Playing Card Meanings For Cartomancy

This article contains a complete list of meanings for all the 52 playing cards. To make this list I used a variety of digital sources. At the bottom of this article will be a reference list that credits all the sources. There will also be links to other sources throughout the article.

Preface

Before we get into the list we will talk about the playing cards and their relation to the tarot, primarily the minor arcana suit association.

The minor arcana of tarot consists of 10 pip cards ace to ten with four court cards. The only difference with playing cards is there are only three court cards (face cards) Jack, Queen, and King.

The tarot has four suits that are associated with elements and the playing cards. The associations are as followed:

Hearts are cups or chalices. Water Element

Diamonds are pentacles, disks or coins. Earth Element

Clubs are wands, staff or scepters. Fire Element

Spades are swords. Air Element

You can find this information in many tarot books. I was able to locate such entry in Golden Dawn Magic: A Complete Guide to the High Magical Arts by Chic Cicero & Sandra Tabatha Cicero on page 161.

Note on the Sources

In compiling this list I was able to tap into older sources. P. R. S. Foli published a book Fortune Telling by Cards between 1915 and 1920. I was able to check Foli’s meanings against the other digital sources. To my surprise, much of what Foli wrote in the early 20th century remains today.

Most of Foli’s interpretations have connotations towards marriage. This may be due to the culture of the early 20th century. People would be concerned about getting married and developing a family back then.

I recommend reading Foli’s work if you are interested in learning more. Not only does the book contain all the meanings, but it will also provide older methods of using playing cards for divinity. The pdf can is available here.

I used Corrine Kenner’s Tarot for Writers while making this list. It helped me double-check keywords for tarot against the playing cards.

I compiled and changed some of the meanings for originality’s sake. I wanted to develop meanings in my own words to avoid plagiarism. I have attempted to reword the meanings as best I can for this article.

The List

This list is made up of keywords and phrases. This will allow you to generate your own narrative without getting caught up in the prose of a written meaning.

Ace of Hearts: understand your desire, newfound happiness, emotional attainment.

Ace of Diamonds: future news, new beginnings, material opportunities.

Ace of Clubs: startling wealth or knowledge, new prosperity.

Ace of Spades: misfortune, end of a cycle, the death card.

2 of Hearts: new partnership, emotional connection, happy balance.

2 of Diamonds: the juggler of opportunity, synchronization, positive direction.

2 of Clubs: difficulties, conflict with another person, loss of friendship.

2 of Spades: hard choice, warning of a departure, examination.

3 of Hearts: social engagement, expanding partnerships, uncertain emotions.

3 of Diamonds: money negation, avoid group animosity, tactful monetary boundaries.

3 of Clubs: long term proposition, new creativity, another chance.

3 of Spades: future bad news, third person breaking a union, temporary impairment.

4 of Hearts: strong emotional foundation, appropriate change.

4 of Diamonds: lock-box for money, sage advice, financial growth.

4 of Clubs: draining entourage, unchecked compliance, dishonesty abound.

4 of Spades: resolving a crisis, financial anguish, reward through struggle.

5 of Hearts: emotional crossroads, jealousy in close company, potential disturbance.

5 of Diamonds: new enterprise, financial development, realization of success.

5 of Clubs: new alliances, new habits, act on plans.

5 of Spades: temporary resistance, discovery, inner strength.

6 of Hearts: teamwork, good fortune, someone is interested in you.

6 of Diamonds: disengagement, partitions, boundaries.

6 of Clubs: good luck, correct instinct, good balance.

6 of Spades: development, perseverance, create limits.

7 of Hearts: uncertainty with relationships, unreliable friends, unpredictable.

7 of Diamonds: progress through adversity, good investment choice.

7 of Clubs: unexpected loss in finances, sudden change, waste of resources.

7 of Spades: hindrance to achievement, change of perspective, imagined loss.

8 of Hearts: strong union, abrupt gift, unexpected opportunity.

8 of Diamonds: new opportunity through craftsmanship, an announcement for work.

8 of Clubs: contemplation, unfavorable conditions.

8 of Spades: affliction, intervention required, steady steps for resolution.

9 of Hearts: fulfillment, content relationships, expanding relationships.

9 of Diamonds: preparing for harvest, conservative success.

9 of Clubs: abrupt fortune, wealth, achievement of goals.

9 of Spades: restlessness, left behind, misfortune.

10 of Hearts: success through hard work, good fortune, completion.

10 of Diamonds: reaping the rewards, household richness, hard work paying off.

10 of Clubs: legacy and complete success, well-established prosperity.

10 of Spades: rock bottom, overwhelm, buried.

Jack of Hearts: innocent and sweet young man, admirer, naive and impetuous.

Jack of Diamonds: envious young man who brings news, deceptive person.

Jack of Clubs: playful young man, admirer, reliable yet inexperienced.

Jack of Spades: aggressive young person, toxic individual, rebellious behavior.

Queen of Hearts: caring woman, maternal role, warm guidance.

Queen of Diamonds: charismatic woman, a rich woman entering your life.

Queen of Clubs: well-grounded woman, mature woman, practical.

Queen of Spades: bossy and malicious woman, separated woman, a woman of power.

King of Hearts: caring man, fair and helpful male figure, affectionate man.

King of Diamonds: authoritative man, high status or influence, possible risky business.

King of Clubs: experienced man, generous man, high spirits.

King of Spades: dark determined man, self-absorbed man, a man of power.

I have added the Cavaliers as a suit class in case you want to use all four suits from a French tarot deck.

Cavalier of Hearts: extreme, graceful young man, a dreamer.

Cavalier of Diamonds: determined, a responsible young man, trustworthy.

Cavalier of Clubs: driven, energetic young man, generous.

Cavalier of Spades: intellectual, courageous young man, dashing.

This concludes the meaning of each of the playing cards for divination.

Recently the Path and Playing Card Deck has been expanded to include the 22 major arcana cards. You can learn more about the major arcana cards and the tarot cards in my web guide, or you can also use these keywords to help gain a quick insight into the majors. The keywords that follow are from the OpenAI ChatGPT torot meaning article here. In a curious way, the AI did very well at creating a useful list of all 78 tarot card meanings.

I The Magician: Using your skills and resources to achieve your goals. Creativity and communication.

II The High Priestess: intuition, mystery, and the unconscious mind. Keeping secrets or seeking knowledge.

III The Empress: fertility, abundance, and creativity. Nurturing and mothering.

IV The Emperor: authority, leadership, and structure. Masculine energy and determination.

V The Hierophant: tradition, spirituality, and guidance. Seeking a mentor or seeking enlightenment.

VI The Lovers: love, relationships, and choices. Making a commitment or finding balance.

VII The Chariot: victory, determination, and control. Overcoming obstacles and achieving success.

VIII Strength: inner strength, courage, and determination. Overcoming challenges and using your power.

IX The Hermit: solitude, introspection, and wisdom. Seeking answers or taking time to reflect.

X The Wheel of Fortune: change, cycles, and luck. A turning point or a new opportunity.

XI Justice: fairness, balance, and truth. Making decisions or seeking resolution.

XII The Hanged Man: sacrifice, letting go, and understanding. Finding a new perspective or waiting for the right time.

XIII Death: endings, transformation, and rebirth. Letting go of the old to make way for the new.

XIV Temperance: moderation, balance, and harmony. Finding balance and creating harmony.

XV The Devil: temptation, materialism, and limitations. Breaking free from negative influences or unhealthy attachments.

XVI The Tower: chaos, upheaval, and revelation. Experiencing a major life change or a sudden realization.

XVII The Star: hope, inspiration, and aspiration. Finding guidance and following your dreams.

XVIII The Moon: fear, anxiety, and the unknown. Trusting your intuition and facing your fears.

XIX The Sun: happiness, success, and fulfillment. Achieving your goals and feeling contentment.

XX Judgement: accountability, judgment, and redemption. Facing the consequences of your actions or seeking edemption.

XXI The World: completion, accomplishment, and integration. Achieving your goals and finding wholeness.

0 The Fool: a new beginning or a fresh start. Taking a risk or trusting your intuition.

References and Sources:

Art of Cartomancy dot com

(Webmaster and Author J. David Arcuri) https://artofcartomancy.blogspot.com/2019/09/locating-lost-objects-with-cartomancy.html

Guardian Angel Readings dot com

(Webmaster is Padre. The author is Padre or unknown/anonymous) https://www.guardian-angel-reading.com/blog-of-the-angels/cartomancy/?media=BLOG&campaign=cartomancy

Latin Cards dot com

(Webmaster is anonymous/unknown. The author is unknown/anonymous) http://latin.cards/cartomancy/

Cafe Astrology dot com

(Webmaster is Annie Heese. The author is possibly anonymous) https://cafeastrology.com/fortunetellingcards.html

Aquarian Insight dot com (Webmaster and Author is Jay) https://www.aquarianinsight.com/playing-card-meanings/

P. R. S. Foli – Fortune Telling by Cards can be found hosted on these websites:

Sacred Texts dot com https://sacred-texts.com/tarot/ftc/index.htm

Labirinto Ermetico dot com https://www.labirintoermetico.com/02Tarocchi/Foli_P_R_S_Fortune_Telling_by_Cards.pdf

A final note about references. This is not exactly how academic references are done. Also, consider that authorship on these blogs may not be consistent. Much of the article writing on contemporary blogs are done by freelance writers who remain anonymous. The content is then published by the blog owner. Keep in mind this is not always the case. For example, Aquarian insights are written by webmaster Jay. Keep this in mind as you investigate these sources.

To preform a divination with the playing cards use this article below to learn how to Open the Devil’s Triangle. This is an original spread of my own design inspired from multiple sources.