You may have used an oracle deck or heard of tarot cards, but did you realize you could perform a reading with a standard deck of playing cards for a friend or yourself? Anyone is welcome to try this method of divination, known as cartomancy.
Here, we go into all there is to know about cartomancy, including its history, the meaning of the cards, how to perform readings, and more.
In This Article...
Can you use a tarot deck to play cards?
With the exception of Minchiate, an extinct game that required 97 cards, a full Tarot deck, such as one for French Tarot, contains the full 78-card complement and can be used to play any game in the family. However, the smaller subsets (of 63, 54, 40, or even 36 cards) used in the Austrian-Hungarian Tarock and Italian Tarocco decks are exclusively appropriate for those games. The Latin suits of Cups, Coins, Clubs, and Swords are common in Italy and Spain, and the French suits of Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades are used in France, Quebec, West Germany, and the majority of the English-speaking world. Regional tarot decks frequently include culture-specific suits. For example, the German suits of Hearts, Bells, Acorns, and Leaves are used throughout most of Germanic Europe. Even non-Tarot decks, such those used in the German card game Skat, are following this pattern (played with a deck of similar-value cards as in the French piquet deck used for Belote; players in most of western Germany use French suits while players in Bavaria and eastern Germany use German suits).
Infuse the cards with your energy
Spend some time with your tarot deck to imbue it with your energy before you begin plucking cards. The creator of Soul Cards, Kristine Fredheim, advises giving them a good shuffle while imagining or stating your name and birthdate. You might also think about sleeping with your cards under your pillow if you want to get really close to them.
How do you make a fortune using cards?
Hearts Ace
Love and contentment. A love letter from the house. This card, which is especially opportune, portends relief from difficulties.
Hearts 2
a friendly collaboration or interaction. This card, which is extremely favorable, denotes strength and assistance from a romantic relationship.
three hearts
When the entire spread is usually favorable, it brings love and pleasure. This may represent emotional issues and the difficulty to choose someone to love if the spread is challenging.
7 of Swords
An unexpected burst of luck. Someone looks out for you and shows genuine interest in you.
7 of Cups
Someone whose affection for you is erratic; someone with unpredictable interest in you. Lovesickness may be indicated by this card.
7 of Swords
The wishes card. a wish or dream realized. To find out what the reader wants, look at the card that comes just after this one.
Hearts 10
Success and good luck. This significant card denotes success following adversity.
The Jack of Hearts
a kind-hearted companion. A young individual with fair hair, or one whose horoscope is dominated by Water signs. This frequently indicates a younger admirer.
Princess of Hearts
A woman with fair hair and a pleasant disposition, or one whose horoscope is dominated by Water signs. kind counsel kind and considerate woman. This card may occasionally represent a mother or mother figure.
Royal Hearts
A man with light hair and a pleasant disposition; alternatively a man whose chart is dominated by Water signs. Fair and beneficial advice loving and considerate dude. Without saying much, this man assists you. His deeds show his concern and caring.
Clubs Ace
wealth, success, unanticipated financial gain. This money could, however, vanish nearly as rapidly as it appears in a complex spread.
3. Clubs
A favorable long-term investment is love and happiness, a happy marriage. a second chance, especially financially speaking.
Four of Clubs
Avoid lying or cheating at this time, and don’t accept anyone without question.
a 7 of Clubs
Business success, despite potential issues with the other sex. a change in the workplace that might have been anticipated or earned, like a promotion.
8 of ClubsWork/business issues that might be caused by envy. This is typically regarded as being very unfavorable.
Business success among the top ten. Happy financial luck. A trip taken now can lead to the meeting of a new love interest or buddy.
The Jack of Clubs
a fiery young person with dark hair. a well-liked young person who is also lively and kind. can also be used to denote a fan.
King of Clubs
a woman with dark hair and confidence; or a woman whose astrological chart is dominated by Fire. She might provide you wise counsel.
Crown of Clubs
Man with dark hair and a kind heart; or a person whose astrological chart is dominated by Fire. a kind and courageous man.
Ace of SpadesBad luck; frequently signifies a rocky conclusion; occasionally linked to death.
The two spades
Relationship ruptures and dishonesty a lapse in a crucial process in the asker’s life. When a query is asked about a specific love interest, it is regarded as a red flag that infidelity or separation is very possible.
Spade Three
Relationship ruptures Sometimes a sign that a third party is somehow intruding into a relationship.
Spades Five
Temporary opposition and hurdles can actually be a blessing. describes a person who is occasionally pessimistic or depressed.
Spades Seven
loss; advice that is best ignored. Success is hampered in some way, and this suggests that the respondent may be the source of those difficulties.
Spades Nine
Illness, misfortune, and accidents The respondent is experiencing a personal low.
King of Diamonds
woman who is widowed or divorced, or whose chart shows that air rules her.
The Ace of Spades
a man with dark hair; or a man whose astrological chart is dominated by Air. A man with ambition who could be self-serving.
three diamonds
an official letter. To prevent arguments, treat people with tact.
Diamond Five
Success and happiness. A better transformation. wonderful news for a child, such as a birth. New projects should be launched at this time.
Diamond Seven
a disagreement about money or at work. Usually anticipated to end happily.
Diamond Eight
A new job; a shift in employment. On a vacation, people of any age may find love.
Diamond Nine
a fresh business transaction, travel, unrest, or a move.
Jack of Diamonds 11
A young person who might be in uniform or a jealous person who might not be trustworthy. a carrier of news, typically unfavorable but not major.
a dozen Queen of Diamonds
a woman with fair hair, or a woman whose astrological chart is dominated by Earth. a rumor.
King of Diamonds 13
a man with graying or fair hair, or whose natal chart has a strong Earth element. a powerful, influential, or high-ranking man.
The only Tarot trump card still in play is the Joker. He shares some of the same meanings as The Fool in the Tarot and the standard playing card decks. He is a true “wild card,” as his number is zero. When the Joker shows up in a reading, it suggests that something unforeseen and unpredictable may happen. If you decide to utilize the Joker in your readings and your deck of cards has two Jokers, you just need to add one.
The focus placed on card combinations when reading playing cards is one notable distinction between reading the Tarot and reading playing cards. Large numbers of multiples are less possible due to the card spreads employed and the addition of the Trumps (Major Arcana), even if the notion is applicable to the Tarot and is undoubtedly used. Both decks have some combinations in common, particularly when it comes to the occurrence of numerous court cards. The interpretation of multiples of the same card in the same spread with various suits is shown in the accompanying chart.
There are numerous card combinations that different readers may find significant. A succinct list of some of the more typical pairings is provided below:
Do not cause rumors to circulate or proliferate; Seven and Eight of Diamonds will get back to you.
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Regular-sized Tarot cards with annotations:
Oversized Tarot cards with annotations:
My Tarot deck needs to be cleaned.
There are occasions when you might want to perform something more particular and ritualized rather than simply shuffling the tarot deck to purify and clear the energy of the cards. Cleaning your deck could seem like a nice place to start if you’re just starting to understand tarot.
You might want to clean your tarot deck for a variety of reasons, including:
- beginning with a fresh deck
- readings for other people
- You think you need to recharge.
- Your card readings seem a touch “odd” or “disconnected”
- Your deck hasn’t been used recently.
- Your deck has been handled by others
- You think you’ve been utilizing your deck a lot. A LOT, especially for books with strong emotional content
Why should you cleanse or clear your tarot deck?
Tarot deck cleansing helps keep the energy flowing between you and your deck. To keep the link strong and clear, think of it as a little spiritual hygiene. It’s not necessary, but if you have any of the aforementioned symptoms, try a few of the energetic cleansing techniques listed below and note which ones seem to work the best for you.
How often should you cleanse your tarot deck?
This is another way of stating USE YOUR INTUITION: there are no hard and fast laws. Don’t worry about it if you don’t think your deck need it. Alternately, if you like to cleanse them once per week or once per month, that’s great. If it feels appropriate to you, you can even place your favorite crystal on the balcony each night.
If you frequently place crystals on your deck and store it on an altar while not in use, you might not feel the need to cleanse it frequently because this quick ritual will likely be sufficient to keep your deck feeling nice.
There are numerous ways to cleanse your cards, just as there are numerous reasons why you might desire to do so.
Different ways to cleanse your tarot deck
Use holy smoke. Light a dried rosemary, lavender, cedar, sage, or palo santo cleansing wand until it begins to smoke. Hold the smoke a safe distance below the deck while holding the burning herbs in one hand and the deck in the other so that the smoke drifts upward onto the cards. Turn the deck so that the smoke covers it from all angles. Next, safely put your deck to the ground and put out the fire.
On the deck, set a selenite stone (or a black tourmaline or a transparent quartz). Although an hour would suffice, I prefer to let it rest like this for the entire night.
Set them on display during a new moon. The New Moon is energy of a blank slate; you can purify the deck by setting it on a window sill on a new moon night. At this moment, you can also make a brand-new intention for your deck.
Place the cards in a salty dish. A strong and stabilizing cleaner is salt. My preferred choice for a thorough cleansing is this. Allow it to sit anywhere from one to eight hours in a dry area.
Shuffle in chaos. Spread the cards out on the ground, then shuffle them around like a child playing in dirt. This method’s freedom and randomization serve as an excellent reset.
the shuffle and sort. Set up the deck in rows of seven cards across, commencing with the Major Arcana numbers 0 to 22. (see photo above). Next, arrange the cards, Ace through King, one for each suit, as follows: Swords, Pentacles, Cups, and Wands. View the deck in this configuration, then mix everything up (like the chaotic!) and shuffle it thoroughly.
What does it signify when you play cards?
Facts and trivia about playing cards Each of the four major pillars of the Middle Ages’ economy is supposed to be symbolized by one of the card game’s suits: Hearts stood for the Church, Spades for the military, Clubs for agriculture, and Diamonds for the merchant class.
Who invented the tarot?
The first tarot decks were created in Italy in the 1430s by adding a fifth suit of 21 specially designed cards called trionfi (“triumphs”) and an odd card called il matto to an already existing four-suited pack (“the fool).
My own oracle cards: is that possible?
Since the meanings of oracle cards are typically stated directly on them, there is no need to learn the meanings of each individual card, making it an even simpler hobby to start than tarot cards.
Variability: You can make your deck as distinctive as you want it to be because the format for oracle cards allows for so much flexibility. In addition to the meanings on their cards, some artists also include rituals for the user to do.
Oracle stands itself from other card games by being a collector’s item in addition to a game and a hobby. It’s difficult to stop after purchasing just one deck because there are so many decks available with various sorts of artwork. Printing oracle cards is a creative approach for artists to promote their work in a way that is both aesthetically beautiful and practical.
Self-Publishing Your Oracle Deck without an ISBN
The first choice is to get your deck printed in modest quantities and sell it locally without formally releasing it as a book product. If you plan to sell your deck mostly online, on Etsy, or in neighborhood book stores, this is a terrific option.
If you’re willing to handle the majority of the shipping yourself and anticipate selling a realistic number of decks each month, it’s a simple way to get started.
As an alternative, you can have a print-on-demand business like MPC or The Game Crafter produce your deck. Since each of these businesses has a physical location, you can sell your deck there directly, have orders transported straight to clients, and have individual copies made whenever someone places an order.
The benefit of this approach is that you won’t have to handle any of the packaging and shipping yourself, and you won’t have to make any initial outlays of money. The drawbacks of this strategy include very low profit margins per sale and lower-than-expected final product quality due to digital printing instead of offset printing for your business cards.
Self-Publishing with Your Own ISBN
The second option is to self-publish your deck with an ISBN number and have it produced in bigger quantities (beginning at 5001000 copies). You’ll need to conduct study to learn the precise steps to take for your deck because they may vary depending on the country.
The benefit of this approach is that you have the option to publish your deck as a physical book product and distribute it to book stores and online sellers all over the world once you have an ISBN number.
You should ideally work with a business that can store and transport your product for you if you anticipate selling significant volumes of your deck. A prominent choice for this is Amazon FBA. This is a supplemental service that many of the bigger printing businesses provide.
(Note: You might need to publish your oracle or tarot deck along with a guidebook in order to obtain an ISBN number. Playing cards are not officially eligible for ISBN numbers as a stand-alone product. There are, however, some exclusions to the norm. If in doubt, get in touch with your ISBN organization for more details.)
Getting Your Oracle Deck Published by a Publishing House
Finally, you might want to think about submitting your deck to a publishing house that specializes in oracle cards and/or spiritual literature.
Working with a reputable publisher has certain distinctive benefits, though, if you feel inspired to pursue this option.
You won’t have to bother about printing, distributing, or sending your deck to clients yourself, to start. Using the network of booksellers that your publisher already has will save you money up front and enable you to reach a far wider audience. A portion of the promotion will also be done for you by your publisher. (However, you will be required to contribute to the promotion as well.)
To Sum Things Up …
Getting your oracle card deck published can be done in a variety of ways. Ultimately, you must decide what is ideal for you based on your objectives, vision, plans for using your oracle deck to generate money for your company, and the time and resources you are willing to commit both now and in the future.
If I were to make a recommendation to you, it would be as follows:
Develop your vision first. Describe the specifics of your deck, including its subject, number of cards, preferred card size, whether a box and/or booklet are necessary, how you want to use the deck in your business, and other details.
To create the first physical prototype of your deck, work with a prototyping business.
Choose your next course of action once you are satisfied with what you have. If you want to self-publish your deck, print a small quantity (up to 1000 decks, or print them as needed, based on your budget and preferences) and then start marketing your cards to your target market. You can send your prototype to publishing houses together with your proposal if you’re thinking about finding a publisher for your oracle card deck.
Aim higher. Invest in the tools and services you’ll need to reach more people and sell your deck. This could involve employing a warehouse and distribution service, setting up Amazon FBA, printing and publishing your cards with an ISBN number so you can distribute your deck to book stores, etc.
As a general rule, give yourself the room and resources you’ll need to expand into your vision without feeling constrained, honor the trip, and ground your idea as swiftly or gradually as is appropriate for you and your business at this moment.
Want More In-Depth Support to Bring Your Vision of Your Own Oracle Deck to Life?
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