Mysteries of the Cartomancy Daily Card Draw

The Cartomancy Daily Card Draw can be a real mystery, and often it's only in hindsight that we can understand the true message in the daily cards. Part of the problem is that-- at least for me-- the prediction in a daily draw may not always materialize on the day. Sometimes it can take two or three days, or even a week, before the message becomes clear. I have found that unless I journal my card draws, and review the readings regularly, it's easy to miss the connection when the event materializes in my life.

I go back and check off the reading in my journal when a prediction materializes. Sometimes a daily draw never seems to materialize, but that is rare for me. I have very few card draws recorded in the journal that have not materialized.

Here's a daily card draw that I was able to check off today. I drew these cards two days ago on Friday, August 8th, 2014, at 9:18 a.m....

AS + 10C + QC

Ace of Spades = a decision, an ending and a new beginning
10 of Clubs = business, a journey, water
Queen of Clubs = a female friend or colleague

My first impression was of a decision (AS) related to a business matter (10C) in connection with a female friend/colleague (QC). Then I considered that I might be asked (sometimes the AS will indicate "being asked" when the answer requires a decision) to go on a journey (10C), or to the pool (10C) or to the beach (10C) with a female friend (the QC is active, she wants to go somewhere or do something).

You see, the cards can mean different things, and it's not always easy to determine which meaning or meanings apply. Sometimes the cards will mean more than just one thing, and each meaning will be equally valid and accurate.

Nothing made sense to me that day... no business decision, no decision about going on a trip. In fact, I didn't even leave the house on Friday. It rained most of the afternoon, and I decided that the 10C (the water card) was probably referring to a rainy day. I've noticed that the cards will sometimes predict the weather in a daily draw.

Then....

Early this morning I received a call from my sister (QC) who asked me (AS) if I would watch her children today because she has the opportunity to spend the day on a friend's boat (10C).

The message in Friday's cards suddenly made perfect sense. So here I am now entertaining two young children while my sister sails off into the rising sun.

I strongly believe that drawing daily cards is the best way to learn how the cards speak to us. Most of the time the draw can only be understood in retrospect, but that's okay because there is a lesson in every card draw.

Cartomancy Skills - Linking a Row of Cards

When reading a row of cards I link the cards together following the basic rule that the card falling to the right will always modify its neighbor to the left.  That being the case, you can have a long line of spades, and if the row ends in heart, it means all will end well.

As an example, let's say we have a row of cards to interpret: A B C D E F G...

Generally, I would start with A and look to see how it's being modified by B.  Then I would look at B to see how it is modified by both A and C, and so on-- but there are no set rules. Pay attention to how the card suits interact. This interaction can guide you through the development of the situation in question. In the end, the manner of combining the cards is always going to be based on the cards that fall, the order in which they fall, and-- most importantly-- your own intuition.

I also tend to read action based on the card order.  For example, if we look at card B, card A could be a past influence and C could be a future influence.  Card A leads to card B, B leads to C, and so on.

Okay, let's take an actual row of cards to help make this clearer.  I am borrowing a 7 card draw that a student was struggling with recently.  It's a great example because it illustrates how the cards modify each other based on timing, suit and meaning.

Here are the cards:

The first card is the King of Clubs.  We know he is a man, and we could further identify him based on his suit-- friend, colleague, co-worker, ambitious, friendly, goal-oriented, etc.

Face Card + Spade =  Unhappy Person

The 5 of Spades modifies the King of Clubs.  In other words it tells us more about him.  The 5 of Spades represents divorce, feelings of loneliness, being forced to stand alone.  So we know that he is either currently going through a divorce or will soon be going through a divorce (if the 5 of Spades had fallen to the left of the King of Clubs, it would have suggested a man already separated or divorced).  We can also say he's upset and feeling alone.

Spade + Heart = Need for Emotional Healing

Next we look at the 3 of Hearts which is a very good card.  But here we see it hemmed in by spades-- the 5 of Spades on one side, and the 10 of Spades on the other. Furthermore, and it's topped (covered) by double spades-- the 10 of Spades followed by the 4 of Spades.  So we can say that although the 3 of Hearts is generally a very good card, in this case the message is not so good.  Because the 3 of Hearts modifies the 5 of Spades, it tells us what the man is divorcing himself from. The 3 of Hearts represents a relationship that is ending painfully.

Heart + Spade =  Emotional Pain

Now we turn our attention to the 10 of Spades which is a card of fears and worries and suspicions.  The 10 of Spades modifies the 3 of Hearts so we can say that the man has worries and suspicions regarding the relationship.  The 3 of Hearts can sometimes refer to a love triangle (particularly when hemmed in by Spades), and so we see that the man suspects that his partner has met someone else.  We don't know if that is true or not based on these cards, but the suspicion is clear, and the 10 of Spades does indeed suggests secrets.

Spade + Spade = Serious Problems

The 4 of Spades comes next.  It represents illness, depression, exhaustion, caution, feeling stuck, etc.  Since the 4 of Spades follows the 10 of Spades, we can say that the worries and suspicions may affect the man's health and well being (the 4 of Spades and 10 of Spades falling together is the classic combination for clinical depression). He may feel stuck and sluggish, and unable to let go of the fears and worries.

Spade + Club = Actively Working Through Problems

As we move further into the future we look next to the 5 of Clubs.  This card represents active intention, taking action, confidence, etc.  Since it modifies the 4 of Spades, we can say that the period of moping and inaction will be short, and the man will be motivated to take action and do something about his situation.  We know from his suit that the King of Clubs is  generally a 'take action' kind of guy.  Also the symbolism of the two 5's indicates taking matters in hand, taking control of the situation, the outcome rests in his own hands.

Club + Diamond = Increase in Power, Improvement, Action Toward Success

Finally we have the Jack of Diamonds which can be read as a young person, or as the man's thoughts, or as advice (the Jacks are messengers).  Since this card modifies the 5 of Clubs, which is a communication card, I would read the Jack as advice and say that the man will be actively seeking counsel. Clubs are about communication and learning and progress. Diamonds are often professionals, and represent legal and psychological matters. So the Jack of Diamonds could represent psychological counseling or some kind of therapy.

Diamond = Final Outcome

The final card is the outcome card, and as a Diamond it tends to be positive. So we know that despite all of the bad cards in the row, the man is going to come through the separation fine--  Diamonds represent empowerment, improvement, success, etc. He will take control of the situation and seek the help he needs to move past the challenges.

I think pulling together a long row of cards can be more challenging than reading a spread with positional meanings, such as the Celtic Cross.  But it's a skill that can be developed with practice.

Timing a Prediction in a Cartomancy Reading

The accurate timing of events in a reading can be tricky because time as such does not exist on the inner planes, and the outcome of any situation may be influenced by freewill as expressed by a multitude of factors including the choices, decision, actions (or even non-actions) of the querent. Despite these various influences, the cards will often provide hints to when a prediction may materialize, and there are different methods for determining the timing of events in a cartomancy reading.

The Astrological Timing Method

One method I have found to be fairly reliable is to use astrological correspondences for the card suits. In this system, each suit is assigned to one of the four elements: fire, water, air or earth. In turn, the elements are linked to signs of the zodiac. So if we assign the element of water to the suit of Hearts, the Heart cards will represent the water signs of the zodiac: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. Thereby, a predominance of cards of the suit of hearts in a reading will indicate a time frame based on one of the water zodiac signs, usually the next in the natural order of progression. For example, a predominance of Hearts in a reading done today on March 29th would suggest a time frame of late June or early July, which is when we enter the next water sign: Cancer.

My Timing Method

My preferred method is to use each playing card suit to represent a specific measure of time ranging from fastest to slowest. For example, Diamonds symbolically represent energy and electricity, and would therefore denote the fastest time frame. Spades represent delays, and are generally slow-moving, so Spades represent the slowest time frame. Here is a breakdown of each suit in reference to timing:

Suit	Symbolism	Time Frame	Time Measurement
Diamonds	Speed, energy, thought	Fastest time frame	Minutes or hours
Clubs	Action, activity, progress	Fast time frame	Hours or days
Hearts	Peace, calm, relaxation	Slow time frame	Days or weeks
Spades	Obstacles, setbacks, delays	Slowest time frame	Weeks, Months or Years

In a card layout, the combination of the suits will offer a clue as to the timing of an event predicted in the cards. It’s not an exact science, but the ratio of card suits will allow for estimation that I have found to be quite accurate.

Specific Guidelines

• This timing system works best with a row of cards—at least three cards, but no more than five cards.


• I ask the cards specifically, “When will “X” happen.” For example, “When will the package arrive?”


• Diamonds have the weakest influence, and Spades exert the strongest influence on timing. Clubs and Hearts are both moderate influences. For example, if you have a spread with 4 cards from the Diamond suit, and one card from the suit of Spades, the timing would weeks. If you had 4 Hearts or Clubs and one Spade, the timing would be months.


• The Court cards may denote a specific measurement of time, or they may also indicate that the timing is dependent on the particular person represented by the card—very often the querent him or herself.


•  The cards themselves can be interpreted to provide more information regarding the event in question.


•  If the timing shows an extreme amount of time such as 10 or more years, I look to the cards to see if they predict a positive outcome. If yes, then the answer is “it will take a year or more.” If no, then the answer is “never.”


• The final card in a row of cards is the outcome card, and will bear the strongest influence on timing.

Example

Now we will illustrate the process with an example. Let’s say you have the following row of 5 cards that predict a specific event, and you want to know when the event will materialize.

KC + 2H + 6D + 7H + 8C

Here we are concerned only with the timing. The final card, which represents the outcome of the reading, will carry more weight than the preceding cards in determining the timing. In this case we find a Club ending the row. The Club represents a fast time frame of hours or days. Now we look to the other cards to help us determine if the Club represents hours or days. The additional Club (King of Clubs) in the reading supports the idea of hours or days, but the two cards of the Heart suit extend the timing to days or weeks. As an average, it would seem that days would be the best answer, although the one card of the Diamond suit (6 of Diamonds) would bring a small burst of speed. My feeling is that the 8 days suggested by the 8 of Clubs could be shortened to 7 days based on that Diamond, giving me the final answer that the event will materialize within one week.

An Actual Reading

To further illustrate this method of timing, let’s take a look at an actual reading that I did recently for a client who wanted to know when she would receive her tax refund. She had submitted the tax return forms via an online program more than a month previously, and the request has been in pending status ever since.

The reading was given on March 25, 2014.
Question: When will I receive my tax refund?

10D + 9H + 7C + 4C + 3H

First we’ll do a breakdown of the general message in the cards. The 10 of Diamonds represents a goodly sum of money, and the 9 of Hearts is the wish card. The client wishes for her tax refund, which will be a several thousand dollars. So we can see immediately that the cards are accurately tuned in to our question.

The 7 of Clubs represents an evaluation, and the 4 of Clubs is a telephone call or a wire transfer. The client confirms that she expects the refund to be deposited directly into her checking account. The cards show that the refund has been evaluated, and the transfer is imminent. The final card (3 of Hearts) is a minor wish card which denotes happiness and satisfaction. The client will get her wish, and she will be quite pleased with the outcome.

Now let’s take a look at the combination of suits to get an idea of when the client will receive the refund. The card ending the row is from the suit of hearts, which would indicate days or weeks. We have an additional Heart (9 of Hearts) to confirm that time frame, but we also have two Club cards which will speed up the timing. Rather than weeks, the Clubs suggest days. The three as the final card would suggest 3 days, but that one card of the Diamond suit will speed up the time frame just a bit more, likely affecting the number days only since the influence of Diamonds is weak. From these cards I predicted that that the refund will show up in the client’s bank account within the next two days.

The client called me back the following morning to let me know that the cards were right; her refund was deposited that morning.

Cartomancy Daily Draw - Internet Problems

Today I drew the following three cards for insight and inspiration...

Jack of Clubs - a dark-haired young man, a friend, communication
6 of Diamonds - stress, unsettled situation, electronic equipment, computer
7 of Spades - delay, frustration, problem, need for caution, medication

I immediately knew what these cards are alluding to...

INTERNET PROBLEMS!!

I've been having trouble with my internet since the cable company switched out my old modem for one that also supports my internet phone service. I've been experiencing delays, and it's been very frustrating indeed!

Then another possible meaning jumped out at me...

A hyperactive child on medication, and the medication seems to be making the problems worse rather than better.

And a third possibility...

Verbal messages about money causing aggravation and frustration.

My phone jack was finally installed this morning (again the "jack" symbolism with the JC), and all morning I've been taking calls from creditors who are trying to reach the previous owner of my new phone number. I'm considering requesting a different number, but I really like the number I have for both mnemonic and numerological reasons.

Lots of possibilities...

I will post feedback if anything else happens today to validate these cards.

Feedback 12-12-12 @ 7:59 am

I'm not sure if these cards were referring to the continued internet problems I'm experiencing or the seven (7S) phone calls I received yesterday from creditors and solicitors looking for the previous owner of my new phone number-- probably both.

Cartomancy Daily Draw - Money Decision

This morning I drew the following cards...

Jane Lyle's Fortune Teller's Deck

4 of Diamonds - financial matters, checkbook, bank account, credit card
Ace of Spades - anxiety, stress, the need for a decision
9 of Clubs - good luck, travel, distance, forward movement

I think I was expecting something significant to show up in the cards today to mark the end of the Mayan calendar. These cards seem rather mundane. Well, at least there's no more talk of phone calls!

I see anxiety over a financial matter. Yikes, it could be some trouble with my checking account. The 9C could refer to a transaction. The a Club ending the spread shows good luck and all will end well.

Feedback 12/22/13 @ 10:31 am
The daily draws are endlessly fascinating, but they are also quite tricky because they usually refer to something very mundane and ordinary, and there is the tendency to want to see something bigger and more significant in the cards, especially when reading for ourselves.  Sometimes the daily cards will simply refer to something we hear about, or something we talk about, and that turned out to be the case with these cards.

This card draw refers to a conversation I had last night with my brother-in-law who is considering closing his bank accounts and moving his business to a new bank that offers significantly better benefits. He thought I should consider doing the same. The 4D = the bank account, the AS = an ending and a new beginning or a decision, and the 9C = a transfer or move. The Club falling last can indicate that this is something that is talked about (clubs are usually verbal communication, and diamonds are written communication).

It will take more than a few perks to entice me away from the bank I've been doing business with for most of my adult life, so it's a mystery to me why the cards would pick up on this conversation when there were so many other events in my day that could have been highlighted. Perhaps a message from the guides that this new bank is worth a look.

Who Will Win the X Factor Season 2?

Tonight is the finale of the X Factor, and I did a couple of quick readings to see if the cards could predict who will win the competition...

Even after all my years of working with the playing cards, I'm still awed by the beauty and synchronicity in a simple card layout. For these readings I chose the Answer Spread.

I generally expect to find the answer to my question in the middle column of cards in this spread. Looking at the two readings side-by-side, the correlations and parallelisms become obvious. Both readings are answer with a Club topped by a Queen, and the 4 of Hearts appears in both readings in the exact same position. Coincidence? I think not.

Cartomancy Daily Draw - A Wish and a Phone Call

Today I drew the following cards...





9 of Hearts - Wish, hope, desire, victory
3 of Diamonds - part-time work, some money, need for more effort
4 of Clubs - phone call, vehicle, meeting

They awfully look familiar, no?

I drew two of the same cards from yesterday, in exactly the same order. The probability of drawing two specific cards from a deck of 52 is less than 4/10ths of a percent. I don't even know the probability of choosing those cards in the same order, but it has to be approaching zero percent!