King and Jack - an Old Friend Comes Back

Many students of cartomancy struggle with the court cards. I know I did when I first started, and I still do from time to time. I think it’s natural because there are so many court cards in the deck, and it’s not always easy determining who is who in a reading. Luckily when two face cards fall side-by-side, they can be combined to indicate a single meaning.  One of the most common and useful combinations is the King and Jack.

The combination of King and Jack can predict the return of someone from the past, or the return to a situation or location from the past, such as returning to a former job, or moving back home.

In relationship readings, this combination can predict a loving re-connection with someone from the past. There is a well-known tarot and Lenormand reader in the online cartomancy community who also works with playing cards. She had this combination predict the arrival of a man from the past who has turned out to be the love of her life!

When this combination refers to a person, the King will generally describe the person (man), and the Jack will describe the dynamics of the prior relationship.  Likewise, the Queen and Jack would describe a woman returning the querent’s life, and that prior relationship.

It's important to keep in mind that these combinations represent a single person, so the directions of the figure's gazes are not part of the consideration when interpreting these cards. Card order and Suit interactions are the keys to an accurate interpretation.

For example…

The above combination would predict an old lover returning.  The King of Clubs describes someone with medium coloring, brown hair and brown or hazel eyes. Alternately, you could use the characteristics associated with the King of Clubs to describe him. He’s ambitious, he has good business sense, he’s practical and organized, he can be stubborn, but always sensible, etc. The Jack of Hearts would show that the dynamics of the prior relationship were romantic in nature.

It’s important to use your intuition in choosing an appropriate description based on the suit symbol because of course not all brown-haired men are practical and organized, and not all practical and organized men have brown hair.  For more information on the traits and characteristics associated with the court cards, please see my article on The Court Cards as People.

Here are some suggestions for interpreting the dynamics of the prior relationship based on the Jack suits…

Jack of Hearts: romantic relationship, family connection, close friend
Jack of Diamonds: professional relationship, colleague, family connection through marriage, acquaintance
Jack of Clubs: friendship, co-worker, classmate, team mate
Jack of Spades: enemy, rival, relationship that ended badly

What follows is an example of an actual three-card combination that was part of a larger spread that predicts a relationship developing with a woman from the past. The querent is a single male who was hoping for a new love in his life.

The Queen of Spades shows a woman with very dark hair and dark-brown eyes.  We might also describe her as strong-willed and sensual.  Intuitively, I felt that the Spade represented her marital status as divorced. The Jack of Clubs tells us that this woman is someone the querent already knows from the past. She is an old  friend, or perhaps an former co-worker. The 3 of Hearts shows a romantic relationship developing with this woman. Six months later the querent was re-acquainted with an old school-mate of  his sister, a lovely blonde lady who is sensual, strong-willed and divorced. A  romantic relationship ensued.

When the King Does Not Represent a Person

The querent is freelance contractor who is asking about potential business contracts during the next three months. In this case the King of Clubs can represent a business rather than an individual person. The Jack of Diamonds shows a prior professional relationship with the business. The Two of Clubs is an upcoming offer. The cards indicate that the querent will receive a contract in the next three months from a business that he worked with previously.

Jack and King?

When the Jack comes first I don’t generally read it as a return to the past. Instead the Jack will often represent a child, and the King or Queen will denote the gender. As before, the Jack will define the relationship of the young person to the querent, and the King or Queen will describe the person.

For example…

These cards could represent a young girl or female child. The Jack of Hearts denotes the relationship as a family member, and the Queen of Diamonds describes the child as intelligent, independent, talkative, unpredictable, temperamental, etc.

It’s important to note that all of these combinations are merely suggestions. As always, you’ll need to rely on the context of the reading and your intuition to determine the best interpretation. For example, the Queen + Jack might also represent a mother and son, the Jack and King might represent a boy and his father, etc.

Who Is Who in My Love Reading?

I thought it might be helpful to take another look at my thought process for evaluating the court cards in a cartomancy reading. I have already posted several articles on how to read the face cards when they don't represent people, but what about when they do?

Almost every question is influenced by one or more people other than the querent. In fact, I find that nine times out of ten the appearance of a face card in a reading will represent a specific person who is somehow involved in the situation.

I did not always interpret the interactions of the people in a reading based on the directions of the court cards in the spread. But over the last 10 years, I have found this practice to be strikingly accurate in determining the subtle dynamics of the players in any given situation.

The following relationship reading provides a nice example of how multiple face cards that represent real people can be highly revealing in a card spread.

Jack of Spades, 7 of Spades, King of Hearts, Jack of Diamonds, 3 of Spades.

The querent is a 24 year old woman who is in a long-term relationship. She is worried because her man has begun to act distant and casual. She asks if he has lost interest in her.

I immediately register the three black cards which suggest that the answer is "probably no." The specific card meanings should tell me why. Then I note that three of the five cards in the spread are face cards. In order to understand the specific message in the cards, I need to determine who is who in the reading.

My eye is drawn at once to the King of Hearts situated in the important center position of the spread. He is a man who is loved. I instantly identify him as the querent's boyfriend because he is the primary focus of the inquiry.

So who are represented by the two Jacks? How do two young men play into this picture? Like the Pages in Tarot, the mustachioed Jacks are gender fluid. They can sometimes represent young females (particularly when they are powerless in a situation), and in the context of this reading it makes more sense that they do.

This idea immediate suggests to me that one of them is likely the querent. But which? And more importantly who is the second woman? The 3 of Spades suggests deceit and a possible love triangle... best try to get clarification from the querent.

"I see another woman around your guy, " I say.
The querent responds, "Oh, yeah. That's probably his wife."

Ah huh! I neglect to mention how this piece of information might have been helpful to know up front. Anyway, now the cards begin to make sense to me.

The Jack of Spades is often a rival in love readings, but who plays the rival? The wife is a rival for the affections of the querent's lover, but the querent is also rival to the wife's marriage.

Let's take a look at the other jack, the Jack of Diamonds. The suit suggests a financial influence-- someone who is tied financially to the King of Hearts. The 3 of Spades reveals deception around her. My impression is that the Jack of Diamonds represents the wife.

As I already mentioned, the focus of the reading is the man's interests, so it also makes perfect sense to me that he would see the querent as a rival to re-establishing a connection with his wife (the wife falls directly next to him in his future).

Now that we have determined who is who in the reading, it is easy to see the dynamics of the situation. The 7 of Spades falling between the querent and her man shows a reversal in their relationship. The cards confirm the querent's sense that the romance is cooling down.

The 7 of Spades is also the Card of addiction and dependence. This card falls between the querent and her man indicating an unhealthy codependent relationship between them. Notice the direction that the King faces. Despite trying to re-establish a connection with his wife, he is looking back toward the querent and his codependent connection with her. She stares longingly back at him.

So what to tell the querent? I prefer to give the unfavorable news first because once the querent hears what she hopes to hear, she is unlikely to register anything else I say.

I warn the querent that the relationship with this man is unhealthy-- never mind the fact that he's married! She admits that they are bound together by a sexual addiction from which neither can break free.

I suggest that she seek counseling to help her detach from this difficult situation. I also recommend the outstanding books by Melody Beattie that deal with breaking the bonds of codependency.

Now to answer the specific question... I advise the querent that the cards confirm this man is attempting to pull away in order to salvage his marriage which is in deep trouble. The 3 of Spades shows problems and deceptions in the future.

The wife looks away from the 3 of Spades. Her focus is on the man. She is either ignorant of the deceptions, or she chooses to ignore the marital problems.

Whatever the case, the man is motivated by financial concerns, and the wife is motivated by her love for her husband.

Despite these motivations, the cards confirm that the man is unable to break free from the affair with the querent. The simple answer is: no, he has not lost interest in her.

Oddly, the news lifted the querent's mood considerably.

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.

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.

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.

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.

When Court Cards Do Not Represent People

In most cases when a Court Card† appears in a reading, the card will represent the querent or an important person in the querent’s life. But every once in a while you’ll come across a Court Card that doesn’t seem to make sense within the context of the reading, and your gut tells you that the card is not meant to represent a specific someone.

So how to interpret a court card when it’s not a person?

It can be tricky. I don’t have a canned set of meanings that I use for face cards when they don’t represent people, but I do have general guidelines that I follow with reliable results. First, it helps to have a good understanding of the suit meanings, because the suit will set the mood or the theme for the Court Card. Here is a list of the common meanings I use for the suits, but please keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to add to these meanings, or subtract from them, or switch them around based on your own intuitive feeling for each suit.

Spades 

negativity, problems, responsibilities, obligations, law enforcement, challenges, obstacles, mysteries, decisions, Karmic debts, obsessions, addictions, resentment, anger, setbacks, confinement, anxiety, failure, fear, illness and loss.

Hearts 

emotions, love, romance, happiness, comfort, compassion, sharing, family matters, relationships, intimacy, rest, relaxation, amusement, fun, laziness, pleasure, peace, calm, creativity, soul connections, religion, and healing.

Clubs 

good luck, growth, goals, conversations, verbal communication, paperwork, learning, action, physical activity, sports, exercise, work, construction, clubs and organizations, business, friendships and social interactions.

Diamonds 

energy, electricity, power, science, technology, language, written communication, higher education, independence, restlessness, nerves, optimism, intellect, imagination, design, plans, spirituality, psychic energy, money, possessions, rewards, success, and legal judgments.

I combine the suit meanings with the archetypal meanings that I associate with the Court Cards by rank.

Jacks 

The Jacks represent children and young people. Therefore the Jack can denote something small or the start of something new. In the days before the invention of the telephone, young boys were employed as messengers, so the Jacks can be the messengers for their suits. Jacks can also represent thoughts, so there is the idea of movement connected with these cards.

Queens 

The Queens represent women, feminine things, and the divine feminine principle. Queens represent motherhood and love, and they are nurturing, creative, receptive and introspective. The Queens denote growth and personal power. They bring emotions and intuition and healing to their respective suits.

Kings 

The Kings are grown men, and are the highest ranking court card. They denote mastery, authority, control and leadership. The Kings are protective and commanding, but they can be demanding, possessive, and even agressive and overbearing depending on their suit and surrounding cards.

With the above meanings in hand, and with a healthy dose of logic and a good pinch of intuition, it’s not too difficult to determine what a court card is trying to say when your gut tells you it isn’t meant to represent a person.

As an example, let’s combine the Jack with the Suit of Diamonds…

Jack of Diamonds 

traditionally he is the letter carrier. He can represent a small sum of money, the start of a financial venture, a written message, a message about finances, a financial statement, a check, a receipt, money transfer, a message from your spirit guides, a place for higher learning, etc.

How about the Queen with the Suit of Spades…

Queen of Spades 

traditionally, she is the widow. She can represent loneliness, separation, an ending, sterility, miscarriage, female health issues, blocked emotions, loss of personal power, blocked creativity, etc.

Now we’ll look at the King with the suit of Clubs…

King of Clubs 

traditionally, he is a man of business. He can represent success in business, moving up the social ladder, attaining one’s goals, mastering a physical skill or ability, taking ownership of a project, an exclusive men’s club or organization, etc.

Your own intuition and the surrounding cards will help add color and flavor to your interpretation of the Court Card.

The real trick is in knowing when a Court Card is meant to represent a person, and when it is not. If you fall into the habit of interpreting all of your face cards as qualities and characteristics rather than as people, you’ll miss out on the important roles other people play in the querent’s life. This would create a blind spot in your readings which could be a serious detriment to your querent’s understanding of the true factors influencing his or her life experiences.

†Court Card Images:
Jack Daniels Old No. 7 Playing cards, Legendary Irish Playing Cards, Sophia’s Fortune Telling Deck, Jane Lyle’s Fortune Teller’s Deck, Bicycle Playing cards.

Cartomancy Health Reading: a Clogged Ear

Health readings can be a slippery slope. On the one hand, we want to meet our querent's needs; but on the other hand, most of us are not health professionals, and we are not qualified to diagnose a health problem-- neither are we qualified to offer medical advice. In fact, to do so is against the law in most countries. So what do we do?

I don't shy away from health questions. I will advise the querent up front that I am not a health professional, and that a health matter should never be decided by a card reading. I remind the querent that even the best card readings can be only 80% accurate, and only a licensed health professional can diagnose and treat an ailment.

Having said that, what I will do is agree to look into the cards to see what they show about the health issue. Interestingly, I find that 9 times out of 10 the cards will suggest that the querent visit with a doctor. Even when that is not the case, I still encourage the querent to visit the doctor anyway. What I won't do is offer a definitive diagnosis nor will I prescribe a treatment.

Happily in most cases when a querent asks about a health issue, he or she has already seen a doctor, and is interested in the outcome of the doctor's prescribed treatment.

Sample Health Reading

The following reading was done for a family member. The querent is a young man who has recently recovered from a nasty head cold. Despite feeling healthy and strong, he is suffering from a lingering clogged ear. The querent asks...

Will the ear unclog on its own without having to see the doctor?

I drew the following line of 5  cards...

Who the heck are all these lovely ladies?

The reason I wanted to share this particular reading is because it illustrates a special combination that has appeared in my cards time and again. You probably won't see this combination in any book; although (Who Knows?) you may because there is a universality to the card meanings. In any case, the combination I'm referring to is the 4 of spades surrounded by court cards. In my readings, this combination always signifies a communicable disease-- a contagious illness that is passed from person to person. I have found that 99% of the time, when this combination appears in my cards, it indicates a viral infection (most common bacterial infections are not contagious) which ends up being the flu or the common cold.

My immediate thought is that the ear problem is due to the lingering effects of the head cold, and would probably not respond to antibiotics. (I should mention at this point that despite this suggestion I still encouraged the querent to visit the doctor if the ear continues to be a problem.)

So what about the ladies? Well, digging deeper into the spread, I see the Jack of Hearts as representing the querent himself and his body (health). The Queen of Spades is the infection that brought on the head cold (4 of Spades). The three queens in the spread represent gossip or advice. The Queen of Hearts is the mother or the wife. She represents care and love and nurturing. The Queen of Diamonds is full of good information. The combination suggests "old wive's remedies." The suits show that with proper care (heart) the problem will improve (diamond card ending the row). I suggested that the querent also talk with his mom and other female family members to ask if they have any home remedies that might help relieve the clogged ear.

Feedback: The querent did end up seeing his doctor. The doctor examined the nose, ears and throat, and said there was no redness or irritation visible. The doctor did not think there was a bacterial infection, but he was willing to prescribe an antibotic just in case. The querent declined the antibiotic since he has a history of antibiotics causing complications with his digestion. The querent mother (QH) suggested home remedies that she used on him when he was a child to help clear up (QD) the clog.

Cartomancy Court Cards: Who Are All These People?

A question I hear often from students is, “How can I make sense of a small spread that is dominated by face cards?” Almost one quarter of the 52 card deck is comprised of court cards, and so this is a very common complaint.

In my personal experience the court cards primarily represent the people we encounter in our daily lives: family members, friends, acquaintances and strangers. Even the most retiring wallflower will interact with a multitude of different people every day, both directly and indirectly, and the cards will pick up on these interactions. But what about when it makes no sense within the context of the reading for a court card to represent a person? What about when a cluster of court cards appear that don’t seem to address the question?

Interpreting the Court Cards when they don’t represent specific people can be tricky. There are general guidelines that I follow, but I also use a healthy dose of logic and a good pinch of intuition to make sense of the court card combinations.

First, it helps to have a good understanding of the suit meanings, because the suit will set the mood or the theme for the Court Card. Here is a list of the common meanings I use, but please keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to add to these meanings, or subtract from them, or switch them around based on your own intuitive feelings for each suit.

Spades

negativity, problems, responsibilities, obligations, challenges, obstacles, mysteries, deceit, decisions, Karmic debts, addictions, setbacks, confinement, anxiety, sadness, failure, fear, illness and loss.

Hearts

desire, hopes, emotions, love, happiness, compassion, sharing, relationships, relaxation, laziness, pleasure, entertainment, creativity, soul connections, religion, and healing.

Clubs

good luck, growth, goals, conversations, verbal communication, learning, activity, work, business, organization, friendships and social interactions.

Diamonds

energy, electricity, power, science, technology, language, written communication, higher education, independence, optimism, intellect, imagination, spirituality, psychic energy, money, possessions, rewards, success, and legal judgments.

I combine the suit meanings with the archetypal meanings I associate with the Court Card ranks.

Jacks

The Jacks represent children and young people. Therefore they can denote something small or the start of something. In the days before the invention of the telephone, young boys were employed as messengers, so the Jacks can be the messengers for their suits. Jacks can also represent thoughts, so they carry the idea of movement. It’s important to note that Jacks can represent young males or young females; although in my own readings they almost always represent a male.

Queens

The Queens represent women and the divine feminine. They represent motherhood and love, and are nurturing, creative, receptive and introspective. They denote growth and personal power. They bring healing and emotion and intuition to their respective suits.

Kings

The Kings are grown men, and the highest ranking court card. They denote mastery, authority, control and leadership. The Kings are protective and commanding, but they can be demanding and even overbearing based on their suit.

As an example, let’s combine the Jack with the Suit of Diamonds…

Jack of Diamonds

a small sum of money, the start of a financial venture, a written message, a message about finances, a check, a receipt, a message from your spirit guides, a place for higher learning, etc.

How about the Queen with the Suit of Spades…

Queen of Spades

traditionally, she is the widow, and she can represent loneliness, separation, sterility, female health issues, blocked emotions, blocked creativity, criticism, a sharp tongue, etc.

Now we’ll look at the King with the suit of Clubs…

King of Clubs

traditionally, he is the business man, and he can represent success in business, moving up the social ladder, attaining one’s goals, mastering a physical skill or ability, excelling at a hobby, etc.

Finally, let’s take a look at how to approach a small spread dominated by court cards…

This is a quick mini reading for a querent who had recently interviewed for job promotion. Her question was: Will I be hired for the position?

Queen of Hearts, King of Spades, Jack of Clubs

I drew three cards for the question, and since all of the cards in this small spread are court cards, I need to dig a little to find a meaningful answer.

My first impression is that the grouping of face cards indicates strong competition for the job. At least two males are being considered along with the querent (Queen of Hearts) for the position.

The querent is represented in the spread by the Queen of Hearts. She is a woman with hopes and desires; she very much wants the promotion. Sadly, her desire (heart) is overshadowed by a spade, and we know that the spades bring obstacles and failure and disappointment. The answer is clear to me: her heart’s desire is blocked. The querent will not get the promotion. The job will be awarded to a male colleague (Jack of Clubs—notice how the King of Spades looks away from the Queen of Hearts and toward the Jack of Clubs).

Next I need to look at why. It’s not enough for me to simply tell the querent that she failed. I feel obligated to also offer constructive advice to help her turn this failure into a future success.

The King of Spades can represent a man in authority, and the Jack of Clubs is a card of communication—perhaps the job interview. I asked the querent if her interviewer had been a gentleman, and she confirmed that she had indeed interviewed with a gentleman.
The King of Spades is dissatisfied based on his suit. He stands between the querent (Queen of Hearts) and the new job opportunity (Jack of Clubs) showing that he is blocking the promotion. Since the Jack of Clubs can also represent the interview, my feeling is that the querent did not make a positive impression on this man during the interview process. The combination of King Spade + the Jack of Clubs suggests to me that the querent’s interviewing skills may require some work. The King of Spades suggests a lack of mastery.

My answer to the client was that she would not get the promotion because she had not made a favorable impression on her interviewer. The querent admitted that she had felt nervous and intimidated. I advised her that there are techniques she can learn to improve her interview skills, and suggested she take a class or find a good book to help her brush up on these skills so that her next interview will be successful.

As predicted, the querent did not get the job promotion. She took my advice and found a couple of good books on the art of job interviewing, and now plans to utilize her improved skills in finding a better paying job.

As you can see, it is possible to get a good amount of information from a cluster of court cards. The better you get to know the suit influences, the easier it will be to find meaning in a spread dominated by court cards. Also, it’s important to remember that each card can be read in several different ways. In the above example, I read the Queen of Hearts to represent the querent, but also her desire for the promotion. The King of Spades represents failure and disappointment in the reading, but also the gentleman interviewer, and the querent’s lack of mastery. Finally, the Jack of Clubs serves to represent the job interview, the new position, and the colleague who ultimately received the promotion. All of these interpretations are meaningful within the context of the question, and proved to be equally accurate.