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.

The Overview Card Spread

Most of my work these days is by phone, and phone clients require fast and accurate information even when they are unable to clearly formulate a question. I’ve created the following spread, which I call the Overview Spread, for clients who want specific information in return for a vague or general inquiry.

For example, the client says, “I want to know about my love life.” Instead of trying to get the client to refine the question, I’ve found that the Overview Spread provides enough specific information to break the ice, and get the client involved in the reading.

The cards are laid out based on the following diagram:

Interpreting the Card Positions:

The Significator

This spread requires a significator. If the client wants to know about a specific area of live, such as romance or work, I will choose a significator to represent the situation. Otherwise, I’ll use a court card to represent the client or some other person the client wishes to know about. The significator is placed on the table, and the remaining cards are shuffled and then dealt according to the following diagram:

The Card Above

The card above the significator is the most important card of the spread. If the significator represents the querent, it reveals what is on the querent’s mind. If the significator represents some other person, the card reveals what is on that person’s mind. If the significator represents a theme such as ‘work’ or ‘love,’ the card above will reveal the influences currently ruling the situation.

The Card Below

The card below is also very important for deciphering the current situation. It will reveal what the querent dreads or fears in relation to the question or situation. If the significator represents a situation, this card will reveal what is harming the situation.

The Cards to the Left of the Significator

The cards to the left represent past influences leading up to the current situation.

The Cards to the Right of the Significator

The cards to the right represent future influences and the outcome of the situation.

Analyzing a Line of Five Cards

I used to work a monthly psychic fair, and I came to rely on the simple Line of 5 Cards in place of a more ambitious card spreads. Readings at a fair are usually only 15 minutes long. Most clients are looking for fast answers, and are not tolerant of the extra time it takes to lay out an elaborate spread. It took me a few seconds to shuffle the cards while I tuned into the clients energy, then I cut the deck and drew off five cards. Nine times out of ten, the cards would highlight the exact reason for the client’s visit without my having to ask the client any questions.

Here’s an example of how I interpret the Cartomancy Line of 5 Cards…

First I look for trends and patterns in the cards. I make note of the ratio of red cards to black. I notice how many cards of each suit appear, and which suits do not appear in the spread. I consider the sequence of numbers, and any interactions between the face cards. Most importantly I take special note of the suit of the card that ends the line because that card will represent the outcome of the situation.

The first thing I notice in the above reading is that the red cards dominate the reading giving it a positive spin. The problematic black cards are surrounded by red cards showing that the problems or challenges are minor or temporary in nature.

Next I notice that only hearts and spades appear in the spread indicating an emotional or relationship matter. I surmise that the client wants to know about a relationship, and that proved to be the case.

Finally I interpret the individual cards. The flow of action in the spread moves from left to right, and the timing also moves from left to right. The Cartomancy Line of 5 Cards is immediate. The first card describes an ongoing situation or the recent past– usually no more than two weeks ago up to the present. The final card reveals the outcome of the situation usually no more than a month into the future.

The 4 of hearts is a relationship card, but it’s still a relatively low number, so the relationship described by this card is not usually serious. The 4 of hearts can denote a sexual relationship, and of course not all sexual relationships can be considered “serious.” Because the 4 of hearts is the first card of the spread, we know that this is an existing sexual relationship, and not something in the future.

The 7 of spades is a change for the worse that usually indicates stagnation and frustration. The sexual relationship is experiencing setbacks. We’re still at the beginning of the line, so we know that this reflects the current situation. The client is feeling frustrated by an existing sexual relationship.

The Jack of Spades is a young person of either sex. The client is a heterosexual female, so we can assume the Jack is male, and that he represents her lover. I call the middle card of the Line of Five "the linchpin" because it anchors the reading. In other words, the middle card will provide a focus for the events depicted in the previous and following cards. It’s not surprising that in a reading about an unhappy sexual alliance the partner would appear as the middle card.

Notice that the Jack is looking toward the right– toward the future, and away from the problems and frustrations in his past. We can determine from the interaction of the face card that the partner is not interested in the problems and setbacks represented by the 7 of spades. The Jack is looking toward the 6 of hearts, and that is where his interests lie.

The 6 of hearts is another love card, but because it’s a higher number than the 4, it represents a more serious alliance. The Jack of spades is interested in taking the relationship to the next level, and that may be what is causing the difficulties in the current arrangement. The Jack of Spades is usually a sexy guy with a tendency toward jealousy and possessiveness. If the client is only interested in a casual sexual relationship, the Jack’s possessiveness could be what’s creating the problems.

The 8 of hearts is the couple card. It represents compatibility and sharing. As the outcome card it shows that the couple will reach an agreement. Because that 6 of hearts is followed by another heart, the positive influence suggests that the lovers will take the relationship to the next level and become an official couple.

As a side note, if the 2 of hearts had ended the line of cards instead of the 8 of hearts, it would still show an agreement and a positive outcome, but the 2 is a smaller number than even the 4, so the indication would be that they resolve their differences and agree to be friends.

If the 10 of hearts, the highest relationship card of the deck, had ended the line of cards, the indication would be taking the relationship to the ultimate level of commitment– marriage.

The Cartomancy Career Spread

My Career Spread is a variation of the Overview Spread that I created for quickly revealing the heart of any situation.  The Career Spread can pinpoint the consultant’s employment strengths and weaknesses, and will suggest career areas where the consultant will be happy and fulfilled.

The Significator

First the 8 of Clubs is removed from the deck and placed on the table. The 8 of Clubs will serve as the significator to represent the consultants job and career prospects.  The remaining cards are shuffled and then deal out in the following pattern:

Card Positions

The Card Above

The card above the significator is the most important card of the spread. It will reveal what is on the querent’s mind in terms of job and career.

The Card Below

The card below is also very important for deciphering the current situation. It will reveal what the querent dreads or wishes to avoid in relation to his future job prospects.

The Cards to the Left of the Significator

The cards to the left represent past influences leading up to the current situation, prior job experience,  innate talents, education, etc.

The Cards to the Right of the Significator

The cards to the right represent future job prospects, or may describe the ideal job situation.

Sample Cartomancy Career Spread

This cartomancy reading is for a 37 year old man who is unhappy in his present career path, and is asking for help in determining the best course of action for making a change.

Keywords:

Ace of Diamonds = new beginning, something totally new

2 of Diamonds = account billing, insurance, talents, imagination, writing ability

2 of Spades = resentment, removal

8 of Diamonds = account management, credit, bookkeeping, financial forecasting, cost management

K of Clubs = authority, management, organization

4 of Clubs = customer service, sales, phone work, cold calling

The first thing I look at is the Card Above because it will provide a glimpse into where the querent’s head is at regarding career matters. The Ace of Diamonds indicates that the querent is looking for a complete change in career direction, and not simply a new position within the same general field of interest.

Next I look at the Card Below because it shows what the querent hopes to avoid regarding his future job prospects. The 4 of Clubs reveals that the querent is not interested in dealing directly with consumers.  He confirmed that he currently holds a sales position in a large call center, and he hates both the sales and phone work.

The two cards on the left will provide some clues regarding the querent’s talents, education and prior experience. The 2 of Diamonds indicates that he is very talented, but the 2 of Spades shows that his talents have not been utilized in the past, and he is unfulfilled in his current job.  The cards show that the querent is intelligent and imaginative. He has good writing skills, and he has prior experience with account billing.  He would thrive in a position where these talents and abilities are utilized.

Finally, the two cards on the right show future prospects, and the type of work that would be ideal for the querent.  The 8 of Diamonds indicates math skills, and the querent confirmed that he always enjoyed math in school.  The King of Clubs represents authority and management, and indicates that the querent would be most fulfilled in a position where he can take charge and exercise responsibility, working on his own rather than as part of a team.  Based on the cards, the querent would excel in a behind-the-scenes position in money management or finance such as credit reporting, account management, cost management, accounts payable clerk, etc.

The querent agreed that this line of work would be more rewarding, and shared with me that he had seriously considered a career in accounting when he was in high school, but ended up foregoing college to help support his family after his dad passed away.  I encouraged him to investigate the business schools in his area where he could earn a degree in his spare time to prepare for a career in accounting.  In the mean time, I advised him to keep his eyes peeled for any entry-level finance jobs that open up in his current place of employment, and also to check the newspapers regularly for this type of position.

Overview Spread: The Wayward Son

This is an actual reading illustrating the Overview Spread that was done for a female client who was estranged from her 27 year old son. A the time, the querent had had no contact with her son for almost a year, and she had no idea where he was or how he was getting along. She was deeply concerned, and wanted to know that her son was safe, and if she would have contact with him soon.

For significator I chose the Jack of hearts to represent the querent’s son because he is the focus of the reading.

Here are the cards that appeared in the spread…

The first thing I kept in mind is that the focus of the reading is the son, as he is represented by the significator ( Jack of hearts ). Therefore, all of the cards will describe him, his circumstances, his intentions, etc. I would not apply any of these cards to the querent directly, or to her life beyond the relationship with the son.

In this spread my eye was immediately drawn to the 9 of spades because it indicates a serious problem. The card falls in the the significator’s past, so we can assume that it was this problem that caused the estrangement with the mother. The 9 of spades represents a very stressful situation. The son was being harmed in some way, and he felt trapped and overpowered by the situation.

Next I was drawn to the card beneath the significator. It indicates what harms the son, or what he dreads. And there we find the Queen of spades. We already know that the mother and son are estranged, so it becomes clear that the mother is the problem. She was an overbearing influence in the son’s life, and he felt trapped and smothered by her. His wish (9 of hearts ) was to break free of this influence, and gain control of his own life. This must be what motivated him to cut his mother out of his life.

I suggested to the mother that her son may have felt that she was an overbearing influence in his life. At first she completely rejected the notion, but after I asked her to tell me why she thought her son broke off contact with her, she was forced to face the truth of the situation. She finally admitted that she did try to ‘influence’ her son’s life because she did not think the son capable of making his own choices and decisions.

The card above the significator describes what’s on the son’s mind, or what governs him. The 7 of diamonds is money card, so his current focus is on financial matters. This card also represents public recognition and status, so we can see that the son is making his own way in the world. His focus is on establishing a life for himself separate from his mother’s influence.

The mother admitted that she and the son had shared a joint checking account. She has continued to deposit funds into the account, but since he ‘took off’ the son has not touched the account. The mother is worried because she does not believe the son is capable of financially supporting himself. Although not stated, I got the impression that the woman was quite wealthy, and that the son had never had to work a day in his life before disappearing. I advised the querent that she had no reason to worry– based on the cards the son was very capable of financially supporting himself.

Finally, we can look to the two cards on the left to show us how the situation will continue to develop. The 2 of hearts is very positive card. It represents harmony, and good news, and positive emotions. It’s important to keep in mind that this card relates to the son, and not to the querent directly. It shows that emotionally the son is doing very well. He has set the stage for good things to happen in his life. The 3 of clubs is a card of practical growth, learning and understanding. It suggests that the son will learn as he goes and continue to do well on a practical level too.

From these cards we can answer the querent’s first question about whether or not her son is okay. His significator is surrounded by hearts– he is safe and doing very well both emotionally and physically.

So, will the son contact the mother? The answer is not so obvious, and we need to make a judgement based on the cards. How does the son feel about his mother? She is represented by a spade in the reading, so we can see that he sees her as a threat or as the enemy. This idea is confirmed by her card appearing in the position of what he dreads or does not want to know about. Therefore, I advised the mother that she would not hear from the son soon. The 2 of hearts indicates that he is working through some emotional issues that will lead to personal growth, and eventual understanding (3 of clubs).

I felt that he would eventually come around, but not until he is able to create a stable life for himself, free from his mother’s influence, and gain the perspective he needs to resolve his feelings about his mother.

I never heard from this woman again, so I do not know what happened with her son.

Cartomancy Health Reading

Health readings can be tricky, but if we trust the cards they will usually unravel the mystery of any health issue. I’d be remiss if I didn’t reiterate that it’s important to always keep in mind that unless you are a licensed health professional, you should never diagnose or prescribe. When presented with a health question, I always advise the client that I am not a health professional, and that I’m happy to relate what I see in the cards, and I encourage them to consult a physician for any health related concerns.

I recently received feedback on an interesting health reading that I thought I would share here on the blog. The client was a younger male– probably in his 20s, and although anxious for some information regarding his health concern, he was reluctant to elaborate on the problem. He asked what I saw in the cards regarding his ‘issue,’ but would not say more.

I was up for the challenge, and drew the following Answer Spread to address the vague question:

In the Answer Spread, the first column relates to the present or recent past in reference to the question. The two Jacks did not give me a lot of information, and I thought they may simply refer to client having been well
(Jack of Clubs ♣) and then not so well (Jack of Spades ♠ ).

The center column holds the answer to the question. The 6 of Hearts ♥ refers to all things masculine, and based on the client’s reticence it immediately occurred to me that this must be a delicate masculine issue. In health readings the Ace of Diamonds ♦ can have several different meanings. It can represent a needle– and therefore, ‘a vaccination,’ or fire– and therefore, ‘a burning sensation.’

The third column will usually provide important information that should be considered. In health readings the 7 of Spades ♠ will usually refer to the need for some kind of medication, and as the pivot card it is a clear indication that medication will relieve the problem. The 10 of Diamonds ♦ should either describe the kind of medication, or it’s purpose. At first I was stumped by these cards. The 10 of Diamonds ♦ usually refers to the chest and lungs, and I’ve previously had this combination refer to cough medicine or an asthma inhaler. But the middle column seemed to point to some kind of infection, and so these ideas didn’t make a lot of sense. Then it hit me. The 10 of Diamonds ♦ refers to raw power– jet propulsion, atomic energy, nuclear fission– potentially destructive energies that are harnessed and used for good. Of course! The 10 ♦ and 7 ♠ refer to an antibiotic.

I asked the querent if he was experiencing pain while urinating, and he launched into a long diatribe about why he thinks he may have contracted an STD. At this point it occurred to me that the two jacks could be indicate the union which caused the problem.

I advised the that although I could not diagnose his problem, the cards do point to some kind of infection, and I urged him to see a doctor as soon as possible. The 7 of Spades ♠ as the pivot card indicates the need for medication, and also warns that the problem will worsen if it is not treated.

I had not heard back from the client, so I didn’t know what the medical diagnosis was, but this is one of those times when the cards seemed so clear in their message that I had no doubts that antibiotics were prescribed for some kind of infection.

Feedback: It was over a year before I heard back from this client. He thanked me for encouraging him to see a physician because he did in fact have a kidney infection. It turns out that it was not an STD. The infection was caused by a kidney stone that the client had no idea he had. The stone was too large to pass, and required surgery. I’m sharing this reading because it’s a perfect example of how important it is to encourage a client to see a doctor for any health concerns regardless of what may appear in the cards.