Syncretic Cartomancy: A Threefold Divination*

*Syncretism: The union of different practices whose features may be synchronized to good effect.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: In the past I have occasionally dabbled in two-phase readings using cards from different disciplines in a single spread, usually tarot and Lenormand or an oracle deck. As I spend more time and effort looking into traditional cartomancy while exploring the Lenormand playing-card insets, I decided to refresh my approach.

I opted to first create a reading template to capture the overarching theme of my question by intentionally selecting a single tarot card (in this case from Ciro Marchetti’s Tarot of Dreams) and then choosing a four-card “ideal scenario” sequence that is depicted in Lenormand cards (here they are from Marchetti’s Gilded Reverie Lenormand).

After laying out this pattern, I shuffled the tarot deck and pulled one more card to provide a “Thematic Outlook” regarding prospects for achievement of the main theme, placing it below the “Theme” card..

Then I shuffled the rest of the Lenormand deck and dealt one card under each of the four “ideal” cards.

Finally, I shuffled a deck of playing cards (here I used the Hoyle Waterproof Clear Playing Cards) and dealt one card above each of the “ideal” cards.

My question was “What can I do to improve my fortunes?”

I picked the Wheel of Fortune as my theme due to the benevolent influence of Jupiter, the “Greater Benefic” in astrology. (I have always seen this card as a positive influence and not merely as a symbol of indiscriminate “change.”)

For the “Ideal Scenario” I tapped the Ship for its focus on “enterprise and commerce;” the Clover as rapid but modest growth in prosperity; the Sun as the pinnacle of success; and the Fish as “abundance” (not merely “money” since my goal is not solely financial).

I then randomly drew the Empress as the “Thematic Outlook” card, which bodes well for reaching my goal.

For the “Lenormand Perspective” row I pulled the Stars, the Moon, the Clouds and the Bouquet. The Stars beneath the Ship suggests that my initiative is well-favored to advance. The Moon below the Clover implies that my reputation will receive a small boost. The Clouds to the right of the Moon and under the Sun could mean that there won’t be enough of a “bounce” to make much difference since I might have trouble finding an outlet for my aspirations. The Bouquet usually has to do with an offer of some kind, and with it positioned beneath the Fish and following the Clouds there may be some problem with the specifics of compensation. However, the “bright side” toward the Bouquet indicates that this will be resolved after the clouds slowly disperse under the rays of the Sun.

For playing-card interpretation I prefer the methods of Kapherus (J. David Arcuri), who has had an off-and-on website over the last few years and who now runs the Art of Cartomancy blog that was still being cited as of the end of 2021, although there hasn’t been an update in its contents since 2019.

For the “Cartomantic Perspective” row I drew the Ace of Diamonds; the Ace of Spades; the Queen of Diamonds; and the 3 of Diamonds.

Three of the four cards are Diamonds, and Kapherus notes that the suit has to do with “Money, financial matters, possessions, rewards, recognition, success, improved circumstances, legal judgments and financial institutions” as well as “written communication.” Most of these are objectives or consequences of the “Ideal Scenario” row.

The Ace of Diamonds (which in Lenormand relates to the Sun) denotes “Written news, letter, message, invitation (echoing the Bouquet in the “Lenormand Perspective” row), important document, new beginning, fresh start, new phase of something.” Above the Ship it seems to provide a propulsive influence that may originate from some kind of written incentive.

The Ace of Spades is less sanguine. It portends “an ending and new beginning; transformation; a major life change; an important decision that brings change; worry and anxiety.” I’ve also seen it defined elsewhere as “Things coming to a head.” Sitting above the Clover, it probably means that any small measure of good luck will be lost amid the hand-wringing, and it certainly doesn’t bolster the agenda of the Moon. In Lenormand it relates to the Lady, which carries no interpretive significance.

As an aside, two Aces also appeared for the last half of this month in my recent Lunar Month Look-Ahead reading: the Ace of Swords (the “bright idea” card) that is equivalent to the Ace of Spades, and the Ace of Wands (the “Just do it!” card) that aligns with the Ace of Clubs. I read them — both there and here — as cards of “initiative writ large.”

The Queen of Diamonds may merely reflect “growth and personal power” since I have doubts that it represents an actual “fair-haired woman” or “relative by marriage” in this reading. The Sun immediately below it could amplify its empowering influence. However, in Lenormand this card relates to the Crossroads, and paired with the Clouds on the opposite side of the Sun it might mean “converging difficulties” regarding a momentous decision.

The 3 of Diamonds suggests “A small sum of money, a payment, financial growth, partial success, partial growth, part-time work, perseverance is needed for success.” Since my goal is not to embark on a new full-time career, I’m OK with this focus on a limited commitment. Above the Fish it could mean that any financial benefits will be delivered via “installments over time.” Combined with the Clouds-afflicted Bouquet it could signify a “modest offer.”

In summary, the main disincentives here are related to the Clouds, which sabotages the merit of the Bouquet, and the Ace of Spades, which meddles with efforts to augment my reputation via small successes.The broader dimensions of the reading (shown by the Empress) look favorable for satisfactory improvement in my circumstances; the rest is just “details.”

Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on August 22, 2023.