Читать книгу The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World: The Ultimate A–Z of Spirits, Mysteries and the Paranormal - Theresa Cheung, Theresa Cheung - Страница 153

A form of divination using cards. The practice of cartomancy is ancient and is often associated with gypsies. It is used to predict the future and interpret the past and present.

Tarot cards are the most popular form of cartomancy, but a set of ordinary playing cards can be used in much the same way: they are in fact said to be derived from the Tarot, and indeed there is a great deal of similarity between them. Both have four suits: the swords of the Tarot are the clubs of an ordinary playing pack, the pentacles diamonds, the cups hearts and the wands spades.

If you have a reading with cards, you will be asked to shuffle the pack, cut it and think of a question as the cards are dealt out. Common methods of laying out the cards are the star formation, the wheel of fortune or the quick seven. Each card has a meaning and a significance, and having laid out the cards the reader will use intuition to answer the question. There is an overall pattern for each of the suits, typically interpreted as follows: a dominance of hearts shows happiness and strong relationships. Hearts can suggest sensitivity (both sorrow and joy) and also strong emotions and ambitions realized. Spades are the cards of obstacles and challenges and can show where you might need to be creative in your approach to life. Diamonds are more concerned with everyday matters, particularly finances and hard work. Clubs are the cards of loyal and trustworthy friends or people, but can also mean disappointment and betrayal depending on where they are placed.