much about the dynamics of the group. The direction a Court Card faces will usually indicate where that person’s interest is focused.   Here are some additional suggestions for interpreting Court Cards based on their  direction :

• Traditionally, the querent’s position is to the left of a row of cards.  Therefore a Court Card that faces left is generally showing interest in the querent, and a Court Card that faces right is generally not focused on the querent or his/her needs, and may indicate disinterest, disagreement or estrangement.

• A Court Card facing toward another court indicates interest in that person. If the second Court is looking away, it can indicate a one-sided relationship, or unrequited love.

• Court Cards of the same sex facing each other indicate agreement or  friendship.

• Court Cards of the same sex facing each other with heart between them can indicate a same-sex relationship.

• Court Cards of the opposite sex facing each other indicate marriage or a strong relationship.

• Court Cards facing away from each other indicate a disagreement, argument, or estrangement.

• The pip the Court Card looks to will reveal what is on the person’s mind, or may refer to  an event or circumstance  influencing this person directly.

Overview Spread: School Days

What follows is a spread I did for a mother who was concerned about her daughter who was leaving at the end of the month to begin college across country. Mom wanted to know that her daughter would be safe, and that she would have a successful winter semester.

I thought this proved to be a good example of a classic Overview Spread, giving a general overview of a specific situation, and so with Mom’s permission I am sharing it here…

Question: How will the daughter fare during her first semester away at school?

General Impressions

What struck me first about this reading is the beautiful symmetry in the suits and numbers. There are two Spades, two Clubs and two Diamonds. There are two Aces, two 5′s and two Face Cards, not counting the Queen of Hearts which I chose as significator to represent the daughter.

The two Spades indicate the challenges that the daughter will face, and the two Clubs show that she is willing to put forth the work to achieve success. The two Diamonds represent intellectual pursuits, and foretell a successful outcome for the situation.

The Heart suit is conspicuously missing from this spread. This can be interpreted as a good sign since the Hearts can represent laziness and a lack of initiative. On the other hand, the girl may need reminding that school should also be fun, and that it’s okay to take some time away from her studies to relax and enjoy herself.  The mother confirmed that her daughter is a serious student, and not prone to either laziness or frivolity.

The two Aces represent a major change in the daughter’s life– a pair of Ace bring new people, situations, and places!  The two 5′s indicate that the daughter will take things in hand. Her future is literally in her own hands, and this new experience will be whatever she makes of it. The two Face Cards represent the new friends that the girl will encounter living on campus.

Now for an analysis of the individual cards…

The Two Cards on the Left

The two cards on the left represent the premise of the question, the recent past or present influences on the situation. The Ace of Spades is a life transition. It is the ending of one phase of life, and the start of another. It also represents the anxiety associated with any major life change. The Ace of Diamonds is a new phase of life beginning, and brings a sense of adventure. Going off to school is clearly a significant event in the daughter’s life. The mother confirmed that the girl has never been away from home for more than a day or two, and both mother and daughter are feeling anxious about the separation.

The Ace of Spades and Ace of Diamonds can also indicate some anxiety over a letter, and there had been some concern over whether or not the girl would get into the school of her choice before the letter of acceptance finally arrived last month.

The Card Above

The card directly above the significator represents what is on the person’s mind regarding the question, or what the person hopes to achieve in the situation. The 5 of Spades is a card of movement, separation and loss. The daughter is obviously thinking about being away from her friends and family, and relocating to unfamiliar surroundings. The 5 of Spades can also indicate independence and the fear of striking out on one’s own. No doubt the daughter is feeling some anxiety, but she also looks forward to being on her own for the first time in her life.

The Card Below

The card below the significator represents what the person fears or dreads regarding the situation surrounding the question. The Jack of Clubs is a young person– usually male. The mother confirmed that the daughter has a boyfriend she has dated through high school. The Ace of Diamonds suggests that there may have been some talk of an engagement, and the upcoming separation from the boy is the single dark cloud in an otherwise happy situation.

Often the Card Above and the Card Below will refer to a single situation. It becomes obvious that it is the separation from the boyfriend that weighs heavily on the girls mind.  She does not dread the separation itself– which would have been the message if the 5 of Spades had fallen below. Instead, she’s looking forward to the change, but dreads how the move will affect her relationship with the boy. The Ace of Diamonds also suggests that they have promised to stay in touch through written correspondence.

The Two Cards on the Right

The cards on the right reveal the future influences or outcome of the situation. The 5 of Clubs brings good luck, and it is a card of self-sufficiency. The daughter will manage very well on her own, and the experience will build confidence and self-esteem. The Queen of Diamonds represents the personality traits that the girl will foster and develop through this experience– she is studious and energetic, intelligent and quick-witted, confident and independent.

The Queen of Diamonds may also represent is an influential woman who will play a significant role in the successful outcome of the situation. The daughter will be moving into a dorm on campus, and perhaps the Queen of Diamonds represents a roommate who will motivate the girl, and help distract her from pinning for the boyfriend.

The Outcome

Symbolically, the Queen represents personal power and growth. The Diamond as the final card in the spread indicates optimism and success, and foretells good marks in her classes. There can be no doubt that the daughter will come into her own at school. She will perform well, and her first semester will be a very beneficial experience for her.

Who Is That Jack?

Who Is That Jack?†

The most pressing question I still hear from fellow cartomancers is, “How do I interpret a Court Card when it makes absolutely no sense to read the card as an actual person in the questioner’s life?”

I have found in my own readings that a court card will almost always represent an actual person in a general card spread. Our lives are influenced daily by the many people we interact with both personally and professionally, as well as by the people we may never actually meet. The court cards play a very important role in helping to identify these people and the influences they have on the events in our lives.

Conversely, I’ve learned that in a short spread designed to answer a specific question, the court cards will sometimes appear as qualities rather than as actual people. How to tell the difference?

If you find yourself struggling to make sense of the court card as a person within the context of the reading, chances are that the Court Card serves another purpose in the spread. For a general overview on how the Court Cards can function in a reading when they don't represent people, please see my article,"When the Court Cards Do Not Represent People."

In this article, I want to talk about the Cartomancy Jacks, and suggest ways to interpret them when they don’t represent people in your reading.

In the old cartomancy books you’ll find that a common meaning for the Jack is “the thoughts of the King or Queen.” In my own readings I’ve found that the Jack will sometimes represent the thoughts of the questioner, or of the person who is the focus of the reading. For example, it you choose the Queen of Diamonds to represent your female questioner, then the Jack of Diamonds would represent her thoughts, and the cards surrounding the Jack of Diamonds would describe what is on her mind, or what she thinks about the matter in question.

The Jacks as Thoughts and Intentions

The old method works well for a general reading, but the modern questioner is interested in specific answers, which can be provided best with a short spread. A more modern approach that I find works well in my own readings is to consider all of the Jacks as possible thoughts or intentions of the questioner, and to define those thoughts based on the color and suit of the Jack.

Jack of Hearts:

Loving thoughts and intentions. He is Cupid the Bringer of Love, and in combination with other cards of the Hearts suit, the jack can indicate an offer of love. He also denotes thoughts of pleasure, healing, and fun intentions. He brings the creative thoughts that are expressed through the arts.

Jack of Clubs:

Enterprising thoughts and practical intentions. He is Hermes the Messenger, and he represents knowledge and learning, communication and business ideas, and active participation.

Jack of Diamonds:

Thoughts of power and success, and intentions for profitable gain. He is Apollo the Bringer of Light. He represents the intellect, the imagination, talent, prophetic thoughts and psychic ability.

Jack of Spades:

Stagnant thoughts and frustrated intentions. He is Seth the bringer of storms and conflict. He represents fear and worry and anxiety. In combination with other cards of the Spades suit, the jack can indicate anger and resentful thoughts, and malicious intentions.

Sample Reading Where the Jacks Can Be Read as Thoughts and Intentions

The following Answer Spread illustrates a reading where, based on the context of the question, it does not make sense to read the Court Cards as actual people. This reading is for a female client who reads cards for friends and family, but is afraid to take the step toward reading professionally. She complains that when she tries to read for someone she does not know, the information does not flow. She asks...

“Will I ever be successful as a professional card reader?

I begin every reading with a quick overview of the cards. I notice a predominance of red cards, which is always a favorable sign. There is also a predominance of the Diamond suit, which represents success, money, intellect, power, and psychic ability– definitely a good sign in reference to the question. Only one card of the Spades suit appears in the spread, and it is not in a key position (neither in the answer column nor in the pivot position). There don’t appear to be any major challenges or obstacles to face in the situation. I notice the pair of black jacks. I’ll address those later in the discussion.

The first column represents the premise of the situation, and shows that the questioner is being stingy with her talents. Reading professionally is a wonderful opportunity to share her gifts with the world, but she is holding herself back. The 5 of Hearts covered by the 8 of Diamonds suggests that the questioner does not place enough value on her own talents and abilities.

The middle column answers the question. In a general sense we could say that a young person will bring a message or invitation, but that doesn’t make much sense within the context of the question. More likely, the Jack of Clubs represents the questioner’s enterprising thoughts of going professional with her readings, and the Ace of Diamonds indicates the successful start of a money-making venture.

The final column provides additional factors to be considered in the matter. We might say that a young person with dark features is attracted to the questioner, or will offer financial help. But based on the context of the question, it makes more sense to read the Jack of Spades as the questioner’s fear, and the 9 of Diamonds as her psychic ability. A more in depth interpretation indicates that what is holding her back (8 of Diamonds) from making that successful start (Ace of Diamonds) is that she feels uncomfortable (Jack of Spades) accepting payment (9 of Diamonds) for her readings, and her fears (Jack of Spades) are blocking her psychic ability (9 of Diamonds).

What do we tell the questioner? Well, the only black cards in the spread are the two Jacks. That suggests to me that the problems are all in her mind. If she can work past the fear, she can make a very successful start as a professional reader. The 9 of Diamonds in the pivot position shows that not only will it open up her psychic abilities, it will also bring in some extra cash.

When the cards indicate a potential obstacle or challenge, they will almost always provide a solution to the problem. How can the questioner overcome her fear of offering her readings for financial gain? I look to the pivot card, the 9 of Diamonds. It represents the powers of the mind. It covers her fears ( is on top of the Jack of Spades), so we know that she can overcome her anxiety with her mental powers. I advised her to visualize herself as a successful professional reader in her daily meditations, and she will soon achieve the success she desires.

†This is a repost of an article original published on my original Art of Cartomancy blog.