The Wise and Subtle Arte of Reading Cards …as examined by a Witch who practices said Arte Reading cards to discern the future or answer questions has been a practice of witches, gypsies, and fortune tellers for several hundred years. It is true, of course, that the regular playing card pack is not so charming or erudite as her mother, the Tarot. Nonetheless, we have often found ourselves willing to trade the mother’s unvoiced, wisdom-filled glances for the child’s forthright and honest speech. Thus, it is well worth bearing in mind that finery and age are not inevitably marks of wisdom and knowledge, nor plainness and youth marks of foolishness and ignorance. It all depends on what you want to know. If you wish to discuss philosophy, approach the front door and ask for the philosopher. But should you wish to know what transpires in the philosopher’s house, approach the back door and ask for the scullery maid. The reading of playing cards has another advantage…because they are so common, most people seeing them in your desk, on your table, or in your possession will not suspect the use to which you put them. Thus you shall follow a long-held tradition of witches: hiding in plain sight. Many systems of card reading, both of regular playing cards and Tarot cards, are generally too rigid in their meanings and methods. This does not allow the reader to give full play to intuition, and consequently, detailed predictions, such as come only through the use of intuition, are lacking. The following method is presented in three parts. A person studying it may stop at any part, although the Witch of exceptional memory will have more predictive material at her fingertips than the Witch of poor or middling memory. To begin, we shall present the bare bones of the method for the witch of poor memory. Those with middling or exceptional memories must also study this material and practice it before moving on to greater tasks and abilities. A standard deck of playing cards should be procured for this study. Please note that there are no “reversals” in the system. A card has the same meaning upright as reversed.
Transcript
The Wise and Subtle Arte of Reading Cards
…as examined by a Witch who practices said Arte
Reading cards to discern the future or answer questions has been a practice of witches, gypsies, and fortune tellers for several hundred years. It is true, of course, that the regular playing card pack is not so charming or erudite as her mother, the Tarot. Nonetheless, we have often found ourselves willing to trade the mother’s unvoiced, wisdom-filled glances for the child’s forthright and honest speech. Thus, it is well worth bearing in mind that finery and age are not inevitably marks of wisdom and knowledge, nor plainness and youth marks of foolishness and ignorance. It all depends on what you want to know. If you wish to discuss philosophy, approach the front door and ask for the philosopher. But should you wish to know what transpires in the philosopher’s house, approach the back door and ask for the scullery maid.
The reading of playing cards has another advantage…because they are so common, most people seeing them in your desk, on your table, or in your possession will not suspect the use to which you put them. Thus you shall follow a long-held tradition of witches: hiding in plain sight.
Many systems of card reading, both of regular playing cards and Tarot cards, are generally too rigid in their meanings and methods. This does not allow the reader to give full play to intuition, and consequently, detailed predictions, such as come only through the use of intuition, are lacking.
The following method is presented in three parts. A person studying it may stop at any part, although the Witch of exceptional memory will have more predictive material at her fingertips than the Witch of poor or middling memory.
To begin, we shall present the bare bones of the method for the witch of poor memory. Those with middling or exceptional memories must also study this material and practice it before moving on to greater tasks and abilities.
A standard deck of playing cards should be procured for this study. Please note that there are no “reversals” in the system. A card has the same meaning upright as reversed.
For the Witch of Poor Memory
The firstmost rule is easily had:
Red cards are good and black cards are bad.
The secondmost rule shall bring greater fruits:
It deals with the meanings of each of the suits.
The Hearts count as love, family, and friends.
Diamonds are money, wealth, means, and ends.
Clubs shall mean work, callings, and plans,
And Spades are the troubles that plague every man.
The thirdmost rule toward number inclines;
Just note the card’s pip and read here their signs:
An Ace brings beginnings,
And Two gives exchange,
Three shows things growing,
But Four does not change.
Five is the body,
Its health and its stead,
Six shows a path
That the Seeker shall tread.
Seven brings troubles
That Fate has assigned,
While Eight shows ideas
And thoughts in the mind.
Nine heralds changes,
And Ten is the end,
While Kings are the symbols
Of power and men.
Queens are the emblems
Of women and truth,
A Knave is a message,
A girl, or a youth.
Even a witch of dismal memory may assimilate these rules over time, and having done so, shall have a serviceable oracle at her disposal.
Examination of the Firstmost Rule
In order to begin training one’s intuitive faculty, it is best to start reading cards in combinations right from the start. A single card, standing alone, is like a far-off whisper, or a sentence that has no verb. When combined with other cards, however, it is a fleet and adaptable messenger, speaking clearly.
We shall use groupings of three as our basis, as it is a very common usage amongst old Gypsy and European card spreads.
Draw off from your pack three cards at random, placing them in a row -- the first card on the left, the second card in the middle, and the third card on the right. In this row, time moves from left to right. Your task is merely to note the color of the three cards, whether red (R) or black (B). If you draw off many rows of three, or if you have facility with statistics, you will note that there are only eight possible combinations of two colors in a series of three. Below are the eight combinations, along with their generalized meanings. You need not memorize them by rote. If you know the firstmost rule, you will be able to figure out any of them.
R, B, B: A fair beginning steadily worsens and turns foul.
B, B, R: A light at the end of the tunnel.
R, R, B: A problem is on the horizon.
B, R, R: A problem will be solved, things will steadily improve.
R, B, R: A small delay or problem will be overcome.
B, R, B: A temporary truce or rest. Do not let down your guard; appearances can be deceiving.
R, R, R: All is fair and fine.
B, B, B: Beset by problems and hardship.
Examine each of the combinations above and with reference to the firstmost rule, think through how the meanings given are derived.
Whenever you are examining a group of three, follow the firstmost rule first and note the sequence of colors. It will provide your first clue to the meaning of the group, and very often aid you in a troublesome interpretation.
Examination of the Secondmost Rule
The secondmost rule deals with the meaning of the four suits. It is another layer of information to add to the firstmost rule. Your task is to note the suits of the three cards in your row. There are many more possible combinations here – far too many to list. But you shall acquire the knack of it by example.
Always keep in mind that time moves from left to right in the group of three. The suit of the first card will show where you have been , the suit of the second card will show where you are, and the suit of the third card will show where you are headed as a result of the first two cards. The third card is usually the most important and should be given greater emphasis.
Let us first examine cards hemmed in by spades, for these are easy to understand:
♠ ♥ ♠: a troubled heart
♠ ♦ ♠: a troubled purse
♠ ♣ ♠: a troubled will; inability to act; feeling trapped; labor without gain
♠ ♠ ♠: trouble, trouble, and more trouble
The first two examples above fall in the BRB pattern of the firstmost rule. Thus, they show a troubled heart or purse that only ever receives temporary respite from problems. And just when one thinks that one problem is over, another takes its place after a brief interlude.
The second two examples fall in the BBB pattern, showing fairly constant trouble and stress. Even where the ♣ is the middle card, it hardly acts as a respite, for it shows the Seeker needing to expend energy on work before the next problem arises.
From the examples of spades hemming in a card, you can easily think through the following examples of a middle card flanked by two cards of the same suit. Refer back to the combinations of the firstmost rule, too, as you examine the examples below:
♣ ♦ ♣: much work, but only little profit
♦ ♣ ♦: money making affairs or financial activity
♥ ♦ ♥: generosity, a giving heart
♦ ♥ ♦: enjoying the fruits of one’s labor with loved ones
♦ ♠ ♦: a financial problem is
overcome
♥ ♠ ♥: a emotional problem is overcome (easily; see below)
♣ ♠ ♣: a problem is overcome at work or on a personal project.
Let us continue with examining trios with spades in them. Look at the following examples, again keeping in mind the color sequences of the firstmost rule:
♣ ♥ ♠: working yourself into an emotional problem
♠ ♥ ♣: an emotional problem that you will work out of.
♥ ♠ ♣: an emotional problem that you will work out of, but slowly.
Note that because the first trio above ends with the spade, you are working into the problem. In the second trio, the spade falls first, so the problem is being overcome. In the third trio, the spade is in the middle, so the problem will be overcome, but the spade will slow down your efforts. Replace the hearts in the above examples with diamonds, and you will have the following:
♣ ♦ ♠: working yourself into a financial problem
♠ ♦ ♣: a financial problem that you will work out of.
♦ ♠ ♣: a financial problem that you will work out of, but slowly.
Let us examine a few more examples, this time with clubs starting the trios. These are very easy to grasp.
♣ ♠ ♠: working in the wrong direction; obstacles are ahead, so the goal may need to be modified.
♣ ♦ ♦: working in the right direction for financial success.
♣ ♥ ♥: working in the right direction for emotional success.
Whenever a heart ends the trio, it is a very good sign. No matter what the first two cards of the trio are – showing stress or hard work or financial problems, a heart at the end will show that the problem will be overcome fairly easily. For instance:
♦ ♠ ♥: a financial problem is overcome easily.
Compare that example with one given above -- ♦ ♠ ♣. Because the example above ends with a heart, the problem is easily overcome. When the trio ends in a club, more work will be needed.
Simply remember the easy meanings of the suits and that time in the trio of cards moves from left to right, and you shall hit on the correct interpretation. Again, do not simply jump in and begin interpreting the meanings of the cards. First note the sequence of colors in the trio, then the sequence of suits.
As you can see, with just the firstmost and secondmost rules, one can actually glean quite a bit of information from a trio of cards.
Examination of the Thirdmost Rule
Now we come to interpreting a single card in itself. It is easy to do. Simply combine the meaning of the suit and the meaning of the number, and put together an interpretation.
The meanings of the numbers, themselves, are easy to remember. Just think of these clues:
Aces are beginnings because they begin each suit.
2s naturally suggest pairings and exchanges.
3s are the number of growth – the third thing produced from the union of two things.
4s remind us of the stable, unchanging, solid square.
5s are the body because we have 5 appendages (two arms, two legs, head).
6s are a path because the way the pips are arranged in the cards makes them look like paths.
7s are troubles because there is a blockage added to the path of the 6s as you look at the pips of the cards.
8s are ideas and thoughts in the mind because 8 is traditionally the number of the mind.
9s show changes because the number 9 is related to the Moon, which is ever fluctuating.
10s show ends or goals achieved because they end the number sequence before a new cycle starts. A 10 is almost an ever-renewing influence, so whatever its suit, it shows that influence at a pinnacle almost continually.
Kings as power and men is fairly easy to remember on its own, as are Queens as women and truth, and Knaves as messages or a child of either gender.
Deriving the card meanings from suit and number may seem difficult at first, but you will quickly get the hang of it as you begin to interpret. Each card will have more than one interpretation because you will be able to combine the suit and pip in different ways: Let us take some examples:
Ace (beginning) and ♥ (love, family, friends): the beginning of a love affair; a new friendship; a birth or addition to the family.
2 (exchange) and ♠ (trouble): argument; separation; inability to get along.
3 (growing) and ♦ (money, wealth, means and ends): a raise in pay; greater financial security; profits.
4 (will not change; stability) and ♣ (work, callings, plans): goals are on a firm footing; job security; “same old, same old” at work; boredom; plodding along.
5 (the body/health) and ♥ (love, family, friends): sexual relations, the hand of friendship, good health (because the heart is a good card).
6 (a path) and ♠ (trouble): headed in the wrong direction; wrong choice; running with the wrong crowd; difficulties while traveling; ill-advised journey; a journey from which no profit comes; walking away, abandonment
7 (trouble) and ♦ (money, wealth, means and ends): financial difficulties, profits down, the means will not reach the end sought.
8 (thoughts/ideas) and ♣ (work, callings, plans): thoughts about work; thinking of changing jobs; practical plans.
9 (changes) and ♥ (love, family, friends): change for the better (because the heart is a red card); traditionally the “wish card” (see below)
10 (end/goal achieved) and ♠ (trouble): tremendous amount of trouble; evil; violence; grief (see below)
King (men or power) and ♦ (money, wealth, means and ends); a man of financial means; wealthy man; financial power, so possibly a bank or profitable business.
Queen (women or truth) and ♣ (work, callings, plans): a practical or driven woman; a business woman or career woman; a true calling; a job that fits you perfectly; well-laid plans.
Knave (message, child) and ♥ (love, family, friends): a boy or girl child in your family; a love letter; a message from a friend; a compliment, “thank you”, or bouquet of flowers.
Keep in mind, too, that hearts and diamonds are generally good and spades and clubs are generally bad. Clubs are not intrinsically bad, but they call for effort and work. Spades, of course, are the worst.
There are also some brief traditional meanings for a few of the cards that you should memorize. They are:
A♥: the home or family 9♥: wish fulfilled
A♦: a letter 9♠: wish denied
A♣: a goal or opportunity 10♠: worry
A♠: a decision, a death Q♠ or K♠: divorced person
3♠: something lost, loss
7♠: tears (trouble trouble)
Each of the suits also has certain colorings associated with them, which will help you in interpreting the court cards. Diamonds are very fair people, Hearts are people of medium coloring, Clubs are people of darker coloring, and Spades are very dark coloring. Thus, the Knave of Clubs may be a child of darker coloring, or a practical, work-oriented child.
Full Examples
Now for some full examples of interpreting some trios in terms of the three rules so that you can grow accustomed to doing it yourself.
Example 1
K♣ 3♦ 6♥
The pattern for the first rule is BRR: a problem will be solved or things will steadily improve.
The pattern for the second rule is Club, Diamond, Heart: This shows working for financial success, and because the trio ends with a heart, the success will come easily.
For the third rule:
King (men or power) and ♣ (work, callings, plan): a man of darker coloring; a practical man; a man at work; a man of authority at work; a well-laid plan sure of success; company equity
3 (things growing) and ♦ (money, wealth, means and ends): a raise in pay; greater financial security; profits
6 (a path) and ♥ (love, family, friends): pleasant path, trip with family or friends, celebration with family or friends, progress in general.
Now we have all of the building blocks to make our interpretation, and this one should be fairly clear to you.
Interpretation: The trio shows the Seeker’s boss giving the seeker a raise in pay, perhaps because company profits have increased recently. The raise may come as a surprise (the heart ends the trio, showing something coming easily to the Seeker), but it will be a welcome improvement in the Seeker’s life. It is a cause for celebration – maybe something as simple as a trip to dinner, but also maybe something larger – like a family vacation.
Example 2
2♠ 8♣ 7♥
The pattern for the first rule is BBR: A light at the end of the tunnel.
The pattern for the second rule is Spade, Club, Heart. This means working out of a problem at work or in a personal project. Because the heart falls last, the problem will be worked out without too much effort on the part of the Seeker.
For the third rule:
2 (exchange) and ♠ (trouble): argument; separation; inability to get along
8 (thoughts/ideas) and ♣ (work, callings, plans): thoughts about work; thinking of changing jobs; practical plans.
7 (trouble) ♥ (love, family, friends): a troubled heart; unsettled emotions; dissipation of trouble.
Now, before we get to the interpretation, let us spend a moment on that 7♥. What happens when you have a number with a poor meaning, like a 7 (trouble) combined with a suit like a heart, which generally has a good meaning? As you can see from above, it can be interpreted in two contradictory ways – a troubled heart, or the dissipation or ending of trouble. Which is right? Strangely enough, both are. Sometimes you can work in both interpretations. It all depends on where the card falls in the trio. This is where the first and second rules will hold you in good stead. Because the pattern is BBR, we know that the 7♥ must signify an improvement of some kind, and in the second rule, if a heart ends the trio, we know that the problem signified by an earlier spade will be worked out without too much effort.
Interpretation: The Seeker has clearly been having trouble with someone at work, and thoughts of the situation have been occupying his mind and troubling his heart. Perhaps the situation has been so bad that the Seeker has been contemplating looking for another job. He should not do so just yet because there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The problem will be resolved, and without much effort on his part. One inference is that the person who has been causing the difficulty will apologize to the Seeker.
Example 3
A♥ 8♦ 6♠
The pattern for the first rule is RRB: a problem is on the horizon.
The pattern for the second rule is Heart, Diamond, Spade: We have not covered this combination before. Can you work it out by what you have learned so far? A spade ends the trio, so there is a problem coming up. What kind of problem? The diamond is next to the spade, so it will be a problem of a financial nature. The heart starts the trio, so you are beginning from a happy place. A possible interpretation for the second rule: a financial matter to be dealt with. What is interesting about this trio is that no club is present. From that we can interpret that perhaps the Seeker isn’t really working toward the goal all that vigorously or perhaps no amount of work will remedy the problem. Compare this to one of our examples above: ♦ ♠ ♥: a financial problem is overcome easily.
Ace (beginning) and ♥ (love, family, friends): the beginning of a love affair; a new friendship; a birth or addition to the family; recall the traditional interpretation, too, of a home, family, or family member.
8 (thoughts/ideas) and ♦ (money, wealth, means and ends): thoughts about money, financial plans, budgeting, how to make ends meet, either in time or money (because our time is often money).
6 (a path) and ♠ (trouble): headed in the wrong direction; wrong choice; running with the wrong crowd; difficulties while traveling; ill-advised journey; a journey from which no profit comes; walking away, abandonment.
Interpretation: We can do quite a bit with this one. This Seeker wants to make some new beginning in her home or family – perhaps expanding her present home or moving to a new home. Or perhaps she wants another child. Maybe it is both of those things. She is, however, in no financial position to do either. Either option would be ill-advised at this juncture. She (or her family) needs to save more money to make her goal workable. Reaching the goal requires longer-range financial planning and budgeting….and more work on her part.
Sometimes more than one interpretation for a trio of cards will occur to you. That is true with the present trio:
A family member or close friend is headed towards financial difficulty and may need assistance with budgeting. That 6♠ (headed in the wrong direction), to me, would be an indication that using too many credit cards could be a problem.
Financial delays on a home improvement project.
Renovation to a bathroom (beyond your interpretive capacity right now, but the 6♠ can mean drains, and hence, bathrooms – can you see why?)
If the Seeker is a young, single male, these cards show that he often neglects love affairs to focus more on making money.
Now we will do several more brief examples. A final interpretation is given, but endeavor to think through all the three rules, as above, so that you get the most out of them.
6♦ Q♠ 5♥: This divorced woman is focusing on her financial goals and will make progress with regard to them. However, she is feeling tired and may need to take a vacation. She is overtaxing her body somewhat.
2♣ 7♠ A♣: A partnership will be a source of worries until a common goal gives birth to a new beginning.
3♦ 2♠ 9♠: An increase in wealth will cause a split, with the result that what you most wish for will be denied to you. Keep your priorities in perspective.
7♠ Kn♥ 7♥: The seeker’s troubled mind will be calmed by a letter from a loved one.
K♦ 3♦ 5♠: The man of wealth must learn to value his health more than his possessions.
8♠ 5♣ 4♥: The Seeker has an active mind that focuses more on negative things than positive. A regimen of physical exercise will help him or her restore emotional balance.
8♣ A♣ A♦: This Seeker will have a promotion and salary raise at work. New duties bring more money.
5♦ 9♦ 8♦: This Seeker has money to burn. It shows a great deal of shopping for clothes, furniture, etc. The person wants a makeover of sorts, and is using financial resources to make it happen.
9♥ 10♦ 4♦: The Seeker’s wish for financial independence and a large bank account will be fulfilled.
10♥ 7♥ K♥: All is fair and fine in this family man’s life. He has reached a stage of happy emotional security, and any troubles that arise are easily resolved or quickly solve themselves.
Kn♠ 2♣ 8♦: This young person will need some financial assistance and may seek a loan.
A♥ 4♦ 3♦: This trio shows the value of the Seeker’s home appreciating in value over time.
Readings
We will keep things simple at this stage as far as readings go.
The Simple Trio
If you have many readings to do, use this spread to give each Seeker a quick glance at the future. Have the Seeker shuffle. Then spread out the cards on the table, and have the Seeker choose three cards at random. Then interpret the three cards as a trio, as we have done above.
The Square of Nine
For longer readings, have the Seeker choose 9 cards instead. Lay them out thus:
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
You can actually get quite a bit of information out of just 9 cards. There will be eight trios to read:
123, 456, 789 are the first three trios.
147, 258, 369 are the second trios.
159 and 357 are the final two trios.
The interpretations of the trios will largely deal with present and future circumstances. Because you are reading each of the cards as part of more than one trio, sometimes the meanings of the trios will be linked, but sometimes they will not be. Be guided by your intuition.
Only on rare occasions will the past appear in a trio, and the Seeker will usually alert you to the fact by asking, “What you just described…could it be something that has happened already?” You should respond in the affirmative, but advise the Seeker that the consequences of that past event are not yet completed. Then look at the cards to discern what those consequences may be.
***
Example Square of Nine
10♦ 9♥ K♥
Q♠ 9♦ 3♦
5♠ Kn♥ 10♣
Even one glance at this Square of Nine shows the workings and doings of a family. Let us say that it is the mother of the family that has sought our counsel. Let us take a closer look at the trios involved. Red cards predominate over black cards by two to one, so the fortune is generally quite fair.
123: 10♦ 9♥ K♥: The father of the household is a family man and can show his emotions. He will soon score a big financial victory, probably sealing a large financial deal, in accordance with his wishes. In his world and his mind, all will be fair and fine. To make other predictions concerning the King of Hearts, look at 369.
456: Q♠ 9♦ 3♦: The mother of the household is feeling somewhat down, perhaps lonely, since she is represented by a spade. The change in finances, and her growing purse will certainly cheer her up for a time....but for how long a time? She should be counseled to enjoy it while she can because the feeling of isolation will return. See trio 147.
789: 5♠ J♥ 10♣: The youth of the household is like his father and has his father’s coloring. He will have a minor physical illness to contend with in the near future, but it will not last long (a heart follows spade). The youth is also working out an emotional problem, although the cards do not reveal the exact nature of the problem. There is certainly a lot of work upcoming for this youth. It may be that school is overtaxing his energy and causing him to be run down. The 5 of Spades can also imply that the body is overtaxed through too much drinking or partying. If you were to lay out this trio with cards, you will note that the Knave faces the 5 of Spades and away from the 10 of Clubs. Here is a clue to his emotional trouble. He has work to do....in fact, it will be piling up and log jamming soon...but when faced with the seeming choice of doing some of the work or going out to party, he faces away from the work. So his emotional problem is how to motivate himself to do what he knows is right. His mother, the Queen, should be keeping closer tabs on him.
147: 10♦ Q♠ 5♠: The fact that the Queen shall have greater financial capacity does not appear to be much consolation for very long. For what was once pleasant turns steadily more foul. Her sense of loneliness increases (she is a Spade, and she is followed by another Spade), and it is likely that it will manifest in some physical ailment. That is one of the ways that people being ignored or shunted aside seek attention. (Note Well: Although beyond your predictive capacities at the present, the high Diamond cards near the Queen and 5 of Spades indicate that the physical ailment will be centered on “nervous” headaches).
258: 9♥ 9♦ Kn♥: The youth is only too happy that there is a beneficial change in financial circumstances coming. After all, he has a wish, too. Would it be too much to ask for his father’s giving, generous heart to spread the fortune all around? You can be certain that this youth will be wanting something and will very likely receive it. The cards do not specify what, but we can infer from knowing the nature of youth...it will be bigger rather than smaller, dearer rather than cheaper, faster rather than slower, and wheeled rather than stationary. The two 9s falling together emphasize the idea of change, so whatever it is that the youth wants, it will effect a large change in his life, more or less. If the youth wants no specific material object, then it will be an increase of periodic payments to him, i.e. his allowance or stipend.
369: K♥ 3♦ 10♣: The financial deal shown in trio 123 will bear the King of Hearts increased profits. His finances will be growing steadily according to the Three of Diamonds. He must be aware, however, that as his finances grow, so shall the amount of time he must spend on work. The Ten of Clubs indicates a great deal of business activity coming up for him. Even those that reach the top must labor hard for their gains. Because the pattern of the cards is RRB, the Seeker may not realize that last point until it is looming large in his life. Still, all will go well if he can adapt to increased work. See 357 for the final comments about the King of Hearts. (Note Well: Although beyond your predictive capabilities at present, this trio also shows the King traveling a little bit in connection with his business deal, particularly since there is a 10 in each of the trios 123 and 369).
159: 10♦ 9♦ 10♣: This confirms the financial change bringing additional business trips for the King of Hearts.
357: K♥ 9♦ 5♠: Be careful what you wish for! The change in financial status brings greater potential for overworking the body, which can lead to illness. Note how the King of Hearts is surrounded largely by Diamonds. Although he is essentially a family man with a good heart, he is focused on monetary and financial matters at this time. He is probably trying to give his family every financial advantage that he can.
This Arteful Witch would counsel the Seeker to gently remind her husband that families are not built on financial advantages, but hearts and spending time with one another. Perhaps he will find the truth (Q) of that statement unpleasant (♠), but she should speak it anyway. Because the King is a Heart, he will be receptive to the statement.
Do not, however, make a mountain out of a molehill in this reading. There are many good cards here, and they outnumber the bad cards. The only two spades are the Queen and 5, and those largely indicate that it is the mother that needs to either adjust her attitude or adjust her circumstances. The Seeker should also be counseled to be thankful for what she has.
This ends card-reading for the witch of poor memory. We will go more into depth in card meanings for the witch of middling memory in the next section.
Having mastered the arte of reading cards as suited to the Witch of poor memory, if you are a witch of at least middling memory, you may consider continuing your study with the following material.
Those that are skilled at reading cards generally look at their courts and pips in an intuitive way, each a strand in a web, a word in a sentence. That is what you must learn to do to develop this skill – learn to look at the cards in combinations to understand their speech. The material set forth here will aid you in this endeavor, but you must also be willing to stretch your mind a bit and to reason patiently, for truly is it said that intuition is the daughter of reason. To help you, you may consider keeping a notebook for cardreading. Assign a couple pages to each card, and as you learn and/or discovery their meanings and combinations, note them down for your own future reference and to teach others who would follow in Our Way.
The Suits
In order to better understand the Court cards that follow, you must understand a bit more about the suits and their correspondences, thus extending your grasp of the secondmost rule. Those of you that are familiar with correspondences to the suits of Tarot must keep them out of your mind. The daughter does not take after the mother in all particulars.
Diamonds: Fire, Spring
“Money, wealth, means, and ends”. Diamonds are associated with the element Fire and the season of Spring. In the human body, the suit of Diamonds is the vital, electric energy that courses through the nervous system. Thus, Diamonds are associated with intelligence, wit, and nervous energy. It is the “thinking suit.”
Hearts: Water, Summer
“Love, family, and friends”. Hearts are associated with the element of Water and the season of Summer. In the human body, the suit of Hearts represents the circulatory system, the river of blood that courses through the heart. Hearts are associated with emotions, artistry, happiness. It is the “feeling suit.”
Clubs: Air, Autumn
“Work, callings, and plans”. Clubs are associated with the element of Air and the season of Autumn. In the human body, the suit of Clubs represents the muscular system, which gives us the power to act in the world. Thus, Clubs are associated with practicality, business (and busy-ness), and activity. It is the “doing suit.”
Spades: Earth, Winter
“The troubles that plague every man.” Spades are associated with the element of Earth and the season of Winter. In the human body, the suit of Spades represents the skeletal system, the groundwork of our physical being that limits us to certain activities. Thus, Spades are associated with limitations, trouble, and frustration. It is the “learning suit”, but typically learning through adversity.
You should have no trouble remembering the elemental and seasonal designations. In the Northern hemisphere, at least, Aries is the Fire sign that starts the Spring, Cancer is the Water sign that starts the Summer, Libra is the Air sign that starts the Autumn, and Capricorn is the Earth sign that starts the Winter.
A Note on Arteful Meanings of the Suits: Diamonds represent human souls. Hearts represent the Gods. Spades represent the fated patterns and befallings that the Gods assign to human souls. Clubs represent the progress of human souls in living out their patterns, ultimately to achieve Godhood themselves.
In the lay of the worlds, Diamonds represent the journeying human consciousness. Hearts are the Upperworld, Chimeri, the Heavens. Clubs are the Midworld, Earth, the Green Field. Spades are the Underworld, Elfhame, Hel. Witches, who are intimately concerned with Fate, are generally represented by Spades. One of the meanings of the King of Spades is a male witch, just as the Queen of Spades may be a female witch. The Knave of Spades is the witch’s familiar or fetch or the initiatory experience that sets one upon the path of witchery. The 8 of Spades is a Coven or Witch Family.
The Court Cards: We will now examine each court card in turn and reason out further meanings in light of the three rules and the correspondences given above. Please note that a Court card does not invariable represent a person.
The Kings: “While Kings are the symbols of power and men.”
King of Diamonds: A very fair man, or one with white hair. A man of wealth or financial means. A man who is intelligent and quick, and usually sociable. A man who is restless, always wanting to be “up and away”, and thus, a lover of travel and new experiences. A male professor. Financial power or the power to pay for things.
King of Hearts: A man of medium coloring. An emotional man, and thus one that will seek security in a relationship. An artistic man. The father or other man in the seeker’s family, such as a brother or uncle. A husband. A family man. Whoever he is, he will have the seeker’s welfare and best interests at heart. Emotional power or the power to arouse feeling.
King of Clubs: A man of darker coloring. A business man, work-oriented. Boss or superior. A practical, efficient man. A man active in practical affairs. If with hearts, sometimes the Seeker’s grandfather. Practical power or the power to progress, get things done, or accomplish a goal.
King of Spades: A man of very dark coloring. A widower or divorced man. An enemy, or man ill-disposed toward the Seeker. A lonely or depressed man. A man of great authority, such as a police officer, judge, or military man. A male witch. A human male, deceased. The power to teach others a lesson, to hinder, to do harm or evil, or to know and play one’s part in Fate’s pattern.
A Note on the Kings as Power: If a King is read as a type of power in the reading, whether the power is used for good or ill shall depend on the cards around it. The King of Hearts flanked by two spades, for instance, may indicate emotional manipulation; the King of Diamonds flanked by two clubs, may indicate money turned to practical ends. The King of Spades flanked by Hearts may show a Witch playing a benevolent role in a Fated pattern. The first and secondmost rules shall hold you in good stead here.
The Queens: “Queens are the emblems of women and truth.”
Queen of Diamonds: A very fair woman, or one with white hair. A woman of wealth or financial means. A woman who is intelligent and quick. She may be a socialite, and is generally somewhat superficial. Like the King, she likes travel and have new experiences. A female professor. The truth of a financial matter.
Queen of Hearts: A woman of medium coloring. An emotional woman, intuitive, and sometimes psychic. An artistic woman. The mother or other woman in the seeker’s family, such as a sister or aunt. A wife. A homemaker. Whoever she is, she will have the seeker’s welfare and best interests at heart. The truth of an emotional matter, or in general, the truth.
Queen of Clubs: A woman of darker coloring. A business woman, career-oriented. Boss or superior. A practical, efficient woman. A woman active in practical affairs. If with hearts, sometimes the Seeker’s grandmother. The truth of a business matter.
Queen of Spades: A woman of very dark coloring. A widow or divorced woman. An enemy, or woman ill-disposed toward the Seeker. A lonely or depressed woman. A woman of great authority, such as a police officer, judge, or military man. A female witch. A human female, deceased. An unpleasant truth, or in general, a lie.
A Note on the Queens as Truth: Again, look to the cards near the Queen when you interpret one of them as Truth. A Queen by red cards, for instance, will show that the Seeker is being told the truth of a matter (whether financial, emotional, etc.). If she is near spades, the Seeker may have a falsehood to grapple with. If with Clubs, she may have to dig or work in uncovering the truth.
The Knaves: “A Knave is a message, a girl, or a youth.” Where a youth is indicated below, “girl” should be understood with it in tandem.
Knave of Diamonds: A very fair youth. A privileged youth. A youth who is intelligent and quick. A student, perhaps of a scholarly bent. A message concerning money.
Knave of Hearts: A youth of medium coloring. An emotional, artistic, or dreamy youth. Sometimes a beloved pet. A happy-go-lucky or merrymaking youth that sometimes acts foolishly. A message from a loved one or friend, a compliment, “thank you” or small gift to show appreciation. Being asked out on a date.
Knave of Clubs: A youth of darker coloring. A practical, efficient youth. A youth active in endeavors like sports, clubs, or volunteering. An apprentice. A message concerning a business venture or some practical matter.
Knave of Spades: A youth of very dark coloring. An untrustworthy youth or one ill-disposed toward the Seeker. A lonely or depressed youth. A youth in trouble. The witch’s familiar or fetch. A deceased spirit, in general. A message containing bad news.
A Note on the Courts and the Old Craft: Although of little practical value in reading the cards, there are certain Craft titles given to the Courts, which are mentioned here for the sake of interest:
King of Diamonds: The Devouring SunQueen of Diamonds: The May QueenKnave of Diamonds: The DancerKing of Hearts: The Red Lord (refers to bloodline)Queen of Hearts: The SeeressKnave of Hearts: The MerrymanKing of Clubs: The Harvest KingQueen of Clubs: The Reaping WifeKnave of Clubs: The Kern Baby or Corn DollyKing of Spades: The Horned Man or MagisterQueen of Spades: Fate or the LadyKnave of Spades: The Man in Black
The Pip Cards: We will now examine each pip card in turn. Read over the meanings of each card and if you have any trouble understanding whence the meaning derives, review all previous material on the suits and numbers, and you will be able to piece together the given meaning.
When this system was developed, the only material available was that which we have given for the witch of poor memory. But over the decades, new things have emerged in the world, and card readers adapted their meanings to those new things. For instance, when confronted with the expensive motor car, the 6 of Diamonds was pressed into service. Generally, however, any additions make sense in terms of the rhyming rules for the witch of poor memory, and so the apprentice card reader will not have trouble recalling them.
The Aces: “An Ace brings beginnings”. Recall that each of the Aces has a traditional meaning, which you have heretofore memorized. These have been incorporated below.
Ace of Diamonds: Money. A letter. Something new, generally connected with finances, but not invariably. Fire. A diamond ring, but other cards must support that interpretation.
Ace of Hearts: The home. The family or a family member. The beginning of a love affair or new friendship. Sometimes a birth or addition to the family, or a change of residence (because aces indicate beginnings), but those interpretations are usually supported by other cards.
A Note on the Ace of Hearts: In almost all old systems of card reading, the Ace of Hearts is called “The House”, and from judging the cards associated with it, the reader tells whether a letter, visitor, trouble, marriage, etc. shall come to the Seeker’s home. We shall examine this concept later in a spread given for those of exceptional memory.
Ace of Clubs: A new duty, task, goal, or opportunity.
Ace of Spades: A decision, generally an important one. A death or an ending. A big change.
A Note on Death: It is possible to see the physical death of either the Seeker or a person close to the Seeker. It is definitely not advisable to mention it, but we leave you to make your own mistakes. To predict it, you must usually see three or four of the spades close together – such as the 3♠ (loss), 5♠ (illness, disease, doctor), 7♠ (tears), 9♠ (change for the worse), or 10♠ (worry, grief) – together with the A♠. The A♠ must be present for a death to occur.
The Twos: “And Two gives exchange.”
2 of Diamonds: Money changing hands. A gift. An invitation. Telephone call, message.
2 of Hearts: Love, relationship, or marriage. Dancing. The arts. Harmony.
2 of Clubs: A helping hand. Business partnership. A doubling of something or a repeated cycle.
2 of Spades: Conflict. Argument. Inability to get along. Separation.
The Threes: “Three shows things growing”. 3s denote gradual growth, bit-by-bit, and the concept of “little”. The idea of “much” or “great” is assigned to the 10s.
3 of Diamonds: A raise in pay, greater financial security, profits, although only a little of any of those. A small amount of money. A scattered mind, concentrating on many little things, so not much is accomplished in any one thing.
3 of Hearts: Fertility. A child, or children in general. Decorating or adding beauty to something. An emotional bond growing, little by little. A love triangle.
3 of Clubs: A practical development. Moving forward, progress bit by bit. Extra work or duties. A temporary job. Part-time work. A garden or gardening. Herbs. Crops, in general.
3 of Spades: Problems adding up. Small aggravations. Interference from a third party. Loss, something lost.
The Fours: “But Four does not change”. And the meaning of Fours have generally not changed. They have always denoted stable things, and squarish things, including papers and buildings and fields. Because of their stability, they also connote justice and legal matters.
4 of Diamonds: Financial stability. A check. A bank account. An official document. A license or certification. “The City”, in general.
4 of Hearts: Emotional stability. An even temper. Fairness or justice. An apartment or summer home or cottage. In times past, but occasionally still today, a barn or outbuilding serving some function for the doings of the homestead (which is the Ace of Hearts).
4 of Clubs: Goals are on a firm footing. Job security. Boredom at work. Plowing or plodding along. Land or field or farm. “The Country”, in general. An outside building or place. A desk.
4 of Spades: Instability. An uneven temper. A problem that you cannot solve or get away from (it hems you in at all four corners). Exhaustion because of steady pressure against you. “Sick and tired” of it all. Unfairness or injustice. A parking ticket or speeding ticket. A summons, lawsuit, or court of law. The Armed Forces, in general.
A Note on the 4 of Clubs: “Outside building or place” is meant to be general here because specific buildings or places depend on the cards next to the 4 of Clubs. For instance with the 5 of Spades (illness), it would mean a hospital. With the 2 of Hearts (the arts), museum (and if the 5 of Clubs was with it, a dance club). With the 3 of hearts (children), daycare center. With the Ace of Spades (death), a funeral home. With the 4 of Diamonds (bank account or “City”), a bank or City Hall.
The Fives: “Five is the body, its health and its stead”.
Five of Diamonds: Eating. Clothes. Jewelry. Appliances, furniture. Shopping.
Five of Hearts: Good health. The hand of friendship or a friend. Sexual relations. Enjoyment, entertainment in general.
Five of Clubs: Exercise. Sports. Hobbies. Craftsmanship (making practical things by hand). Working hard, nose to the grindstone. Determination.
Five of Spades: Illness, disease. A doctor. Drugs, alcoholism, addiction. Taking on more than you can handle.
The Sixes: “Six shows a path that the Seeker shall tread.”
Six of Diamonds: Distance, in general, that is, someone or something at a distance. A car. Steps toward a financial goal. Investments.
Six of Hearts: Pleasant trip, vacation, usually associated with family or friends. Making good progress, moving ahead, the means will reach the end. A deepening emotional bond.
Six of Clubs: Business trip. Steps toward a business goal. Education, learning, teaching. Reading, books.
Six of Spades: Walking away from or abandoning something. Cleaning up your life, getting rid of things. Wrong choice, headed in the wrong direction. Difficulties while traveling, an ill-advised journey, or a journey from which no profit comes. Running with the wrong crowd.
The Sevens: “Seven brings trouble that Fate as assigned.” Because Fate is mentioned in this line, the 7s are also associated with magic and religion – things used to cope with the problems that Fate has assigned to us. The Sevens have many secrets connected to them because they are the in-between number of their respective suits: there are six cards behind them, and six cards before them.
Seven of Diamonds: A troubled purse or financial problem. Profits down. The means will not reach the end sought. Clairvoyance and foretelling. The talent of seeing and speaking true. Psychism in general.
A Note on the Seven of Diamonds: The divination and foretelling referred to may be by any method,
but this card has particular reference to astrology because the seven Diamonds on this card are meant to refer to the “Seven Lights” – the Seven Planets – which are the primary indicators of Fate’s movements. Technically, there are only 5 Planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn), and two Luminaries (the Sun and the Moon), but they were and are often grouped together and called the Seven Planets. There are greater considerations to all of the Sevens, which we do not have space to detail here, although a hint of the larger meaning is given in the note on the Arteful Meanings of the Suits. In any event, the greater considerations are of very little practical value in cardreading.
Seven of Hearts: A troubled heart or emotional problem. Unsettled emotions. Dissipation of trouble, sometimes. Religion, in general.
Seven of Clubs: Trouble at work or some practical problem. The power of chance, happenstance, in general. A charm, talisman, spell, or other work of magic. The power to make things happen by magic.
Seven of Spades: Double trouble. Tears. Mystery or a mystery, something hidden. Investigation. Rarely, a curse or hex.
The Eights: “While Eight shows ideas or thoughts in the mind.” Eights show ideas and thoughts, and hence imply the exchange of ideas and thoughts, that is, communication. Unlike the Knaves and 2s, which tend to indicate person-to-person exchanges, the greater-numbered 8s tend to show groups of people.
Eight of Diamonds: Thoughts about money or finances. Financial plans, budgeting, how to make ends meet. Computer or other electronic (fire) media used for communication. Electronics in general. Occasionally, a bank, accounting firm, financial planning firm.
Eight of Hearts: Thoughts about love or emotional thoughts. A group of people celebrating. Festive atmosphere, party, or sometimes wedding. “Raised cups”, that is, social drinking. Flirtatious conversation. A social club.
Eight of Clubs: Thoughts about work. Work or career, in general. Business conversations, sometimes job interview. Company or corporation. Labor union. Practical plans.
Eight of Spades: Negative thoughts or attitude. Oppression or feeling oppressed. A “poisoned atmosphere”. Gossip, rumors. War, or conflict involving groups of people. A gang, organized crime, or unruly mob. The Coven or Witch Family.
A Note on Rural Life: Not of such great importance as it once was, but farm animals are also represented by the 8s. Larger farm animals that are workers or beasts of burden are the 8 of Clubs, while productive animals – those that give products for the use of people (sheep, goats, cows, chickens) are the 8 of Diamonds. The 8 of Hearts would show animals doing well, while the 8 of Spades might tell of a sickness running through the herd or other animal group. For instance, a sickness befalling one’s chickens might be established by 4 of Clubs (farm) - 8 of Diamonds (the animals) – 5 of Spades (illness). And you know from the secondmost rule that this would pose a temporary financial problem for the Seeker.
The Nines: “Nine heralds changes.”
Nine of Diamonds: Change in financial status, usually for the better. “Creature comforts”, finery. A change in plans, generally. On rare occasion, fame.
Nine of Hearts: Change for the better, the Seeker’s wish will come true. A change of heart.
Nine of Clubs: A change of job or business methods. A change in goals or priorities. Going back to work. A change taking place at work.
Nine of Spades: Change for the worse. The Seeker’s wish will not come true. Disappointment. Injury.
The Tens: “And Ten is the end.” As the 3s have a connotation of “little”, the 10s have a connotation of “great” or “much”. The word “end” in the verse also represents a destination, and so the 10s also mean journey and travel.
Ten of Diamonds: Financial independence. Enough money to get something done. A large sum of money. Sealing a financial deal. Success, in general.
Ten of Hearts: Emotional security. Pleasant and stable family life. Unshakeable marriage bond. The spouse. Happiness, in general. Journey by or over water. A boat or ship. Lake, ocean or other large body of water.
Ten of Clubs: A great deal of work to do. Work piling up. The completion of a practical project – whether associated with work or a hobby. Achievement, in general. Journey by air, an airplane.
Ten of Spades: A great deal of trouble, worry. Evil, violence, grief. Great force. Failure, in general. Journey by land (Earth).
A Note on the 10s and Travel: A 10 in a spread will usually not indicate a journey unless it is linked with a 6 (path, steps) or another 10. The linkage may occur by virtue of the cards being next to each other, or linked through the card of the Seeker in someway. For instance, referring back to the example Square of Nine spread, we see that the King of Hearts is linked to two 10s because a 10 occurs in each of his lines 123 and 369; therefore, the cards show him traveling on business (10 of Diamonds), most likely by air (10 of Clubs). Compare that to the Queen of Spades. She is linked to the 10 of Diamonds in line 147, but she is not linked to the 10 of Clubs in any fashion; therefore, she will not be traveling with her husband. Three 10s would indicate long-distance or foreign travel, and four 10s would indicate world travel or a world traveler.
Learning Suggestions
Admittedly, the above represents a great deal of information to absorb. If you feel overwhelmed, you need not go on. Cardreading for the Witch of Poor Memory gives you a serviceable oracle at your disposal and you can stop your study there. If you wish to continue, you will be able to predict much more specific things, but it will take some effort to learn the speech of the cards.
It need not be an onerous learning. Do not sit down and memorize the card meanings by rote. Instead, try the following suggestions:
(1) Take 10 to 15 minutes a day to simply review one group of four cards – the Kings, the Queens, the Sevens, the Twos, etc. Have that group of cards before you, and simply read over the material three or four times times, letting it sink in.
(2) Keep a pack of cards with you as often as you can. If you have a few private moments, simply take them out and draw off the top three cards. See if you can come up with an interpretation or two for them.
Remember a trio of cards does not necessarily mean just one thing. It can mean several things, and all of those several interpretations will be correct. When you are done with those three cards, go on to the next three until you are through the deck.
(3) Do practice readings for an imaginary Seeker, as if you were telling a story from the cards. Lay out a Square of Nine and interpret it. Even though imaginary, it is still excellent practice. Almost every Witch learns to read cards this way. It is said that a cardreader is a storyteller, only different from a fictionteller in that her stories come true. So practice by laying out an imaginary throw and telling an imaginary story. But know that when a true Seeker comes, your story will be true. It’s as simple as that.
(4) Keep a notebook. If you read cards frequently, you will see combinations recurring, and you should note those down. Focus primarily on the card meanings at first; when you know them well, start focusing on combinations.
Combinations
With the meanings above, you can see many specific things in the cards when reading them in combination. Some combinations involve only two cards, some involve three, and on rare occasion, four cards. In time, as you learn the speech of the cards, you will easily see combinations, not just those given here, but your own, too.
*Here* is a list of card combinations. We have been working with trios up until now, so we will stick to combinations of two and three cards. Make no effort to memorize any of them, although you may wish to add them your own notebook if they make sense to you. As you read each combination, simply think through its rationale so that you know how it is derived. This is likely the most important section for the Witch of Middling Memory. Again, it is emphasized that memorization is not the point here. It is by going through this list of combinations and simply thinking them through that you will learn the speech of the cards. The meanings you eventually understand from the cards will not invariably be the meanings given here for the combinations. In addition, the list given here is by no means exhaustive.
Remember, too, that the first and second rules may help you in interpreting combinations.
A Note on Describing the Characteristics of Court Cards: When you see a Court Card in a trio or spread, you will usually identify it in two ways – by the characteristics of its suit and surrounding cards, but not by coloring. The coloring of the Courts (very fair, medium, darker, very dark) are mostly used for choosing a card to represent the Seeker.
An example: Let us say we have the King of Clubs in the spread and he represents a person in the Seeker’s life. You describe to the Seeker that the man is practical, work-oriented, and efficient; that much you know from the suit. Sometimes the Seeker will know the person right away, but oftentimes will not. So, the Seeker will ask you if you can tell anything more about the man to help identify him. Or maybe it is someone that the Seeker
does not know yet, but will meet in the future; in that case, the Seeker will want to know how to identify the person when she meets him. So, look to the cards near the King of Clubs. You may see that he wants a family or that family is important to him (Ace of Hearts). He may have a negative outlook (8 of Spades). He may be a sportsman, big sports fan, or exercise nut (5 of Clubs). He may always be ready to lend a helping hand to others (2 of Clubs). Perhaps he is religious (7 of Hearts). A high achiever (10 of Clubs)? “Too much in his cups”? (5 of Spades and 8 of Hearts)? Stylish and a good dresser (9 of Diamonds)? You will usually be able to tell any of that from the cards.
Spreads
We will be covering three new spreads for the witch of middling memory: The Three Steps, The Horns, and The Cross. After a general discussion of each, you will find an example spread.
The Three Steps
Although using more cards, this spread is based on interpreting trios, which the witch of poor memory is accustomed to doing. This spread is good for getting a general look at the future, but not as good for specific questions.
Choose a card for the Seeker, but leave it within the deck. Have the Seeker shuffle the cards and cut them. Fan out the cards upon the table and ask the Seeker to choose 23 of them, face down. Keep them in order as the Seeker selects them, then lay them, faces upward, in the following pattern:
2319 20 21 22
12 13 14 15 16 17 181 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Some of the ninefold symbolism of the Square of Nine is repeated in this spread, for the Seeker walks up the three steps three times. It is based on the countings of sevens to find the middle card of each trio. There are nine trios to read in this spread, and then a final tenth, which is traditionally called “the Surprise”. Starting, count 7 cards. Landing on card 7, read the trio 6-7-8. Next, count 7 again. Landing on card 14, read the trio 13-14-15. And so on. Here are the trios that you will read from start to finish:
First ascent: 6-7-8, 13-14-15, 20-21-22
Second ascent: 4-5-6, 11-12-13, 18-19-20
Third ascent: 2-3-4, 9-10-11, 16-17-18
The Surprise: 23-1-2
You will note that there are some overlapping cards in the ascents (ex. card 6 is read both in the first trio of the first ascent, and the first trio of the second ascent). These will sometimes link events together. Thus, the trio 6-7-8 may show an event that will further progress in trio 4-5-6.
If the Seeker’s card appears in the draw, you may also read that card as the middle of a trio. For example, if the Seeking Q♥ appears as card 4, read 3-4-5 as a trio, which would otherwise not be read as a trio per the outline above. A trio with the Seeker should be looked for and read first.
Additional Consideration: if there is some difficulty in determining the meaning of a trio, you may look to the card above or below the middle card of the trio, if there is one, for guidance or additional information. This is usually necessary only when reading the first couple of trios, when the Witch is trying to determine exactly what the events surrounding the Seeker’s life are. The interpretation of the card above or below should never contradict or usurp the meaning of the trio, but merely adds additional, supportive information.
Final Note: Twenty-three cards are much to look at, and the novice cardreader’s initial reaction to her first few spreads of this size is to gulp, perspire, and sit tongue-tied. Keep in mind, however, that there are only ten trios to read in this spread, and that if you are practiced in the Square of Nine, you have routinely interpreted eight trios. Here, read each trio, one by one, and ignore the rest of the cards until you come to them. Fall back on the firstmost and secondmost rules as and when you need to.
The Three Steps: An Example
The Seeker here is a man of darker coloring; thus, the K♣. This reading was conducted in September 2002.
The Seeker’s card has not appeared in the draw, so we will jump right into interpreting the trios. For
considerations of space, we will not detail the supportive information given from the firstmost and secondmost rules
First Ascent
Kn♥, 3♠, 3♦: From this trio, we can see that the Seeker has not come to us for advice on business matters – at least, not primarily (note, too, that there are only two ♣s amongst the 23 cards). The Kn♥ could possibly indicate a date, but the 3♠ indicates small aggravations, interference from a third party, and loss. The 3♦ shows a scattered mind. This does not give us much to go on, initially, so we look at the card above the middle card of the trio and find the 6♥, indicating a deepening emotional bond. From this we may deduce that the Seeker is interested in dating someone and getting closer to that person, but he has not been very successful. A third party seems to be the issue, and may have been the cause of a cancelled date (Kn♥, 3♠). The Seeker’s mind has been scattered, as he has been thinking about the issue off-and-on (3♦); one inference is that he is thinking that the person simply does not want to be with him and is using this third-party interference as an excuse.
Q♠, 6♥, 4♠: Here is the person the Seeker is interested in – a woman who is a widow or divorced (Q♠). She is generally a warm-hearted person (6♥), but her situation is unstable (4♠). Her heart is heavy (♥ hemmed in by ♠s), she feels exhausted and hemmed in by problems at times (4♠), and she needs a vacation (6♥); unfortunately, she won’t get one (♠ on top of 6♥). The Q♠ may be interested in a deepening emotional bond, theoretically (6♥), but she may feel that her present circumstances are too unstable to maintain such a bond (4♠). Note, however, that the cards do not give the impression that the Q♠ is inimical to the Seeker or that she does not want his attentions. She is simply tired and dealing with problems. We can set the Seeker’s mind at ease on that point.
10♦, 4♣, 2♥: The 10♦ is success, in general. The 4♣ is plodding along and goals on a firm footing. The 2♥ is love and relationship. Thus, the cards advise the Seeker that success (10♦) in gaining the desired deeper emotional bond (the 6♥ seen before) may be achieved by not giving up and with patient plodding (4♣). When the 4♣ appears, we must incline our thoughts to the possibility of an “outside place” being in the cards. Here, combined with the 2♥, a museum or theater is indicated. When reading this trio for the Seeker, I chose the theater because the 10♦ as the first card indicated a larger amount of money being spent. Thus, the Seeker will purchase good seats/expensive tickets to a theater performance, and will ask his love interest (2♥) to accompany him. There is an additional dimension to why the tickets will be expensive: they are part of a package including transportation to an out-of-town theater. Note that the 10♠ falls below the 4♣; with that additional card considered, we have two 10s together, indicating a journey.
This trio also indicates that the Seeker is working on sealing a financial deal (10♦). That deal is stable (4♣), and all will work out harmoniously (2♥) concerning it.
Second Ascent
5♣, 2♦, Kn♥: It appears that the Seeker will heed the advice of plodding along patiently (seen as 4♣ above), for this trio shows him determined (5♣) in issuing invitations for dates (2♦, Kn♥). Unfortunately, he will still get turned down sometimes (6♠ above the 2♦), but he will also sometimes get an acceptance (Kn♥ ends the trio).
8♥, 7♠, 6♠: These cards show that the Seeker will consider abandoning the endeavor entirely. His emotional thoughts (8♥) grow more and more negative (two ♠s following), and for a time, he may even walk away from pursuing the relationship (6♠). He feels that there is some mystery (7♠) behind the Q♠ in sometimes accepting him company, but more often refusing him. She is sending him mixed signals. Here, the mystery happens to be solved by looking at the card above the 7♠ -- the Kn♠ -- which is also part of the next trio.
10♠, Kn♠, A♥: It appears that a primary issue concerning the Q♠ is a child in her home (A♥) – the Kn♠. She is worried about him (10♠). What is the source of the worry? Well, the child is probably feeling depressed, lonely, or sad, himself (two ♠s in a row, and 7♠ below), and she is concerned about that. She also believes that he is keeping something hidden from her (7♠, card below); it may be that he has had a failing (10♠) grade in school. She believes that entering a new relationship (2♥, the card above) may not be the best thing for her to do at this time. Again, we must advise the Seeker to have understanding and patience. A mystery is something difficult to cope with; but identifying the problem will make things easier for him. In addition, the ♥ ending the trio shows a light at the end of the tunnel. The child will gradually improve and pull out of his sad state.
The Third Ascent
10♥, Kn♦, Q♦: As the Kn♠ begins to improve in outlook (♥ on top of Kn♠), the Seeker’s only emotional situation shall grow more fair, and he will begin to experience greater emotional security (10♥). The Q♦also represents the Q♠ returning to her usual more sociable nature (remember the 6♥ next to the Q♠) as her child improves (Kn♦). Note that both the love interest and the child were represented by ♠ Courts. Now, with the 10♥ appearing, meaning happiness, both the Q and Kn have turned into ♦s, showing more sociable natures (♦s) and better outlooks (red card).
This trio also shows that the Seeker will be invited to a wedding (10♥) of a younger couple (Kn and Q).
3♦, K♥, 8♥: With the Q and Kn on a more even emotional keel, the Seeker, who was formerly thinking of abandoning the relationship as a prospect (recall the trio 8♥, 7♠, 6♠ from the second ascent), now begins to gradually go back to his emotional thoughts (8♥), and is in a happier frame of mind, himself (K♥).
This trio also shows that the Seeker’s brother (K♥), or other male family member (same), will soon be celebrating (8♥) a small raise in pay (3♦).
Note that both of the foregoing trios of the third ascent are composed solely of red cards, thus indicating a sustained period of fair fortune in the Seeker’s circumstances.
4♠, A♦, 10♠: With his emotional prospects now more secure, the Seeker will find something new to concern him. This trio shows there will be instability (4♠) in a new financial project (A♦) involving a large sum of money (10♠ is the card above), and this will greatly concern the Seeker (10♠). A lawsuit (4♠) threatening the project is a possibility. Anything new (A♦) that the Seeker attempts at this time will be surrounded by delay (4♠) and worry (10♠). In particular, travel plans (two 10s present if one considers the card above) must be very carefully laid.
A somewhat rare combination occurs here, too – the A♦ followed by the 10♠ may indicate a destructive fire. There is nothing directly linking the fire to the Seeker, so it is likely that it is something that the Seeker will only hear about. It will not directly affect him, but may cause him some worry (10♠). Fortunately, there are no injuries showing (no 5♠ or 9♠ present). If the A♥ were over the middle A♦ instead of over the 4♠, then we would have greater concern and advise the Seeker that a fire in his house is a possibility.
The Surprise
2♥, 9♥, 10♥: And what a fair surprise this is for the Seeker! He will get his wish (9♥), which has to do with entering a harmonious relationship (2♥) and getting married (10♥). Thus, we can advise the Seeker that all will work out well with his love interest. Marriage is definitely in his future.
Timing
Timing is discussed below. Here, the K♣ remained in the unused pack, but searching for him, he was found gazing at the 3♥. In timing, that represents the third week of Summer, or approximately mid July. Thus, the events foretold by this reading would come to pass by July 2003.
The Horns
The Horns is a spread of 7 cards. It is good for a quick glance at the future. The spread may be timed, but in general, it foreshadows only 4-6 weeks. It is a good one for the Witch to do for herself on a weekly basis, or for others when reading cards for many people. It may also be used to answer a specific question.
Again, a card is chosen for the Seeker, but it is left within the deck. If asking a question, the Seeker should think of it as she shuffles the card; if not asking a question, she should just bear a desire to know something of her future. After she is finished shuffling the deck, she cuts it once. The Witch takes up the pack and begins dealing off cards, face-up, by twos. When the pair including the Seeker’s card is turned over, the Witch stops and sets those two cards aside. She gathers up the pile of face-up cards, being careful not to disturb their order, and makes the pack whole again. The pack is then fanned out on the table and the Seeker is instructed to choose an additional five cards. They are laid out as follows:
1 2
0304050607
One of the first two cards will be the Seeker’s card. If the Seeker is card 1, then card 2 will show an immediate influence or event in her life or in relation to her question. If the Seeker is card 2, then card 1 will show an influence or even in her life or in relation to her question that has just passed. Whichever it is, if the Seeker has asked a question, the non-Seeker card will usually be congruent with the nature of a question. For example, if a love matter, it will be a ♥; if there is some trouble concerning her, a ♠. Sometimes the card will be spot on; for instance, if the Seeker asks about changing jobs, the 9♣ may appear next to the Seeker’s card; if she wonders whether she has been lied to, the Q♠; and so on.
Once the cards are laid out, and the first pair interpreted, the remaining five cards are simply interpreted in order, individually. You may see combinations, too. If you like, any series of three cards (eg. 2-3-4, 4-5-6), may be interpreted as a trio.
The Horns: Two Examples
We give two examples for The Horns – one in answer to a specific query and one for the future in general.
A. The Horns: A Question
The first draw is for a question. The question was asked by a woman, a Q♦ who had recently changed jobs. The reading was conducted in the beginning of August 2004. She wondered whether she would like the new job and whether she would be successful at it. The cards fell as follows:
4♠ Q♦
06♣0
5♥0
2♥0
7♠0
6♥ Interpretation: The Seeker (Q♦) has been through a period of instability recently 4♠), but she is now on the correct path toward her job goals (6♣). She will soon be undergoing some job education or training (6♣), which she will enjoy (5♥). Indeed, she will generally find her new work atmosphere to be enjoyable (5♥) and harmonious (2♥), and she will even make social friends (5♥) there. There is, however, a problem on the horizon here, shown by the trio 5♥, 2♥, 7♠. There is a definite possibility that a romantic or sexual involvement (5♥, 2♥ in combination) at work will bring trouble and tears (7♠), so she must be aware of that and try to avoid it. Otherwise, she will make good progress in the position and move ahead (6♥).
Timing: You will not always be able to tell a specific time from the cards with The Horns because the Seeker card is always either card 1 or 2 and sometimes it will not face the other card. In those cases, you must rely on the 4-to-6-week designation.
Here, however, the Q♦ faces the 4♠, so we know that the events will come to pass by the fourth week of Winter, or roughly January 21, 2005.
Addendum: In the beginning of September 2004, the Seeker contacted the Witch again. She found
her job environment pleasant enough, but since it was a new field for her, she was not exactly sure that it was what she wanted to do. Her company was also paying for her to get a higher degree, so she wondered whether she should continue with the job simply for that additional benefit or whether she should take training in massage therapy and enter the health field. Fortunately, I had kept a record of the above reading. If you are much-consulted Witch, you will have found that sometimes Seekers come back to you for additional related information or with an additional related question. Consider keeping a record of your card spreads, for you may often answer the follow-up question from it and save time in having to throw another spread down.
Note how the cards of the original reading foreshadow the additional question. There is instability surrounding the Seeker’s education (4♠ [instability], Q♦ [Seeker], 6♣ [education]). There is a query regarding training for massage therapy (6♣ [education], 5♥ [health, hand, enjoyment], 2♥ [harmony]). Considering the interpretation of the original reading, and the fact that the 7♠ (trouble, tears) follows the 6♣-5♥-2♥ trio, I advised the Seeker to stay in her present position for the time being – at least until the end of January 2005 – before considering any change. By the end of January 2005, she will be feeling better about her position.
Also note that the spread is not only relevant for what it shows, but also for what it does not show. There are two 6s present here – one at the beginning of the path, and one at the end. Together they imply a continuous path. There are no Aces present, and indeed, no sign of new beginning shown anywhere. That is an important indication given that the Seeker asks about making a new beginning in an entirely new field.
B. The Horns: A General Future
The next example of the Horns is one in which no specific question was asked. The Seeker sought only a glimpse of the future. The Seeker was a very dark man, a K♠, and the reading was conducted in October 2003.
K♠ 2♠
05♥0
3♠0
7♣0
8♥0
4♥ Interpretation: The Seeker (K♠) will quarrel (2♠) with a friend (5♥). We can surmise a little about the nature of the quarrel; it is likely over small aggravations that have been adding up (3♠) or owing to the influence of some troublesome third party (3♠). The loss of the friendship is likely for a period of time (5♥, 3♠), and may even result in some business troubles (7♣), or a loss of business (3♠, 7♣) for the Seeker. But the two ♥s ending the line show the trouble ending and the fortune turning fair. By happenstance (7♣), the two will meet at a party, have some drinks together (8♥), and reconcile (4♥). Emotional stability (4♥) will prevail.
Timing: The Seeker’s card is facing the 2♠, so the events predicted by this spread will occur by the second week of Winter.
The Cross
The Cross is a spread of 5 cards. It is not good for obtaining a general look at the future, but it is good for asking questions of the type: “What should I do about _______?” It helps the Seeker determine how he should act in a given situation or toward a given person. It would be easy to expand this spread into one using 15 cards, using three cards (or one trio) per each station. I advise against it, however, on the ground that experience has shown that fewer cards speak more clearly with this spread. You may find that your interpretations are more general with this spread, but even so, its testimonies will not err.
If experiencing a difficulty in interpreting a card, focus either more on its suit or on its pip and give your intuition free reign. If you like, you may read them as trios – one horizontally from left to right, and one vertically from up to down -- to get the gist of their message, including an evaluation of the firstmost and secondmost rules. It is a quick spread, and one good to use if the Seeker has several questions of the above type. Or it can be used to answer a question of the above type following a larger spread.
A card is chosen for the Seeker, but not removed from the deck. The Seeker shuffles and cuts the cards. The Witch fans them out on the table and the Seeker selects five. The Witch lays them in this order:
4
l1
23
l5
The stations have the following designations:
1: a past event or influence
2: a present event or influence
3: a future event or influence
4: how to proceed (advice on what to do)
5: how to forbear (advice on what to avoid or what not to do)
You will often be able to inter-relate cards 4 and 5.
The Cross: Two Examples
A. The Cross: First Example
A Q♥ asked the Witch, in July 2004, what she should do about a teenage son, who she believed was becoming more emotionally withdrawn from her. The cards fell as follows:
3♣
0Kn♠
7♥ Q♠
0 8♥
Interpretation: The Kn♠ clearly shows a youth that is lonely, or depressed, or in trouble. We see from the middle card, that the trouble is emotional in nature (7♥). A future influence is a girl or woman older than he (Q♠). My intuition was that although the Q♠ does not appear until the future, she had been on the scene in the past, and was also presently on the scene, and was the source of the emotional trouble (7♥). My sense of the cards was that it was an up-and-down relationship, with the Q♠ calling the shots (because if the three cards are read as a trio, she falls last; also, if you lay out the cards here, you will note that the Kn♠ if facing toward the Q♠, but she is facing away from *him*). The relationship is presently in a “down” phase because the 7♥ -- emotional trouble – is in the middle (this card should not be read as cessation of trouble here because it is flanked by the two ♠s). The Q♠ falling in the future indicates that she will reassert herself in the future and her emotional manipulations will continue. My additional sense is that she is a troubled girl (♠), and seeks company in her misery. She is succeeding because the Kn also appears as a ♠. The Seeker should probably seek to minimize the influence of the Q♠ on the Kn♠.
What the Seeker should avoid is shown by the 8♥. She should not force the Kn♠ into social situations or smother him with love. At the present time, he is unable to respond emotionally to people (♠), and enforced gaiety will make him withdraw even more.
How the Seeker should proceed is shown by the 3♣. She should encourage the Kn♠ to get a part-time job. He needs to expand his social skills outside of purely emotional relationships (family, girlfriend, etc.). Comparing the 3♣ and the 8♥, I offered that he was often uncomfortable in social situations because he did not know how to interact with people. He needs to learn how to do that bit-by-bit (3♣). A job environment (♣), which is generally a less emotional setting for the play of social skills, would help him do that more gradually and with greater security. Reading the vertical cards as a trio, we see that the fortune of the youth will become more fair (♣, followed by two ♥s; here we might even read the 7♥ as cessation of trouble because it is not flanked by ♠s vertically).
Timing: The Q♥ did not appear in the spread, but upon searching the deck, she was found facing the A♣. Thus, the events of the spread would transpire by the first week of Fall.
B. The Cross: Second Example
Our final example for The Cross illustrates a rather common question: “Should I continue to invest time and energy into my current romantic relationship?” It was asked by a Q♥ in April 2002.
2♠
lKn♥ 5♥ K♣
l 10♥
Interpretation: This is a fairly easy example to interpret. Before you read the interpretation below, try to interpret it yourself as an exercise. The Q♥ was in her early 30s at the time of the question. The appearance of the first card – the ♥ -- as a Kn indicates the boyfriend. No matter if he is near the same age as the Q, the fact that he appears as a Kn instead of a K shows that he has a little less emotional maturity than she. He is a friendly chap, emotional, probably given to daydreaming a bit. It is the next card, the 5♥ in combination with the 5♥ that tells us that he is a merrymaker and enjoys a good time and his entertainments. Sexual relations with the Kn♥ are also very good (5♥). But it doesn’t look like he is “marriageable material”. The 10♥ in the bottom position tells us that. That card advises the Seeker that the Kn♥ is not going to make a good spouse for her, and she should not be pressing the issue of marriage and family with him. He probably enjoys his freedom too much. The top card – the 2♠ -- advises a separation, a split, a break-up. Finally, in the future, we see that the Seeker shall meet the K♣, a more mature man, who is active, practical, and efficient. He also knows how to enjoy himself (5♥ before him), but the fact that he is a ♣ shows that he will know how to balance business and pleasure.
Timing: The Seeker’s card did not appear in the spread, but searching the deck, she was found facing the 10♦ -- indicating ten weeks after the start of spring. Thus, the events of the spread will transpire around the beginning of June 2002.
Timing
To end this essay for the Witch of Middling Memory, we focus on timing. You may have discerned the method from the pattern given above. The upper face of the Seeker’s card will usually face another card. If the Seeker’s card should fall in the spread, look at the card the Seeker immediately faces. If a ♦, the timing is Spring; a ♥, Summer; a ♣, Fall; a ♠, Winter. Use the value of the card to determine weeks, as is done above. Knaves are 11 weeks, Queens are 12 weeks, and Kings are 13 weeks; the Kings are obviously contiguous with the commencement of the next season (eg. K♣ would indicate 13 weeks after the beginning of Fall, a time period just before the beginning of Winter).
If the Seeker’s card does not appear in the spread, hand the unused cards to the Seeker and have her shuffle and cut again. Then turn the deck face up to search through the deck and find her card. The searching is done by fanning out the cards from the left hand into the right hand. When you find the Seeker’s card, look at the card it faces and determine timing from that.
It will rarely, but on occasion, occur that the Seeker’s card is facing no card in the reshuffled deck. For instance, if you turn over the deck and find the Seeker’s card as the Q♠ as the first card, you will see that she is facing to the right, but that there is no card before her. In that instance, timing fails for the spread. You should not have the Seeker reshuffle. You will either have to use your intuition for timing or rely on a general time period, such as the 4-6 weeks mentioned for The Horns.
Sevens and the Moon
Sometimes the Seeker simply needs a question timed within a month. In that instance, look for the nearest 7 in the spread that the Seeker faces. The 7♦ is the first 7 days of the Moon’s age (from dark/new to first quarter); the 7♥, the second 7 days of the Moon’s age (from first quarter to full); the 7♣, the third 7 days of the Moon’s age (from full to third quarter); the 7♠, the fourth 7 days of the Moon’s age (from third quarter to dark/new). If no 7 appears in the spread, resort to reshuffling the deck, as noted above to find the closest 7 that the Seeker faces. In this instance, timing is more likely to fail because of the reduced probability that the Seeker may face a 7.
Even when the timing does not need to be within the month, after the spread is timed by the season and weeks, it is often helpful to look for the nearest 7 faced by the Seeker, anyway, as it will usually time some important event or a “next step”. For instance, The Three Steps example, we timed the reading to conclude by the following Summer, quite a ways away. However, if the 7♠ had been where the 3♠ was, we could advise the Seeker that the next important event (with reference to our predictions) would occur during the Moon’s fourth age.
Here ends this essay for the Witch of Middling Memory. The final part of this essay will be for the Witch of Exceptional Memory. Only a few interpretive points remain, so that final part will largely focus on spreads, the most important of which is The Great Throw, which uses the entire deck.
For the Witch of Exceptional Memory: The Picturebook Compleat
As we noted at the end of the second essay, for the witch of middling memory, only a few, albeit extensive, interpretive points remain. Those interpretive points concern special interpretations of the cards in terms of matters of the home, magical matters, and health matters. We have touched on all three of those areas in the section on combinations, but here they are grouped together for convenience and further instruction. In general, these are areas of interpretation for the would-be adept cardreader, and although impressive to incorporate into your readings, they are not strictly necessary to know. One caveat: the practicing witch, be she solitary, or a member of a coven or witch family, should have, at the least, a passing familiarity with the combinations of cards indicating magical activity, particularly if cardreading is her sole method of divination.
To end the present essay, we will examine four additional spreads – The Coven, the Wheel, the Temple of Fortune, and finally, the Great Throw. Before doing so, however, we will examine the quaint, old-time topic of Judging the Wish.
Judging the Wish
Many gypsy and old-time cardreaders often instructed the Seeker to make a wish while shuffling the cards. Some modern cardreaders adhere to this practice, and judging by the fall of cards, interpret whether the Seeker wish’s will be fulfilled or denied (or achieve some status in between those two) during the time covered by the card reading. If you would like to adhere to this practice, this is how it is done. In shuffling, have the Seeker think of a single wish. If the 9♥ does not appear in the spread, the wish will not be granted during the timeframe covered by the reading. If the 9♥ appears, it will be granted, as long as it is not followed by a ♠; if followed by a ♠ or surrounded by ♠s, the wish may be denied. From the cards combined or near the 9♥, you can judge the nature of the wish. Here are some examples, which you should think through.
9♥, A♦: Seeker wishing for money in general.
9♥, 3♦: the Seeker’s wish is for a raise; because a ♦ follows, he will get his wish.
9♥, 3♦, any ♠: compare to the above; here, the Seeker has many wishes, and because he is scattered and cannot focus on one, none of them come true.
9♥, 6♦, any ♠: the Seeker wants a new car, but will not get one.
6♦, Kn♥, 9♥: the Seeker wishes to hear from a distant friend.
9♥, 8♣, K♦: the Seeker wants to own his own company (the K here represents financial power, not necessarily the gender of the Seeker).
9♥, 6♣: the Seeker wishes to go back to school or study something; if with K♦, wants to go back to a school for a Master’s degree, etc. (see combinations for 6♣ in Middling Memory).
9♥, 6♣, 7♦: the Seeker wishes to develop psychic ability.
2♥, 9♥, any ♠: the Seeker wants to be in a relationship or be married, but it is not time for it to happen.
9♥, 2♥, 10♥: the Seeker’s wish for an emotionally stable marriage or relationship will come true.
9♥, 3♥: the Seeker’s wish to have a child will come true.
9♥, 5♦, 10♠,: the Seeker wants to renovate his kitchen, but it will not happen.
7♠, 9♥, 5♥: the Seeker wishes for improved health.
10♣, 6♥, 9♥: the Seeker wishes to take a vacation after completing a huge amount of work.
2♠, 7♥, 9♥: the Seeker wishes to make amends with someone with whom he has had a conflict; wishes to “bury the hatchet”.
6♠, A♥, 9♥: the Seeker wishes to move to a new home.
A♣, 6♠, 9♥: the Seeker wishes to be freed from some duty or responsibility.
9♥, 2♣: a giveaway that the Seeker could not decide between two wishes! (the 2♣ indicates the doubling).
3♣, 9♥, any ♥: with a little extra effort, the Seeker’s wish will be fulfilled.
5♥, 7♣, 9♥: the Seeker wants to win big at gambling
9♥, 9♣, 6♠,: the Seeker wants to leave his job, but it will not come to pass (♠ ending the trio).
9♥, 3♠: the Seeker does not know what to wish for (the wish has been “lost”).
9♥, 9♠: the wish will be denied.
Kn♠, 8♠, 9♥: the Seeker seeks to be a prentice in a Witch coven.
Q♠, 7♠, 9♥: the Seeker succeeds in keeping a deceitful secret hidden.
3♠, 9♥, K♠: the Seeker wants revenge on a third party for that party’s interference with something (here, the K indicates the power to “teach someone a lesson”).
In some of the old-time card spreads in which every card in the deck is used – and this includes The Great Throw, which you will learn below – the 9♥ will obviously appear. In such spreads, therefore, you cannot judge the fulfillment of the wish from its appearance, but must make your judgment from surrounding cards.
Matters of the Household
In addition to occupations and livelihoods, seekers are usually quite interested in matters of the home. Movings, departures, appliances, repairs, etc. can consume the time, money, and energy of seekers, and the exceptional witch may serve well to arm them with future knowledge of such occurrences. The forewarning may allow the seeker to better cope with the change. For instance, one seeker was told that she would have a problem with the water in her house, and that she should be prepared for the fact that her pipes may not work within the next couple of weeks by stockpiling bottled water and other necessaries. She commented, in disbelief, that the house was nearly brand new, had been inspected in the last six months, and surely there could be no problem. A week later, she telephoned the witch to say that the water main on her street had burst, and that her house was without water for two days. Unfortunately, she had not set aside a store of water…which just goes to prove, as every Witch learns in time, that we may point seekers to water, but we cannot make them drink.
The first task is to learn the meanings of the cards in relation to the house, its rooms, and its adjuncts. The meanings given here are generally logical extensions of the card meanings in the second essay, but we will elaborate on the rationale for each card so that you are certain to understand the connections.
We know that the A♥ is the house or home, in general. When interpreting a certain card as a household matter, generally the A♥ must be in combination with the card or at least nearby. The A♥ appears in readings quite frequently, but it will not always point to a room in a house signified by an adjoining card. You must follow your intuition here and let the cards lead you. Thus, for the card meanings given below, we will simply assume that the A♥ is in combination with them or is nearby. As you study each card, refer back to the general meanings you know for each and you will easily begin to remember them.
5♦ = the kitchen. A place of food preparation and eating, also containing many appliances.
6♦ = garage. Where the car is housed.
8♦ = computer room or media room. A place where electronics are kept and used. In times past, the 8♦ was associated with the pantry because it is the same suit as the 5♦ (eating, food), but is also associated with budgeting. You know from the earlier Combinations section that the 6♣ 9♦ may also represent a computer (expensive, educational finery), so with the A♥, that combination could also represent a computer room.
10♦ = the hearth or fireplace. The main place in the house associated with fire.
3♥ = nursery. The living quarters of a child. The 3♥ also means decorating or beautifying in general, and you will find that you will more often use that meaning than nursery.
5♥ = master bedroom. The marital bedroom, where sexual relations take place.
6♥ = the living room. A place to retreat to and relax. If there were two 10s connected with the
combination A♥ 6♥, then the interpretation would probably be a motor home or large recreational vehicle.
8♥ = the dining room. A place for larger groups to celebrate and eat.
10♥ = a pool. A large body of water associated with the house.
2♣ = a duplex or two family house. The 2♣ shows a doubling here.
3♣ = the garden. This is already a general meaning that you know. Another meaning is a hallway – a place of moving forward in a temporary way – but you will not likely use that meaning very often, if at all.
4♣ = den. A place in the home where a work desk is kept. The 4♦ may also appear in combination, particularly if the den is also a place where important official or financial documents are kept.
6♣ = stairs. Like the 3♣ as hallway, but progress is made upward.
8♣ = home office. Where the seeker’s business is carried on.
10♣ = the roof or attic. The highest airy point of the house.
A♠ = the foundation of the house or cellar. The most earthen point of the house.
4♠ = a bedroom. A place to retreat to when exhausted.
6♠ = a bathroom. A place where dirt is washed away and waste is eliminated.
10♠ = the floor. Still connected to earth and stability, but not so foundational as the A♠, the very roots of the home.
Other meanings will present themselves to you on occasion and, reviewing the above meanings, you may come to those other meanings on your own. For instance, we have not mentioned the 5♣. If a seeker consulted you about a lost object and you saw this trio -- 3♠ 5♣ A♥ -- you would tell her that it will be found (a red card ends the trio) in her sewing, crafts, or work room.
A Note on Renovations: The 3♠ and the 10♠ both indicate force, in smaller amounts (the 3) and greater amounts (the 10). They do not themselves indicate rooms in the house, but can indicate renovations of rooms, little or great, depending on the card. For instance, the trio 3♠ A♥ 5♦ may indicate minor renovations to a kitchen. The trio A♥ 10♣ 10♠ may indicate that the home needs a whole new roof. Examine these two examples by the first rule. In the first example, with two red cards ending, there will be steady improvement, a problem solved; the second trio, ending in two black cards, shows more of a headache for the homeowner.
Again, with these more specialized interpretations, you must be circumspect and careful. Do not automatically think of a household interpretation when you see the A♥. Let the household interpretation “seize you” if you will – raise immediately and forcefully in your consciousness – before you follow its lead. For instance, the trio A♥ 6♣ 8♣ will more likely indicate that the seeker plans to reenter the workforce after spending a period of time at home, as opposed to having some practical plans for a staircase in her home. When a household interpretation indeed seizes you, then use it. One time a seeker and her friend came to the witch for a general reading. The witch saw this trio – A♥ 5♦ 3♥ -- appear 6 months in the future and commented that the seeker would then be redecorating her kitchen, but nothing structural, just paint and wallpaper and new cabinet handles, most likely. Both seeker and friend gasped, for the seeker had told her friend of such plans just the day before. It was hardly an earth-shattering prediction, but impressive to them all the same.
A Note on the 10s: Just as the 10s may signify the Four Elements in terms of travel (by air, etc.), so do they signify the Four Elements in terms of the household. The Aces are the true roots of the Four Elements in the deck of cards, but 10s are also connected with them by virtue of the fact that 1 + 0 = 1, signifying the Ace. The 10s are practical extensions of the roots symbolized by the Aces. For example, note how the A♠ (earth) signifies the very foundations of the home, while the 10♠ signifies the floors therein.
A Further Note on Appliances: One hesitates to devolve into the minutiae of household matters, but the sake of thoroughness, we briefly highlight the 5♦, which is a key card for identifying appliances. When combined with one of the 10s, the 5♦ may indicate an appliance. As noted above, the 10s indicate one of the four elements in a mundane sense. There are only a few such combinations to be aware of:
10♦, 5♦: furnace; the fiery ♦ is the key here.
10♥, 5♦: washing machine; the ♥ indicates water.
10♣, 5♦: air circulation system; the ♣ indicates air.
10♠, 5♦: refrigerator or freezer; the ♠ is the coldest suit.
10♥, any ♦, 5♦: this is a hot water heater. The water of the ♥ is heated up by the ♦.
10♣, any ♠, 5♦: this is an air conditioner. The air of the ♣ is cooled by the ♠.
It is doubtful that you will use these interpretations very much. If you are of a mind to, be on the lookout for a ♠ following an appliance combination. For instance, 10♦ 5♦ 3♠ would indicate a small problem arising with the furnace. The combination 10♠ 5♦ 9♠ is very bad news for one’s refrigerator. 10♣ 5♦ 5♠ may indicate that the air ducts of the house need to be cleaned because they are filled with dust and making the residents wheezy or ill. Also be on the lookout for the 2♣ in connection with an appliance, as it may indicate needing to get a replacement. For instance, 10♦ 5♦ 2♣ shows the Seeker getting another furnace. Sometimes the A♦ will function similarly, indicating a “brand new” something. Thus, 10♥ A♦ 5♦ is a brand new hot water heater. It is more likely, however, that you would interpret that trio as an anniversary dinner during which the Seeker receives a present. So, as before, an appliance interpretation must seize you forthwith for it to be of any use to you.
A Final Note on Motor Vehicles: By this time, you will have studied the section on Combinations in the essay for the witch of middling memory and will have noted various combinations therein indicating interpretations concerning cars and other vehicles. Knowing that the 6♦ is the key indicator here, you will have no trouble seeing if the Seeker will experience trouble with his or her car, for instance if followed by a ♠. Oftentimes, you will be able to pinpoint the problem with the car by the third card in a trio. Sometimes it will be specific. For instance: 6♦, 3♠, A♦: a minor problem with the ignition (Fire = A♦). Other times it will be more general, such as 6♦, 8♣, 5♠, in which the car is “sick” and needs to be taken to a mechanic. 6♦, 5♠, any ♣ (air) might indicate a general problem with the fan or other air system, while 6♦, 5♠, any ♥ (water) might indicate a general problem with a fluid system. Sometimes you will see that the problem will be inexpensive (6♦, 5♠, 3♦), and sometimes you may see a greater problem requiring a greater cost to repair (6♦, 7♠, 10♦).
Matters Magical
Matters magical in the cards are invariably governed by the 7s, as you will have noted from the Combinations section. We have little new information to add here, but it will be helpful if we summarize the nature of each 7 and repeat its combinations below so that you can study them with greater ease.
7♦: Clairvoyance, foretelling, psychism, astrology (the Seven Lights).
6♣, 7♦: studying psychism or a method of divination.
7♦, Court: the person indicated has psychic ability.
7♦, 5♥, Court: a psychic healer.
7♦, 8♣: a professional psychic.
7♦, Kn♠: spirit communication.
7♦, 8♣, Kn♠: a medium or necromancer
2♠, 7♦, 10♦ (or 6♦): astral projection in human form
Kn♠, 7♦, 10♦ (or 6♦): sending forth the fetch
Again, before using any of these specialized interpretations in a reading for a Seeker, you must be moved internally to do so. A 7♦ by a Court may just as easily indicate a totally unpsychic person beset with financial trouble. Of course, if you are specifically directing a question toward psychic matters, then these interpretations will be more relevant to the reading.
Also bear in mind that it is sometimes possible to gauge the strength of the ability indicated. A combination of 7♦, 8♣, 10♦ may indicate a professional psychic that has great success in prediction; a lesser-skilled, fly-by-night psychic healer who is more hit-or-miss in results may be indicated by 7♦, 5♥, 3♦. The trio 7♦, Q♠, any ♠ may indicate a wholly fraudulent psychic; here the Q♠ followed by another ♠ does not indicate a female witch, but a lie or falsehood. The doubling of the spades (coldness) in this trio may be considered a metaphor for the “cold-reading” method of fraudulent psychics.
7♥: Religion, in general.
7♥, K♥: God, or a male deity, in general.
7♥. Q♥: Goddess, or a female deity, in general.
7♥, any 8: prayer, involving a subject shown by the 8’s suit.
It is rarely necessary for a Witch to pinpoint the nature of a specific deity, although the need may arise once every several years. For instance, a Witch may wish to know the nature of the deity being invoked by a rival Witch or Coven. Or a Witch may wish to determine which deity is the divine patron of a specific person. Or perhaps a Seeker believes that his run of ill-luck is owing to the displeasure of a certain God or Goddess. The above combinations will hold you in good stead, if you look to the third card comprising the trio. Thus:
7♥, K♥, A♦: A God of Fire.
7♥, Q♥, 2♥: A Goddess of Love.
7♥, Q♥, A♠: A Goddess of Death.
7♥, K♥, 3♥: A God of Fertility.
7♥, K♥, 2♣: The Divine Twins.
7♥, K♥, 4♥: A God of Justice.
7♥. K♥, 5♣: The Craftsman God.
7♥, K♥, 8♣: The Horned Lord.
7♥, Q♥, 8♠: A Goddess of War.
7♥, Q♥, 10♥: A Goddess of the Seas.
7♥, Q♥, 10♠: Our Lady the Earth.
7♥, Q♥, 7♦: Queen of the Stars.
And so on, as you please. Any of the trios above may be used in an invocation of the power represented. The easiest thing to do is lay the trio out on the altar. If the Witch seeks to use the power of the deity in some capacity in a spell, it will be found more effective for a large triangle to be drawn within the compasse, with each point of the triangle touching the edge of the compasse, and with one card of the trio at each point. One of the points of the triangle must be due north.
7♣: Magic or occultism, in general. Practically speaking, a charm, talisman, spell, or other concrete form of magical work.
A♥, 7♣: occult work in the home.
8♠, A♥, 7♣: home needs spiritual purification.
7♣, A♦ (or 10♦): money spell.
7♣, 2♥: love spell.
The main thing to remember here is that the 7♣ often indicates a practical problem, so do not jump right into a magical interpretation with it. If you see a card indicating a witch in the trio (see below for a review) or otherwise linked to the combination, you can more confidently use a magical interpretation. Thus, with 7♣ A♦, you may be moved to speak more often of practical troubles marring a new financial start or a practical problem being solved by the receipt of a letter; but if the Q♠ begins the trio, be certain that magic is afoot.
7♠: The Mysteries, in general, or a mystery school or mystery religion. Rarely, a curse or hex.
A♥, Kn♠, 7♠: spirit in house, causing problems. Here, the Kn♠ shows the deceased spirit, and the 7♠ the problems being caused; the 7♠ following the Kn♠ shows that the spirit is sad and restless.
7♠, A♠, A♦: initiation into a mystery school or religion. The A♠ shows the symbolic death, and the A♦ shows the symbolic rebirth and renewing of consciousness.
K♠, 7♠, 3♠: a male witch casting a hex causes minor troubles.
Again, the 7♠ will more often be read as tears, something hidden, or an investigation. But the Mystery interpretations will still be valid on rare occasion.
We have previously indicated that the suit of ♠s is the suit of the Craft, signifying as they do Fate, the Underworld, and the element Earth (which should not be confused with the Midworld or Greenfield). Thus, the K♠ may be a male witch, the Q♠ a female witch. The Kn♠ may indicate the witch’s familiar or fetch, or possibly a younger witch of either gender or a candidate for admission to a coven or family. The witch coven or family, itself, would be represented by the 8♠. The 4♣ 8♠ represents the outside meeting place or covenstead, while the A♥ 8♠ may indicate a witch household.
Finally, we highlight that herbs and herbalism are shown by the 3♣.
You should now be sufficiently versed in the symbolism of the cards that you can piece together their words into any magical sentence that you need. Should you wish to investigate the use of magic on crops, then you would be looking for a combination of the 3♣ and 7♣. The dark, poisonous witch herbs might be shown by 3♣ 9♠. An owlblink curse cast by a female witch may be shown by Q♠ 6♦ 7♠, with the 6♦ here indicating the eyes (see below). 4♣ 8♠ 7♥ shows the coven meeting at the covenstead at the full moon.
The clever witch, upon becoming skilled in the speech of the cards, will soon find other magical uses to which they can be put.
Matters of Health
Many of the cards have correspondences to the human body. The Aces, the roots of the suits, have the following generalized meanings, as you already know:
A♦: the nervous system
A♥: the circulatory system
A♣: the muscular system
A♠: the skeletal system
You will generally not use the Aces, however, in interpreting health matters, just the cards 2 through 10. The Courts will show the person or people who will be affected by the health matter, although a Knave may occasionally show the transmission or communication of an illness.
Again, like our other two sections above, there must be present in the spread some key indicator cards before you begin to think about health and illness in your interpretation. The primary card is the 5♠ in this instance. Secondarily, the 4♠. As done above, we will now go through the individual meanings of cards in health matters, and then we will cover some example combinations so that you understand the method of interpretation. You will generally find that the meaning of each card in health matters is fairly logical in terms of the number and suit meaning, so what you learn here will be easily grafted onto what you already know.
2♦ = ears. Two is a receptive number, and we have two ears. You will note also that several meanings of the 2♦ have to do with using one’s ears.
3♦ = energy level, in general.
4♦ = solar plexus. Located in the stable “core” of the body. The solar plexus is also sometimes called the abdominal brain. As an aside, this plexus is governed by the planet Jupiter, which has to do with financial abundance, so it links back to the usual meanings of the 4♦.
5♦ = stomach. The 5♦ has to do with eating, so this stomach is just an extended meaning.
6♦ = eyes. This card indicates distance, and the eyes bring distant images to our brain to be processed.
7♦ = trouble. The 7s, mostly, indicate general trouble with the system corresponding to its suit. Here, nervous trouble.
8♦ = throat, speech. Since the 8s indicate communication, this is simply an extended meaning.
9♦ = nerves, in general. Because 9s indicate changes, this card usually shows nervous energy in flux – at times low, at times high.
10♦ = brain. The coordinator of the nervous system in general. Also, the head in general.
2♥ = breasts. A rather easy meaning to remember, although not often used.
3♥ = iron/vitamins/nutrition. The building blocks of the blood.
4♥ = medication, a stable harmony, improvement, recuperation, good health. Medication helps restore the body to a stable harmony.
5♥ = genitals. Because this card indicates sexual activity, this is an extended meaning.
6♥ = blood. Travels through the circulatory system.
7♥ = trouble. Trouble with the circulatory system, in general. Poor circulation, perhaps.
8♥ = arteries. Which communicate the blood to different areas of the body.
9♥ = heart. An extended meaning because this wish card represents the “heart’s desire”.
10♥ = body fluids, in general.
2♣ = hands. Again, two of them; our most useful tools for accomplishing tasks.
3♣ = smaller muscles. This meaning makes use of the “small” meaning of 3.
4♣ = feet. Keeping the body on a stable footing.
5♣ = adrenals. Providing the chemical basis for actions.
6♣ = legs. The means for traveling distances. An extension of the meaning of 6 indicating steps or progress.
7♣ = trouble, muscle soreness. Again, just a general meaning for this 7.
8♣ = lungs, oxygen. Oxygen, of course, is communicated to the blood, and thence to the rest of the body through the blood. This card also makes use of the designation air for ♣s.
9♣ = glandular system. Constantly in flux and balancing our body’s chemistry.
10♣ = larger muscles. This meaning makes use of the “large” or “great” meanings of the 10s.
A Note on the Spades and Health Matters: As you will note below, only a few of the ♠s have skeletal or bone meanings. The remainder of them have meanings indicating illness or medical matters in general.
2♠ = teeth. Made of bone, and begins the process of separating or breaking down our food into component parts.
3♠ = spine. An easy one to remember because the three ♠s in a line will remind you of the spine.
4♠ = exhaustion. This meaning you are already familiar with.
5♠ = ill health. This is another meaning you are familiar with.
6♠ = elimination system. This card’s health meaning comes from its general meaning of getting rid of things or walking away from them.
7♠ = examination, investigation, diagnosis, doctor. You already know that the 7♠ indicates a mystery or something hidden or an investigation. In the context of health matters, it may indicate an examination or diagnosis by a doctor.
8♠ = infection. An illness communicated to another.
9♠ = surgery, improvement. The extended meaning of surgery comes from the meaning of injury, as surgery is simply controlled, purposeful injury. Because the 9s indicate change, this card may also indicate improvement from illness if followed by a ♥ or ♦.
10♠ = bone, very serious illness. Again, the meaning of the 10s indicating “much” or “great” finds use here. It also indicates bone, in general, and from it you may discern that a bone may be broken or that the bones of the body are thinning or growing weaker.
To assist you in understanding how to see health information in the cards, we will go through some additional example combinations. Note that sometimes the meanings you are already familiar with may also be used in conjunction with health matters. These will be pointed out in the examples when they occur. As you study each combination, endeavor to think through their logic on your own. Again, remember, too, that the 4♠ or 5♠ must appear in combination with the other cards or be nearby in order for you to make use of a health interpretation.
A♦, 5 ♠, 2♣: minor burn injury to the hand.
2♦, 8♠: ear infection.
3♦, 4♠, 4♥: low energy level, exhaustion; medication will assist.
5♦, 5♠: poor eating habits leading to ill-health.
5♦, 5♠, 10♠: ulcer.
5♦, 9♦, 4♠: nervous stomach.
6♦, 7♠: eye examination. The color of the card following the combination will show the results of the exam – whether vision has worsened (black) or stayed the same or improved (red).
6♦, 5♠, 4♥: medication for the eyes.
8♦, 5♠: sore throat. If the 4♠, instead, probably laryngitis with loss of voice owing to nervous exhaustion. Sometimes 8♦, 3♠ also shows loss of voice.
10♦, 8♦, 4♠: mental instability, probably a chemical imbalance in the brain.
2♥, 5♦, 4♠: trouble with breastfeeding.
2♥, 7♠, Q♣: breast examination by female doctor.
4♥, 5♠, 9♦: medication causing bad side effects, and needs to be changed or adjusted for better effects.
4♥, 5♠. 7♠: medication causing depression.
4♥, 5♠, Q♠: addicted to prescription medication. The Q♠ here indicates the wrong use of the medication, and does not necessarily indicate a woman.
5♥. Kn♠, 5♠: sexually transmitted disease.
5♥, Q♥, 7♠: gynecological examination.
6♥, 4♠. 3♥: the blood lacks iron or other nutrients; needs supplementation.
6♥, 4♠. 4♥: the same, but medication indicated.
6♥, 8♠, 5♠: blood infection.
6♥, 10♠, 4♠: high blood pressure, causing exhaustion. Note that here the meaning of the 10♠ has to do with “great force”, not bone.
8♥, 5♠, 9♦: drinking too much is causing fluctuations in nervous system.
8♥, 5♠, 10♠: alcoholism.
9♥, 5♠, 10♠: serious heart disease.
4♣, 10♥, 5♠: water retention in the feet, edema, dropsy.
8♣, 10♥, 5♠: pneumonia; fluid in the lungs.
3♥, 5♣, 5♠: hyperactive child.
8♣, 4♠: congestion in the lungs; coughing; not serious.
2♠, 6♠, 4♥: having a tooth pulled; harmony restored. Note here that the 6♠ indicates getting rid of the tooth, and does not indicate the eliminative system.
3♠, 4♠: spine out of alignment. If the 3♦, present it may be causing a nerve pinching. If the 3♣, perhaps causing muscle soreness.
Court, 4♠: usually indicates the common cold.
5♠, Q♠, 6♠: drug addiction.
9♠, 3♥: a child born by Caesarean section.
Some Important Notes On Reading Health Matters:
Don’t Be Foolish: Unless you have a medical degree, you are not a physician. You may not diagnose. You may not treat. You may not prescribe. You may not do anything that a government legally empowers only a physician to do. Choose your words carefully. If you cannot follow this rule, forbear from mentioning health matters at all.
Be Cautious in Major Matters: This is a very sensitive area for Seekers, particularly if they and those around them are in fine health, for then you have the potential of scaring them senseless with the possibility of future malady. Therefore, if you are thinking of mentioning a serious health matter, it must be something that has absolutely seized you upon first notice – an intuition of such force that you have no choice but to serve as Fate’s mouthpiece for its announcement. Otherwise, forbear. This advice is particularly apt for those who have not read cards regularly for more than a year. After a year of steadily working with the cards, you will be able to judge rather easily whether a certain trio of cards indicates a major health problem, or whether the cards are indicating something else unrelated to health.
Specific Questions: Naturally, if a Seeker asks you a specific question about a health matter, major or minor, the presence or absence of the cards indicating that problem will enable you to answer the question. Thus, even if you do not plan on mentioning major health matters in your readings as a matter of course, it still behooves you to know how to see them in the event of specific questions.
Death: We covered this topic in a note to the interpretation of the A♠ in the essay for the Witch of Middling Memory, and refer you thereto to refresh your memory.
Cancer: The 3♠ has an alternate health interpretation – cancer – the growth of injurious cell forms. The 5♠ should be in combination with the 3♠, the 7♠ (diagnosis, doctor) should be present nearby in the spread, and the 9♠ (change for the worse) or 10♠ (worry, grief) should also be present nearby in the spread. If the 7♠ is missing, there will be no diagnosis of cancer; if the 5♠ is missing, there is no cancer; in either of those cases, however, the Seeker may still fear the presence of cancer. If you judge from the cards that cancer is not relevant, you may be able to see, instead, what the actual health issue is causing the Seeker’s worry. If you determine that cancer is a serious future possibility, look also for the A♠ and remember the rules concerning death.
For Whom?: Upon seeing a health matter in the cards, your next task will be to determine which person it impacts…the Seeker? Or another person in the Seeker’s life? Sometimes the person indicated is close to the Seeker – a parent or sibling or child. At other times, it is someone in the Seeker’s life, but not very close – the sibling of someone the Seeker knows at work, for instance, or the child of a neighbor. Whoever it is, it will be indicated somewhere in the spread before you. The difficulty here is that a single card, for instance – the Q♥ -- may indicate one of several people in the Seeker’s life – a mother, an older sister, a best friend. Therefore, you must apply all of your powers of discernment to unveil the precise meaning of the card. Continuing with the example of the Q♥ -- what cards are close to her? The 5♥? Perhaps a close friend. The A♥? Someone in the immediate household or close family member. The 2♣? A female business partner. Moreover, making matters more difficult, the cards unveiling the proper meaning may not be directly next to the Q♥, but connected with her in some other way – such as being in a separate, but connecting line in the Square of Nine or the “card above” in a trio of the Three Steps or in a projected card in The Great Throw (as will be explained below).
Because of the difficulty in determining the issue, many Witches have found the best approach to be as follows: When confronted with a health matter for a person indicated by a specific card, and the precise interpretation (mother, daughter, sibling, etc.) does not immediately seize you, be general. If the Q♥, say that the health matter will impact a woman that is dear to the Seeker’s heart. If the Seeker accepts this without comment, say no more. But if the Seeker asks for more detail -- “Can you tell exactly who it is, though?” , “Can you be more specific?”, or some such, -- then close your eyes for a moment , go silently within yourself, and call on Mother Fate. Then open your eyes and cast them over the spread and allow yourself to be seized by the card or cards that are most relevant in unveiling the correct answer. The card or cards may, but need not, be directly near the Q♥. In fact, the Witch’s eyes may fall on two different cards at opposite ends of the spread. For instance, let us say that in answer to the Seeker’s question for greater specificity, her eyes are seized by the 2nd and 22nd cards of The Three Steps, and there finds the 6♣ and the 3♦. Taking those cards as her cues, the Witch will elaborate: “It is a woman dear to your heart who is currently attempting to further her education to make herself more marketable in the working world”.
This practice of “being seized” by the cards can take a bit of practice. But be confident from the beginning. When a Seeker asks an honest question you, Mother Fate will give you the means of providing an honest answer. However, after following the above procedure, if no cards seize your attention, then say, “The cards say no more than I have already said.” Do not act sheepish when this happens. Do not apologize to the Seeker for not saying more. Mother Fate serves well those Witches who serve her well, but She may hesitate to reveal all of Her secrets, even to those She has taken closest to Her bosom.
Spacing of the 4♠ and/or 5♠: You will note that in many of the above example trios, the 4♠ or 5♠ appears in the trio itself. However, this need not be the case. It suffices if the 4♠ or 5♠ is somewhere nearby in the spread. For instance, let us say that cards 11, 12, and 13 of the Three Steps are K♣, 6♥, and 10♠, and that the 5♠ appears in station 16. If the Witch is seized by these cards, she may justly read that the Seeker’s grandfather (K♣ followed by a ♥) is experiencing high blood pressure (6♥, 10♠), and that it may be getting more serious. In general, the closer the spacing of the 4♠ or 5♠, the more pressing the problem. Again, this is something that the apprentice cardteller learns from practice and in implicitly trusting Mother Fate to guide her.
Be Discreet: As you grow in experience you will see all manner of health-related issues. Be discreet, whispering if you must. Seekers do not want their health information broadcasted to all and sundry. For instance, the Witch writing this essay was once telling cards at a barbecue party in an upscale neighborhood as
a favor to an elderly friend. Upon reading the cards for a neighbor woman, the Witch saw that her 16-year-old daughter was in the early stages of a pregnancy (Kn♠, 3♥, 7♠; a girl troubled because she is keeping a pregnancy hidden). The Witch discreetly whispered that information across the table. The neighbor woman turned seven shades of red and whispered back with equal discretion: “You are correct. She has told no one but me. I have not yet figured out a way to tell her father”. Any skilled cardtelling witch could recite numerous similar examples. The apprentice would do well to always remember to keep the secrets of Seekers. Failing to do so is running the risk that Mother Fate will decline to entrust them to your care in the first place.
The Presence of Third Parties: And whilst we are on the subject of discretion, the skilled cardteller will also occasionally see illegal activities, marital infidelity, and profitable falsehoods. It is for this reason that many Witches highly skilled in cardtelling will not allow a third person to “listen in” on a Seeker’s reading. Sometimes a Seeker and a friend consult the Witch “for a lark” or “for fun.” There is little harm in that attitude until the Seeker realizes that the Witch may reveal potentially damaging information about her or someone close to her. If you are highly skilled, and if the Seeker wants a third person listening in, you must warn the Seeker that you will hold nothing back merely because of the presence of the third. If the Seeker persists, however, then simply proceed.
Minor Health Matters: Although the Witch of exceptional memory should leave off in predicting most health matters until she has worked with the cards steadily for at least a year, there are some minor health matters that she may look for immediately every time she reads the cards. Nor are they dependent on the presence of the 4♠ or 5♠ anywhere in the spread. Those cards may be wholly absent and the following interpretations will still hold true.
Energy Level: If the 3♦ appears in the spread, you can always evaluate the Seeker’s energy level. If the 3♦ is followed by or coupled with a ♠, the Seeker’s energy level will be low. If followed by two ♠s, it will be low for a prolonged period of time. If followed by a ♠, and then a ♥, the energy level will be low (because of some issue – not necessarily a health issue – indicated by the ♠), but will then return to normal (♥). If the 3♦ is followed by a ♣ and then a ♥, you may mention that the Seeker will have sufficient energy to successfully accomplish the task he has set for himself. And so on. As you can see, you are largely interpreting the 3♦ in general terms according to the suits of the cards that follow it or are connected to it.
Nervous Stomach: The 5♦, indicating the stomach, should always be looked for. If a ♠ follows it or if many ♠s are around it, the Seeker has a nervous stomach or the stomach is the barometer for the Seeker’s emotions.
Headaches: Likewise, the 10♦, indicating the brain and head in general, followed by a ♠ will show the Seeker prone to headaches. This is also true, to a somewhat lesser degree, of the 9♦. If the 5♠ is present, the headaches may cause the Seeker to feel ill; if the 4♠, exhausted. If the 10♠ is involved, the headaches may be severe or migrainous in nature.
Exhaustion, Reduced Defenses, Cold: Always look for the 4♠ next to a Court; it will indicate the body’s defenses are down and that the person is exhausted. This usually signals the onslaught of a cold. If the 8♦ is involved, the throat may be affected, as with a cough. If the 8♣, congestion in the chest. If the 8♠, an infection of some type is possible.
Poor Eating Habits: The 3♥ followed by a ♠ would be the combination to look for.
Insufficient Exercise: The 5♣ followed by a ♠.
So ends our discussion of health matters. Illustrative examples of home, magical, and health matters will be found in the interpretation of the sample spreads below.
Spreads
We will be covering four new spreads for the Witch of Exceptional Memory – the Coven, the Wheel, the Temple of Fortune, and the Grand Throw.
The Coven
This is a traditional spread composed of 13 cards. It can be timed as usual, or if the timing fails, it will show the future over the coming 8-12 weeks. It may also be used to answer a question. We will look at an example of each general future and question.
This is the one of the few card spreads that make use of the Joker. Lay it in the middle of the working place; it represents the Seeker. Have the Seeker shuffle the cards and cut them. Fan them out and have the Seeker select 13 of them, face down. Keep them in order as the Seeker selects them, then lay them, faces upward, in the following pattern:
The cards have been placed in pairs because that is how they are read. The 13th card (above denoted by “7”) is placed over the Joker. The diagram, itself, represents a coven of 13 – 6 pairs of witches, plus a leader.
To Read the Coven Spread: First, read card 7 as indicating the general tone of the future. Then read the cards in pairs – 1A and 1B, 2A and 2B, and so on. Finally, each of the cards 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B shall indicate a particular subject or area of life that will be affected by the trio of cards around each of them. For instance, the subject represented by 1A will be affected by the trio of cards 5A, 3A, 6B. If you have difficulty determining whether something is favorable or unfavorable, refer to the center card (7) for assistance; because it represents the general tone of the future, it is the most important card and affects all of the other cards. With practice, you will find that your interpretation will not be succeedent and tidy, as listed above. As soon as you interpret 1A with 1B, your mind will go to the three cards around 1A in order to get more information. This will become clear as we interpret the example. The pairings give us a little information, but then the larger groupings provide much more expansive detail. Thus, in the interpretation below, it will seem like we are “backtracking”; that is purposeful to show you the step-by-step thought process in interpretation; with good practice, however, your mind will fluidly combine all the information at once.
Coven Spread/Future Example: A general future was sought by a male Seeker of medium coloring, about 35 years old. His card would therefore be the K♥. This reading was conducted in April 2005, and the cards fell as follows:
The first thing to note in this spread is that the A♠ is the middle card, indicating an important decision and a big change. This is confirmed by the fact that all four 6s (“Six means a path that the Seeker shall tread”) have appeared in this spread of only 13 cards. Another thing to note is that only four cards are Red, whilst the other nine are Black. There are toils (three ♣s) and difficulties (six ♠s) ahead for this Seeker.
Let us look at our pairings:
6♣, 10♠: The Seeker is worried about a business trip he will be taking (it will be over land); inadequate preparation is likely his specific worry since a ♠ follows the 6♣ (steps toward a business goal). Because the A♠ is in the middle, it affects everything we say; therefore, this is likely to be a very important business trip for the Seeker.
6♦, 7♠: Now is not the time for the Seeker to make financial investments. In addition, the Seeker will have trouble with his car.
K♣, 9♥: The Seeker’s wish may come true through the agency of a business person.
6♠, Kn♠: Although this combination may indicate a troubled youth running away (see Combinations section in Middling Memory), the sense the Witch received when reading this was that a troublesome person would depart from the Seeker’s life.
6♥, 3♠: A pleasure trip that the Seeker is planning will be cancelled. Progress will be interfered with by small aggravations or a third party.
K♦, 2♣: A helping hand or business arrangement with a financial advisor.
The above pairings give us some information, but not a great deal, so let us turn toward more specific interpretation of the four inner cards:
6♣, as affected by the 6♥, K♣, 2♣: We previously saw that the Seeker is worried about an important business trip. He we see that during the trip he will meet with two authoritative business people (K♣, 2♣ [the 2♣ indicates a doubling]), and that it involves a business partnership (2♣). The Seeker is presently concerned about inadequate preparation, but the 6♥ shows that by the time the meeting comes around, he will be adequately prepared. Moreover, the presence of the 6♥ shows that good progress will be made at the meeting. As a result of this good progress, however, a good deal of additional work will be generated for the Seeker (two ♣s follow the ♥). Thus, this area will turn out well for the Seeker.
10♠, as affected by the K♦, 9♥, 3♠: We already know that the Seeker is worried about his business trip, and that he will make good progress despite his worries. Here we see he small obstacles (3♠) he will face in his preparations for that trip. We saw that the K♣ was linked with the 9♥, and now we see that the K♦ is also linked with the 9♥. From this we can conclude that all of his worries will be for naught, and that both of the authoritative business people (as indicated by the two Ks, as well as the 2♣) will only be too willing to overlook any shortcomings or help him (2♣) over any small obstacles (3♠).
6♦, as affected by the 6♥, 6♠, K♦: The primary focus here is steps toward a financial goal or investments (6♦). The 6♥ followed by the 6♠ indicates that his investment finances will progress for a bit, and then turn sour. He should avoid any risky investments schemes, as no profit shall come from them (confirmed by the 7♠ being paired with the 6♦ earlier). The K♦ ends the trio, and with a red card, things will turn out well; the K♦ signifies that he will seek the services of a competent investment adviser to aid him after things turn sour (6♠, K♦). Note that we have “recycled” the K♦ for an additional interpretation. That same card represented one of the two authoritative business people with whom he will have his business meeting; here it represents a financial advisor. Do not be afraid to use the same Court card to represent a different person if there appear to be two (or more) contexts for the interpretation of the Court card.
7♠, as affected by the 2♣, Kn♠, 3♠: The 7♠ indicates double trouble, and the source of it is the Kn♠. This would be a younger person in the Seeker’s environment, associated with the Seeker’s business (2♣), who causes problems. The Kn♠ is a troubled (7♠) or even “lost” soul (3♠) who is not suited to a cooperative business (2♣) environment. We already know that this person will be leaving the Seeker’s environment (paired with the 6♠). Because the Kn is a ♠, and is coupled with two other ♠s, the Witch surmised that the person would lose his job (3♠), i.e., be fired.
There are no cards representing household or magical matters in this spread. Neither are the 4♠ or 5♠ present, so health matters are not at issue. Or are they? Read the notes on cancer again and look at that cluster of ♠s in the reading – the A (death), 3 (cancer), 7 (investigation/diagnosis/doctor), and 10 (worry) are all present and in close proximity. In addition, there is the Kn♠, possibly indicating bad news. The sense of the cards is that someone that the Seeker knows – the Witch felt it was the K♦ (note that this is the third time we have used this King) – may think he will be diagnosed with cancer. That is not true, however; the 5♠ is not present, and the 9♥ is close by, indicating that all we be well with him.
The Seeker’s card did not appear in the spread. Upon searching the deck, the K♥ was found facing the 5♣, indicating the fifth week of autumn, so the events of the reading will come to pass by mid-October 2005.
Note on Timing: What if the K♦ had been the Seeker’s card? How would we time it in this spread. Simply follow the usual rule. If you lay out the cards as above, you will see that the K♦, although angled, is actually looking at the 6♠. In that instance, the timing would be the sixth week of Winter, or about the beginning of February 2006.
What if the K♣ had been the Seeker’s card? Laying out the cards as above, you will see the K♣ facing outward from the spread, toward no card. In that instance, timing fails, and you would rely on the 8-to-12-weeks designation.
A Word About Difficult Readings: It is common for instructors to pick out the most wonderful, exciting, and lucid examples to use in teaching their apprentices. We, however, forbear from that practice as a matter of principle. We have included the above reading because it was a difficult one. For one, the Seeker was skeptical and challenging. For two, there is little excitement or pleasure laid out in the reading. After all, a hum-drum temperamental Seeker salvaging a business deal by the seat of his pants through the good grace of others is hardly riveting (although, mark my words, it will be important and relevant to the Seeker). When confronted with a reading such as the above, simply follow the rules. Indeed, the more confounding the reading, the more beneficial it will be for you to fall back even to the firstmost rule.
Coven Spread and Questions: Firstly, when asking a question by the Coven Spread, the Joker is not used. Instead, you must pick a card to represent the question topic and use that card in place of the Joker. If a Seeker
is concerned about her children, use the 3♥. If about changing jobs, use the 9♣. If the concern is finances in general, use the 8♦. If emotional trouble, the 7♥. If ill health, use the 5♠. If a love affair, use the 2♥. And so on. Then follow the same directions as above for laying out the cards. In interpreting, you should make the meanings relevant to the question asked, although you may also refer to outside events or conditions that may affect the question asked. Using these topic designations will be of use to you when interpreting a Grand Throw, where they are used extensively.
Secondly, when using the Coven Spread to answer certain questions, you will not necessarily be looking to pinpoint events in space and time. Therefore, your interpretation will sometimes be a bit more free-flowing. This is reflected in our Coven Spread question example below.
Coven Spread/Question Example: A young woman of 17 was uncertain of her career path, and asked the Witch for some guidance. She was of very dark complexion, and thus the card chosen was the Kn♠. Note that the ♠ refers to her complexion, not her temperament or character. This reading was conducted in April 2002. The question card was chosen as the 8♣, indicating work or career in general.
The cards fell as follows:
The first thing notable thing here is that the spread is very balanced – six Reds, seven Blacks, three ♦s, three ♥s, three ♣s, and four ♠s. No color or suit predominates greatly. The next thing we note is that the 4♥ is in the middle, indicating emotional stability, an even temper, fairness, and justice. That card will affect the rest of the cards in the reading. Let us turn first to the pairings to see how the Witch pieced together the answer:
6♦, 10♣: The young woman seeks a career that will allow her to make steps toward greater financial freedom (6♦). A fairly demanding career, one that will provide much work as well as a sense of achievement, is also indicated (10♣).
7♣, 6♥: The 7♣ usually indicates troubles at work or practical problems. Here, it is followed by the 6♥, indicating good progress and moving ahead. What is interesting here is that the two red 6s have been paired with two Clubs that indicate much work or challenges at work. The Witch interpreted these cards as indicating that the young woman would do best in a career that challenged her, perhaps with knotty problems or deadlines, thus allowing her to feel that she was making continual progress in her career. Some people work best under pressure and with challenges. The young woman was such a one.
2♠, 4♣: The 2♠ indicates that the career shall have some amount of conflict inherent in it, and yet not the type of conflict that would threaten her job security (4♣). The 4♣ may also indicate a desk job, and could also possibly indicate land.
A♦, K♦: The A♦ could possibly indicate money and finances, although the intuition of the Witch was that it simply represented “something new” that would start a fire in her mind. The source of that inspiration would be a male professor (K♦). The K♦ also confirms the meaning of the earlier 6♦; the young woman would like a career that gives her financial power.
5♥, Q♠ and K♠, 4♠: Looking ahead, the Witch saw that these two pairings were best interpreted together, for the Q♠ and K♠ are probably a married couple. Upon seeing these two cards together, coupled with the 4♠, the Witch asked the young woman whether her parents were involved in the same field – particularly, the armed forces, law enforcement, or perhaps the law. You will see that these are the types of field that fall naturally to the Spades, particularly the 4♠. Let us not also forget the 4♥, in the vital middle position, indicating fairness and justice. The young woman affirmed that both of her parents were attorneys, although her mother was taking a break from her career at the moment. That last fact is indicated by the 5♥ (enjoyment) being paired with the Q♠.
Here the Witch drew her conclusion, and declared that the young woman would go into law, for that field fulfilled the conditions of the previous cards. It would allow her financial freedom, give her a sense of achievement in meeting challenges and deadlines, has an inherent amount of conflict in it because Western legal system is adversarial, and yet it is not the type of conflict that threatens one’s job security. Also, legal jobs involved a significant amount of “desk time”. Both of her parents are attorneys, although the mother was no longer practicing. Note, too, that three 4s are present. A clue that the young woman would follow in her parents’ footsteps is that “four does not change”.
Upon hearing the conclusion, the young woman demurred and positively affirmed that she was not at all interested in the law as a career. The Witch, being often accustomed to having Seekers presumptuously believe that they have greater knowledge of the future than she, did not bat an eye. Instead, she stated that such might be the case now, but that a male professor (K♦) in her future would set a fire of inspiration (A♦) in her concerning that career, and that she would subsequently be devoted to the causes of justice in one form or another.
Although you will largely tailor your interpretation to the question asked, you should also feel free to make other statements or predictions indicated by the cards, should you feel inclined to do so. This is best left to the end of the interpretation, so as not to confuse the Seeker. In the above spread, the Witch made the following additional predictions.
Additional Predictions: 6♦, as affected by the 5♥, 2♠, 4♠: A car trip that the Seeker is planning with friends will be cancelled, owing to arguments or dissension. The situation will be an unstable one, and the plan will not be revived anytime soon thereafter (two ♠s ending). The Seeker will also hear that a friend (5♥) of hers living at a distance (6♦) is having trouble with her teeth or a tooth (2♠, 4♠).
10♣, as affected by the K♠, 4♣, Q♠: The Seeker’s parents (K♠, Q♠) have been working hard (signified by the series of ♣, ♠, ♣, ♠, showing effort intermingled with problems) toward the acquisition of some land or a building for investment purposes (the 10♣, being card 1B, may naturally paired with the 6♦, which is card 1A, and which signifies the investment), and they will soon achieve that goal (10♣).
7♣, as affected by the 5♥, A♦, K♠: Through happenstance (7♣), the Seeker shall form a new (A♦) friendship (5♥) with an older boy (K♠). But because a ♠ ends this combination, there is trouble on the horizon. He has the power (K) to hinder her or hold her back (♠).
6♥, as affected by the 4♠, K♦, Q♠: This shows that the Seeker’s grandfather (K♦), probably on her mother’s side (Q♠), is experiencing some health exhaustion problems (4♠) related to his blood (6♥) – probably poor circulation, which in turn is causing some muscle soreness (linked up to the 7♣, which is card 2A). Note the clever speech of the cards here. The condition does not appear to be serious to anyone else, but the K♦ – who is a restless man that likes to be up and about continually – is hemmed in by ♠s. The cards are whispering to you that it s a much more serious condition for him, to experience it, than it appears to others merely witnessing it.
A Magical Application of the Coven Spread: The Coven of the Cards: There is a magical application of The Coven Spread. It may be used to cast spells when the Joker and Courts are laid out in a certain way. Set the Joker in the center of your working space. Then lay out the Courts as follows:
1A= J♦ 1B= J♣
2A= J♥ 2B= J♠
3A= K♦ 3B= K♣
4A= K♥ 4B= K♠
5A= Q♦ 5B= Q♣
6A= Q♥ 6B= Q♠
This is the Coven of the Cards, which will work your spell for you. You will note some interesting patterns in this arrangement, but we will leave them to you to contemplate on your own. To work a spell, choose a trio of cards to represent your objective. If you want a huge raise in pay at work, you might choose the 8♣, 9♦, and 10♦, in that order. Make them into a little pile, face-up, with the first card of the trio at the bottom and the last card of the trio at the top, and place them underneath the Joker, thereby symbolizing your dominance over circumstance. Then leave them be. Once in the morning, upon arising, and once in the evening, upon retiring, take out the trio from underneath the Joker, name the cards and state your wish, using the following formula or similar words: “8 of Clubs, 9 of Diamonds, 10 of Diamonds, I want a huge raise in pay at work, and by the power of witchery, so it is mine already.” Then replace the trio as it was before.
All sorts of little spells may be wrought by this method – finding lost objects, making someone contact you, finding a buyer for real estate that one is selling, the return of health, casting minor hexes, a blessing on crops, and so on. Leaving a symbolic pattern of cards set out like this is similar to allowing a candle to burn for a long time. Once the spell is commenced, it continues to build of its own momentum, a secret built into the half-light, half-dark pattern you will see upon laying out the cards. The Coven of the Cards is always working toward the Witch’s aim, even whilst she is occupied with other tasks or journeying. And with no risk to burning down her house.
When the spell has been fulfilled or the wish granted, remove the trio, place the three cards back in the deck, and then say words of honor and blessing to the Coven of the Cards. Finally, let the members of the Coven of the Cards be dispersed to their places in the deck until you shall have need to convene them again.
The Wheel
This is a common spread amongst old-time fortune tellers. It is good for making general predictions of the future, as well as for questions of a very general nature (“Tell me about the status of my relationship, please?” or “How shall my career progress within the next year?”). It may be timed, but if timing fails, it shall hold good for 3 to 6 months. Once you are skilled in the speech of the cards, this spread will roll along quite quickly for you. The pattern of 8 spokes with a central hub is as follows:
Choose a card for the Seeker, but leave it within the deck. Have the Seeker shuffle the cards, making a wish perhaps, and then cut them. Fan out the cards face down on the table and have the Seeker choose 27 of them. Keep them in order as the Seeker selects them. When finished, deal out one card on each spot for the bottom card of each trio, then deal out a second card on each spot for the middle card of each trio, and then deal out a final card on each spot for the top card of each trio.
There are only nine trios to interpret for this spread. The meanings of each station are as follows:
1: Present
2: Desire
3: Avoidance
4: Past
5: Future
6: Past Advantage
7: Future Opportunity
8: Future Problem
9: Past Mistake
You will note that all of the past cards are to the left. All of the future cards are to the right. The center shows the present. The center top shows the Desire, what the Seeker wishes to happen or where he wishes to head in terms of goals. The center bottom shows those things that the Seeker wishes to avoid or would prefer to forget exist. The best approach in reading this spread is to examine trio 1 first. Then examine trios 2 and 3. These will give you a good foundation in judging the Seeker’s past and future. Then proceed to examine trios, 4, 6 and 9. The order in which you examine those packs may depend on the nature of the cards themselves. Turn over all three packs at once and follow your intuition as to which to read first. Sometimes it is best to read in the order of 6, 4, 9 because the cards will show a past advantage (pack 6) that the Seeker has then squandered through his actions (pack 4), resulting in loss (pack 9). Likewise, reading the packs in the order of 9, 4, and 6 will sometimes show a past mistake that the Seeker has turned to his advantage. In other instances, the cards will show discrete areas of life – perhaps a past financial advantage (pack 6), a past emotional mistake (pack 9), and then some discrete event like the purchase of a car, or the surmounting of a health problem (pack 4); in those instances, it really does not matter the order in which you read the cards. Follow the same intuitive procedure with packs 5, 7, and 8 in the future.
Wheel Spread Example: A general future was sought by a mature male Seeker of slightly darker coloring, about 30 years old. His card would therefore be the K♣. The Seeker was also a male witch. This reading was conducted in April 2004. The interpretation below follows the suggestion above regarding the order of the packs:
Pack 1: Present: 6♠, 7♦, K♠: Two spades bounding a diamond indicate a troubled purse, as you learned in the first essay. It is easy to see here that the Seeker has been on the wrong path ( 6♠) with regard to financial matters (7♦), and now finds himself learning a tough financial lesson (K♠). There is also a magical interpretation to this trio. He is attempting to study a form of divination (7♦), but is having difficulty learning it (6♠ signifying wrong path; and the K♠ showing hindrance in general). Not every method of divination works for every individual, and this witch was advised to search out a different method instead of trying to break through his frustration with the method he was presently studying.
Pack 2: Desire: J♣, 3♣, Q♣: Since these cards are in the desire position, we know that the Seeker is hoping to receive an offer (J♣) of a part-time position (3♣) from a business woman (Q♣). It makes sense that he is searching for additional work, given the financial difficulties showing in Pack 1.
Pack 3: Avoidance: J♥, Q♦, 5♥: Well, this is a very fair trio, indeed! Unfortunately, it falls in the position of avoidance. Given the previous two packs, it is clear that the Seeker is forbearing from spending money on dates
(J♥) and entertainment (5♥). This pack is similar to the combination Kn-Kn-5♥ or 6♥, which means an outing with young people. The presence of the Q♦ here in this similar combination is a clever turn of phrase in the cards – she emphasizes women, generally, as well as the truth of the Seeker’s financial predicament. Had we had the combination Kn-Kn-5♥ here, we would say, in general terms, that he was avoiding going out with friends. And from there we would infer that it is because of lack of funds. With the Q♦, however, the speech of the cards is more specific (dates with women) and explicit (truth of a financial matter).
Turning over the three packs to the left, the Witch decided to read them in the following order:
Pack 6: Past Advantage: 8♥, 9♥, 6♦: This pack of cards, all red, show a very fair and advantageous past for the Seeker. In fact, he was at one time living his wished-for lifestyle (9♥), with much social activity (8♥) and was making positive steps towards his financial goals (6♦). In general, his life was one of continual changes for the better (all red cards, 9♥). The presence of the 9♥ establishes that the Seeker’s wish is to return to this place of sociableness (8♥) and financial progress (6♦). We know from the present cards that he has not yet achieved that. The presence of the 9♥ at all is certainly a heartening sign for his wish, but because it falls in the past cards, it would be better to withhold final judgment until the future cards are evaluated.
Pack 4: Past: 4♣, Q♠, 7♣: Although all was going well, it appears that the troubles (all black cards, both in this pack and the next pack) commenced. Although his goals were on a firm footing and he considered himself to have job stability (4♣), a woman at work, probably one with authority over him, became ill-disposed towards him (Q♠), and troubles began at work (7♣). The initial event probably took place in the office (4♣) of the Q♠. Because this Queen is a spade, it is not out of the possibility that she also sabotaged the Seeker’s reputation with lies, or twisted truths (a Queen may indicate truth, but the spade turns it foul). That interpretation is particularly viable in this instance because the 8♠, indicating gossip and rumors also falls in the next pack.
Note that even though we are reading for a Witch, and that even though the 7♣ and Q♠ may have magical interpretations (a work of magic, a female witch or Fate, respectively), a magical interpretation was not used. That is because the Witch reading the cards at the time was not seized with a magical interpretation for them forthwith. Nor did she “force” a magical interpretation into the cards simply because she was reading for another Witch. Mind that you do the same and let intuition be your guide. If a magical interpretation of these cards had, indeed, seized the cardreading Witch, a viable interpretation might concern going into the country or land (4♣) to invoke the powers of Fate (Q♠) for an act of practical magic (7♣). But to return to our reading proper:
Pack 9: Past Mistake: 8♣, 8♠, 2♠: Even a witch of the most paltry skill in foretelling can see from these cards what happened next. All of the cards are black, and ending in two ♠s, so the interpretation is a foul one. The Seeker’s work atmosphere (8♣) became poisonous (8♠) to him, replete with gossip and rumors (8♠), likely
stemming from the Q♠ from the pack above ,so he eventually left the position (2♠). Note that the 8♠, 2♠ combination is similar in meaning to the 8♠, 6♠ (quitting or leaving job) from the list of combinations you will have previously studied.
Looking at the present packs again with the understanding of the past situation, we are now in a position to understand why he is in financial straits. The inference is that he left his job without having a new one. That was his mistake.
Turning over the packs for the future, the Witch elected to read them as follows. Note, however, even at first glance, how the balance of the Seeker’s fate is moving in a better direction. In the past, we saw three red cards followed by six black cards. Here, we have only two black cards amongst seven red cards.
Pack 5: Future: Kn♦, 2♦, 3♦: You will find this trio easy to interpret if you have studied our section on combinations. The Seeker will receive a telephone call that concerns a financial message (Kn♦, 2♦) and from it he will derive a bit more financial security (3♦). From this trio, we can infer that the Seeker will receive the hoped-for job offer shown forth in Desire, the second pack of cards. Good news for him!
Pack 7: Future Opportunity: 9♣, 9♦, A♦: But that is not the best news. This trio has another combination familiar to us – the 9♣ next to the 9♦ indicates that he will have a change in job with finances improving. Moreover, this will give him the new financial start (A♦) that he needs. Seeing this trio, the Witch felt that it would be a full-time job opportunity, different from the part-time opportunity shown forth by the 3♣ in the second pack, and the small financial increase shown forth by the 3♦ in the fifth pack. The sense of the trio here is of a bigger opportunity – something that gives him a whole new start, not simply helping him make some extra cash.
Pack 8: Future Problem: 3♠, 10♥, K♦: From the firstmost rule, we know that this trio shows that the Seeker’s situation will steadily improve. No big problem is shown by this trio, just small problems (3♠) that he will probably be able to cope with easily. Indeed, the 10♥ shows that he will become happier and achieve greater emotional security. But more importantly, he will again develop financial power and the ability to pay for things (K♦).
Now that we have read all of the cards, we can return to the wish card, which appeared in the sixth pack of past advantage. Because his future cards are so fair, we may now confidently judge that he will get his wish, and that his social and financial situations will improve.
As for timing, the K♣, the card chosen for the Seeker, is not amongst the cards. Searching the pack, he was found facing the 4♥, indicating the fourth week of summer, i.e., about the third week of July 2004.
We have two more spreads to cover – the Temple of Fortune and the Great Throw. The Webmistress informs us, however, that there are many prentice cardreaders clamoring for this third essay. Therefore, we have given her permission to post The Picturebook Compleat in this as-yet-Incompleat form. That will satisfy the needs of said prentices for additional study material, whilst allowing us additional time to explain and illustrate the final two spreads. We have greatly appreciated your patience, and hope that our labor shall further repay yours in the honor and practice of this useful and fascinating Arte.
