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Any tarot experts out there? I can't figure this reading out

 
 
Jack Denfeld
05:27 / 06.05.06
I went online to get a tarot reading about my poker play this year, and it asked me which deck I wanted to use, and I had no clue so I just checked "choose for me". Then it asked the layout? Or spread or something? Again I was lost, so I just checked "choose for me".

So. This was the spread.

The Fourfold Vision spread offers a progression of different ways of looking at an object, person, or situation. It is a powerful tool for gaining deeper insight into the specific subjects of other readings.

And this was the deck.

The International Icon Tarot renders traditional occult symbolism in Swiss iconography. It is a humorous and direct approach to divination, and one of our favorite new decks.

Again, totally lost here. So here's the reading.

The card on the far right represents the object being viewed, be it an idea, relationship, or the self. Nine of Cups (Happiness): Contentment and satisfaction in romance, friendship, or other relationships. Achieving your deepest desires and savoring beauty and sensual pleasures. A state of joy and abundance radiating fulfillment and bliss.

The card second from the right represents the physical vision: how the object is seen at a base or mechanical level. King of Swords: The essence of air, such as a clear blue sky: A mature leader of unwavering ethics and indisputable authority. An incorruptible judge, whose devotion to the law cannot be swayed by emotion or material concerns. Perfect clarity of thought, directness of action, and eloquence of speech. One who, like a great general, inspires not love or devotion, but absolute trust and loyalty.

The card in the middle represents the mental vision: the object personified and seen through a humanized perspective. The Hermit: Withdrawal from events and relationship to introspect and gather strength. Seeking the inner voice or calling upon vision from within. A need of understanding and advice, or a wise man who will offer knowing guidance. Personal experience and thoughtful temperance.

The card second from the left represents the emotional vision: how passions and values are creatively stimulated by the mental vision. Page of Wands: The essence of fire behaving as earth, such as wood or coal: The surprising appearance of a new passion. An adventurer who blazes through life, acting as a catalyst that others may harness. The intense enthusiasm and childlike imagination that fuels any new venture, needing only the application of mind and material to make it a success. Inner fire that can drive away fear and replace it with fury. Can represent a person of some timidity, but whose innate passion can be easily ignited. May indicate the birth of a child.

The card on the far left represents the fourfold or mystical vision: still viewing through the previous three, we now add a spiritual element, revealing unseen aspects of the object. Queen of Wands, when reversed: The dark essence of fire behaving as water, such as steam: The natural embodiment of passion and sensuality, who will do anything to the be the center of attention. A seducer who calculatingly dons the guise of what others desire. A cocky and domineering person, who pushes anyone or anything aside to get what she wants. One who is vengeful and quick to take offense without good cause. May indicate infidelity and contempt for a relationship.

Trying to make heads or tails from this is probably kind of a bore, but if anyone's bored could ya help me out here?
 
 
Jack Denfeld
16:35 / 06.05.06
Anyone? Illmatic?
 
 
ESOZONE : Oct 10 - 12 PDX 2008
21:16 / 06.05.06
physical: Knight of Swords

keep your wits about you as you play, poker face

mental : Hermit

keep your hand to yourself as you play, poker face

emotion: Prince of Wands

go with your gut instincts as you play, poker face

mystic: Queen of Wands, reversed

be ruthless in order to win as you play, poker face
 
 
Jack Denfeld
09:39 / 07.05.06
Thanks chao, owe you one.
 
 
Sekhmet
13:05 / 08.05.06
You were at facade.com, weren't you?

FWIW, I don't think I've ever gotten a decent reading there. Fun toys, though.
 
 
Less searchable M0rd4nt
13:08 / 08.05.06
I was trying to come up with a sensible interpretation for you, Jack, but that whole thing looks like bollocks to me. Like Sekhmet says, randomly-generated readings like this are fun toys but not much good for anything else.
 
 
Jack Denfeld
13:44 / 08.05.06
Yeah do me up for a general poker reading please.
 
 
ESOZONE : Oct 10 - 12 PDX 2008
15:25 / 08.05.06
I disagree, I find facade readings to be pretty good at times, but just like material decks, it may be better to build a relationship with a particular deck.

The Minchiate deck, which differs from normal decks, has usually been pretty foward with me.

Most of what makes facade shit is because of what it is in the first place, a mediated tarot experience, rather than the tactile and genuine article. I suppose its only asthetics, but that can make or break it for some folks.

I personally dont mind either way, ... even Taboo the Nintendo tarot reading game gives me good spreads.

^__^ how can nintendo NOT be magical?
 
 
Jack Denfeld
15:52 / 08.05.06
I personally dont mind either way, ... even Taboo the Nintendo tarot reading game gives me good spreads.
Fuck yeah! I remember that game and totally wish I still had it.
 
 
Quantum
16:51 / 08.05.06
Jack, why not do a playing-card reading instead? That's the deck you know and relevant to the question.
 
 
Jack Denfeld
03:32 / 09.05.06
That's not a bad idea. Is there an online reference on how to use regular playing cards for tarot?
 
 
Quantum
08:33 / 09.05.06
It's simple- Spades are Swords (Air, intellect, trouble) Clubs are Batons/Wands (Fire, action, magic) Diamonds are Coins/Pentacles (Earth, money, career) and Hearts are Cups (Water, emotions, romance).
The Joker is wild and is the Tarot Fool of course, shows opportunity or foolishness, but also stands for the rest of the major arcana e.g the Wheel of Fortune, Death etc. so if he shows up either fold or go all out :-)

Here's an example- the Jack of Diamonds is you, winning money, the Jack of Swords is you recklessly overbidding, the queen of hearts is a woman you're romantically involved with (no, not lady luck jack that's the queen of coins) and the ten of spades is Ruin, the King of Coins wealthy retirement etc.
Look up the one-word definitions of the minor arcana and use those, you'll be less confused and get a better reading. I'd advise a month or a week in advance not a year, maybe even a daily poker reading for yourself to gauge how accurate it is. If you get mostly spades don't play, mostly diamonds do play.
Another advantage is that the more you're divining with the cards the less gambling time you have, which might save you money....

Oh, and do a three card spread is my advice, left to right yesterday-today-tomorrow, again for clarity and simplicity.
 
 
Jack Denfeld
11:01 / 09.05.06
If you get mostly spades don't play, mostly diamonds do play.
I don't think that's very practical. It's like saying don't go to work. Maybe more of a "don't play above your bankroll", or "take a shot at a higher level". I won't be at a disadvantage without all those cool Death, Tower, Lover cards?
 
 
Quantum
16:31 / 09.05.06
Fair enough, take the ominous cards as a warning to play it safe and the auspicious as a sign to bet big.

Here's a good site for Tarot meanings. Here's a cartomancy site you might be interested in and a concise guide to fortune telling by playing cards.

Bon chance Jacques!
 
 
Quantum
16:38 / 09.05.06
I won't be at a disadvantage without all those cool Death, Tower, Lover cards?

Not unless you want people dying, your house burning down or falling in love to happen while you're at the table... the only majors you'd miss are the Wheel of Fortune (which means your future is influenced by chance and destiny- a given in this reading I think) and maybe the Magician. Use the two Jokers as the Fool and the Magician maybe.
 
 
Quantum
16:43 / 09.05.06
Heh, some of it seems apt already;
Ace of Clubs- Wealth, prosperity, unexpected money/gain. However, in a difficult spread, this money may disappear almost as quickly as it appears
 
 
illmatic
17:59 / 09.05.06
Jack, there's a good Austin Spare article about how he converted playing cards to a personalised deck, in Kenneth Grant's book Zos Speaks. If you're seriousy interested, I'll photocpy it for you. PM me.

Only if you're seriously interested, and likely to use it, mind, cos the book is big and heavy and I'll have to carry it to the photocopy shop.
 
 
Quantum
19:02 / 09.05.06
I have a copy in the shop around the corner from a photocopier if that's easier.
 
 
Jack Denfeld
02:23 / 10.05.06
Yeah, I'd be interested. To show my thanks I'll even study it and post a topic about the system here in Temple.
 
 
illmatic
06:23 / 10.05.06
Go on Quants, you do it. My bag is heavy enough.
 
 
_Boboss
09:15 / 10.05.06
Use the two Jokers as the Fool and the Magician maybe

Something I’ve been interested in having explained actually – the magician used to be called the juggler in some medieval decks, no? and also in some decks the fool was called the jester? I’ve kind of assumed in the past that the joker has notional connections to both cards, anyone reckon there might be an actual historical basis in the idea that the modern playing-card joker is a mashup of the first two trumps, and this is maybe still reflected in the fact most playing card packs have two jokers?
 
 
Quantum
14:03 / 10.05.06
'Fraid not. The Joker is the Fool, the Magician is lost. The Fool is unnumbered, a wild card, and in the Italian game of Tarrochini (played with a Tarot deck) has similar properties to a modern Joker. There are two because an odd number is hard to print I think, although I'm not sure of that.
The magician was the Juggler in some decks but is really a mountebank, a charlatan, a huckster, a find-the-lady merchant. He has control of all four suits and stands rogueishly confident at the table with magic aces up his sleeves, which is why I'd recommend him to Jack- he's the card sharp in the Majors.
You certainly could make him the red joker and the Fool the black, I think it would work well if you interpret the Fool as foolishness, unlucky gambles and not noticing pitfalls etc. then the red is good and the black bad (for poker anyway).
Or you could add a Gambit trading card to the deck and get cursed by the goddess Fortuna who surely hates him.

I'll photocopy that Spare thing on Friday- Ill, do you have the page reference? Jack, can you PM me your address your majesty?
 
 
Less searchable M0rd4nt
20:20 / 11.05.06
Jack--sorry this has taken so bloody long, I had a lot of weird things happen culminating in the mysterious dissappearance of my beloved Crowley deck. Meh. I had to dig out my old kiddy deck instead. Anyhow, here goes:


Position 1: The basic situation

King of Coins.

Material matters, property, wealth.

There are two things going on with this card. On one hand I get a sense of something really positive--staying well-grounded but also generating energy and life. But there's a sort of dodgy element underlying that, a kind of getting-distracted-by-ambition thing. He's upright in the spread, so I'd say the emphasis is on the positive side.

The king of coins is a wealthy, intelligent man, maybe a little rigid. I think the message here is that you'll need to use your smarts, make intelligent use of your wealth to proceed.


Position 2: Best approach.

The Emperor

I get the feeling that you look at your poker-playing as giving a sort of independance: a source not just of money but of slightly more nebulous benefits. The Emperor is all about strong-willed independance, taking a stand, taking control. I think you're going to need to cadge a bit of the Emperor's nature, be a bit grim-and-determined about things.


Position 3: Likely outcome

Four of Cups.

Uh oh. This is a bit of a warning. You've got a big opportunity coming up, a really important chance, and as things stand you're in some danger of missing it. As this hasn't happened yet you can change it. I would say that for the next few weeks at least you should maybe err on the side of boldness. Don't take stupid risks, but be a little daring. I can see you taking some losses from this approach, but they can't be helped.

If you do miss the boat, it's really really important that you not dwell on your error and become discouraged by it. Learn and move on.
 
 
grant
20:54 / 11.05.06
Two Earth-Kings in the same spread = significant.

And Four Cups is... well, anti-earthly concerns (or about the danger of overlooking mundane stuff), too.
 
  
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