MistaCat did not write this, she found it. Original document url: http://www.denelder.com/tarot/tarot064.html ------ Divining with Playing Cards © April 1999-2001 OOTLB DenElder. All rights RESERVED! This article was first published on the CompuServe BBS, April 1999 and is part of their Library... "Playing Cards thread" by DenElder, SL Tarot/Div'n Section, if you care to see the original with its conversations. It has since been updated and published in variously newsletters ever since, minus the conversations. Enjoy! Let me set the stage for me writing this article... when Granny began teaching me the things she was teaching, I was about 6-7 years old back in the early 1960's. Now if you don't know about 'Granny', she was a granny woman in our family and who inspired my work with the OOTLB. She used and taught, the use of regular Playing Cards, which I continued to use into the 1970's, when I gradually switched over to using a Tarot deck instead. In the decades since, I've exclusively used Tarot and have pretty much forgotten most of the knowledge I had on use of Playing Cards. However, so many people were interested in Playing Cards and asking questions from 1987 or so thru the 1990's, especially after I became Section Leader on CompuServe, I spent a lot of time trying to remember this stuff and leaning on reminders from the book... "Fortune Telling by Playing Cards" by Nerys Dee. While I detest the book name using 'fortune telling' as part of it, it really is a pretty good book much along the lines of what I had been taught... thus I do recommend it. Dee offers several layouts, much like one uses in Tarot but when I speak, I will be referring to what I was taught... the "Swish", which I still use quite often in Tarot. You can see a drawing - here. Shuffle cards. Place deck in Projective Hand (right if right-handed or left if left-handed) Place the deck's back, touching palm. Reach across in front of you... place deck face down... holding lightly... drag the deck, while allowing cards to remain on the table... moving in a 'rainbow arc'. You can move either leftward or rightward depending on what is most convenient, or feels right, for you. Pull three cards for your Reading. Now interpret them as a combined meaning. Or as you would any other Three Card Spread combination, that you favor. Let me also add this thought... I actually do think of rainbow colors as I drag the deck, letting the cards trail. what can I say? ...it gives me a sense of spiritual intuitiveness. We keep the Joker in use and if you have a blank card, feel free to keep that also as the "unknowable" factor. Having the Joker show up, is always significant and important! In many ways, he works the same way as Fool does in Tarot. He is innocent but with great potential. He is confidence. Sometimes the Joker is secrets because though he is dressed like a 'fool', he really is anything but! He also can be Intuition and signify an 'awakening moment' as Granny called them. An 'insight'. If you are into a heavy project, Joker can often indicate an unpleasant surprise.... think, "Oops! I just walked off that dang cliff!" And proceed cautiously. The rest of the cards of the deck can appear in groups... 4, 3, or 2 of the same type of card such as Queens. And this must next be taken into consideration. This as opposed to in a Tarot reading, where you might consider these things as one of the last and over-all steps... here they are considered first! So think all of one kind, and how many of them are there? Aces... 4 : triumph, 3 : harmony, 2 : reunion. Twos... 4 : important life-changing decisions, 3 : switching directions at a life-changing level, 2 : a parting of the ways *or* going your separate way. Threes... 4 : hope, 3 : stability, 2 : choices. Fours... 4: equality, 3: fairness, 2: 'forget it!' Fives... 4 : happiness, 3 : satisfaction, 2 : uncertainty and doubt. Sixs... 4 : unexpected trouble, 3 : hard labor (giving birth), 2 : contradiction. Sevens... 4 : equality and the 'playing field is even', 3 : fulfilled, pregnant, and/or consummated, 2 : loving partnership. Eights... 4 : worry, 3 : problems are lessening, 2 : unease and/or unsettled. Nines... 4 : hitting the lottery!, 3 : success!, 2 : "home is in sight!" and/or things will get better. Tens... 4 : improving change, 3 : monetary payment and recompense for labors done, 2 : change of fortune and/or look out! Jacks... 4 : physical fighting and other types of physical aggression, 3 : verbal quarrel, 2 : discussing and talking. Queens... 4 : scandal, 3 : gossip, 2 : curiosity killed the cat. Kings... 4 : honor and success, 3 : strong support, 2 : good advisors. Now that you have checked out the multiples of the same cards, we look at various combinations. Just like Tarot keys do not stand alone but combine their influences... so too will playing cards combine meaning to form a sum of their influences. Combinations of cards such as the Aces, are going to have more special meanings in the group, than as if they stood alone... the more of the influencing cards, the stronger the attribute-- Ace Hearts... if with Club cards... generosity of spirit. Ace Hearts... if with Diamond cards... love and romance. Ace Clubs... if with Diamond cards... status, wealth, riches. Ace Clubs... if with Spade cards... financial difficulties. Ace Diamonds... if with Heart cards... business and pleasure don't mix! Ace Diamonds... is with Club cards... business matters come to a head. Ace Spades... if with Heart cards... emotional distress. Ace Spades... if with Diamond cards... career obstacles. Other influential combinations will include the Court cards... Mixed Courts... parties, happy occasions and get-to-gethers. One you have one court between others like it (ex. a Knight in the middle of 2 other Knights)... this can be either loving support of some kind, *or* ...being trapped in the circumstances at hand. A Jack paired to either a King or Queen is... maternal or paternal protection, or protection given from older syblings, or even from a friend of that sex but usually will older than the subject person (Querent). The Queen of Spades with other Courts is a... relational break-up, divorce, separation, or lover's spats. Any Jack showing up among Diamond cards is telling that... a message of importance is coming. The 8 & 9 of Spades together covers... health issues. The 9 & 10 of Diamonds together covers... water-types of journey, cruise, or over-seas trip. The 9 of Hearts with the 3 of Diamonds is... enduring love. I this part, let's talk about the suit of Diamonds. Remember courts are people and too, that I am leaning a lot on what ...I remember... over what this particular book might say. But you will see why I like this book, in that it pretty much goes along with my own thoughts... and why it was the one I recommend. Obvious! Now Diamonds deal with business topics a lot and a person's plans and goals for themselves... as well as, extroverted attributes of people... being friendly, out-going, and those people who aren't shy. These are the 'go getter' qualities usually. Ace... is the beginning and the end, action is started or completed, plans are either made or are accomplished. 2... is partnerships, second opinions, somebody to bounce ideas off of, and brain-storming. 3... is determination, fore-sight, and being 'ready' to continue. 4... is the plan, use of logic, and/or being practical. 5... is hopes and dreams. 6... your decisions and plans that still need worked out. 7... says "be true to yourself!" and " know what *you* want." 8... I see as 'stability', but the book as 'contradictions'. For me, everything is calmed down and its a good time to make future-oriented decisions. 9... courage, ambition, opportunity, willingness to 'run with it'. 10... is a business trip, and/or that forward motion should be taken. Jack... is a younger 'person', confident and out-going. Queen... a confident, out-going woman, somebody experienced. King... a confident, out-going man, somebody experienced. This part is covering the suit of Clubs. Clubs speak of personal 'power' and control, or lack thereof. Ace... is when the pot of gold is within your reach. 2... squandering and being wasteful of your money. 3... is financial situations that are stabilizing, or even growing (a great stock market card to come up!). 4... a need for money management, being carelessness, and/or the leaky pot that needs to be taken care of. 5... old money, marrying wealth, and/or inheritance. 6... the plodding turtle wins the race, slow... but surely. 7... Pay off! 8... Gambler's Luck! ...this card warns us to not get greedy just cause you're winning now. 9... prosperity, you should "count your blessings... one by one", and the general feeling of 'appreciation'. 10... sums of wealth or value, coming to you quickly. Think of opening the door and there is Publisher's Clearing House with the million dollar check . Jack... is a younger person, sports oriented, active, and healthy. Queen... is a business woman, well to do, she's independent but she may be lonely. King... is a business man, well to do, independent but he too may be lonely. This part is covering the suit of Heart, and of course, covers matters 'of the heart' much along the lines of Cups does for Tarot. Ace... Heart's Desire is attained... but just make sure you really wanted it in the first place! 2... when 2 hearts beat as one, the Soul Mate card. 3... is loving trust and faith in each other. 4... are things that pull at your heart... this is like a person who collects stray dogs. Do they stop at the 1 or 2 they can realistically care for, or... take them all in and all then suffer for this lack of self-control? 5... look in the mirror and be truthful of what you see. This is the card that tells of lying to Self, of not wanting to face the cold, hard facts. In 'love', we see this when one person treats their partner like crap but that person stays because "I love him/her". You know that "battered women syndrome" and how it works... this is the card to speak of it. 6... *warns* - "don't sacrifice Self!" to get or keep what you think you want. 7... is karma, justice, and getting back what you have sent out. 8... is the price you pay. Now is the time to take stock of how the relationship is impacting Self, either it be lovers or friends. If it's good, fine... but if not, now is the time to move on down the road! 9... "Wishes really *do* come true!" Note: the book calls this card the Heart's Desire card rather than the Ace. I see it as those things that truly make one's life happy... as opposed to those things we often wish for but then when we get them, we aren't happy after all. 10... when in loving relationships that are working, and as things change over time and/or circumstances... the lovers change and adapt too, without loosing their compatibility and this is what is being spoken of in this card. This card speaks of long term relationships. Jack... this young person is kind and loving, a people-person who loves others, and is loved in return... Queen... this is the same persona as an adult woman... King.... and as an adult man. The King and Queen of Cups will be the loving Mothers and Fathers in our lives, as well as the great, compatible 'Lover' for their partner. We are at the suit of Spades. And in Life, you can't have the good without having the bad, nor appreciate the good without the bad... and this is where Spades comes in, to tell us of the challenges we are facing. Ace... warns that a "life changing challenge" is coming. Note: TV shows often use the Ace of Spades as the "Death Card"... but just like 'Death' the Tarot key doesn't mean 'death', neither does it mean so here either. 2... divorces, dissolving of partnerships or companies, all kinds of major types of 'splitting up' situations. 3... 3-side challenges, I call it the "Mother-In-Law" card! You have 2 sides that are a bit unsettled, then along comes #3 and butts into the situation, making things even worse. 4... legal challenges... being sued or suing others, and situations where what looked in good shape before suddenly falls apart, like being tax audited. 5... the challenge of being misunderstood, being mis-interpreted. 6... the Sweat Shop challenge, working too hard for too little recompense back. Sometimes this is good, like when you are sacrificing for some goal. Other times it's bad, as you feel you aren't getting anywhere and get discouraged. This card reminds me of the Dolly Parton song, "Working nine to five". 7... the challenges of inner feelings and insecurities, sometimes a person needs to ask themselves "am I sabotaging myself?" 8... the challenge of only knowing half the problem. You think you understand, or know what is going on, then find out you didn't know what you thought you did! Sticking one's foot firmly in their mouth. 9... the challenging "I'm so low, there is no place but up." 10... it *is* personal, the challenge to you the specific individual. Jack... the Juvenile Delinquent challenge... they might be an adult, but they are acting like an out-of-control 'child'. Queen... the challenging women we hate... quarrelsome, spiteful, argumentative, gossip mongers, controlling, they are the Black Widow Spiders of womandom. King... the challenging men we hate... authoritative and single minded in what they want, these guys don't care who they have to step on to *get it*. Although inspired by the book I mentioned above, and which I am going to speak more of in a second, I want to say a good bit of these comments are inspired by memories of how I was first taught to use playing cards back in the early 1960s. As such, I have kept it simple hoping to not make things too complicated, and thus too daunting. I would recommend buying a deck and then marking it with the 'keywords' I've been giving you, then experimenting with them and see if you have any knack for this kind of tool. Of course a journal of your experience is always helpful. If you do find this fun and you seem to have a gift, then I'd go on to buy this book... "Fortune Telling by Playing Cards: A New Guide to the Ancient Art of cartomancy" by Nerys Dee. ISBN #0-85030-266-8 The Aquarian Press Wellingborough, Northamptonshire $7.95 in 1982. The book covers much more than what I have given you here in this series. Besides several layouts, you get more per card information... numerical significance, practical significance, psychological significance, psychic significance, influential significance, and then a reversed significance which frankly, I can't see how a playing card can have a 'reverse' to it . And there we have it. I do hope everybody has enjoyed this article which came out of the original series of CompuServe notes. Den :) Keep those cards SCRYING!