Playing cards for readings?

[themagicwand]

Just out of interest here - has anyone ever used standard playing cards to do readings with?

The 4 suits of playing cards are equatable to the 4 suits of tarot, ie Swords = Spades, Cups = Hearts, Wands = Clubs, Pentacles = Diamonds. And obviously with playing cards we lose the knight, the jack being the page.

It is my understanding that up until a couple of decades or so ago, real Romany readers in Europe tended to favour playing cards to tarot. This was so they could easily be passed off in less tolerant times as being merely a plaything, something the children played with, etc. rather than the devil's work that the tarot were often seen as.

In the east end of London, spiritual home of the tea leaf readers, the old ladies used to use playing cards for readings also. Tarot cards have not always been as available as they are in this day and age.

I heard one delightful story of a lady who used playing cards all her life to fortune tell for friends and family. Many years ago in the UK there used to be a brand of cigarette called No. 6. Inside packs of No. 6 cigarettes were tokens that could be saved until one had enough tokens to redeem for an item from the No. 6 gift book. This old lady as a youngster got herself a packet of No. 6 playing cards (they had the No.6 logo on the back) and taught herself how to do readings with them.

When she died she insisted that she was buried with her pack of No.6 cards so no-one else could get their hands on them!

I've used playing cards sometimes though not often. They really do suffer I find from not having the major arcana with them, plus people seem genuinely disappointed that they're not having (as they would see it) a "real" tarot card reading. Perhaps playing cards are just too associated with games, and magicians, and tricks to be taken seriously as tools of divination?

[Bernice]

Hi there themagicwand,

Hundreds and hundreds of people still do readings with playing cards. But this is Tarot forum (which also covers playing cards and oracles etc.) and lots of the members are primarily interested in tarot.

Try the Oracle Sections :)

Bee

P.S. I lived in the East End. It 'aint like it used to be...

[themagicwand]

Try the Oracle Sections :)


Sorry. Still finding my feet. :o)

[euphoria]

That sounds interesting. I can definitely see maybe a child who may be interested in tarot, but can't afford a deck of tarot cards, (or perhaps their guardians won't allow them to mess with them), can use playing cards for the same purpose. They're just like pip tarot cards.

I have an oracle deck myself (The Fairies Oracle by Brian Froud) but I have never used it, because I thought learning tarot would be the best foundation to learn other types of decks with, but maybe if you learned with playing cards, picking up tarot would be even easier with all the images and the major arcana.

[Demon Goddess]

Just out of interest here - has anyone ever used standard playing cards to do readings with?

I've used playing cards sometimes though not often. They really do suffer I find from not having the major arcana with them, plus people seem genuinely disappointed that they're not having (as they would see it) a "real" tarot card reading. Perhaps playing cards are just too associated with games, and magicians, and tricks to be taken seriously as tools of divination?

Hi TMJ, welcome to the forum.

I don't use them anymore, but was initially trained on playing cards by my Grandmother. Who, I might add, is a well-known professional reader for over 70 years.

Fwiw, you don't actually lose the knight, it melds with the Jack and the King... so sometimes you'll get knight qualities in the King, sometimes in the Jack.

The reason that tarot cards were preferred by my Grandmother at the time is because they were far easier to find than Tarot cards. Not being massed produced anyone learning back in the thirties would have been highly hard put to even find a tarot deck, nevermind buy one.

There have been some detailed conversations about the differences and similarities between the two decks on the boards, many times over the past ten years here at AT.

Fwiw, my Grandmother and I would scoff at the idea that people might take less seriously the divination of the playing cards. If you can see with the playing cards as well as my Grandmother can, then there is no doubt in your mind that these are most definitely a good divination tool. And I might add, she can read better with those plain old Bicycle brand cards than I ever could with the Marseilles. I'd suggest the disappointment comes from a reader's lesser ability with playing cards. Such readers, it is my never humble belief, should use the Tarot. I believe and my Grandmother, I hope, would agree that if you don't see well with the playing cards, it's because you've got the wrong divination tool in your hands.

I have a friend who has become a famous numerologist. She used to read with Tarot, but it wasn't a good divination tool for her.

I read tarot because I didn't SEE things in the playing cards, so I was reading pure book meanings which as any Glorpist or intuitive reader would tell you is lacking... but then, as I said, I don't see things in the Marseilles either. I do have three tarot decks with which I can really see things... and it makes no matter that they are Tarot or some other divination, I simply believe that it is a question of the reader finding the right tool for themselves.

My Grandmother, btw, would throw you out on your ear if you for one second suggested that she couldn't read as well because she wasn't using standard tarot cards. :D It's a lucky thing for you that she's not on the internet. ;)

[starrystarrynight]

I have gotten some of my best "in-person" professional readings from a woman who uses only playing cards. She does a stunning job with them!

My great aunt used to use only playing cards to read - back in her day, they likely couldn't afford tarot cards or tarot cards weren't as readily available.

Check out the Cartomancy threads below, as many here use playing cards, too!

[themagicwand]

My Grandmother, btw, would throw you out on your ear if you for one second suggested that she couldn't read as well because she wasn't using standard tarot cards. :D It's a lucky thing for you that she's not on the internet. ;)
Hi Demon Goddess (great name!). I wouldn't for one second suggest that people can't do fantastic readings with playing cards. I just know that it doesn't "click" for me personally - I like having the major arcana there. Also it's just my experience (I work mainly with folk who have never had readings done before and for whom the reading is part of an evening's entertainment) that people prefer to have a reading with a pack of tarot than a pack of playing cards. I'm sure this is purely based on appearance and for the sitters to be able to boast to friends that they had a "real" tarot reading. I realise this is their loss in many ways, but the customer is always right! Or so I'm told! Or at least the person with the cheque is always right!

[Demon Goddess]

Hi Demon Goddess (great name!). I wouldn't for one second suggest that people can't do fantastic readings with playing cards. I just know that it doesn't "click" for me personally - I like having the major arcana there. Also it's just my experience (I work mainly with folk who have never had readings done before and for whom the reading is part of an evening's entertainment) that people prefer to have a reading with a pack of tarot than a pack of playing cards. I'm sure this is purely based on appearance and for the sitters to be able to boast to friends that they had a "real" tarot reading. I realise this is their loss in many ways, but the customer is always right! Or so I'm told! Or at least the person with the cheque is always right!

I know exactly how you feel... I have posted here many times at how I felt when I first got my Thoth, (I use the revelations deck now).

I think people can pick up on negative energies... if you pick up a deck (playing card or tarot, or some other divination tool) and they sense a lack of expertise in you, they will pick up on that.

I too think that if the customer feels uncomfortable with whichever deck you show them... then yeah, I'd change decks too... Easiest to simply lay out the decks you are comfortable reading with and let them choose...

btw, you'll get better feedback on using different cards for pro readings if you subscribe to the forum and post in the Professional Readers' section.

[themagicwand]

btw, you'll get better feedback on using different cards for pro readings if you subscribe to the forum and post in the Professional Readers' section.
Yeah, I've sent off my subscription. Just waiting to be let in now! ;o)

[Le Fanu]

Hey, magic wand, try doing an "advanced search", titles only, with the search option, and type in Playing Cards. There are oodles of threads on this in the Oracle section.There is one on the go right now!

Im a fan of playing card for divination. Im not saying I do it well, but it´s a format Im enjoying learning. And I think of Lenormand as fundamentally a playing card method too. But what we have with Lenormand (IMO) is a form of illustrated pips for playing cards. And it´s a different way of reading to tarot.

For me, with tarot, it develops into more of a story. With Lenormand/ playing cards you piece together, like a sentence, what the cards are saying. For me (I can´t speak for everyone), there is less "storytelling" with playing cards, and more "receiving messages". For example; Xcard plus Ycard plus Zcard could mean that a friend will break an agreement and etc...

If that makes sense....

[themagicwand]

And I think of Lenormand as fundamentally a playing card method too.
I love Lenormand cards (and also oracle decks). Never used them for readings for other people though (I only really feel totally comfortable with tarot), but I do like to lay them out in spreads in almost an absent-minded fashion just to see what "turns up". I love the imagery on Lenormand. They almost seem like a missing link between playing cards and tarot. Not sure if there's any truth in that?!

Anyway, here I am rambling away on a thread in the wrong section. I will have to pop over to the oracle section and resume there! Thanks for all your input folks. You've been very welcoming.

[sillyputty]

I have tried it and I believe they do work. At first, I was totally confused interpreting the meaning behind each card. But once I started getting interested in Tarot, it makes understanding reading playing cards much easier because the interpretation is just the same. You just need to know the meaing of each suit, etc.

[Bernice]

Some of the best card readers I have come across use Playing Cards.

However, they do not use RWS tarot-pip meanings! :) :) :)

Bee

[Aerin]

Regarding Lenormand cards, the lady herself did allegedly read with playing cards I believe? There's an echo of this in some decks where the playing card is an insert. So you don't actually need a Lenormand deck to read with that method, just to know the playing card associations. The 36 card deck is used in its playing card format for some games esp. in continental Europe. Italian Sybilla decks use all 52 playing cards.

But yes, lots of info in Oracle Decks section.

Aerin

ps I believe that the joker/ Fool connecton is a myth - I read that Jokers came into the playing card deck in the 1850's in America for a specific card game.

[balenciaga]

Lenormand decks - the old French ones - are impossible to get, right? :( I love the little blurbs with poems, sayings on them, but I have only seen them online.
I used to read with playing cards - someone taught me - but I haven't looked at them in years and years - there are more traditional combination meanings like 5 spades + 10 spades = bronchitis; 9 hearts + 7 hearts = your wish will be granted soon:)

[Bernice]

I love the little blurbs with poems, sayings on them, but I have only seen them online.Yes you can get them. I think you're referring the the Blue Owl and Red Owl decks - there's a White Owl one now. Go to esoterikshopping to see the pics and what's available to buy. Then go to Amazon.de to see if they have any, easier to buy from.

Bee

[themagicwand]

I believe that the joker/ Fool connecton is a myth - I read that Jokers came into the playing card deck in the 1850's in America for a specific card game.
Absolutely. Sadly there is no link between the joker and the fool. I understood (but may very well be wrong) that the joker was introduced in the 1930's - something to do with poker, though I've forgotten exactly what. Shall have to find out and report back!

[missycab]

Yes, I have used playing cards for readings, when I'm at a friend's house and she wants a reading and I don't have my decks around. Here we have the Spanish playing cards, so the suits are the same.

[celticnoodle]

Some of the best card readers I have come across use Playing Cards.

However, they do not use RWS tarot-pip meanings! :) :) :)

Beesame here, Bernice. And, I started out with playing cards at first, too. but, now primarily use tarot or another oracle that I've purchased, instead of the playing cards.

There are probably as many variations as far as the meanings to each of the playing cards, as there are readers with this oracle deck! :laugh: in some ways, I do prefer the playing card readings, as they seem to be more 'mystical', however, I started using tarot cards because my clients preferred them. I have not touched the playing cards in a long time.

and, welcome to AT-themagicwand! hope to see more posts from you.

[Cerulean]

The Alan Tarot deck used to come with English instructions.

It has French-suited pips, four courts of each suit, double ended majors that can be read positive or negative. The instructions also give 'standard' meanings and a few layouts.

It was commissioned by a steamship line in 1910.

http://www.houseoftarot.com/Artists+and+Styles/Tarocchi+di+Alan+by+Modiano.html
review:

http://pasteboardmasquerade.com/Reviews/orell.html

Discusion:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=79495&highlight=argio+orell

Gorgeous deck...kind of elegant and slightly longer than the 'patience' and 'picquet' (sp?) cards...I also adore the transformation cards popular from 1900s through 1920s that I have in reproduction...they suggest pictures on the pips that could have been inspiration to some folk for more pictorial pips.

http://www.gamesetal.net/transformation-cards/html/transformations.html

And there are Etteilla and Papus (Divinatory Tarot) versions from 1890 through the early 20th century that have pictorial motifs in the pip arrangements. Also some of the theme Latin suited cards seem to have more decorative pips...here's a link to some good reading of divinatory parallel development compared with Ettella, etc., deck history.

http://www.villarevak.org/td/td_1.htm

Hope it is helpful

Best,

Cerulean
in the Ace through Four...

[balenciaga]

Yes you can get them. I think you're referring the the Blue Owl and Red Owl decks - there's a White Owl one now. Go to esoterikshopping to see the pics and what's available to buy. Then go to Amazon.de to see if they have any, easier to buy from.

Bee

Thanks for the info!

[Metafizzypop]

I've just recently been getting into doing readings with playing cards. I've been into tarot for years, but playing cards never much had my interest until recently. But I've got a question for those of you who are more experienced at this than myself. Has anyone tried to do readings with novelty playing cards?

Looking around the web, I've found a few sites that sell playing cards, and a number of them are unusual, or highly illustrated, etc. There's some really beautiful things out there, as well as some pretty wacky things, too. Would they work for readings? Or do the playing cards used for readings have to be traditional?

There's come really interesting, and crazy, things on this site:

www.thehouseofcards.com/unusual_cards.html

And there's some nice things here worth looking at:

www.tridentcards.com/Collectible+Playing+Cards/

Would these cards work for divination? It does seem a little weird, I admit, to use a deck of cards shaped like Coca-Cola bottles. Or with cards that have pictures of Jimi Hendrix on them. Would they work?

Opinions?