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.

How to Interpret the Three Card Draw

The 3 Card Layout:

The 3 Card Layout is the perfect spread to use for daily guidance, or to answer a question quickly.   This layout provides a good amount of information regarding a specific question, topic or situation.  I like to use the 3 Card Layout at the end of a longer reading to address any questions the querent may still have, or to provide more information on a topic the querent wants to know more about.

For this layout I choose 3 cards at random and lay them out in the order in which I chose them.

The cards are then read from left to right like reading a sentence on a page: 

• The first card can be read as “the premise” of the situation, or it may
  indicate the past influences on the matter.


• The second card represents the actual question, problem or situation, and
  often reflects the current influences on the matter.


• The third card indicates the outcome or result, and has the strongest
  effect on the final interpretation of the layout.

The interpretation of each card in the layout is influenced and modified by the card falling on top of it to the right.  The final card bears the most influence, and if a “good” card falls last, it can nullify the negative effects of any “bad” cards falling under it.  If the issue at hand is a specific question, the final card will provide the answer.

The action in the layout also moves from left to right:

• The first card indicates what action the seeker takes.


• The second card indicates what action the seeker shares.


• The third card indicates what action the seeker receives.

For yes/no questions, 2 red cards indicate a “yes,” and two black cards indicate a “no.”

Sample 3-Card Layout:

Here is an example of an actual 3-Card Layout I did this morning, May 16, 2007.  I asked the cards a specific question about a female friend from college that I have not heard from in a couple of years.  My question was: “Will this friend contact me?”  Here are the  playing cards I pulled:

• 4 of Clubs


• 3 of Clubs


• Queen of Diamonds

I was surprise at first by the Queen of Diamonds because I wouldn’t have immediately associated my friend with this particular card.  I did expect a queen to show up, but I guess I thought she would be more in line with my friend’s physical coloring.  But then I realized that the Queen of Diamonds is the best card to represent her energy and intelligence.

The 4 of Clubs can indicate a form of electronic communication such as a telephone call or an email.  So I can see right away that the cards are on track with answering my question.  Because the 4 of Clubs falls first, in the spot that would indicate me taking action, it looks like I’m going to be the one to initiate the contact and reconnect with my friend.

The 3 of Clubs indicates good luck and success, so if I make the effort to track her down, I should not have a problem finding her.  All Clubs indicate activity, thinking and talking, so it may be that I can reach my friend through other mutual acquaintances.  Also in the number 2 spot of “shared action,”  the 3 of Clubs would indicate that she’s been thinking about contacting me a well.

The Queen of Diamonds represents my friend, and as the final card also represents the outcome, result or answer to my question.  The red suits of the playing cards are usually considered positive, so the basic answer to my question is “yes.”  My friend will contact me, but only after I make an effort to reach her first.

Now I understand why the cards chose to represent my friend as the Queen of Diamonds as opposed to the expected Queen of Spades based on her dark hair and eyes.  If the Queen of Spades had fallen last, it would have indicated a definite “no” to my answer.  And this layout would have indicated that although I would probably have been successful in reaching her, she would not have responded to my contact.

How to Recognize a Curse in a Modern Cartomancy Reading

Every so often I encounter a client who is experiencing a streak of bad luck, and is convinced that he or she is the victim of a curse. The client will ask for confirmation of the psychic attack in the cards. In most cases, the bad luck is the result of poor decision making or bad money management on the client’s part. But every now and again I do see sinister forces reflected in the cards.

The pivotal card I look for in a reading to suggest a curse is the Ten of Spades-- particularly when it appears in a cluster with other spades, and especially with the 9 of Spades which will warn that the querent is being harmed by the black intentions. The surrounding cards will usually describe the source and effects of the psychic attack.

Here are a few cartomancy meanings I associate with psychic and spiritual matters that can describe both white magick and black magick…†

10 of Spades = black magick, psychic attack, evil forces at work
9 of Spades = harm, injury, being coerced, graveyard
7 of Spades = oils, potions, washes, bath
3 of Spades = a ritual or spell, incense
King or Queen of Spades = an enemy or a rival, a deceased person
5 of Clubs = crossroads
3 of clubs = herbs, roots, powders
Ace of Hearts = the soul
3 of Hearts = prayer, affirmations
7 of Hearts = healing
8 of Hearts = a Saint, an angel, a spirit guide, protection, an ancestor
Ace of Diamonds = the spirit, the astral body, the spirit world, a candle flame
4 of Diamonds = altar
6 of Diamonds = divination
8 of Diamonds = a spirit being, rootwork, balancing spiritual energies
9 of Diamond = psychic ability, clairvoyance, mind power
10 of Diamonds = mediumship, contact with the spirit world, white magick
King or Queen of Diamonds = an energy worker/root worker

†This list is by no means exhaustive.

Sample Cartomancy Reading: How to recognize Psychic Attack

The querent had a confrontation with a woman he suspects is using magick against him. He has been experiencing a streak of bad luck, and suspects that he may be the victim of a curse.

Question: Is the woman using black magick against me?

10S…..8H…..QD
4C……AD…...JS

The first column represents the premise of the question. It describes the current situation in reference to the question. The 10 of Spades is the key card I look for to indicate black magic, and the 4 of Clubs shows a sympathetic connection with the querent. These cards suggest that someone has tried to send evil intentions toward the querent. Specifically, the 4 of clubs suggests a form of sympathetic magic in which a prop is used, such as a candle or doll, to represent the querent. The negative intentions are put into the object (10S → 4C) that connects with the energy of the querent.

The middle column answers the question, and suggests that this attack has not been successful. The 8 of Hearts is a card of protection, and the Ace of Diamonds is spirit. These cards suggest that the querent is protected and watched over by spirit. Although the curse may be creating minor problems, the malevolent energy cannot do him serious harm.

The final column reveals additional information to be considered. The Queen of Diamonds is a female energy worker. The Jack of Spades describes her nefarious thoughts. This woman is angry and resentful, and she harbors malicious intentions toward the querent. She is projecting her negative thoughts (Jack of Spades).

I find this reading to be particularly interesting because the answer to the question is “yes,” the querent's suspicions are affirmed. The woman is using black magic against him. This answer is confirmed by the Jack of Spades as the pivot card showing negative intentions. But the middle column shows that querent is protected from serious harm by his spirit guide, or perhaps by an ancestor (8 of Hearts) in spirit (Ace of Diamonds). Notice how the Jack turns away from the Ace. Spiritual protection is redirecting the negativity away from the querent. The Ace of Diamonds also suggests that a candle offering to the spirit being (8 of Hearts) will further strengthen the protection.

The Answer Spread

The Answer Spread is a 6-card expanded version of the three card draw. It is designed to answer one question in detail.  I have encountered this spread in several books on both tarot and playing cards, but my favorite version comes from Regina Russell's book, The Card Reader's Handbook.

The Answer Spread is my 'go to' spread for answering a specific questions. It provides a more detailed information that the simple three-card spread while maintain a sharp focus on the question.

How to Draw the Answer Spread

The querent shuffles the cards while focusing on the question. Then the cards are fanned out face down on the table. The querent is asked to randomly select 6 cards keeping them in the order in which they were chosen.  The cards are laid out as in the following diagram:

• The cards are paired and read in vertical columns only. The cards are never combined or read across the horizontal rows.

• The two cards in the first column on the left set the premise for the matter in question, and reveal how past influences affect the current circumstances surrounding the question.

• The two cards in the middle column provide the answer to the question.

• The two cards in the column on the far right provide additional information, or show contributing factors yet to be considered in the matter. The cards in this position do not show the final outcome, but they can indicate the results from following advice given in the middle column.

• The bottom card of the final column (card 6 in the diagram) is known as the "pivot card" because the outcome of the question may turn on that single card. Sometimes the pivot card will provide the answer to the question.

The Answer Spread can work well for yes-or-no questions.  A predominance of red cards would indicate a positive answer, and a predominance of black cards would denote a negative response.  If an even number of red and black cards appear, the answer is not yet set and may be influenced current actions or future events.

Sample Reading – The Answer Spread

Here is an example of an actual reading done for a male client in June of 2012:

The querent was travelling south to spend a few days with his ex-wife. The couple had been divorced for less than a year, and the ex-wife had recently broken up with a new boyfriend.

When the querent and his wife separated, she took custody of their dog. They have no children together. The visit was ostensibly for the querent to spend time with the dog, but he was hopeful that the ex-wife was interested in a reconciliation.

His question: “Will my ex-wife and I get back together?”

Jane Lyle’s The Fortune Teller’s Deck © 1996 St. Martin’s Press

Keywords:

• 10 of Clubs = travel, business, promotion
• 2 of Diamonds = something definite, curiosity, exchanging ideas, searching for answers
• Q of Clubs = a sincere, practical woman
• 7 of Spades = setbacks, frustration, stagnation
• A of Diamonds = news, a message, a fresh start
• 3 of Diamonds = unsustained efforts,  a temporary situation

My first impression is that there are no Heart cards in the spread. That is usually not a hopeful sign for a relationship inquiry. There is a predominance of small Diamonds which represent restlessness, and only modest success. There are an equal number of red and black cards which suggests that the yes-or-no answer may go either way, and is dependent on future actions and events.

The first column represents the premise behind the question. The 10 of Clubs represents the man's upcoming trip to visit his ex-wife, and the 2 of Diamonds shows his curiosity and desire to exchange ideas with his ex-wife. He is looking for answers regarding a possible future for the relationship. This search for answers is what has motivated the trip. The 2 of Diamonds can also represent something definite. It’s certain that the trip will happen.

The middle column almost always contains the answer to the question. The Queen of Clubs represents the ex-wife. The suit of Clubs describes her sincerity and friendly intentions toward the querent. The 7 of Spades represents setbacks and frustrations. The Queen of Clubs is not interested in moving forward and resuming the relationship. She frustrates the possibility of a reconciliation.  As a Club, her intentions are friendly, but not romantic.  Her invitation is honestly about allowing her ex-husband visitation with the dog. Therefore the answer to the question is “no, the couple will not get back together– at least not during this trip.”

The third column provides additional information, or factors contributing to the problem or situation. In most cases, the information in the final column will help clarify the answer. The Ace of Diamonds represents the new beginning that the querent hopes for, but the 3 of diamonds shows a temporary situation or a lack of commitment. Perhaps neither one of them is willing or able to put forth the effort necessary to begin anew.

The 3 of Diamonds in the pivot position is always hopeful because it shows that with the right amount of intelligent effort success is possible. but in most cases the card denotes a lack of follow-through. It’s clear from the middle column that the ex-wife is not interested in starting over. He desires a fresh start,  but he may not be able to supply the consistent effort necessary to earn that second chance. Intuitively I have the impression that he will need to prove himself to her. Otherwise, the new beginning represented by this trip will be temporary at best.

Cartomancy Dream Interpretation

The playing cards are a wonderful tool for exploring dreams. They can reveal the hidden motivations and unconscious fears behind the dreams; and may bring forth important messages from the subconscious mind.

The following reading is for a good friend who was laid off from his job several months ago. He has had a recurring dream over the past several weeks in which he is hired back to work at a job he left more than 10 years ago. In the old job he and his female boss were good friends.

In the dream my friend is feeling anxious because he is supposed to be working, but can't remember how to navigate the software program he needs to perform his job. Time is passing, and he is becoming more and more anxious that his boss will come by and see that he is not working. Then the boss appears and they have a friendly chat, but she takes no notice of the fact that he has not been productive.

I drew an Answer Spread for insight into the dream. My question was: What is the significance of the recurring dream?

The Middle Column Answers the Question

The middle column suggests to me that finding a new of job (5 of Clubs) is on the querent’s mind (Ace of Spades). Of course, this is true. For the past several months he has been investigating a new situation (Ace of Spades). Perhaps on the subconscious level he is feeling unprepared for the change in work (5 of Clubs + spade), and that is the source of the recurring dream. The Ace of Spades also shows worry and anxiety, and the need for a decision or new plan of action. The 5 of Clubs followed by a spade can also denote a lack of confidence. The querent is feeling unsure about the change in career that he faces.

The Final Column provides Contributing Factors or Additional Information

My first impression of the final column is that extra income (9 of Diamonds) would be helpful (2 of Clubs), which is also true for the querent. But these cards in the position of “contributing information,” and more in line with answering the question, the final column more likely indicates that the dream is psychically (9 of Diamonds) beneficial (2 of Clubs) by allowing the querent to work through (club) his nervous (diamond) feelings of anxiety through the dream state.

The First Column Represents the Premise of the Dream

I interpret the QH in the first column to represent the old boss because she plays such a significant role in the dream. She appears as the Queen of Hearts in her role as friend, and she brings nurturing energy to the old work environment (5 of Diamonds). Subconsciously the querent associates her with a safe and friendly workplace; and it’s his fear of disappointing her that causes his anxiety in the dream.

It occurs to me  that her presence in the dream, and the querent’s anxiety about failing to measure up to her expectations, reflect his subconscious fears of not measuring up to the demands and expectations of a new job opportunity (5 of Clubs + spade). In the dream she appears as a friendly authority figure, and she is completely unaware of my friend’s nervousness or lack of productivity. This suggests to me that the dream is trying to impress upon my friend that his fears regarding the new situation are unfounded.

Mastering Modern Cartomancy

So you want to master Modern Cartomancy… where do you begin? There are 52 playing cards, and each card carries a multitude of meanings. The playing card suit symbolism must also be understood because the suits determine how the cards interact in a spread. Then there is also the number symbolism which can add important significance to the overall interpretation of a cartomancy card layout. Other than the suit symbols, there are no images to help with memorizing all of this information. It can be overwhelming for the beginning cartomancer.

Do not be discouraged. There is an easy way I’ve found to master the playing cards through regular practice by analyzing the simple three-card spread. I advise drawing three cards every morning for insight into the coming day. Analyze the cards for all the possible meanings that come to mind. Contemplate the cards individually and in combination. Suit interactions and overall intuitive impressions should also be noted. Get a feel for what the cards mean before referring to a book or your notes. Record the resulting interpretations in a cartomancy journal including significant internal and external influences such as time of day, weather, moon phase, moon sign, mood, etc.

You will discover that mood can have an effect on the cards you draw. You may find that your readings are clearer during certain times of the moon phase or when the moon is in a particular zodiac sign. You might be surprised by how often the weather will appear in your daily cards.

Shuffle the cards while you focus on your question. I like to ask, “What will I experience today?” If you prefer a more structured reading, you can decide ahead of time to apply special significance to each card position, such as “morning, noon, night” or “past, present future” or “premise, situation, outcome.” I prefer to keep the reading fluid and allow the cards to speak to me freely.

Then at the end of the day examine your cards to determine how they reflect the energies of your day, and which of your predictions prove accurate. When something occurs in your day that was clearly predicted in the cards, but you missed seeing that morning, consider it a valuable learning experience. The next time this card combination appears, you will automatically remember the new interpretation.

If you find that you are unable to relate the events of your day to the cards, keep referring back to the reading over the coming week. Sometimes the predictions in a cartomancy daily draw can take up to a week to manifest in your life. Meditate on the particularly challenging combinations. Your Higher Self is fluent in the language of the cards.

As you continue this practice, you will easily assimilate the card meanings, and the subtle ways the cards interact in a spread. The experience you gain will enable to you tackle larger card spreads with ease. In time this daily practice will help you build new card associations. You will move beyond the meanings you learned in a book, and begin to develop your own personal meanings for the cards (To get you started, my two favorite resources for Modern Cartomancy card meanings are It’s Written in the Cards by Dr. Leo Louis Martello, and The Card Reader’s Handbook by Regina Russell).

An Example of a Daily Card Analysis from My Own Cartomancy Journal

Date: January 19, 2015
Time: 8:34 a.m.
Moon Phase: waxing (one day away from new moon)
Moon Sign: 15° Capricorn
Weather: chilly and clear
Mood: feeling calm and creative

Question: What will I experience today?
Daily Card Draw:
10 of Clubs, 6 of Spades, 2 of Clubs

Analysis:

Predominately clubs = active day, dealing with practical matters.
Clubs + Spades = service and sacrifice… taking care of work responsibilities and social obligations. 10C and 6S are both cards of movement—travel, making progress.

10C = travel, business, commerce, boat, water, sink, beach, rain
6S = progress, cleansing, moving forward, transportation, car, move, ending, relocation, bathroom, garbage, responsibilities
2C = help, benefits, service, work, employee, wheels, and tires

10C + 6S = a trip by car, a boat, bathroom sink, bathtub, drain, garbage disposal, rain storm, beach erosion, business responsibilities, a business trip, a business move/relocation, moving forward with a business deal, plumber, car dealership, hardware store.

6S + 2C = car mechanic, car tires, bicycle, motorcycle, bathroom work, plumber, sanitation worker, moving forward/making progress brings benefits.

10C + 6S + 2C = a plumber provides service, cleaning the bathroom, help with a car trip, car tire dealership, trip by bicycle or motorcycle, cruise ship employee, moving forward with a business plan brings benefits. I receive help with moving my business forward.

Immediate Impressions:

Today is a good day to move forward with practical plans, and take care of any work responsibilities or social obligations. I already plan to scrub the bathroom tub today, so perhaps that will be the highlight of my day. Yes, the daily cards can really be that mundane.

End of Day Observations:

Well, I did end up scrubbing my bathtub today as planned (the 10C represents water and also the bathtub, the 6S is the bathroom and also cleaning, and the 2C is benefits, or a service provided).

I also had a phone client ask me if I offered distance cartomancy mentoring. Up until now I’ve only ever offered classes and mentoring in person. The request got me thinking about the possibility of expanding my cartomancy mentoring service outside of my local area. I would say that qualifies as receiving a helpful (2C) suggestion about moving forward (6S) with a business plan (10C). It’s not an earth-shattering validation (daily cards rarely are), but it is certainly relevant based on the cards.

It’s not unusual for the cards to mean more than one thing, and for two or more interpretations to prove valid and accurate. I will stay alert over the next few days for any experiences or events that may also be predicted by today’s cartomancy card draw.

The Lost Man Spread - Discovering the Baby's Gender

This is a reading that I originally posted as a practice exercise on the Kapherus’ Blog Alumni Facebook group.

The querent is a 40 year old woman who is pregnant for the first time. She contacted me for a reading to help address her concerns regarding her high-risk pregnancy due to her age and general health. I was happy to note that the cards showed no problems or complications for the mother or the baby. For her final question the querent wanted to know if I could successfully predict the gender of the baby. She was only 10 weeks pregnant, too soon for a sonogram image to determine the baby’s gender.

For this question I used The Lost Man Spread. I learned this spread from The Playing Card Oracles book by Ana Cortez. For this spread a card is chosen to signify the theme of the question. For me, the Two of Hearts represents a child, so that is the card I chose as Significator. Then the cards are shuffled while focusing on the question. Finally the cards are spread face-up on the table to reveal the location of the Significator. The two or three cards appearing before the Significator, and the two or three card following the Significator are read for the answer to the question. Here are the cards that appeared with my chosen significator, the Two of Hearts…

The cards falling closest to the Significator will carry the most significance in answering the question. The 6 of Diamonds represents science and data and electronics. In health readings, this card will often represent a machine for medical diagnostics. The 7 of Spades is a card of problems, delays and a need for patience. I felt that in time the gender of the baby would be revealed by an imaging test, such as a sonogram. The 6 of Hearts represents all things masculine. To me it was a clear indicator that the baby is a boy. The King of Diamonds is a professional man. He could be a scientist or doctor or technician or spiritual leader. In health readings he will usually represent a doctor or medical technician.

Feedback:
Two weeks later, due to the high-risk nature of the querent’s pregnancy, her doctor advised a chromosome spectral analysis to ensure that the baby is not at risk for developing a genetic defect. The test returned normal and included information about the baby’s gender: It’s a boy!

In retrospect it occurs to me that the 7 of Spades could refer to a possible defect as the cause for the chromosome analysis (6D). The positive diamond following the spade hinted of a happy outcome.