Tarot reading from Spanish/Mexican playing cards

tarot lake

I recently ordered a deck of Mexican playing cards thinking there were 52 cards in the deck.

Well, I didn't do my research and found the deck only had 48 cards and 2 additional jokers. I wanted to use them as playing cards but can't.

I've seen it mentioned that these 'Baraja' decks can be used for cartomancy.

Any ideas where I could find out more?

Thanks
 

celticnoodle

I recently ordered a deck of Mexican playing cards thinking there were 52 cards in the deck.

Well, I didn't do my research and found the deck only had 48 cards and 2 additional jokers. I wanted to use them as playing cards but can't.

I've seen it mentioned that these 'Baraja' decks can be used for cartomancy.

Any ideas where I could find out more?

Thanks

Welcome to A.T., tarot lake. I had never heard of such a deck that only had 48 cards in it and that was called "Baraja" before--so I googled it and found this site:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_playing_cards

it explains that it can be used to play games, and apparently are missing the the tens that are generally included in a 52 card deck. You can also use them for cartomancy, of course, and it also includes a link to a cartomancy site here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartomancy#Methods

if you open the Methods of divination and the Tarot portion at the bottom, where some of the information is hidden--you can find some accepted meanings of the cards that you could choose to use. There are many ways to divine with playing cards though--and I suggest you just find one that you can identify with.

There is also a link here in AT that deals specifically with cartomancy and many people who belong here who do read specifically with playing cards. You can find that link here:

http://www.tarotforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=174

Some adopt the meanings of the related tarot cards minor arcana and apply them, some choose other various methods. Its totally up to you and what you would like to do.

Good luck in determining which way is good for you and I hope you continue coming on here, perhaps to participate in the cartomancy threads here and maybe even getting into tarot here as well?
 

tarot lake

Thanks for the reply.

I have since found a few posts here by doing a few 'searches'.

Actually, the deck I have lacks Queens. I think I'll treat them like a regular 52 card deck and go with either the regular 52 card meanings (modified for no queens) or something akin to the Minor Arcana Tarot (which I am interested in). I recently bought a Sun and Moon tarot deck but haven't done anything with it for a few months.

Right now I am partial to learning with a regular 52 card deck, but the Mexican 50 card deck appeals to me visually...and it's different enough to make it interesting to me.

Thanks.