A Quick Guide to Reading Playing Cards

Divining from regular playing cards is an old practice. I am sure many of us know at least one
fortune-telling game done with this tool. Reading regular cards is called cartomancy or meta
symbology.
Playing cards have been called "The Devil's Picture Book" and have a few superstitions
associated with them. Miners and fishermen viewed it as bad luck to have a deck with them
while working or on a voyage. Thieves will rarely steal a deck as they have a belief that this
will turn luck against them. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from
history: Spades -- King David; Clubs -- Alexander the Great; Hearts -- Charlemagne; and
Diamonds -- Julius Caesar.
Other omens and superstitions about playing cards involve their use in gambling. It is
generally believed that you will never get a good hand if you are dealt the four of clubs. "The
Dead Man's Hand" (Aces over eights) that Wild Bill Hickock was holding when he was killed
is considered very unlucky. The nine of diamonds is sometimes referred to as "The Curse of
Scotland" as it was used to give instructions for the beginning of the Glencoe Massacre in
1692. On a cheerier note, we have to remember the old saying "unlucky at cards, lucky in
love."
Gong Hee Fot Choy, "Greeting of Riches," is a divination system utilizing regular playing
cards which Margarete Ward, a mystic and world traveler, introduced in her 1935 book.(1) It
draws heavily on Chinese and Eastern mysticism for its wisdom. This system uses a board, a
book and 32 cards. Jokers, 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's and 6's were discarded and only 7's through to
the Ace were utilized. The board and book are divided into 32 houses. Each card has a
different meaning depending upon which house it lands in; all is detailed in the book. There
are 1,024 combinations. The Houses are Compasses, Marriage, Happiness, Enjoyment,
Messages, Relatives, Health, Money, Seasons, Friends, Gifts, Moons, Sun, Luck, Wishes,
Success, Surprises, Popularity, Abode, Journey, Papers, Vocation, Letters, Trouble,
Disappointments, Death, Undertaking, Achievement, Inheritance, Callers, Gratitude and
Inquiries. The hearts represent love and friendship; anything of a personal nature. The
diamonds represent fortune and riches; papers of any kind. The clubs represent luck, wisdom
and business. The spades represent the unpleasant things of life.
Tarot reading layouts readily adapt over to regular card reading as do divinatory meanings.
Hearts equate to Cups, Diamonds to Coins, Spades to Swords and Clubs to Wands. To
proceed with a reading, shuffle and cut in your usual method, and deal out the layout of your
choice or try the following reading.
Relationship Potential Reading
A fun reading to ascertain the future of potential suitors involves separating the Kings or the
Queens from the deck. You then proceed to lay these Trump cards out side by side in this
order: Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds and Spades. Assign a name of someone you are involved
with or interested in to each card; you can choose Unknown for one of them. Shuffle the
cards and ask a question. ie: With whom do I have the best chance of having a successful
relationship?; Who will I marry?; Who will I date next?; Who will call me first?
Deal out the remaining cards face up, laying them out one at a time on or below one of the
Trumps, proceeding across all four and returning to the beginning if required. Your question
is answered when you deal a matching suit on one of the Kings or Queens. Ask another
question and start laying down cards from the beginning of the row again, stopping again
when a suit matches a trump. After all of the cards have been dealt, pick up each stack and
count the number of cards of each suit. Hearts denote love, clubs indicate level of happiness,
diamonds predict money and spades augur sex. The more you have of one suit indicates the
predominant influence or potential asset of that relationship. Look up the meanings of the
cards on the reference chart for a deeper enhancement.
Hearts (Cups)
Ace love, friendship, the home and distinct happiness
King
fair haired man, affectionate, generous, impetuous, honest man, hasty in decisions, not to be relied
upon for advice
Queen fair haired woman, trustworthy, faithful loving woman, gentle & pleasing
Jack fair haired young person, good friend, a close (or long lost) friend
10 good fortune, happiness, good news, happiness in family
9 the 'wish card', dreams and desires will come true
8 invitations, but also partings, parties or celebrations
7 someone is unreliable, broken promises by friends
6 unexpected good fortune, generosity, imposed upon by untrustworthy people
5 jealousy, inability to make a decision
4 changes, travel or postponements, marriage delayed, bachelor or spinster
3 be cautious an impulsive decision threatens good ones
2 success by careful thought, friendship
Spades (Swords)
Ace conflicts, a difficult love affair, misfortune, bad news, tidings of death
King dark haired man, ambitious, usually successful, his ambition overrides everything else
Queen dark haired woman, seductive or unscrupulous, treachery, betrayal, malice, widow
Jack dark haired young man, well-meaning but lazy person, hindrance in all work
10 worry, grief, imprisonment, negation of all good
9 bad luck, can mean delays or quarrels, all kinds of unhappiness in all things
8 disappointments and opposition, be cautious, friends might turn out to be rivals
7 a warning against loss of friendship, quarrels with friends, bad things
6 an improvement in the person's life, use perseverance to make your plans work
5 anxiety, setbacks, interferences, success in business, harmony in partners
4 jealousy, business troubles, sickness, minor misfortunes delay project
3 partings due to faithlessness, journey, bad things in love or marriage
2 scandal, gossip, danger of deceit, change, removal, loss of home, division

Diamonds (Coins)
Ace money, a ring, important message, or a valuable gift
King fair haired man, stubborn and powerful, vengeful, dangerous when crossed
Queen fair haired woman, flirt, sophisticated, witty, interferes in other's affairs
Jack a relative, someone not really reliable, selfish or jealous, bad news
10 journey, changes usually bringing wealth, money as objective, maybe not result
9 opportunities and surprises, usually financial, taste for adventure, travel, changes
8 late marriage or new relationship, unexpected money, a journey
7 a gift, lies, rumours, unlucky gambler, criticism
6 a reconciliation, warning against a second marriage, early marriage; early end
5 successful meetings, especially business, unexpected news; may be business success
4 an inheritance, changes for the better, unhappiness from bad friends, betrayal
3 legal or domestic battles, quarrels, domestic disagreements
2 a great love affair increases in importance, opposed by friends

Clubs (Wands)
Ace harmony, property, achievements, love, peace of mind, professional success
King dark haired man, honest, open, generous and faithful
Queen dark haired woman, strong, helpful, attractive, nice woman, inclined to be temperamental
Jack a reliable friend, sincere but impatient
10 unexpected money, good luck or a gift, unexpected good fortune with bad loss
9 a new romance, disputes with friends, bad quarrels
8 opposition, chance of recklessness, someone will use money not his own
7 prosperity, chance of romantic interference, good fortune, beware of opposite sex
6 business success, profitable business in partnership
5 help from a friend or spouse, marriage with a wealthy woman
4 bad change of fortune, failure of project due to friends
3 good marriage or partnership, long engagement, and then a fast wedding
2 disappointment and opposition from friends or associates

In Closing...
Have a little fun with this, it is a very enjoyable method of divination and accessible to
everyone. If you're having problems with your hand, or if you have trouble shuffling and
dealing the larger Tarot cards, you might find these easier to work with.

Pros: Great for concentration and excitement

Cons: It may be hard for some to gain the concept originally
I was first introduced to this book of fortune telling by a friend and when she "read my cards" I was so shocked
at what she had said. It is a fortune telling game that anyone can really do for fun and excitement. It comes with
the book and game board to help you tell your friends their fortune. You use regular playing cards instead of the
Tarot cards. You use only 32 cards in the deck. You take out all cards 6 and below and all of the jokers. How
this fortune telling is done is you have your game board laying out and have your friend, spouse, or whomever
you are trying to surprise shuffle the cards and while shuffling you have them make a wish that they do not
share with you. Once they have shuffled and made the wish while shuffling they place the cards down with their
left hand. Once they have finished you now place each card face up in each of the houses on the board, starting
top and placing across from left to right.
Once you have placed your cards you simply follow the book and under each house it will tell you what each
card that your friend, spouse, etc. means according to how their cards fell. Some of the things it will tell you are
very shocking and very surprising.
It does entail a lot of concentration and to begin with it is a lot of fun but for those of us who are really into the
fortune telling it can be a great way of learning how to read cards and tell fortunes. The book itself does go into
much more detail on how the game is to be performed however if you are like me you are willing to purchase it
and get started.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading and learning and learning more about our future and what
it holds for each of us. The cards themselves Spiritually represent people, things and events.