Cartomancy: A Guide to Card Meanings & Interpretation

Cartomancy is remarkably simple and surprisingly profound — the ancient art of uncovering truth through ordinary playing cards. This guide reveals the most effective card meanings with crystal-clear interpretations. Let's review the best readings and discuss the interpretations with an expert.

Meanings playing cards: an essential guide

Choosing a deck. Only new cards are suitable for readings. Don't expect accurate readings if you've used the same deck for games with friends.

Preparation. Keep your deck of cards in a private spot where no one else touches it. Before you start reading, hold the cards in your hands for a minute or two to fill them with your energy.

Setting. Before you begin the readings and card deck meanings readings, remove all unnecessary objects from the room and the table, and light the candles. Find a quiet spot to do your reading where nothing will distract you.

Attitude. For the best playing card readings, try to practice them when you feel calm and focused. Find a quiet moment away from daily stress, clear your mind, and concentrate on your goal. This helps get the most honest answers from the cards.

Cartomancy meanings of each card

Therefore, before you start, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the interpretation of the suits.

Diamonds

Their element is Earth. These meanings of cards interpret business, travel, and implementation.

• Two: Successful negotiations.
• Three: Wait for successful investments.
• Four: Listen to doubts and your inner voice.
• Five: Financial difficulties are possible.
• Six: You should reconsider your expenses.
• Seven: Business success; minor troubles.
• Eight: You will buy a house or move somewhere.
• Nine: A successful acquaintance.
• Ten: Your wish will come true with these card meanings.
• Jack: A young military man.
• Queen: A girl or woman who will be nearby.
• King: A man ready to start a family; a married man.
• Ace: A financial well-being, business, or inheritance.

Clubs

The element of the suit is Fire. These deck cards' meanings are associated with finances, power, and success.

• Two: You should not trust colleagues; carefully observe the people around you.
• Three: You may be sent on a business trip.
• Four: Overcoming internal obstacles; you will get rid of fears.
• Five: There may be health problems.
• Six: Advice to postpone starting a business, don't make a long journey.
• Seven: Business success with cards, meaning cartomancy.
• Eight: Promotion at work or profit.
• Nine: Marriage, but unsuccessful.
• Ten: Success in endeavors.
• Jack: You will soon meet a young man.
• Queen: A woman, a leader, a boss.
• King: A person who will offer help.
• Ace: Good changes in all areas, internal transformation.

Spades

Spades, meaning cards, are lies, betrayal, and deception. Their element is Air.

• Two: Dismissal, problems at work.
• Three: Minor problems.
• Four: Problems with a loved one or betrayal.
• Five: Do not miss the opportunity.
• Six: It is better to postpone the trip.
• Seven: Quarrels.
• Eight: There may be health problems or a lack of good mood.
• Nine: The end of a relationship, divorce.
• Ten: A dream will not come true (play card reading says).
• Jack: A swindler, a fraudster, is nearby.
• Queen: An evil woman, troubles from women are possible.
• King: A cruel person, a rival.
• Ace: Bad news, loss.

Hearts

This is the element of Water, so playing cards' meanings are associated with romance, relationships, and emotions.

• Two: A strong friendship.
• Three: A triangle in a relationship.
• Four: The relationship with the partner can deteriorate.
• Five: A misunderstanding that will be resolved quickly.
• Six: A harmonious relationship with loved ones.
• Seven: Listen to your intuition in card deck meanings.
• Eight: Love relationships will change quickly.
• Nine: Success or marriage.
• Ten: Your wish will come true.
• Jack: A young man nearby.
• Queen: An adult woman nearby.
• King: An adult man.
• Ace: A new relationship, falling in love.

Readings for the future: three playing card meaning

This reading reveals what's coming your way — will love blossom, or will career opportunities unfold?

Close your eyes, mentally concentrate on the issue that is essential to you. Randomly pull three cards out of the deck. Interpret the playing card meanings based on the denomination and suit. For example, pulling the Ace of Clubs, Six, and Ten of Hearts signals career momentum — your plans will gain traction, and opportunities will unfold.

Meaning cards: reading "Black Rose" One of the best readings for the future. Take a deck of 36 cards in your hands, concentrate, and pull out one card. Its meaning will be the answer to your question. But keep in mind that it applies to the near future.

Meaning cards: reading "Was and will be"

• First, you need to choose a fortune teller's card:
• King/queen of diamonds: For single people.
• King/queen of hearts: For people in relationships.
• King/queen of clubs: For elderly persons.

After choosing your card, put it aside and shuffle the deck. Next, lay the cards face up on the table, three at a time, until "your" suit appears. After that, collect all the cards from the table into a deck (except for the one that symbolizes you), move part of the deck, and start the reading. Lay out 3 cards in 5 rows, and put another card aside.

Interpretation of the rows with deck of cards meanings as Tarot:

• 1 row: Personal information.
• 2 row: Matters of the heart.
• 3 row: Work matters.
• 4 row: Past.
• 5 row: Future.

Card meanings: playing cards readings for love and relationships

When a couple faces challenges they can't resolve on their own, or if you're still searching for your soulmate and wonder when love will arrive, cartomancy will help. These readings show the hidden dynamics and reveal obstacles to romantic timing and decisions. Whether you seek answers about a troubled relationship or the future of your love life, the cards can help unravel the mysteries of the heart.

Cartomancy playing card meanings: reading to test feelings

This powerful reading uncovers how someone feels about you — their secret emotions, true motivations, and deepest desires they haven't voiced.

Take a deck of 36 cards and shuffle them well. Remove a card with your left hand and put it at the bottom of the deck. Think of your loved one and, starting with the top card, lay them out in front of you in a row of six. If you see that there are matches diagonally, for example, two queens, put them aside.

When you are done, collect all the cards and repeat the reading, but put five in a row. Then do the same with four, three, and two cards, continuing to put aside the dropped pairs. Count how many cards you have left in the end. This number in playing card readings will answer for the feelings the person is currently experiencing.

Here's what the number of remaining cards means:

• One: Ready for marriage.
• Two: Loves.
• Three: Interested.
• Four: Upset.
• Five: Thinking about you.
• Six: Cheating.
• Seven: Indifferent.

Cartomancy playing cards meanings: six cards The reading will help you find out the answers to several questions about your loved one at once. Shuffle the deck, then randomly draw one card and place it on the table. Shuffle again and draw another card. Repeat this process six times, so you end up with six cards on the table.

Each card carries its meaning and reveals specific insights:

• The first card shows what the person is thinking about.
• The second card reveals their worries.
• The third card indicates what will happen soon.
• The fourth card reflects their desires.
• The fifth card highlights what they're relying on.
• The sixth card represents what's happening in their life right now.

Cartomancy meanings of playing cards: wish readings

Card readings aren't just about love or the future — they can also guide your dreams. Want to know if your wish will come true? A simple reading with playing cards can give you the answers you need.

Four suits

A simple reading that anyone can handle. Think about your wish, shuffle the deck, and pull out one card without looking. The suit will give you the answer to the question that worries you:

• Hearts: Think about whether you want it.
• Clubs: The wish will come true.
• Spades: Something will stop you.
• Diamonds: You will have to try to make your dream come true.

Reading playing cards with Aces Take the deck and start shuffling it. While you shuffle the cards, think about your wish. Pull out nine cards in order and lay them out in a row. Repeat this three times to get a total of three rows of cards.

Check if any Aces appear among your drawn cards. If you've collected all four suits of Aces, your wish is guaranteed to come true. If no Aces appear, your dream may take longer to manifest.

Detailed interpretation: playing card reading

Before you start, study the meanings of the suits and ranks. It will help to interpret the reading correctly.

Six If you draw hearts, diamonds, or spades, it signals an upcoming trip — either a long journey or a short business trip. However, if you get the six of clubs or spades, beware: it suggests idle chatter and delays, meaning your travels might not be worthwhile.

Seven Hearts "speak" of upcoming fun events, unexpected joy, and pleasant communication. Sevens of diamonds and clubs predict a business meeting and the completion of deals, and spades — deception, quarrels, and insidious intentions.

Eight Such playing cards' meaning can "speak" of essential conversations that await soon. Depending on the suit, the mood of these conversations will be different:

Hearts: Heartfelt conversations, pleasant discussions. Diamonds: You will receive a small income with the help of someone. Clubs: Discussion of work issues and everyday conversations. Spades: Serious conversations, revealing secrets.

Nine Hearts and diamonds indicate a love interest between a man and a woman and an upcoming date. The card introduces the possibility of real estate dealings or home repairs influencing your love life. However, any spade card brings warnings of worries and anxieties ahead.

Ten Hearts, diamonds, and clubs mean good news, monetary gain, and positive life changes. New prospects will open up for you. However, if you got the ten of spades, this indicates upcoming troubles.

Jack The Jack in a card deck predicts upcoming changes and news that you will receive. Jacks of diamonds and clubs are associated with unpleasant chores and minor unforeseen expenses. The spades card suggests that dreams will be unrealizable and intentions empty.

Queen The interpretation of this rank of playing cards depends on the suit:

• Hearts: An adult woman.
• Diamonds: A young woman.
• Clubs: A mature woman, mother, grandmother.
• Spades: An adult and a successful woman.

King "Royal" cards of different suits differ in meaning:

• Hearts: A married or divorced adult man.
• Diamonds: A young unmarried man.
• Clubs: An adult man, uncle, colleague.
• Spades: A respectable, successful man.

Ace This signifies coming news along with significant unexpected challenges. These may include potential losses or health concerns.

Tarot card & playing card meanings are built upon standard playing cards, so either system's readings share similar meanings. While their designs differ visually, their core interpretations remain fundamentally the same. However, it's important to note that cards typically don't reveal the distant future — their predictive window generally extends no more than six months.