Shadow and Quint cards

[aquanesha]

I've seen these terms in a couple of the readings that I've browsed through.
What is there significance in a reading?
Does it benefit to know?

[Elven]

Hi aquanesha

Im not sure if by the 'shadow' card, you are refering to the 'base' card or the bottom card of the deck, prior to the laying down of the spread. I think I have seen this card refered to as this, so I just wanted to say - I have used this method in reading for many years and have always seen it as the 'Base' card and not the Shadow card.
IMHO - The 'Base' card refers and can be interpreted relatively to the reading as a 'basic underlying significant consideration which has implications relevant to the reading - a base, structure or foundation which the reading can be springboarded from'. You can do a reading just from the Base card. The base card is also something which is relevant to the client (and the seeker/client usually knows about the significance of the base card in a reading when its mentioned), but for the reader it can give much insight to the spread.

The Shadow card to me, suggests something which is hidden, either from the seeker or the reader, and may seemingly imply something secret, negative or greyed, or hidden. But the base card is very enlightening to the seeker and the reader. Maybe the Shadow card is something quite different

If you pick up a deck, you might like to get into the habit of looking at the base card before you do anything with the deck at all - before shuffling or rearranging the cards. I find it says something - and often about the next person or reading you will do with the deck Go figure!! I do this with every deck, and have come to my own conclusions about what it is saying - maybe it will reveal something different to you

This is only my two cents worth, and if the base card is refered to the shadow card well so be it, but if its something entirely different then hey - thats the round about meaning of the Base card for you! LOL!!


Hope it helps, otherwise I have created a lot of confusion LOL!!

Many Blessings
Elven x

[Al Si'ra]

Umm i guess you are talking about this:

You do the whole reading...complete it..then count all the numbers of the cards which came up in your reading..then of course you reach a number for example 17..which gives you the Star..that is your QC. i always find the QC even with 3 card readings because that "shadow" card is totally relevant to your issue which can give you lots of xtra info. you might have missed in the first place..

Oh btw if you get a number like 42..i personally add 4 and 2 and get 6=lovers-i mean i always did it this way and it works for me,but i know that some members do 42-21(always subtract 21 no matter what you get)=21=World... there are various methods..

[Sophie]

Shadow card: generally (not universally) refers to the card at the bottom of the pack after you have cut and drawn.

Quintessential card: originally meant the 5th card (= quint), always a Major, made up of the sum of the 4 other Majors in a classic Majors-only spread, reduced to numbers between 1 and 22 (with Fool as 22). Now more loosely refers to a card, always a Major, made up of the sum of all the numbered cards in a reading, or part of reading (if the spread is very large). It comes from the 5th element in Western alchemy known as the Quintessence or Ether, which is supposed to distil the qualities of the other four.

So if you draw 4 of Cups, 8 of Swords, Sun, Queen of Pentacles, Wheel of Fortune, your quintessential card is: V-Hierophant/Pope

(nb: some people assign numbers to court cards, in which case they probably count them in the total).

Confusingly, some people call "shadow card" the quintessential card, and as you see, Elven calls "base card" the one at the bottom of the pack.

Neither of these methods (whatever they are called) are compulsory, but I find them useful.

[jojojo]

Originally Posted by Helvetica

So if you draw 4 of Cups, 8 of Swords, Sun, Queen of Pentacles, Wheel of Fortune, your quintessential card is: V-Hierophant/Pope

Sorry, I just don't get this - how did you get the numbers to add up to five - did you assign a number to the queen? I thought it would be 4+5+10 = 19. Also do you add the number of the major card or not, then it would be 9.

[skinofthesoul]

jojojo... the 8 of Swords counts with an 8

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by jojojo

Sorry, I just don't get this - how did you get the numbers to add up to five - did you assign a number to the queen? I thought it would be 4+5+10 = 19. Also do you add the number of the major card or not, then it would be 9.

Jo - 4+8+19+10=41=5 (I don't assign a number to the Queen). You reduce at the very end.

[aquanesha]

Thank you so much for all the help. I greatly appreciate it.

[jojojo]

Originally Posted by skinofthesoul

jojojo... the 8 of Swords counts with an 8

And thanks Helvetica...I am having a dunce day. I kept looking at the 8 of swords and reading 5 of swords....and I didn't see the sun at all (that's my day today)..I can't believe I couldn't see it clearly and to think, I'm an editor!!!!

[Sophie]

Originally Posted by jojojo

And thanks Helvetica...I am having a dunce day. I kept looking at the 8 of swords and reading 5 of swords....and I didn't see the sun at all (that's my day today)..I can't believe I couldn't see it clearly and to think, I'm an editor!!!!

It sounds like the 8 of Swords is blocking the Sun from your life - you need to pull the Sun out of your deck and place it in front of you on your desk! Sorry to hear you're having a cloudy day...