Tag: Divination

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Burning Like a Silver Flame

She that fain would fly, she shall quickly follow,
She that now rejects, yet with gifts shall woo thee,
She that heeds thee not, soon shall love to madness,
Love thee, the loth one! 

Sappho, Ode to Aphrodite.

Long-term readers will know that I have a preference for linear and classical carrés and stars over positional draws. However, from time to time, the cards will fall on my table in crosses, horoscopes, horseshoes and CCs.

Below I use two medium sized spreads that can be utilised for looking for love questions. Credit for the patterns go to Colette Silvestre[1] and Teresa Michelsen[2].

L’étoile de Vénus

This draw is designed purely for relationship development questions. The five cards are as follows:

1
2    3
4        5

  • The first card represents the consultant.
  • The second card represents the present influences.
  • The third card represents influences that can either support or oppose the consultant.
  • The fourth card is the consultant’s hopes.
  • The fifth card is the outcome.

In her many books, ranging from TdM to L’oracle de Belline and both the petit Lenormand and grand jeu de Mademoiselle Lenormand, Mme Silvestre focuses on giving concise answers and emphasises cards’ behaviour. In this reading, great weight is thus given to passivity versus activeness and help versus hindrance.

Reading:

The first question comes from a young man, in his early twenties, referred hereafter to as the cavalier d’épée. He is currently single, having parted way with a young woman recently, and wanted to know if he would meet someone ‘new’ soon.

The cards as they fell:

I replied: ‘Yes, if you’re prepared to be a gambler.’

The cavalier d’épée loftily stands to survey his domain (le monde), calm and collected (tempérance), but hesitant (l’ermite). He hopes for change and new encounters (the la roue de fortune). He can have this, but only if he takes a risk and seizes his opportunities (the le bateleur).

I often see the le bateleur card as ‘yes, but.’[3] Le bateleur knows success occurs when opportunity meets preparation. He is prepared to seize any opportunity, to take a risk. Is the cavalier limiting his opportunities in some way? The L’ermite says yes. Some cards, such as tempérance, are actively passive. To achieve perfect measure or understanding, and thus peace the the fruit of the virtue, she must actively engage in passivity. That helps, here. The l’érmite, however, challenges tempérance on whether she has found the right measure or moment.

We lay two pip cards over the l’érmite, to see what he’s contemplating: dix de denier and deux d’épée. failure, or the loss of success and he runs from this. But philosophers have always said abstinence is easier than temperance. I don’t think the Hermit knows there is no contingencies in affairs of the heart. You take a risk. Or you stop alone.

I think the cavalier d’épée will find himself surprised at the possibility that presents itself.

Looking for Love:

Teresa Michelsen outlined this spread in her book, Designing Your Own Tarot Spreads.

  • The first card describes why you have not yet found your ideal partner.
  • The second card tells you how to overcome issues expressed in the previous card.
  • The third card advises you on the most positive action you can take to find your partner.
  • The fourth card describes who will be the right person for you.
  • The fifth card tells you where you will find this person.
  • The sixth card tells you when you will find your partner.

Reading:

This question was posed by a divorcée hereafter referred to as the Queen of Coins. The Queen had a two-parted question, why she was unsuccessful in finding a partner and when this would change. You will see Teresa Michelsen’s layout beautifully addresses these factors.

The cards as they fell:

My answer is: her social circle is not conducive to a new relationship and this will change when she relocates and meets new people.

Despite her emotional stability, the Queen finds herself with indifferent and listless men (4 of Cups) and will need to destabilise and breakout from the status quo (the Fool). The most positive thing she can do is leave her coterie and cut ties with a crowd that does not serve her needs (6 of Swords).

She will find her ideal partner in a festive and lively crowd (4 of Wands) when she builds a new home for herself and feels revitalised (Ace of Cups).

Traditionally, when we see the 4 of Cups, we often talk about feeling secure, real emotional intelligence and fairness (being the sanguine, air suit). It’s also the home of friends. However, here, we see a man so secure that he is apathetic and inert and unresponsive to the Queen’s needs. In the face of this, the 6 of Swords tells the Queen to leave the party and sail away to the troubadours’ party in the 4 of Wands.

If we look at the 3 of Wands, as who will be right for the Queen, we say a man who has forsaken his white-tie for a red toga. He’s imaginative, probably musical, but keeps his bare feet on the ground. He balances reliability with inscrutability (both earth qualities), creativity and dint of effort. Whatta man, in the words of Salt-n-Pepa.

The Ace of Cups, in timing, can be read as the first week of autumn, that is the week commencing September 24. A change of residence is supported by both the 6 of Swords and 4 of Wands, and to a lesser extent the Fool. I thus favour a literal move rather than a figurative fresh-start. The Queen told me, after the reading, all her friends were attached. She is due to be rehoused by the local authorities in the summer. I wish her well.

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Cards: The Prediction Tarot (Peter Richardson), Aquarian Press 1985; The Victorian Romantic Tarot (Alex Ukolov & Karen Mahony), Magic Realist Press 2006.

Featured Image: Fresco from Pompei, Casa dei Venus, 1st century AD. Unknown ancient Rome artist, photo of Stephen Haynes [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Title: Venus, by Shocking Blue.

Notes:

[1] Silvestre-Haéberlé, C. (2001). Les 12 meilleures méthodes pour tirer les tarots. 1st ed. Paris: Grancher.
[2]Michelsen, T. (2003). Designing your own tarot spreads. 1st ed. St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn Publications.
[3]Of note, he takes this precise meaning in the different versions of le tirage immediat sometimes called the rapid response.

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Horseshoe

Programme two of my one-to-one tuition course with the Marseille tarots focuses on helping deliver the same precise and succinct answers, delivered with the linear draws, with spreads and positional draws of various sizes. The plan was developed in response to numerous e-mails and comments from readers, and my earliest students. Often students find themselves becoming hesitant or losing focus when reading cards in patterns, especially those with positional contexts. Here we prevent such habits, building proficiency and incisiveness.

Quite often students tell me how surprised they are that a Celtic Cross or the Widdershins’ Star can be read as a snappy sentence, just as one can a line of five or nine cards. But the reality is they can be. It is all just a matter of orientation.

The linear draws flow from the first card to the last card. Leaving aside reflection, cards relate solely through progressive attendance. Thus, there is no question of a positional relationship found in a draw such as Astrological Wheel or Celtic Cross. The challenge for the cartomante, therefore, is to cultivate the same sense of directional ease through knowing where each place falls in the course of the narrative.

The Horseshoe

« Le fer a cheval » or horseshoe spread is cartomantic standard. In addition to providing clear answers to precise questions – including yes or no – it offers useful advice on how to solve problems or situations.

It is the first draw covered in the second programme.

Although we focus on the Marseille tarot, here, it can be employed with the l’oracle de Belline, the Petit Lenormand, l’oracle de la Triade and le tarot persan de Madame Indira, et cetera. It is thus extremely versatile and, therefore, a useful addition to the cartomante’s repertoire.

The Basics

The draw is composed of seven cards, which are to be arranged as shown below. As with numerous spreads, there are variations to be found. The one described, here, has served me well. I also use a second variation which can be seen in a later article.

    • Card one determines the consultant in the face of her question giving insight into her attitude and position.
    • Card two defines the present situation in relation to the question which can either aid or hinder or shed let on external influences or individuals.
    • Card three represents the future and how matters will play out.
    • Cards four and five advise on the direction the consultant should take, what to do and how best to act.
    • Card six is the main obstacle to be overcome and can provide guidance on where to forbear.
  • Card seven is the response.

Relating the Cards

Although the reader can advance through the cards in numerical order one can then struggle to formulate the core answer. The core answer is a succinct pronunciation that summarises the cards’ response taking into consideration how the cards relate to and engage with each other.

A sequential stroll through the cards will thus provide a disjointed and pedestrian answer. One also runs the risk of turning the reading into seven one-card readings, rather than a seven-card reading. Unfortunately, the majority of Anglo-Saxon cartomantes fall into this trap and have made the latter a virtue of necessity.

Narration

The first card advises the cartomante on the temperament and position the client occupies in relation to her question. It is thus the point of departure and also can be seen as a significator.

Both card two (the present state of affairs) and card six are connected with the latter describing the main obstacle arising out of the present situation.

Now that the cartomante is appraised of both the situation and difficulties he turns to the fourth and fifth cards. These two cards advise the seeker on how she can best proceed to resolve the challenges she faces. Thus, both cards are key to offsetting card six.

Naturally, card seven and card three are closely connected. The cartomante will need weigh these two cards against each other and see if there are signs of dissonance.

For example, the cartomante finds himself reading for a client who wants to know if she will reconcile with an ex-partner: the seventh card is le soleil and the third card is le diable. The disparity between these cards indicates that although the two will reconcile (le soleil) she will find herself in hellfire (le diable). Transpose the two cards then the answer is negative, but le soleil would, as occupying the future position, foretell warmer times and love in the near future.

Example Reading

At the end of January one of my mother’s friends asked if someone could read for her daughter. After 52-weeks’ maternity leave, the daughter had returned to the employment to discover her role (secretarial) had changed and was somewhat unhappy to find herself working for a different person. Due to the complex laws surrounding maternity leave, the seeker felt that there were grounds for complaint, although was somewhat wary of initiating a grievance.

Her question was: “Will I be able to resolve this to my advantage?”

The cards as they fell:

Answer:

Yes, but with the aid of a steward or mediator; you can then cut through the mess and find yourself in a satisfying condition.

Delineation:

For clarity, we will breakdown the spread and delineation.

The client appears as l’Ermite which shows the client is searching for a solution and guidance, not being in a position where she can act autonomously.

Presently, her employer is undertaking some form of restructuring, that has come at the same time the seeker returns to work (Jugement), which has resulted in considerable confusion (la Lune).

With La Lune in mind, the client will need to solicit advice from one who can weigh the situation appropriately (la Justice) and, therefore, identify the right moment to act and deal the winning card (le Bateleur). It is important that she keeps her feet firmly on the ground (la Lune contrasted with la Justice and le Bateleur).

Thus, with the appropriate aid (le Pape), she will be in a strong position to resolve the situation to her satisfaction (la Force). We notice that both l’Ermite and le Pape are turned from each other – the seeker has not sort appropriate advice and would benefit from either union representation or some mediation (le Pape).

Despite the draw utilising positional contexts, we are able to retain the incisiveness of a linear draw. We just need to know how positions relate to each other in the same way attendance in lines flows. As with all of cartomancy, it comes down to looking.

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Cards: Les Tarots Marseille de Jean Noblet, Paris, vers 1650 © Éditions Letarot.com (2001).

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L’Amour Blea: Grand Tableau

The entry you are about to read first appeared on NéosFortune, in May 2017.

I have been getting to know a junior doctor, hereafter called Hugo. Hugo was intrigued to learn that I read the Lenormand Orace as these are the cards read by one of his mother’s friends, back in Martigny (Switzerland). After dancing around the issue, Hugo eventually asked me if I would ever read for him. He wanted to know where his boyfriend stood on their relationship.

My office is on the top floor of a now little-used area of a 1930s building, that is said to be haunted (but that is for another post). This means few people come up to see me especially after 6 p.m. when I am often still working. In my top drawer, I keep a Lenormand Oracle which is small enough to both go unnoticed and be spread on a desk.

Firstly, let us consider what Hugo is asking us to answer. He wants to know where his ‘boyfriend’ stands on their relationship. Although Hugo is the person asking the question, it will be the boyfriend’s tableau. The boyfriend, therefore, is the Lord-card and Hugo the Cavalier[1].

Hugo’s question also asks where the Lord-card stands ‘now.’ That inference necessitates the introduction of an epochal scheme. For me, in this structure, what is to the left of the significator, is the past, and what is to the right, is the future. We, however, do not stop there. A full reading requires that we read the cards, not just left-to-right, but also in a helical formation. I include a complete example in my book[2]. For privacy reasons, at Hugo’s request, I omit the step in this post.

Here are five key steps followed. In this post, I will, however, not present them in sequential order. I do this to avoid repetition and to an enhance flow.

A QUICK BREAKDOWN:

  1. The most important thing always is the keep the focus on the cards, not the techniques. Let your eyes wander over the tableau; it’s the big picture, after all. What is going on? Where are the players? Are they near to each other, or far? How are things engaging? That is an important step, as it trains the brain to see the real picture (the process of intellection).
  2. I note the trigger card (first card) and read it with the two cards that follow it. I see the first three cards as a direct message, a terse statement, on the current state of affairs. Consider these in isolation first. Then they can be regarded in the wider context.
  3. Read the four corners, as these frame the situation, by showing dominant influences. I recommend reading them both diagonally and, again, in a helical manner.
  4. Read the present, the past, and then the future lines. If you require further information on a card (often the last card in a line, if it ends on an ambiguous note, e.g. the Clouds, the Fox, or the Ring), you can count on to the ninth card, and then to the thirteenth card. You then have three cards to read as an additional sentence.
  5. The final four cards are the quintessence, or perhaps best seen as the root or triggering events. You can expand on these, noting a degree of causality, by reading cards 33 and 34 with cards 27 and 28 and then cards 5 and 6. Cards 35 and 36 will be read with cards 29 and 30, and then cards 3 and 4.

Now to the tableau: ‘Where does the Lord currently stand in the relationship with Hugo?’

The cards as they fell:

Cards: Lady, Bouquet, Dog, Stork, Roads, High Tower, Cavalier, Book; Scythe, Coffin, Fish, Ship, Stars, Bear, House, Child; Fox, Serpent, Mice, Sun, Lord, Whip, Heart, Ring; Cross, Letter, Moon, Garden, Birds, Cloverleaf, Anchor, Tree; Lilies, Clouds, Mountain, and Key.

Schematically, this is an interesting picture. It is, at first glance, well-balanced. The Lord-card has four cards to his left and three to his right (four thus being the farthest, see below right). There are two rows above him, but just one below. So the past is heavier. Ahead of him is both the Heart and the Ring. Some would rejoice. However, dear reader, before we prepare our confetti, I see the path to the Heart is via the Whip (which connects, obliquely, to the Birds at the Lord-card’s feet – stressed and upset people lash out). But what is more interesting is the appearance, right at the start, of the Lady-card. And this Lady occupies Hugo’s natural position (that of the Cavalier). As said before, some would like to see the Lady-card as Hugo. But, alas, when I checked he had trousers on not a dress.

In a draw, the first card dealt is always the trigger card. It tells you about an event or dynamic that has triggered events discussed or elaborated on in the other cards. It’s thus the starting point, the project at hand. Here, we find the Lady. Having a person card fall first can be likened to a conductor (which is more evidenced when we consider the corners). But let us return to the task at hand. What statement is made by the first three cards? A woman proffered (Bouquet) the hand of friendship (Dog).

Now, where does the Lord-card stand in this relationship? Presently, he is divided about what direction he wishes (Stars) it to take long-term. The Paths, which crown the Lord-card, always carry a degree of conflict over which direction to choose. The High Tower is a difficult card in a relationship, as it can presage a robust and stable outlook or conflicting self-interest. Paired with the Paths, it shows indecision and self-doubt about what one wants long term preventing progress. Sadly, with the Storks involved, this is: ‘Should I stay, or go?’ The Lord-card is considering if he’s better off flying solo. So it’s not surprising to find he is presently stressed and upset and feels like he is banging his head against a brick-wall (Birds and Mountain).

Note the Ship right next to him, he’ll be off soon.

The future doesn’t look too promising. Obviously, the Ring is the relationship, but it is also the card of repetition and going-round-in-circles. Following the Whip and Heart, it shows recriminations and passionate disputes, even controlling behaviour, that does not have an end in sight.[3]

The cause of this lies in the past. There is a clear sign of misplaced trust and betrayal (the Fox, the Serpent, the Mice). Our Lord survived to fight another day but felt drained rather than victorious (we find the Mice with the Serpent and the Sun either side).

In love, the Fox, a charming and skilled seducer, always warns of the risk of being cheated, and the Serpent, emotional wrangling, and perfidy. If we look closer at the two cards, we can see the Serpent mirrors the Heart, in the future, showing the venom is still to be felt as keenly tomorrow. Is this the right relationship, the Fox asks?

Now, from where did all this start? Some might point the finger of suspicion at the Cavalier. He sits in the Serpent’s house, after all. Such is a misunderstanding of the houses: the Cavalier is unjustly constricted by the Serpent, as he is its guest.[4]

We cannot directly connect the Serpent to anyone, other than the Lord-card. However, the Fox combines with both the Lord-card and the Lady-card, who indirectly relates to the Serpent vis-à-vis the Bouquet and the Fox (knighting, an indirect correlation). A closer inspection of the Lady-card confirms this. Her vertical line shows the serious harm and damage caused through deceitful actions (the Scythe, the Fox, the Cross). The horizontal line and chain indicates her exit, stage left, occurred at the appearance of Hugo. The Lady-card and the Cavalier meet in the clouded Garden, also, from which we can infer that the did not ‘click.’ In her negative aspect, the Serpent is a seditious figure who is very fond of spreading poisonous words and likes to isolate people from her prey. This is borne out here across the tableau.

Although this Lady has – quite clearly (if we consider the diagonal and horizontal lines) – left the Lord’s life, where he stands is directly in her wake. The four corners beautifully reiterate this: the Lady-card causes long-lasting grief (the Lady, the Book, the Tree, and the Cross) which means she cannot be forgotten (the Lady and the Tree) and that’s a painful lesson to digest (the Book and the Cross).

What can say about the Lord-card and his Cavalier? Imagine drawing an ‘+’ and an ‘x’ from both cards and see where they meet. Here that is the Dog, the Bear, and the Heart.

The Bear’s essence is power, and this manifests as strength, authority, and courage. In love, this can be felt somewhat heavily, but it is sincere and reliable (emphasised by the Heart). If we look at the Bear, we can see the strong potential for a fresh start in their personal life (horizontal line). But the Lord needs to do some serious thinking (the Paths).

Looking at the last four cards, what can we see? The Mountain adds greater density or an opaque look to the Clouds. It thus makes it harder to see a solution (the Key) to the current upset (Lily, clouded). This is further evidenced by the additional pairings, most notably the Birds and the Cloverleaf. But there is a solution.

If we return to the Ring, we can count to the ninth and then the thirteenth cards. That gives us the Ring, the Tree, and the Key. From this, we infer that the relationship can be fixed (Key). The Tree encourages taking some time out and contemplating the situation more neutrally. A holiday may be the answer (remember the Ship?).

So, to summarise, the cards say that the Lord stands at a crossroads considering whether it would be better for him to call a day on the relationship or invest enough time to sort it out.

As you can see, reading for a same-sex or gender couple is no different than reading for a straight couple. Both need to be open to parties of the same and other gender. Hence why I do not replace the Lord-card or Lady-card or pretend them to be genderswapping entities.

§

Cards: The Lenormand Oracle © Verlag für die Frau, Leipzig (1982).
Featured Picture: Copyright The Tuke Collection / Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation

References:

[1] There are several differing viewpoints on the topic of significators in same-sex relationships.
[2]Boroveshengra, A. (2015). Lenormand Thirty-Six Cards: An Introduction to the Petit Lenormand. 2nd edition. CreateSpace. Pages, 181 – 202.
[3]In such circumstances counting can help. The ninth card from the Ring is the Tree, and the thirteenth card is the Key.
[4]A house is a domicile. It has four walls. If you find yourself in the Coffin’s house, you’re sleeping in a casket. In the Fox’s den? Think Jemima Puddle-Duck.