Why are playing cards not so popular?

FaeryGodmother

This is interesting because I had no idea that other tarot readers couldn't or didn't read with playing cards in a pinch. Its been my long standing "party trick" do to someones cards with whatever playing deck they had lying around. I have never had any difficulty with this.

I know what the 2 of cups/ hearts means; or what the 5 of diamonds/ pentacles means. So it really doesn't make subsitiuting one for the other hard in my experience. I've had great readings without using "playing card" meanings but normal "rider-waite" meanings" as gifts when I've either forgotten or not realised I was supposed to get something.

I honestly didn't realise they were supposed to have different meanings to a standard rider- waite deck. I've had great results none the less.
 

HearthCricket

I've actually never tried to read with playing cards because I am spending too much time "playng" with them, if that makes any sense? Hearts, Crazy Eights, Rummy, Go Fish, etc. I have had a lifetime of playing with them and they never held any mystical feel or reading material for me. This is probably why I am also only attracted to Marseilles decks for their history and Major Arcana. The minors are pretty, but I never read from them, as some do. I am a visual person. I love the way tarot has the extra court card, the variety of images, styles, etc. They tell stories so much clearer for me, and I am definitely a RWS person/reader. So, playing cards will remain playing cards to me, and tarot will be my divination and collecting cards!
 

Janeypoo

My sister in law and her mum, both Fench read with ordinary playing cards, it has been passed down through the family. Their readings are so detailed and accurate it is spooky. I,ve never tried it myself( well, I did for a couple of weeks) it just seemed so hard as unlike tarot you have no pictures to help with meanings. They have no problems ..seeing.. what the cards hold.
Janeypoo
 

Barbaras Ahajusts

PCs Dull? Noo!

I have one deck only for the Hedge Wytchery study group. I have only one deck I use for the Love Oracle that LeeAnn Richards wrote her book about. Each one, for me, holds its own unique story, mind pictures, feelings.

When I do a Love Oracle reading, the story flows like water. Whatever the card is, it holds it own hidden picture in your mind. When the Queen:heart: pops in, I see my oldest daughter. The Queen:spade:, I see my youngest daughter, till she pulls a stunt that will affect the family and then she pops in as the Jack:spade:. The keywords for these cards is a person. :)

The keyword "tears" tells me something sad. Disheartning. I don't cry that easy, so the keyword tears mean didly-sqat to me. But I do see that card as sad to the point of saying, "watch out for strong emotions." I see a picture of me, wore out, frazzled and wanting to put my frying pan upside my own head to make me cry..:laugh:!

When the family & friends wanted to honor Madam Dora & publish her reading style, they did it with pictures of cartoon people instead of using a regular deck of cards. Even though Dora read with a regular deck of cards. That was truly creative, as it put people and their actions/personailty to one card for the keyword! Thats easier for me. It flows when I use a person to identify a card.
Now with the Hedge Wytchery, its not always easy, but its getting there, little by little. When I feel I have gotten it down, I will move on to another style of reading with my playing cards! ;)

Barb
 

Joermit

Great insights all!

Little Buddha... what's wonderful about PCs... is you can make up your own style... I have a hodgepodge of a technique and it works fabulously... numerology is very important... I took some techniques from hedgewytchery and made them my own... I've read just about every book I can get my hands on... from Jonathan Dee's "Fortune Telling With Playing Cards" to Richard Websters "Playing Card Divination for Beginners" they are all different... so find what works for you....

As for those who say pcs add mystery and aren't "democratic" as a the querent can't see what's going on... I find this not to be true... a good reader should be able to explain what they're seeing and allow the querent to see as well... I read professionally in a well established metaphysical store and do get through wonderful insights time after time...

for example... people can see if there's a predominance of a certain suit.. or lack of a suit.. explaining this to them can help... people can see if there are a many of a certain number... explain this... a reading heavy with sevens is gonna present some obvious obstacles... let them see this... explain the signifigance of the three sevens in the reading... use elemental diginities (this is much easier with pcs that tarot for me...you don't have to explaing this to clients though as they pretty much won't get it) to assess strong or weak card positions/combinations... my clients can easily see what's going on.... there is no mystery to them...

so... you can read pcs as a concise tarot (I developed a system to do this... just make a card represent a major to you... there is sorta cross over in my mind from major to minor cards... for example.... 9 of Hearts has a Star-like energy to me... whereas the 7 of Hearts is very Moon-like)

It's fun to really develop your own style... I find it very personal as well... give it a try!

thanks!

Joey
 

Phoenix Rising

Hi Joermit

I'm enjoying reading all the posts. It is obvious that alot of people haven't had much experience with PC's either in a reading or reading them...I think people would be quite surprised as to the depth of PC's if they did some research. The deck is a perfect reflection of our environment and solar system..I'm sure you all know the spiel on 52 weeks, 364 pips + joker, 13 lunar months, 4 seasons, red/black-dualtity. They were even used for tax duty late 1700's the Ace of spade. In another system using the playing cards by Richmond Olney..the cards are used to track the cycle of the planets, and can actually map out your entire life. Here is a link ORacle Cards

Someone mentioned something about the cards not being participatory..did she mean that you can't participate in the reading? People can shuffle the deck..same as tarot..what's the difference there?

I certainly wouldn't go broke buying a pack of PC's...
I wonder where Meewah and Umbrae are..they've use PC's I'd love to read their opinion.
 

Sheri

I have participated in some of the cartomancy threads here too. I started with Tarot and was amazed that people could do readings with playing cards, so I started exploring, starting with the Hedgewytchery site. I have recently been looking for other methods to use to expand my playing card reading.

What draws me to playing cards is there is so little there visually when compared to the Tarot...but the depth of reading can be the same. It continually amazes me. I always carry a deck of playing cards with me, and I can take them out at my desk at lunch and people passing by think I am playing solitaire.

What I find interesting is that while I can read with playing cards, why am I still intimidated with unillustrated pips in Tarot decks? Go figure!

Thanks for posting the sites! I cannot wait to check them out and add more interpretation tools to my playing card reading tool box!

valeria :D
 

Little Baron

Thanks KK.

I have been reading through the links that PR gave me this morning today - when I have had a chance - looking after my friends 4month old baby and making paper crowns with her 3yr old kind of inhibbited the flow, somewhat.

And it was really nice and refreshing to have a whole different kind of oracle at my disposal. To be frank, tarot has started to become a little testing for me, of late. Even with new decks, it does not stir up much excitement. I need something different. I need something that gives me that burst of enthusiasm and inspiration that tarot did ten years ago.

And learning what Deborah Leigh had assigned to the Heart cards was interesting as I looked at the actual cards and started to 'feel them'.

I will work through her notes and afterwards, will begin to adapt them to my own ideas and experiences. However, keeping them flexible.

Then I will check out other ideas .. but only after I have got one sorted in my mind as I don't want to confuse myself too much.

Do you think this is a sensible way of working?

LB
 

firecatpickles

I think if it works for you, it works for you. Your learning style is probably much more concrete sequential than mine. I love looking at different things & having several conversations about something with myself all at once }) --random abstract.

I also think that the reason some people dislike playing card cartomancy (or like it "less," I should say) ties in with this same idea of learning styles. Also background.

Some of my earliest memories are of playing with playing cards (as an infant?) I have a kindred, as well as ancestral, connection with them. I find them incredibly nostaglic and familiar in my hands when I read with them.

So, as for researching meanings, although it may be a bit confusing, I can always fall back on these differrent methods if I need to make a trio or Square-9 "pop."