Is anyone here just a little bit scared of playing cards?

Little Baron

Last week, my parents went out for dinner with their friends. Their friends came back for coffee afterwards.

My mother was talking to them about a dream I had recently had about their daughter. I have not seen their daughter for about fifteen years, so there was no reason why I should have been dreaming of her. But because I often receive messages in dreams, should I dream of someone I havn't seen for a long time, I mention it. In that case, I had told my mum to call her friend on the morning after the dream, as I felt that the girl was calling out, in some distress. What occured was that that morning, the girl had gone to get on a bus. In London now, you can not always get onto a bus without a pre-bought ticket, and she only had change. After a little arguing with the driver, since she thought she might be late for work, she got off of the bus and went to the one that was just behind it. As she got to the second bus, the one that she had just tried to board, blew up. It was the day of the many explosions in London last year. I feel that the dream was warning me of this. Unlike the friends and families of many people, we were very lucky that Julia was little more than in shock, suffering no physical injuries from the explosion.

I have recently gone back to playing cards as a form of prediction. I say 'prediction' because the method of reading them that I use is more predictive than that of tarot, which I feel is often more reflective. And playing cards seem quite harsh in their interpretation, whether you want them to be or not.
Yesterday's cards actually changed what I did that day. There was so much sorrow in them, in evaluating my plans, I actually cancelled doing a few things that I thought might be risky.
And today, for the fourth time this week, I have got the '8 of Diamonds'. A card about budgeting. I have spent a lot this week. Have been out for dinner twice, for drinks with different friends on another two nights, have purchased clothes, bags, books etc. Was going to go out shopping today. Just changed plans at the sight of that card.

And last night, I dreampt that my best friend died. It was with me when I awoke. I looked at the playing cards and as I turned them, was praying that the 'Ace of Spades' did not come up. It could represent just bad news, but I also am aware that it has been used to predict a death. That would have scared me and made me uneasy if it had turned up.

In terms of my parents friends, my parents had told them, when discussing the dream, that I read tarot. In a jokey way, my dad said that I would give them a reading after the coffee. The female friend said 'Oh no .. I don't want one .. that sort of stuff really scares me'. I have heard this response many times and occasionally try to explain how the cards are not scary. How they are like a mirror. How there are positive and negative in each key. You know the drill. But on this occasion, I was tired and couldn't be bothered to read, so I didn't bother.
But it made me think. Because of the specific meanings and harsh nature of playing cards, I actually find them a little daunting when I approach them. They literally spell things out, rather than suggest them.

Does anyone else feel this way about playing cards? Because this is the first time that I have actually been a little spooked by a form of divination. Sometimes, I read for a friend. I stayed with her the other night. She is pregnant. Not that long ago, she miscarried and is taking extra care that it doesn't happen again. I don't think that I could have read for her. Not just because I would have had to translate the messages, if they were negative. Because maybe I might have held some stuff back. And maybe because I wouldn't have wanted to hold that information to myself.

What do you think?
LB
 

SaintOfScreams

I definately understand your inhibition, it's why I'm not always eager to divine for people. I often feel this when it comes to questions of personal relationships, whether another's or my own. Your cards seemed to have definately picked you, though.

Your story is very vivid, and it sounds like these events have really exhausted you. Have you thought about talking to your deck?

Try energizing yourself with some Amethyst, Citrine, Angelite, Apache's Tear, or Hematite, they may be able to ground you and take away worry. Angelite is good for predictions and intuitiveness, as it's good with working with Spirit Guides.
 

firecatpickles

I had a similar experience in the Marines after I had been doing tarot for a few years. The cards told me that a friend's girlfriend was pregnant by another man and was going to make him believe it was his so that he would marry her. (This "friend" was actually someone I was madly in love with, but he was a hopeless alcoholic.) This is exactly what was happening at that time. It "freaked me out," and being only 20 years old at the time I put the tarot away for quite a few years after that.

Don't make the same mistake I did. They are a bit daunting at times, but it is worth it to persevere... Take it from me, I wish I had never taken my hiatus.

KK
:TSTRE
 

Little Baron

Thanks SaintofScreams,

You know, I never thought of keeping crystals with the cards. And I never considered that the cards had picked me. Maybe crystals would be a way of softening them a little, do you think?

The thing is, I am really enjoying the cards - it is so different than tarot. They make me sit up. They do talk, because using them in sequence, as apose to singularly, they make up sentences and situations. I can actually read them through a process, rather than staring at them blankly and not knowing what they mean. But this can also be the problem, when I am a little affraid of what I am being told by them.

Maybe I just need to work with them a little more and get to know them better -so I can detect when a message is subtle or whether it really does want me to sit up and take note. I suppose that will come with practice, but I will keep my eyes open for the stones you mentioned. Thank-you.

LB
 

Little Baron

Was just thinking, as I reread my post, that on a daily read, the messages might just be a little more subtle than a major reading. It is 50% likely that I am going to get a card from a dark suit and 25% likely that it will come from the sorrowfull spades. On a daily basis, unless I am a completely unlucky soul, nobody can receive that much bad luck. It might concern minor irritations and obstacles. But because I am used to tarot, I see each message to be inflated.

Thanks KK. I will take your advice, because even though it is daunting, this is something I am enthusiastic about perfecting and learning.
Out of interest, what happened to the young man. Did you tell him what you had foreseen? Did he marry the woman and take on the other man's baby? What provoked you to return to reading the cards?

LB
 

Sulis

I'm very wary of reading for any of my family members but that's mainly because I don't really fancy getting 'deep' with them....

You say that the meanings you use with playing cards are more 'predictive' - can I ask you - where do these meanings come from? Are you using purely numerology, intuition or have you a book with suggested playing card meanings?

I ask because I use numerology in my tarot card readings (I've never used playing cards) - and the numberology doesn't seem to make my readings any more predictive.

That was a very interesting post by the way LB :)

Sulis xx
 

firecatpickles

LittleBuddha said:
... what happened to the young man. Did you tell him what you had foreseen? Did he marry the woman and take on the other man's baby? What provoked you to return to reading the cards?

Yes, I did tell him. Far as I know he married her after having received a "for the good of the service" discharge (because of his alcoholism). He was originally from L.A., and interestingly enough, when I lived there (for nearly 9 years), I thought I saw him at Hamburger Hamlet on Pico Blvd. --looking like T-total Hell! I looked at him for quite a few minutes and finally mustered enough strength to say something, and before the words came out of my mouth he said, "I don't know you, dude. Just keep walkin'!" Well at that time I new that this was him. Very sad. He was my age and looked as if he were 30 years older.

And with a name like John Porter, I would be hard pressed to just "look him up."

KK
:TSTRE

p.s. I just don't see many differences between playing cards and tarot --tarot are "French bridge-playing" cards anyway...
 

Netzach

My friend's grandmother was a very talented reader, highly psychic. She used to say that a lot of people could read tarot but only a Master could read with ordinary playing cards. It's a gift and should be nurtured. Why not try reading for people in the news - politicians, actors, sportsmen - for the time being. This would probably give you a more objective view of how you could use the cards without making you scared of what they might tell you.
 

SaintOfScreams

I wouldn't be too scared of your cards, they obviously want you to hear them, they must find you to be a good medium. Maybe if you explained to them that you want a great bond with them, but ask them to try to put things a little gentler with you until you get more aquainted?

And my word, Kilts Knave! What a situation! I commend you for your Strength!
 

Little Baron

Thanks Sulis.

A while back, a member posted a link regarding reading playing cards.

Now, prior to this, I had tried before. I have a few books about cartomancy, and lets say, looking at a playing card and then looking up in a book to try and understand it's association is not the most exciting inspiring forms of divination. It felt dead. I remembered nothing.

And then I read through the pages of this link, with deck in hand. And after a few pages, I was reading the cards. It really was that simple.

The author looks at the cards in three different ways.

Firstly, he examines colour sequence. That provokes some understanding and interpretation.

Then he looks at suit sequence, which offers further interpretation.

Then, through his numerological correspondances, he combines number with suit and works through the sequence, which forms a story. This can be done very quickly after a little practice.

Furthermore, there is a list of meanings for each card - which, when you understand the method, in most cases make sense. There are also examples for each card and how it relates to others, giving meanings.

I printed the whole lot out a long time ago and I really challenge anyone to read it and not be fascinated. It doesn't take long before the ideas click. Further evaluation through practice will come but after studying the text with your deck, you have an oracle that can be consulted without constantly drawing on the literature - unless you want a little more clarity.

And through this method, you can see movement. We talk a lot about how cards speak to us. This is the first time I ever heard them actually speak. It is like a whisper (or a shout). It is like deciphering a code. This is why it can seem a little scary. And can jolt you.

For anyone who cannot read the tarot intuitively or want to understand cards in sequence. For anyone who wants to loosen up or are having trouble with non-scenic decks, I would reccommend these tutorials as an exercise because it is such a different way of reading and helped my Marseille work greatly. That is, of course, if you choose to return to tarot and not stick with playing cards. I would be most interested to hear of others experiences with this specific website's method. I have spoken to the woman who runs the site a few times and she said that the third cartomancy essay was being written. I know no more than that right now. But what is written already is more than enough to keep you reading the playing cards for many years to come.

I have often wondered what it might be like to remove one court from each tarot suit, and all of the majors and see how they read with this method.

The link to the site is:
http://www.hedgewytchery.com/cartomancy.html

When you have finished the first tutorial, there is another in the index below.

LB