Cartomancy – Card Meanings
There are two main ways to setup your cartomancy deck. First is the standard 52 stack, no Jokers. The other is the 36 card stack, with cards 2-5 removed from each suit. The 36 card spread is used for quick answers & general overviews. The full 52 card spread is for more detailed results.
First, some facts about playing cards:
- There are 13 cards, Ace through King, which correlate with the 13 phases of the moon.
- There are 52 cards in a deck, which correlate to the 52 weeks of the year.
- There are 4 suits in the deck, which correlate to the 4 seasons of the year, the 4 elements, and the 4 cardinal directions.
Representations of the suits:
- Hearts – Water, Winter, North
- Clubs – Fire, Summer, South
- Spades – Air, Spring, East
- Diamonds – Earth, Autumn, West
The Suit of Hearts
Ace of Hearts – Love and happiness. The home, a love letter. This card is a particularly favorable card that indicates troubles and problems lifting. Has to do with one’s home or environment. Could represent a visit or a change of address.
King of Hearts - A fair-haired man with a good nature; or a man with Water signs predominating in his chart. Fair, helpful advice. Affectionate, caring man. This man helps you out without much talk. His actions reveal his kindness and concern. Represents an influential man, someone who has the power or ability to do something good for the querent.
Queen of Hearts - A fair-haired woman with a good nature; or a woman with Water signs predominating in her chart. Kind advice. Affectionate, caring woman. Sometimes, this card can indicate the mother or a mother figure. A trusted woman. Someone knowledgeable and faithful. One who always plays fair.
Jack of Hearts - A warm-hearted friend. A fair-haired youth; or a young person with Water signs predominating in his or her chart. Often this points to a younger admirer. A good friend to the querent, someone close, a cousin or confidant, someone they have known since childhood or for a long time.
10 of Hearts – Good luck, success. This is an important card that suggests good fortune after difficulty. A good card: means good luck, can counteract bad cards around it.
9 of Hearts – The card of wishes. A wish/dream fulfilled. Look to the card just preceding this one to determine what the querent desires. Harmony. Often called the Wish Card. If surrounded by bad cards, these can represent obstacles that need to be dealt with in order to get the fulfillment of the wish.
8 of Hearts – Unexpected gift or visit; an invitation to a party. An event, a celebration, a party/bash..etc. Some sort of ceremony that is already in the works..or is being planned.
7 of Hearts - Someone whose interest in you is unreliable; someone with fickle affections for you. This card can indicate lovesickness. A card of disappointment. Usually indicates a partner or other person failing to keep their promises. If this card comes up when dealing with some sort of plan, expect that the other person will back out.
6 of Hearts - A sudden wave of good luck. Someone takes care of you, takes warm interest in you. Warning card. Someone may try to take advantage of the querent. Also..the querent is being too generous to somebody and not getting anything in return. They are being used.
5 of Hearts – Jealousy; some ill-will from people around you. Indecisiveness: The querent’s inability to make up his/her mind on a subject. A tendency to make and break plans with others.
4 of Hearts – Travel, change of home or business. Can also represent someone who is too fussy in their selection of a partner. Someone who, by their picky nature, is destined to remain alone.
3 of Hearts – Love and happiness when the entire spread is generally favorable. In a difficult spread, this can indicate emotional problems and an inability to decide who to love. An unwise decision, made in haste and without proper background information.
2 of Hearts – A warm partnership or engagement. This is a very favorable card that indicates strength and support coming from a partner. Success, often beyond the querent’s expectations. If bad cards surround..there may be delays in reaching the goal.
The Suit of Clubs
Ace of Clubs – Wealth, prosperity, unexpected money/gain. However, in a difficult spread, this money may disappear almost as quickly as it appears. Feeling well known and being able to receive certain perks due to good looks or social status.
King of Clubs – Dark-haired, kind-hearted man; or a man with Fire predominating in his chart. A generous, spirited man. Represents a very good friend. A lifelong companion, someone who can be trusted and counted on during times of need and sorrow.
Queen of Clubs – Dark-haired, confident woman; or a woman with Fire predominating in her chart. She may give you good advice. Represents a wife or girlfriend in long term relationship for a man. For a woman, represents a sister or good friend, someone who shares a lot of knowledge about the querent.
Jack of Clubs – A dark-haired or fiery youth. Popular youth who is good-hearted and playful. Can also indicate an admirer. Represents a good friend, one who uses a lot of flattery, but only to make the other person feel better. Someone who is good at cheering the querent up.
10 of Clubs – Business success. Good luck with money. A trip taken now may result in a new friend or love interest. A card of happiness and good fortune. Can also represent a long and fun-filled journey.
9 of Clubs – Achievement; sometimes a wealthy marriage or a sudden windfall. In a negative spread, it represents arguments with good friends. A loss of a relationship, a dispute that will remain unresolved.
8 of Clubs – Work/business problems that may have to do with jealousy. This is generally thought to be quite unfavorable. A sense of desperation. An urgent need for money.
7 of Clubs – Business success, although there may be problems with the opposite sex. A change in business that may have been expected or earned, such as a promotion. A card of good luck, if other favorable cards are around. Success if there is not interference from the opposite sex.
6 of Clubs – Financial aid or success. A partnership card. Success based on mutual goals and friendship.
5 of Clubs – New friendships, alliances are made. A marriage card, or the beginning of a long standing alliance.
4 of Clubs - Beware of dishonesty or deceit; avoid blind acceptance of others at this time. A danger card, showing misfortune or failure. Supposed friends getting in the way, or turning against the querent.
3 of Clubs – Love and happiness; successful marriage; a favorable long-term proposition. A second chance, particularly in an economical sense. A sign of a second marriage or even a third. Or an engagement with someone, then a marriage with another, after a friendly separation.
2 of Clubs – Obstacles to success; malicious gossip. Bad luck. Being let down by those around. Opposition from friends and family. Do not count on others.
The Suit of Spades
Ace of Spades – Misfortune; sometimes associated with death or, more often, a difficult ending. Bad news, loss of someone close, possible death to someone near, or an illness, miscarriage, etc.
King of Spades – Dark-haired man; or a man with Air predominating in his chart. An ambitious man, perhaps self-serving. A man who will cause problems in marriage or relationships. One who will get in the middle, divide and conquer..and then destroy.
Queen of Spades - Widowed or divorced woman; or a woman with Air predominating in her chart. A cruel woman, one who interferes. For women, a betrayal by a good friend. For men, a woman who will use them for their own gain.
Jack of Spades – A youth who is hostile or jealous. One who will get in the way of progress. Takes and takes, but does not give back anything.
10 of Spades – Worry; bad news. A very unlucky card. If near a good card, it can cancel it out. If found with bad cards, makes them twice as bad.
9 of Spades – Illness, accident, bad luck. The querent is at his/her personal low. This is the worst card of all: Illness, loss of money, or misery. Even among the best of cards. Defeat, lack of success
8 of Spades – Temptation, misfortune, danger, upsets. False friends, traitors, someone who will betray. Most of the trouble can be avoided if caught early on. Examine all relationships closely.
7 of Spades – Advice that is best not taken; loss. There is some obstacle to success, and this indicates that obstacles may be coming from within the querent. Sorrow and quarrels. Avoid arguments with friends. Let them “win” for now.
6 of Spades – Small changes and improvements. Much planning but little result. Hard work, without much profit. Discouragements.
5 of Spades – Opposition and obstacles that are temporary; a blessing in disguise. Sometimes indicates a negative or depressed person. Also can represent success in business or love, after much time and hard work.
4 of Spades – Small worries, problems. Financial difficulties, personal lows. Minor misfortune: A short illness, a temporary setback.
3 of Spades – Breaks in relationships. Sometimes indicates that a third person is breaking into a relationship somehow. Misfortune in love or marriage. A loss of pride and hope. Do not dwell, move on in life.
2 of Spades – Breaks in relationships; deceit. A break in an important process in the querent’s life. If the question concerns a particular romantic interest, this is considered a warning card – infidelity or separation is quite likely. A complete and forced change. Sudden change of location, relationship or a death. Bound to make a big difference in the coming months
The Suit of Diamonds
Ace of Diamonds – Change; a message, often about money, and usually good news. A letter or package/gift arriving, the contents of which are very important.
King of Diamonds – Fair-haired or graying man, or a man with Earth predominating in his chart. A man of authority, status, or influence. A bitter rival, a dangerous competitor, for women it can mean an abusive man or a deceitful lover.
Queen of Diamonds – Fair-haired woman; or a woman with Earth predominating in her chart. A gossip. A flirtatious woman, one who will interfere in plans. Gossipy, very attractive to males..able to get away with things and interfere in situations.
Jack of Diamonds – A youth, possibly in uniform. Or, a jealous person who may be unreliable. A person who brings news, generally negative, but relatively minor. A selfish person. Not dangerous to male querents, but problems for a female one.
10 of Diamonds – A change in financial status, often for the better. Money. Money being the driving force of a journey or partnership. Greed.
9 of Diamonds – A new business deal; travel; restlessness; a change of residence. Adventure: A move in the hopes of advancement.
8 of Diamonds – New job; change in job situation. The young or the old may find love on a trip. Country life, travel and marriage late in life. The querent’s life is too hectic at the moment..a need to settle down and get away..but being unable to do so at the present time.
7 of Diamonds – An argument concerning finances, or on the job. Generally expected to be resolved happily. Bad luck on an enterprise or idea. A man who is unreliable, a gambler or drinker.
6 of Diamonds – Relationship problems, arguments. Separation. An early marriage, but an unhappy one..and one not destined to last. A second marriage would also be unhappy.
5 of Diamonds – Happiness and success. A change for the better. A birth, or good news for a child. A good time to start new projects. Prosperity, long enduring friendship. Pride in family. Success with children.
4 of Diamonds – Financial upswing; an older person may give good advice. Quarrels: Forgotten or neglected friends and family. Situations that have been brewing and now come to a head.
3 of Diamonds – A legal letter. Be tactful with others in order to avoid disputes. A card of disputes and quarrels. Lawsuits, legal actions. A sign of separation or divorce.
2 of Diamonds – A business partnership; a change in relationship; gossip. A serious love affair, resulting in a marriage or interfering with one depending on surrounding cards.
I just wanted to let you know that this was cool to read. Do you do card magic?
yup
I really liked the meaning of the cards you wrote. Do you use regular playing cards in your readings and is there more information on this subject? I would like to be able to communicate on a regular basis if possible.
Thank you,
John Cardozo
Yes, I use regular playing cards. There are some customized Bicycle playing cards that I order from ellusionist.com, but they’re not trick cards or anything. They just look really good during a reading. I really like the Shadowmaster’s deck and the black Arcane deck. One resource to peruse is the “Cartomancy” entry in The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World. Harper Element. 2006.
I really like the meanings as well. When I do my own personal readings they are accurate so far. The meanings here also coincide with some other meanings I have read. Would you happen to know a brief history of the meanings of the playing cards. Are they parallel the tarot?
Truth be told, there is a distinct lineage between the tarot and playing cards. One of my previous posts goes deeper into the history behind cartomancy. There are some pretty fascinting parallels between the two.
I was done a card reading . it was a lover spread. the lady stated the king of heard represents by bf and queen of heart was me, but we was facing apart from eash other. what does that mean?
Sounds like you two are having a fight or disagree on things. Have you had a fight recently?
Kim,
What does your instinct tell you? Part of practicing the Craft is being in tune with yourself and your emotions. Listen to what your heart, your gut, and your instincts tell you about the reading. That being said, there are a couple ways to interpret that. If the Court Card is facing to the left, the person in question is really focused on the past… maybe too much. If it’s to the right, it means the future. Straight-on with two-eyes showing, and it means the person is focused on what’s in front of them. When two cards are used in a spread to represent people, take note of what they’re looking at. Which card was facing left? What card was it looking at? Facing apart can indicate tension or opposition. The cards around them will indicate what kind of tension and how bad it is. Could be something as major as a bad breakup, or something as small as differing goals or ideals. Take these into consideration, and above all, follow your instinct. Good luck on your future studies!
great job!!thank u
great meaning analysis! I’ve recently been researching cartomancy. I did a relationship reading for myself. I wanted to get your input on it. While shuffling the cards the 4 of hearts fell out. During my research, it stated that when this happens the particular card portrays and overview of the relationship. The next card was a king of hearts, seven of spades, jack of diamonds, 3 of clubs and 9 of hearts. I will appreciate any light you can shed on my reading. Thanx
Thank you for this! I was taught a method of Cartomancy almost a year ago, and I’ve found that it’s truly an effective method for divination… just different tools, but it’s all the same energy (in my experience). I had forgotten some of the meanings, and also wanted to expand upon the meanings I had already associated with the cards, and so this will be helpful. Thanks!
J
I asked if i was going to move and 6spades,jackof diamonds,jack of clubs,and then 6 of clubs came up in that order. Does this have a specific meaning being 2 doubles? i dont know how to interpert it.
Hi Steph. So let’s break this down. On the whole, the suit of spades has a bad rep for indicating negative outcomes, such as bad luck, separation, divorce, illness, Financial troubles, and even death. If read in context with the question and surrounding cards, however, they can be a good warning for future dealings. The 6 in particular signifies success through perserverence despite discouragements. Combinations of Jacks signify various things: two Jacks means overwhelming paperwork, three Jacks indicates legal matters, and all four jacks represent a group of nosy people. If the Jack of Diamonds was in the same spread as a queen or king, it can mean news or information from a false friend. Following up with a club, the clubs suit indicates friendships and trust, but warn of treachery, hypocricy, and deceit. The 6 in particular IS the partnership card, and signifies success through a partner or trusted friend. So, given the context of the question -if you’re going to move – my interpretation would be yes, so long as you don’t get too discouraged over the intense paperwork AND you have a strong partnership with someone you trust. Again, this is just my opinion, but that’s how I would interpret it. Just be very cautious while dealing with the paperwork… that Jack of Diamonds is still in there, signifying a fake or jealous friend/relative, and it could clash with the Jack of Clubs, the generous, sincere, trustworthy friend whose devotion is never in question. I hope this helps. Thanks for visiting.
Steph,
In my opinion, I would have a back up plan to be on the safe side. Covering all your bases is never a bad thing. Also, listen to your gut instinct.
Blessed Be,
Madam Ella
Misha30 – Whenever I start interpreting card combos, I consider some guidelines: whatever card begins the row is the main subject for that line; the card to the right modifies the card on the left, and the final card reveals the outcome. So let’s break it down: in a relationship spread, the 4 of Hearts can represent someone who is very selective of a partner, perhaps to the point of being to “picky”. This card is modified by the King of Hearts, which represents a good-natured, influential man who has the power or ability to do something good for you. Followed next is the 7 of Spades, which represents advice best not taken… sometimes, because of internal obstacles. Perhaps the source of this bad advice is the next card, the Jack of Diamonds… “a youth, possibly in uniform. Or, a jealous person who may be unreliable. A person who brings news, generally negative, but relatively minor. A selfish person. Not dangerous to male querents, but problems for a female one.” Perhaps this Jack of Diamonds is the kind of person who would act kind to the King’s face, but would purposely give the 4 of Hearts bad advice about the relationship in order to sabotage it. The motive behind the Jack of Diamond’s actions would come from the 3 of clubs, “A second chance, particularly in an economical sense. A sign of a second marriage or even a third. Or an engagement with someone, then a marriage with another, after a friendly separation.” Perhaps an ex? Or someone who has admired the 4 of Hearts from afar? Either way, the final card represents what this 4 of Hearts ultimately wants… “9 of Hearts – The card of wishes. A wish/dream fulfilled. Look to the card just preceding this one to determine what the querent desires. Harmony. Often called the Wish Card. If surrounded by bad cards, these can represent obstacles that need to be dealt with in order to get the fulfillment of the wish.” So, my final opinion on this reading would be that the person who is represented by the 4 of Hearts will meet a good-natured man, and should be wary when accepting relationship advice from any other male close to them. Such advice may have ulterior motives behind it. Failure to do this could ruin the chances at having their dream fulfilled. Again, just my opinion. I hope this helps.
thank you so much for expaining the cards meaning
do u make personal readings
I received 2 playing cards in the mail from an unknown person. The letter was post marked from China. One was the queen of spades and the other the 10 of clubs. I have no idea what this means. Any ideas?
found your site and analysis very helpful. started cartomancy about a month back and am still reading. do let me know if there is any technique that makes me a better reader, i mean begining from the scratch. for amateurs what spread do u recommend that they should start with. thanks J
Richard – Well, looking only at the cards, the 10 of clubs is a card of movement and ambition, related to business and travel. A bit of an older meaning for the 10 of Clubs is “a body of water”… when related to travel, it indicates by or over water. Paired with a face card, it can signify a business-minded person, or someone who is about to travel. The Queen of Spades represents a skillful and ambitious woman. Since the spades suit is considered the “darkest”, it represents people with dark brown or black hair and dark brown eyes. The Queen can refer to a woman of a foreign country, a professional woman (doctor, lawyer, etc.), possibly a divorcee or widow, or a woman who lets her head rule her heart. When paired with negative cards, it takes a different tone… the woman represented becomes deceitful and conniving. Now to step back and look more objectively at the situation, I’m not entirely sure what to make of that. Do you have any ties to someone in China? Are you living in a new place, where someone else with ties to China may have lived? Was there anything else in the envelope, or were there any marks on the cards themselves?
Hi Jasmine, thank you for the kind words. Much like anything else, the only thing to make you better is practice. Spend some time getting to know your cards. I suggest keeping one deck of cards strictly for cartomancy… do not play regular games with that deck. Another thing I can suggest is a simple YES/NO layout. Ever seen those surveys with 5 boxes from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree”? This is kinda like that. Start by asking a yes/no question while shuffling. Deal 5 cards face up, then count the number of red cards. Red cards are positive, black are negative. All red cards means “Definitely Yes”. 4 red = “most likely yes”. 3 red = “probably yes”. 2 red = “probably no”. 1 red = “most likely no”. No red cards means “definitely no”. This will help get you into the habit of handling the cards, doing some simple readings, and imprinting your energies into the cards. Once you have your “yes” or “no” answer, you can go another step by interpreting the line of cards that came up. These will help tell you WHY the yes/no answer is the way it is.
I hope this helps!
Hi, thanks for this site. I occasionally come across playing cards on the street and collect them.
I recently came across the 7 of hearts in the gutter in front of my right rear car door. I had just received some interesting news the day before about someone I accidentally fell in love with (they supposedly broke up with someone…but it’s a long story). Anyway, this card seems in line but I’m not certain how or even IF I should interpret a seemingly random card.
Any insight appreciated!
I found this site helpful as I am a beginner in cartomancy I want to do a spread about pregnancy and which month I would concieve is this possible if so how would I go about it thanks….
As a daily guide I’ve been reading cards for years. Your card meanings are quite similar to my lost book by a Chinese author. I may add these meanings which proved to be reliable in my experience. The 3 of spades means travel by sea or any activity near the seashore; 6 of spades is delay or slowing down of project at hand; 3 of hearts means within a week or immediately.The 10 of spades means nighttime. Before interpreting it as imprisonment, it should be surrounded by other spades such as 7, 8 of or 9 of spades. The 4 of spades represent sickness or depression. The 8 of spades has always warned me for deceit or a shocking trouble of ending a relationship with a loved one or any trusted person in my business. The 3 of clubs may hint an unexpected love or marriage proposal very late in life. The 6 of clubs means that the inquirer would be borrowing money, or it depends on how the cards are laid, which woud indicate that somebody would like to ask help from the inquirer in the form of financial assistance.
Hi
I am interested in Cartomancy and really enjoyed reading your explanations. Just a quick query, how would I know which meaning to use in a card such as the 6 of Hearts? It’s both good and bad.
Many thanks
Mary
When I was a child I use to do something like this but I was just playing and didn’t know the meaning of it at all, so thank you for aking this site for ppl to learn from.
hello kinda drawn to joshua being hes a guy and all hey im raymond and i think im comming into some gifts im not sure of what do you feel
Hi, I really liked your detail of information about the cards, including the addition of the four seasons etc.
However, I thought that the Clubs represent Earth, good luck,trade, property, etc. And the Diamonds represent fire, money, energy, etc? It seems that you have them switch around? Other than that, I like everything you have to say on this site. Very informative.
Thank you!
hi josiah! this really helps me a lot whenever i feel confused. i want to know if you do personal readings? thanks!
Hi Mary, thanks for visiting. The 6 of Hearts is ultimately a relationship card, specifically related to long-term relationships. Stamina and loyalty are commonly associated with it. Check the cards immediately surrounding it. If it’s paired with a negative card, such as the 2 of Spades, it could indicate a very lengthy separation, possibly a divorce. If it’s paired with, say, the 2 of Hearts, it could represent the turning point of a warm friendship or relationship into a more long-standing and faithful partnership. Either way, if you get this card in a reading, be prepared for a tenacious and persistent undertaking.
Mothervixen, thanks for visiting. I’m still learning myself, but I’m happy to share what I have learned.
Hi Raymond, thanks for visiting and for the vote of confidence. It’s entirely possible that you’re coming into the realization of your gifts. We all carry a spark of the divine within us, so it’s not too far-fetched. One of the many proverbs in the Inner Temple at the ancient temple at Luxor was “Man, know thyself, and thou shalt know the gods.” “Know Thyself” was also found adorning the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. So exercise it. Pursue it. Get to know thyself.
Hi Pam, you may very well be right. There are a good many ways to interpret the suit meanings. The definitions I have up here are the ones that I personally use. There are a ton of interpretations out on the internet, and I lay no claim of right or wrong to any of these meanings. My opinion for practitioners, especially beginners, is to choose one set of meanings and stick with it. There is no absolute right way or wrong way, but consistency in interpretations will reduce the confusion in readings. Ultimately, the cards are simply a tool; a catalyst for awakening and strengthening that inner talent, that “divine spark” within. If it works for you, then it works.
hello josiah i got this ace of spades as my card of the day and then i picked 7 cards and i picked 8 spades,9 spades, 3 hearts, 5 hearts, K clubs facing left, J spades facing right and 7 clubs i read the meaning and makes me confuse can you please explain this to me , thanks very much!