As a practical-minded (and not particularly flush) retiree, my online shopping excursions are few and far between. Despite this, last week I just couldn’t stop myself from ordering a very cool-looking Bicycle playing card deck I’d had my eye on. Imagine my shock (not to mention annoyance) when I discovered that what I ordered was not what I received…
Of course this sad realization occurred after I had foolishly ripped off the cellophane packaging, discarded the shipping box and date-stamped the deck’s arrival date onto an inside flap of the tuck box…
‘That’s just great,’ I grumbled miserably. ‘Now I’m stuck with them…’
Feeling miffed and more than a little ticked off, I unceremoniously dumped the cards on the kitchen table and after a fast and furious shuffle commanded them to answer my question: ” Why Did I Get YOU Instead of the Card Deck I Ordered??!!”
Despite my rude, insensitive and downright mean-spirited demand, the cards not only replied, they replied in a way that pretty much blew me away.
Question: “Why Did I Get YOU Instead of the Card Deck I Ordered??!”
I had to step away from the spread and regroup myself before I felt calm enough to see if these cards had anything to tell me. Believe me, I wasn’t expecting much.
Silly me.
6 of Clubs speaks to conflict resolution, communications, good counsel, trusted advice, listening and paying attention while 10 of Spades refers to problems, negativity, fear, worry, disappointment and hang-ups that keep you from reaching set goals. 6 of Diamonds can be electronic communication (texts, blog posts, emails, etc.) or simply using your computer (especially with 6 of Clubs in the spread).
Queen of Hearts is empathic, emotionally sensitive, trustworthy, honest and supportive while 5 of Clubs is a card of action and change.
Can you see a theme developing?!
In direct response to my question the Line of Five was telling me that this particular card deck was highly skilled in giving pertinent, accurate, insightful advice to those who may be troubled with fears, anxieties or problems in an empathetic, sensitive way that could help them orchestrate positive change.
Now let’s check out the vertical line:
King of Spades in the Above Position (on my mind) objectively pointed out that I was being highly judgmental and jumping to conclusions and negative judgments when in reality there was every indication that I’d wind up feeling quite at home with this deck — Ace of Hearts in the Below Position (something I’m not aware of or don’t want to think about) and I’ll be able to use the deck effectively to dispense good advice.
Excuse me while I go hide myself in a closet of shame & chagrin for a minute…
Oh. And in case you were wondering which card deck I had originally ordered, I have to tell you I can hardly remember — it certainly isn’t on my short list of must-haves anymore…
Blessings,
Mary Hawkins
[Note: I originally learned the excellent Overview Spread several years ago from the prolifically authoritative & instructional The Art of Cartomancy website ( @jdavidacuri ), a treasure-trove of rich cartomantic knowledge…]
If you own the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck or are thinking of purchasing it, there are a few things you might want to consider:
1. While the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards are not Tarot cards, you can use your favorite tarot layouts and spreads and get useful information.
2. Because all 52 playing cards are represented (along with 3 Jokers), you can substitute this deck for any normal playing cards deck and read it accordingly.
3. Since 35 of the 36 Lenormand card titles are included — and with a little creative license, you can substitute GWFTPC #43 Lightning for Lenormand 36 Cross — you can pull these 36 cards out of the deck and substitute them for a regular Lenormand deck. That is, as long as you don’t mind the fact that for the most part, the playing card insets for the GWFTPC are different from those on the Lenormand, as are the numbers assigned to each card. For example, the Lenormand Scythe features the Jack of Diamonds and is numbered as card 10 while the GWFTPC Scythe features the 10 of Diamonds and is numbered as card 8.
4. You can use the cards as an Oracle Deck since “fortunes” or “prophecies” are written on each of the cards.
5. If you’re up for the challenge and enjoy flexing your intuitive muscles, you can “mix things up” so to speak and read the cards on more than one level.
6. Be prepared to toss the LWB (Little White Book) that comes with the deck into a drawer. It is beyond useless…
By now you are probably getting the idea that the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards do not follow the rules, a fact that can make using them frustrating or perplexing to say the least. Despite this, the cards have a curious draw. They seem to possess a palpable soul that wants to engage with you. If you take the time to get to know them, you might be amazed at the depth of information they are willing to impart.
In Part 1, I promised I’d show you an Overview Spread I did with the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards concerning Male X’s ongoing employment saga. You can read his back story here.
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Several months after the situation that prompted the first reading, Male X (who wound up not pursuing educational courses that could have resulted in a career change) was once again feeling disenchanted with his job. Once again, he decided to apply for a similar position at yet another company for slightly more pay and assurances that he would not have to perform certain onerous tasks he was obligated to perform at his present job. Mrs. X told Mr. X that she just wanted him to be happy and if he wanted to take the new job that was fine with her. To her surprise, a week went by and Mr. X still hadn’t made up his mind, leaving her wondering what was really going on with him. Since Mrs. X contacted me at the exact same time the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards had nagged themselves back into my life, I decided to cast an Overview Spread using this deck for more insight.
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The Overview Spread consists of 7 cards laid out as follows:
The Overview Spread – card positions
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Here are the cards I pulled for Male X’s situation using the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck:
The Significator or Theme Card – Card 1: The Gentleman
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards – 2 of Hearts
Notice the Significator or Theme Card is the 2 of Hearts, the card in the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck that is assigned to “the gentleman whose fortune is being told.” I did not preselect this card. The GWFTPC deck picked it for me. I took this as confirmation that the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards were indeed addressing Male X’s situation.
What Is Above You (On Your Mind) – Card 3: The Lion
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards: 6 of Diamonds
Four of the seven cards in the spread were Diamonds, giving a sense of restless, scattered energy. Diamonds also refer to money. Diamonds in the Above position (Card 3) suggested that money was on Male X’s mind, and the 6 of Diamonds in particular suggested “not enough money.” The image on this card is The Lion and the “fortune” reads: The lion presages a sudden shock from bad news. I got the sense that Male X was worried that if he took this job, he’d come to realize the small gain in hourly wage would not offset the bonuses he now enjoyed with his current job.
The Recent Past – Cards 6 + 2: The Money Safe and the Scythe
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards: 3 of Diamonds – 10 of Diamonds
Cards 6 + 2 in the Recent Past position showed a small amount (3 of Diamonds) vs a large amount (10 of Diamonds) of money. In the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck, the 3 of Diamonds is The Money Safe and the 10 of Diamonds is The Scythe. The “fortune” for The Money Safe reads: The money safe indicates riches; if shut side is toward the person, it denotes loss by speculation. The “fortune” for The Scythe reads: The scythe presages disappointment… Because The Money Safe‘s shut side was closest to the Gentleman (Card 1), I surmised that Mr. X feared “loss by speculation,” which seemed to be confirmed by The Scythe, which foreshadowed “disappointment.”
The Near Future – Cards 4 + 7: The Rapiers and The Broken Glass
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards: Ace of Spades – 8 of Diamonds
These cards suggested that a decision (Ace of Spades) based on money (Diamonds) would come up in the near future. Ace of Spades is The Rapier in the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards deck, warning of assaults which threaten and will occur sooner or later, according to the distance from the person. Since this card was immediately preceded by The Gentleman, I sensed the “assaults,” or decision, would come sooner rather than later. The 8 of Diamonds, known as The Broken Glass in this deck, foretells ill luck for long years if near… Together, these two cards suggested to me that Male X was very worried (Spades) he might make the wrong decision, thus his hesitation.
What is Below You (Fear, Dread or Avoid) – Card 5: The Clover Leaf
Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Playing Cards: 5 of Clubs
When I looked at the Below position (Card 5) to see what Male X might have been avoiding, fearing or dreading, or simply not wanting to think about, I couldn’t help but think The Clover Leaf, bearer of good tidings, was the job offer itself! Because he was obviously worried about potentially making a bad decision / bad financial decision (Cards 3, 4 and 7), Male X was delaying (avoiding) responding to the job offer (Card 5).
Overall, I got the sense Male X was worried (Ace of Spades) that the small increase in pay (3 of Diamonds + 10 of Diamonds with 6 of Diamonds and 8 of Diamonds in the spread) would not justify (Ace of Spades) his acceptance of the job offer (5 of Clubs).
A few days after the reading, I found out that Male X had decided not to take the new job.
When I woke up this morning, a look out the window quickly revealed that Mother Nature had dumped at least a foot of snow in my driveway.
Undaunted, I bundled up and stepped outside, ready to brave the elements, optimistically focusing on snow removal success.
Silly me.
A half hour later, frozen to the bone with little to show for my work, I dragged myself back inside, fixed a cup of coffee and sighed. Wondering if I could expect any help, I picked up my Bicycle Club Tattoo Playing Cards deck and threw an Answer Spread.*
“If I Ask, Will I Get Any Help Shoveling the Driveway Today?”
The Answer:
Answer Spread* with Bicycle Club Tattoo playing cards 2 of Hearts – Ace of Diamonds – King of Hearts – 8 of Clubs – 6 of Diamonds – 3 of Diamonds
Preliminarily, five red cards looked to be a good sign, as did two red cards in the “Answer” column (column 2). I also noted no spades were present, suggesting “no problems.” Just as I was about to begin delineating the spread, Daughter #1 called to let me know she, her hubby and their snowplow were on the way to shovel me out!!!
To say this was serendipitous would be an understatement. 🙂
Later, still smiling over my good fortune, I looked over the spread I’d cast and jotted down the following notes:
Column 1: Circumstances Leading Up to the Question
Answer Spread Column 1: 2 of Hearts – 8 of Clubs
Column 1 of the Answer Spread represents the situation or circumstances leading up to the question. It can show the very recent past or the actual current circumstances.
Here we see the 2 of Hearts and 8 of Clubs. The 2 of Hearts can symbolize a family member or loved one and the 8 of Clubs can symbolize thoughts, discussions, or thinking about taking some action. The cards in Column 1 succinctly expressed that I was thinking about asking my daughter for help but had not yet done so.
Column 2: The Answer
Answer Spread Column 2: Ace of Diamonds – 6 of Diamonds
Column 2 of the Answer Spread answers the question. Here we see double Diamonds suggesting great energy is in play, as well as quick results. Diamonds often symbolize money but that is not applicable to my question, so we’ll go with thoughts, energy and immediacy.
In the context of my question, the Ace of Diamonds suggests a new thought or communication, written or verbal, to be given or received. The number 6 suggests harmony and the 6 of Diamonds can refer to psychic energy, among other things. The sense I got from this combination was that a message, thought or communication of some sort (Ace of Diamonds) would show that my loved ones (2 of Hearts) and I were “on the same page,” or psychically attuned (6 of Diamonds) in some way. It so happened that even as I was thinking of asking (8 of Clubs) for help from a family member (2 of Hearts), I received a phone call offering the very assistance I was about to ask for!
Column 3: Something that may affect the Outcome, or Clarification of the Answer
Answer Spread Column 3: King of Hearts – 3 of Diamonds
Column 3 of the Answer Spread gives additional information that often helps explain the answer found in Column 2. Sometimes it describes why the answer is what it is. The bottom card in Column 3 is called the Pivot Card because often the answer “pivots” on whatever that card represents. Here, the Pivot Card is the 3 of Diamonds, topped by the King of Hearts.
It was easy to see that the King of Hearts represented my son-in-law, a generous, kind-hearted family man. Because I sometimes (but not always) equate the 3 of Diamonds with the Tarot 3 of Wands, which is the “ships coming in” card, it was easy for me to make the jump to “snowplow coming in.” Column 3 clearly showed my son-in-law (King of Hearts) and his snowplow coming to my rescue!
Once again, I’m happy to report, the Answer Spread* came through with flying colors. Give it a try on your next question if you haven’t already done so, and to those of you living in snow zones, may your driveways stay clear!
Over the weekend I found myself at Target searching for a birthday present for Grandson #2 when I spotted this playing card deck in one of the toys & games aisles:
Bicycle Club Tattoo Playing Cards (c) 2013 The United States Playing Card Company
Do I have to tell you how long it took me to grab it off the shelf and toss it in my shopping cart?!
Yep. About two & a half seconds.
Despite a busy day, I just had to give these cards a try. I decided to throw an Answer Spread*, which can give a quick yes or no answer to a simple question. I was most curious to learn how these cards would respond to my energies.
Background
My son is away at graduate school in a different state. A couple weeks ago he mentioned the possibility of coming home for a visit later this month. I’ve been trying not to think about it because I don’t want to stoke my expectations and then be disappointed.
But with this brand new (not to mention very cool) card deck sitting on my kitchen table, I couldn’t help myself. I just had to ask!
The Question
“Will my son come home for a visit by or before the end of October?”
The Answer
7 of Diamonds – 10 of Diamonds – 6 of Diamonds – 6 of Hearts – King of Hearts – 8 of Diamonds
The first thing I note is all the cards are red. This in itself is an excellent indication of a “yes” answer.
I also note there are two sixes in the spread which can indicate that all works out in a satisfactory manner. This is another indication of a “yes” answer.
Out of six cards, four are diamonds. This suggests money is a major factor in whether or not the trip back home will take place, information that certainly resonates with me, since my son’s funds are limited. In fact, the pivot card (8 of Diamonds) is a card of budgeting and in that position shows finances are a key factor in his decision.
Column #1 – Recent Past or Current Situation
7 of Diamonds – 6 of Hearts
The Answer Spread is read in columns. The left-most column shows the recent past or current situation. Here we have the 7 of Diamonds topped by the 6 of Hearts.
The 6 of Hearts, a young male who is much loved, refers to my son. I see he has the 7 of Diamonds, a lucky money card above him, which makes me think this column shows his hopes or thoughts that he’ll have the money to make this trip.
Column #2 -The Answer
10 of Diamonds – King of Hearts
The 10 of Diamonds, among other things, symbolizes a trip by air or an airplane. In general, Diamonds topped by Hearts suggests a happy conclusion. I am not sure why the King of Hearts in particular showed up in this spot. I don’t think it refers to my son (he would be the Jack of Hearts). Perhaps some kindly man who has my son’s best interests at heart will be instrumental in seeing that he gets an airplane ticket home.
Column #3 – Additional Information
6 of Diamonds – 8 of Diamonds
6 of Diamonds + 8 of Diamonds suggests to me that my son will not be talking about any budgeting or financial difficulties he may have. No matter how much he’d like to make this trip, he’s not going to ask his mother for money. The cards in this column hint that if I really want to see him, perhaps I should consider sending some money to fund the cause.
Conclusion
The cards certainly seem to give a positive answer. Obviously, I won’t know for sure if this trip is a go until later in the month, and I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to send a little cash his way to hedge my bets.
On another note, I really enjoyed working with the Bicycle Club Tattoo playing card deck and plan to use it again. If you see this deck in your travels, scoop it up! If you can’t find it, you can order it at the link below.
Blessings,
Mary Hawkins
*I learned the Answer Spread from The Art of Cartomancy blog by Kapherus. Sadly, this excellent site that teaches how to read playing cards is no longer available to the public. If I hear any news about Kapherus rejoining the internet community, I’ll let you know.
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