Marseille Reading Method?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 20 Sep 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Macavity	20 Sep 2003
Again, not a book review, merely something spotted yesterday in a local store: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1842021850/aeclectictaro-21/ This book concentrates on Majors only (a punch-out coated deck included!) in ONE (sic) four card "cross" spread. (Maybe a "quintessential" center card?) I think the method of divination was the writer's own, but seemed to follow a pattern of (e.g.) my Grimaud Etteilla? There was thus a section of each and every(?) binary card combination (21+20, 21+19 etc.) in two (diagonally) opposed halves of the cross. This lead to 5000+ divinatory sections in several different (health, love, family, professional and finance) categories. Hmmm... I'm never sure whether one is supposed to remember the ENTIRETY of such things or maybe find some sort of pattern in these Cartomancy(?) methods? Perhaps one is just supposed to consult the book each time? One perhaps significant merit may be that it was, at least this time, in English. ;) Macavity

Diana	20 Sep 2003
Macavity: There are quite a number of this kind of book available in French. Some are really weird and obviously just made in order to rake up a bit of cash from the gullible. Some however are a lot more serious, and they can be pretty interesting to read as a kind of intellectual exercice - although I would never use them in my readings. But like I said, they can be fun and instructive......

Macavity	20 Sep 2003
Yeah, I see he is "known" in Francophone countries - or at least Amazon.fr }) I must admit to being a certain amount intrigued re. these "divinatory methods" -- Particularly those with heavy emphasis on unique card/card or card/position meanings? Where/how they originate? The "Big/Little Lady's oracle"? Etteilla - of deck fame? The inimitable Mme. Lenormande? If one does "historical re-creation" for Golden Dawn techniques (Opening of the key spreads) etc. then some of the French(?) systems do indeed seem appealing... or, as you say, a bit of fun anyway :) Macavity

Diana	20 Sep 2003
Could they not just have begun with basic cartomancy.... a 6 of Clubs means this, and a 7 of Hearts mean that. The French have been dabbling in cartomancy forever, it seems.....

The Marseille Reading Method? thread was originally posted on 20 Sep 2003 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.