Hey there! I’ve been reading Tarot cards for almost a decade now, but it all started with reading playing cards. In this beginner’s guide to cartomancy, we’ll explore the suits, numbers, and court cards. Plus, I’ll show you how to do a basic reading using those fascinating playing cards. So, let’s dive in and uncover the hidden secrets of cartomancy, starting from where it all began – with a simple deck of playing cards.
SUITS:
In a standard deck of playing cards, there are four suits: hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades. Each suit represents a different aspect of life:
- ❤️ HEARTS emotions, relationships, love, and happiness.
- ♦️ DIAMONDS finances, material possessions, and practical matters.
- ♣️ CLUBS intellect, communication, work, and creativity. It’s usually considered a positive omen when the clubs shows up.
- ♠️ SPADES challenges, obstacles, loss, and transformation.
The suits of playing cards and tarot cards share some similarities in terms of the general characteristics associated with each suit. While there is no exact one-to-one correlation, we can draw some comparisons:
- ❤️ Hearts (Playing Cards) – 🏆 Cups (Tarot): Both symbolize emotions, relationships, and matters of the heart. They represent love, compassion, intuition, and spiritual connection.
- ♦️ Diamonds (Playing Cards) – 🪙 Pentacles/Coins (Tarot): Both represent material possessions, finances, and practical matters. They embody wealth, abundance, work, and tangible aspects of life.
- ♣️ Clubs (Playing Cards) – 🪄 Wands (Tarot): Both symbolize energy, creativity, and ambition. They represent inspiration, action, growth, and the pursuit of goals.
- ♠️ Spades (Playing Cards) – 🗡️ Swords (Tarot): Both represent challenges, intellect, and the mind. They embody conflict, truth, intellect, and decision-making.
By keeping these correlations in mind, individuals familiar with either system can draw upon the similar energies and interpretations found within each suit to enhance their understanding and readings. It’s important to note that the specific symbolism and meanings within tarot cards differ from playing cards, as tarot decks often include additional cards such as major arcana and court cards with more intricate symbolism and storytelling elements.
NUMBERS:
Each card in the deck has a number ranging from Ace (1) to 10, and some decks include face cards like the King, Queen, and Jack (which I’ll cover in the next section). The number on the card indicates the energy or influence of the card:
| Card | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ( A) ACES | new beginnings, potential, and opportunities |
| ( 2) TWOS | balance, partnership, and cooperation |
| ( 3) THREES | growth, expansion, and creativity |
| ( 4) FOURS | stability, foundations, and structure |
| ( 5) FIVES | change, challenges, and instability |
| ( 6) SIXES | harmony, balance, and communication |
| ( 7) SEVENS | introspection, spirituality, and inner wisdom |
| ( 8) EIGHTS | power, success, and abundance |
| ( 9) NINES | fulfillment, completion, and attainment |
| (10) TENS | endings, transformation, and cycles |
COURT CARDS:
The court cards consist of the Jack, Queen, and King in each suit. They represent different personalities or archetypes:
| Card | Meaning |
|---|---|
| JACK | Symbolize youthful energy, enthusiasm, and eagerness to learn. They often represent new opportunities and messages coming your way. |
| QUEEN | Represent nurturing, intuition, and empathy. They embody emotional support and can provide guidance and understanding. |
| KING | Embody authority, leadership, and maturity. They represent wisdom, control, and a sense of responsibility. |
These meanings are general guidelines, and the interpretation of court cards can be influenced by the context of the reading and the reader’s intuition.
SPECIFIC CARD MEANINGS:
Begin by familiarizing yourself with the meaning of each card in the deck. Take some time to study and understand the interpretation of each card.
Keep in mind that none of the cards are meant to “scare” you or who you are reading for, but rather “empower” you to work with the energy.
Here is a list of each card and their general meanings in cartomancy:
| ❤️ HEARTS ❤️ | emotions, relationships, love, and happiness |
|---|---|
| A ❤️ | Love, new relationships, emotional opportunities |
| 2 ❤️ | Partnerships, harmony, union |
| 3 ❤️ | Celebration, joy, social gatherings |
| 4 ❤️ | Stability in relationships, a solid foundation |
| 5 ❤️ | Loss, emotional challenges, heartbreak |
| 6 ❤️ | Healing, reconciliation, compassion |
| 7 ❤️ | Inner search, spiritual growth, introspection |
| 8 ❤️ | Emotional fulfillment, happiness, wish granted |
| 9 ❤️ | Contentment, emotional stability, attainment |
| 10 ❤️ | Love and emotional fulfillment, harmony in relationships |
| J ❤️ | Friendly person, someone who brings joy and positivity |
| Q ❤️ | Nurturing, compassionate, caring person |
| K ❤️ | Charismatic leader, wise, fair authority figure |
| ♦️ DIAMONDS | emotions, relationships, love, and happiness |
|---|---|
| A♦️ | Material opportunities, new beginnings in finances. |
| 2 ♦️ | Financial partnerships, cooperation in business. |
| 3 ♦️ | Skills development, growth in practical matters. |
| 4 ♦️ | Financial stability, solid foundations. |
| 5 ♦️ | Financial challenges, instability, setbacks. |
| 6 ♦️ | Material balance, generosity, receiving assistance. |
| 7 ♦️ | Evaluation, assessing finances, making choices. |
| 8 ♦️ | Financial success, abundance, hard work paying off. |
| 9 ♦️ | Accomplishment, rewards, attainment of goals. |
| 10 ♦️ | Wealth, prosperity, financial security. |
| J ♦️ | Ambitious person, someone who seeks success. |
| Q ♦️ | Practical, down-to-earth, resourceful person |
| K ♦️ | Business-minded, authoritative, successful person |
| ♣️ CLUBS | intellect, communication, work, and creativity. It’s considered a positive omen. |
|---|---|
| A ♣️ | New ideas, opportunities for growth and creativity |
| 2 ♣️ | Partnerships in work or projects, cooperation |
| 3 ♣️ | Expansion of knowledge, learning, creative expression |
| 4 ♣️ | Stability in work, solid foundations, discipline |
| 5 ♣️ | Challenges in work, competition, adversity |
| 6 ♣️ | Communication, success in creative pursuits |
| 7 ♣️ | Introspection, spiritual growth, inner wisdom |
| 8 ♣️ | Progress, advancement, personal power |
| 9 ♣️ | Achievement, recognition, reaching goals |
| 10 ♣️ | Completion of projects, fulfillment of ambitions |
| J ♣️ | Enterprising person, someone who is active and energetic |
| Q ♣️ | Creative, intuitive, charismatic person |
| K ♣️ | Visionary leader, influential, successful person |
| ♠️ SPADES | intellect, communication, work, and creativity. It’s considered a positive omen. |
|---|---|
| A ♠️ | Transformation, new beginnings after loss or difficulties. |
| 2 ♠️ | Difficult choices, balance between opposing forces. |
| 3 ♠️ | Heartache, separation, disappointment. |
| 4 ♠️ | Rest, solitude, taking a break. |
| 5 ♠️ | Challenges, conflicts, obstacles. |
| 6 ♠️ | Transition, moving forward, finding solutions. |
| 7 ♠️ | Self-discovery, inner reflection, contemplation. |
| 8 ♠️ | Restriction, limitation, challenges in progress. |
| 9 ♠️ | Endings, letting go, release. |
| 10 ♠️ | Transformation, major life changes, moving on. |
| J ♠️ | Clever person, someone who is analytical and perceptive |
| Q ♠️ | Independent, strong-willed, perceptive person |
| K ♠️ | Authority figure, wise, experienced person |
Please note that these meanings are general and can be influenced by the surrounding cards and the specific question or context of the reading. Developing your intuition is crucial in cartomancy, as personal interpretations may vary.
BASIC READING:
To perform a basic cartomancy reading, shuffle the deck while focusing on your question or situation.
- Think of a question or topic for you (or the person you’re reading for)
- Draw a card and consider its symbolism, suit, and number.
- Reflect on how the card’s meaning relates to your question or situation.
- Repeat this process for additional cards if desired.
- Combine the interpretations of the drawn cards to gain insight or guidance.
- If you want to “beef it up” you can do a Past, Present & Future 3-Card Spread (pictured below)
BONUS TIP:
- Keep a journal to record your readings, including the cards drawn, interpretations, and any insights or observations you have. This can help you track your progress and enhance your understanding of cartomancy.
Cartomancy is a practice that requires intuition and personal interpretation. As you gain more experience, you can develop your own unique approach to reading and understanding the cards.
Enjoy your journey into the fascinating world of cartomancy!
If you want to see your current readings on Minnow Pond Tarot, or go back to one of my older videos to see Cartomancy in Action CLICK HERE.
