Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
The Cartomancer: The Reading on Point

The Cartomancer: The Reading on Point

Last updated on: May 12, 2016 at 11:49 am by Camelia Elias

The Cartomancer: The Reading on Point 2016-05-12T11:49:40+00:00 Camelia Elias

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Grand Jeu de L’Oracle des Dames, Editions Dusserre, in my collection (Photo: Camelia Elias)

When a question is not properly developed, the best strategy is to lay the cards down and let them tell the story. Have at least 9 cards on the table, in whichever layout you fancy. Use whatever cards you adore or abhor.

You will have no assigned positions for the layout, as you will be reading these cards in line, the pedestrian way, from left to write, ending in bed in the missionary position. You below. The cards on top.

Get ready for the obvious. The cards read this way will be merciless in forcing the unconscious mind to the surface of the conscious. It will be like having a big mirror stuck to your nose from above. You will begin to feel the pressure of the cold surface. You will even feel claustrophobic. You will want to get up and run. But this big, reflective surface will be pressing itself on you, your face and your belly. If you’re skinny, you will feel a stab around your edgy bones. You will want to scream too. But the mirror won’t care about your projections.

‘Yeah,’ you will want to say: ‘This mirror of cards will only feel this way if I read for myself. Isn’t it true?’

False.

If you go and see a fortuneteller and have no question, beware. If you see her getting ready to read the cards in line, make up an excuse and leave. She will disclose the nastiest things about you. She will tell you bad things about your useless lover. She will demystify your clinging to possessions, things and other people alike. She will tell you why you suffer and how to fix it. You will not like it one bit. Either the suffering part or the fixing part. She will blow truth through your buttoned up attitude, and every time you will want to say something, she will go, ‘no’. When she will finally go ‘yes, it is this simple’, for a moment there you will have forgotten about protestant positions. Tantric marvels will take hold of you.

As you get a glimpse of your untold question, you begin to understand something about the stories on point that follow a straight line. The fortuneteller doesn’t care about your feelings. She wants you to see what is happening. You will go, ‘Ah’, and then look around to reassure yourself: ‘Yes, today it’s certain I’m not seeing my acupuncturist. I’m with the fortuneteller.’

What’s the point?

Grand Jeu de L’Oracle des Dames, Editions Dusserre, in my collection (Photo: Camelia Elias)

Here is a little pyramid inspired by the great storyteller and fortuneteller Etteilla. The cards I’m using are not Etteilla’s own famous design, but what is now known as Etteilla III. This is a facsimile deck edited by Dusserre, after the one that came out in about 1865, edited by Delarue.

We start with the top row and end with the card on point, the point of the inverted pyramid, the point of what is evaded when a question is not formulated.

Grand Jeu de L’Oracle des Dames, Editions Dusserre, in my collection (Photo: Camelia Elias)

An offer is made by the King of Cups related to a past event. A disgruntled Moon is looking on. Ideas are scattered, or so a little spy thinks. ‘What’s this?’ he seems to ask. ‘More work for me to ride with? I don’t think so. Perhaps we can cut a parallel deal, and make an investment in our own bodies?’

But who is speaking at this point? Surely not the Page of Swords. He’s not able to cross any barriers, as he always imagines the worst scenarios. He has a life of the mind not the body. Ah, all is lost. ‘Perte’ the French, say, and you can almost hear the word ‘loss’ ringing like a wounded bell into your years.

What did the King want? Hold on to what, exactly? If only he would turn around to face his reality. His cup and ideas are not met by someone he is on the same page with. You can’t deal with spies. ‘L’espion’ as the French say, doesn’t even know whom he’s working for, or why. When all roads lead to loss, what is the next course of action?

Sitting and waiting for the eternal return will get you lost behind the moon. Insisting on beckoning nostalgia with offerings of clear water will turn your intent to give into a pool of mud.

If your traveller is a spy, you can be sure that you won’t have a companion in your crossings. The simplest resistance will turn your journey into a big NO. You won’t get stabbed in the back, or anything, as the Page is not a man of action, but he will make sure to send word behind your back for an army.

Grand Jeu de L’Oracle des Dames, Editions Dusserre, in my collection (Photo: Camelia Elias)

What is a King of Cups to do with an army? Get it drunk? Good luck with that project.

The scattered mind falls through the cracks of cooperation. It’s not enough that they look so pretty, those two batons, two helping crutches, at the center of everything.

If the focus is on points, five sharp ones for all the vital parts of the Vitruvian Man, then it is best to just forget about it.

Forget giving, unless you remember you’re a doctor. Ah, the King of Cups plus the 5 of Swords means a doctor, tradition says. I think.

But what if you’re not a doctor? What of the swords? ‘Perte,’ the French say. Loss. It’s just a word, isn’t it?

What do we see? The golden scimitars reflect the glory of the King, his gifts now turned to loss.

‘That little prick’, you want to shout. ‘Is he ever going to grow up?’

‘No’, the fortuneteller goes.

You remember where you are. You make up an excuse, and leave. But not before you will have crossed her palm with silver, as shiny as the moon’s face, in your face.

♠

More stories? Stay in the loop.

Click here to like
Patheos Pagan on Facebook.

Click here to like
the Agora on Facebook

The Cartomancer is published bi-monthly on the second and fourth Wednesday here on the Agora. Subscribe via RSS or e-mail!

Please use the links to the right to keep on top of activities here on the Agora as well as across the entire Patheos Pagan channel.

grand jeu de l'oracle des dames

Previous Post

May 10, 2016

Witch on Fire: Crafting Sovereignty at the Grand Sabbat

Next Post

May 13, 2016 Happily Heathen: Food for Thought - Heathen Polytheist Theology

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Lakeside Hearth Adventures in Wortcunning Alone In Her Presence Arts, Crafts & Cooking Birthing Hereditary Witchcraft Book of Blackbirds Book Reviews Born-Again Witch Cauldron, Sword, Spear, & Stone Cermony and Liturgy Columns Community Dandelion Seeds Dear Jasmine Druid Thoughts Editor's Picks Everyday Pagan Family & Household Practice Family Traditions Full Frontal Magic Gateway Goddess Guest Articles Happily Heathen Health and Wellness Hearth of Hellenism Heathen Woman Hills of the Horizon History Holidays Horse Goddesses Interfaith Interviews Irish-American Witchcraft Jewish Witch Lamp & Labyrinth Letters from Midgard Literature, Media, Film, Music Loop of Brighid Love, Sex & Relationships Magic or Magick Making Light Naturalistic Traditions Nature News Outside The Circle Pantheisticon Politics Prayers, Poems, Blessings & Stories Queer Femme Mystic Queer of Swords Recipes Ritual and Practice Science and Research Seekers and Guides Seeking the Grail Socially Responsible Magic Spear of Athena Star Made Witch Syncretic Electric Technology The Blooming Staff The Busy Witch The Cartomancer The Crow's Nest The Dance of Pagan Recovery The Hearth of Hellenism The Lady's Quill The Other Side of the Hedge The Path of She The Rantin' Raven The Witches Next Door The Zen Pagan Theology, Ethics, Philosophy Tree City Witch Urban Earthwitch Wayfaring Woman Witch on Fire Wyrd Words

Select a Month January 2026 March 2025 December 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 August 2023 July 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Golgotha" literally mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Suffering ground Crucifixion hill Place of death Skull place