Counting the cards

[BLFO]

I see that some people count the Major Arcana and the Pip cards to come up with an ultimate feel of the spread or to get insight but what happens when you get a court card.


For instance...

Example 1: 3 Cups, 7 Pentacles and Wheel Of Fortune = 3 + 7 + 10 = 20 = 2 = Priestess

But what happens when you get this?

3 Cups, 7 Pentacles and Knight Wands = 3 + 7 + Knight Wands = ?

 

[rissa]

I see that some people count the Major Arcana and the Pip cards to come up with an ultimate feel of the spread or to get insight but what happens when you get a court card.


For instance...

Example 1: 3 Cups, 7 Pentacles and Wheel Of Fortune = 3 + 7 + 10 = 20 = 2 = Priestess

But what happens when you get this?

3 Cups, 7 Pentacles and Knight Wands = 3 + 7 + Knight Wands = ?

I was taught that the Page is 11 Knight is 12, QUeen 13, etc.

I'm sure there are other methods out there that I'm not familiar with, though!

Personally, I ONLY add pips--not majors or courts, because I think of pips as different types of cards--less "stable", more situational, or something. So I try to find the ultimate "Major" theme of all these "minor" events.
But that's just my own personal system!

 

[The crowned one]

I believe Paul Foster Case gives them all a value of 4.. or was it 7?? someone will recall. Consensus might be a problem.

 

[a_shikhs]

I count only the majors in the spread. When I sum up the entire majors (if any) in the spread, it helps me give a clarity to the situation, which is always accurate.

 

[BLFO]

I think everyone has their own system then.

 

[Astraea Aurora]

Well, BLFO, since you asked . Counting all the cards serves me in different ways. The quintessential card can be a kind of summary of the reading, proving what underlying energy I had already felt. Sometimes it can give me advice on what to do next, especially if no such position existed in the spread, or if I feel I know what's going on now but not how to go on from this point. Sometimes it creates a whole new aspect of the issue, one I hadn't considered before.

I rely purely on intuition whether I use this method in a reading or not. I've had times when I had figured it out and found it didn't help me at all but was confusing the reading even more. Weird thing, this qunitessence.

Ah, how I count: Ace to 10 count their value - so 6 of Cups counts 6. Majors count heir value, too - Temperance counts 14; BUT Fool counts zero because its digit is indeed zero. Court Cards count zero, too. I don't know why.
I add them up and if it is below or equaling 22 then it's the Major Card of that number. 1 = Magician till 21 = World and 22 = Fool. Some neglect the Fool because they feel that you can't add up to zero - which indeed you can't. But I want to give him equal chance with the other Major Cards. If it is above 22 you have to reduce to a number equal or below 22.

I guess each reader has to find his own way of dealing with this. I had readings over in the readings exchange where readers didn't come up with it at all and some did it only when there were no Majors in the reading. So, it's up to you. You have to make up you mind about it, if you like it or not cause some time or the other you will have to face a situation where you will need your thoughts about this subject.

Blessings, Astraea Aurora

 

[rissa]

I guess each reader has to find his own way of dealing with this. I had readings over in the readings exchange where readers didn't come up with it at all and some did it only when there were no Majors in the reading. So, it's up to you. You have to make up you mind about it, if you like it or not cause some time or the other you will have to face a situation where you will need your thoughts about this subject.

I usually only think to do it if there is a notable lack of majors...

 

[wytchwood]

The Golden Dawn companion book has an excellent counting system set out very thoroughly with examples etc., the idea is that you use the number for each card to count along through the spread to the card which will be read next. The number of that card is then used to count to the next, and so o. In this way the cards are read as a story and not all will get read, as the process stops when a card is 'landed on' which has already been read. The example given in the book provided a coherent and detailed story about someone's mundane life details, but it was very impressive!

Zoe

 

[Al Si'ra]

Pages are 11 Knights are 12 Queens 13 Kings 14..that works for me just fine

 

[Vadella]

I don't add the courts. It's a personal decision.