Chapter VII. Combination of Sevens

Fortune Telling by Cards, by P.R.S. Foli, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

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CHAPTER VII

Combination of Sevens

A method with selected cards—General rules—How to proceed—Reading of the cards—Signification of cards—Some combinations—A typical example—Further inquiries—The seven packs.

A Method with Selected Cards.

THIS method is very simple, and as it takes but a short time, is more suitable when there are many fortunes to read. A little practice will soon enable a would-be cartomancer to construe the various combinations, as there are so few cards to remember.

It may be objected that meanings are now given different from those taught in the first method. This is certainly a fact, but it also an advantage; one method may suit one person's abilities and intuitiveness better than another, and so enable a more comprehensive reading to be given from the diminished pack than from the full Tarot pack.

General Rules.

Thirty-two cards only are selected from an ordinary pack of playing cards. In each suit the ace, king, queen, knave, ten, nine, eight, and seven are retained; all the others, those from two to six inclusively, are discarded.

The cards must be shuffled and cut into three sections by the inquirer, each cut being turned face upwards. The manipulator must carefully note the result of these cuts, as they give au indication of what is coming. Then the centre pack is to be takes first, the last neat, and the first last of all.

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Holding this newly arranged pack in the left hand, draw off three cards, and facing them upwards, select the highest card of any suit that may appear. Retain this one and put the others aside for the next deal. Proceed in this way until you have finished the pack, then shuffle all the discard together, and repeat until you have any number over twenty-one on the table. If three cards of any suit should appear, or three cards of the same value, they are all to be taken.

It must not be forgotten that the cards are also selected from the "cuts," and should the lifting of one card reveal another of greater value of the same suit exposed, then that also is retained.

How to Proceed.

The first question to decide is which card will represent the inquirer. This is generally settled according to the complexion: diamonds for the very fair; hearts, those of medium colouring; clubs for brunettes with brown hair; and spades for those of dark complexion. This suit also represents elderly people. A king represents a man, and a queen a woman. This representative card is not to be drawn out; it is shuffled with the others, and taken when it is the highest of its suit. The only exception to this rule is, when there have been already twenty-one or more cards selected, then it must be taken from the remainder and placed last of all.

Reading of the Cards.

The reading in this method is from left to right, and the cards are to be placed in a semi-circle or horse-shoe, in the order they are drawn.

Court cards represent people, and the numbers relate to events. Generally diamonds relate to money and interest; hearts, to the affections; clubs, to business; spades, to the more serious affairs of life.

The signification of each card is given separately, as well as of some of the combinations, and an example of a fortune is worked out, the study of which will more easily enable a student to understand this method.

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Signification of Cards.

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Some of the Combinations.

Three kings—a new friend; two kings and a knave—meeting with an old friend; three knaves—legal business; three queens—a disagreement with women; three tens, very fortunate combination. If the ten of clubs and the ten of hearts appear with the ten of diamonds, it will easily be seen that a wealthy marriage will take place after a journey across the water.

Three nines—very speedy good news; three eights—a removal; three sevens—speedy news, but not altogether satisfactory; three aces—very good fortune; the ace of clubs and the ace of diamonds would signify an offer of marriage by letter.

The ace and nine of hearts mean that you will have the realisation of your heart's desire in your own house; the ace and nine of spades—that sorrow and death will come to your family; the king and queen of any suit, with the ten of hearts, Is a sign that you will hear of a marriage shortly.

A Typical Example.

Now we will proceed to read a fortune, and for the subject we will take the queen of hearts. The first shuffle and division of the pack into three reveals three hearts—king, knave, and seven—which indicates that the lady whom the queen represents has a firm man friend, who is neither fair nor dark. These three cards are taken and laid in order, beginning on the left hand.

Then the packs having been taken in order as described, and held in the left hand, the fortune-teller proceeds to draw off three cards, and make his selection according to the rule. The pack being finished, the process is repeated twice more.

In three deals the fortune of the queen of hearts revealed

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the following cards, and if a student will take a pack of cards and select the same, he can judge how the various combinations may be read.

King, knave, seven of hearts, ace of clubs, king of spades, queen of clubs, queen of diamonds, queen of spades, king of clubs, knave of diamonds, ace of hearts, knave of spades, king of diamonds, knave of clubs, queen of hearts, ace of diamonds, ten of hearts, eight of clubs, seven of spades, ace of spades, ten of clubs, ten of spades, ten of diamonds.

Now, from the queen of hearts we will proceed to count seven, taking into consideration the way the lady's face is turned. It is to the left, consequently the seventh card from her is the queen of spades, the seventh from which is the king of hearts, and the seventh again is the ten of hearts. I read this that the lady has some good friends; but that the woman whom the queen of spades represents will resent her marriage, but without effect. The next card is the knave of diamonds, followed by the seven of hearts and the seven of spades—a combination which represents some speedy news, not exactly to the advantage of the inquirer. The knave of spades, followed by the king and the ten of clubs, denotes that a dark man, who is separated from the queen of hearts, is constantly thinking of her and hoping for a speedy reunion.

The knave of clubs and the queen of diamonds come next. Knaves and women form a conjunction that never brings good luck; but in this case they are followed by the ten of diamonds, one of the most fortunate cards in the pack. The ace of diamonds and the king of clubs follow, which means an offer of marriage shortly. The queen of hearts is indeed a sad coquette, for there is no indication that she accepts this, as the knave of hearts, with the eight of clubs and the ace of hearts, are quickly on the scene. It appears that there is another wooer who comes to her home and is received with pleasure.

More serious affairs appear now; the ace of clubs, with the ace of spades and the king of diamonds, signify that the lady is likely to have some business with which a woman darker than herself is connected. This will lead to a considerable journey, which she will immediately take, as the card denoting this counts seven directly to her.

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Now we will look at the cards as they lie on the table. For a reading taken at random they foretell a very good future. All the court cards and the aces and tens are out, with the seven of hearts and the eight of clubs, and all are cards of favourable import.

Three queens together generally betoken some mischief or scandal, but as they are guarded by kings it will probably not amount to much. The ace of diamonds and the ten of hearts placed so near the representative card would surely tell us of a forthcoming marriage, except that the queen has her face turned away from it. The three tens placed as they are tell of prosperity after journeys by land and water.

Now we will pair the cards and see if any more meaning can be extracted from them. On land and on the water this lady will meet a rich man who will entertain a strong affection for her. I must not omit to mention that the cards are paired from the extreme ends of the horse-shoe. Thus the king of hearts and the ten of diamonds, knave of hearts and ten of spades, &c. The business appears again, and a dark man seems to be in some perplexity. The three queens are not yet separated and are in closer connection with the inquirer than ever. Oh! there will be chatting over the tea-cups about a marriage. The fair damsel herself appears to be a little more inclined to matrimony, but the three knaves imply that she will have some difficulty in settling her affairs.

The two kings imply that she has some staunch friends, and that the result will be quite satisfactory. A general reading gives the impression that the queen of hearts is of a lovable disposition and fond of society, as so many court cards came out, and if the three queens meant a little gossip it was in a kindly spirit.

Further Inquiries.

There is another little ceremony to be gone through which will tell us if she is likely to have her "heart's desire" realised. The nine of hearts, which is the symbol of a wish, did not appear, so that she is apparently very cool and neutral. However, the other cards may tell us something.

The used cards are to be shuffled and cut once by the

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inquirer, and she may wish for anything she likes during the process. Then the cards are laid out one at a time in seven packs—six packs in a semicircle, and one in the centre—the cards of the last are to be turned face upwards, but none of the other cards are to be exposed until the end.

The Seven Packs.

The seven packs represent respectively—"yourself," "your house," "what you expect," "what you don't expect," "a great surprise," "what is sure to come true," and "the wish."

The cards, having been shuffled and cut once, are dealt out in the manner described, and these are the combinations we get:—

The first pack represents to me the meeting of the inquirer with a dark or elderly woman, for whom she has a strong affection. Water is crossed before that meeting takes place.

The second pack reads as if a dark man would offer a ring or a present of jewellery, and also that he is meditating a journey by land. He is probably a professional man, or in the service of the Crown.

The third pack, with its combination of knaves and king, has reference to business transactions which will most probably be favourable to the interests of the queen.

The fourth pack presages some slight disappointment, illness, or unhappiness in connection with some friends.

The fifth pack tells us that same brilliant fortune is

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awaiting a fair friend that will lead to a higher social position.

The sixth pack tells us that, perhaps, our seemingly indifferent queen of hearts has a slight tenderness for some one. He is older than she is, and is only waiting for an opportunity to declare his affection. If the wish related to such a man as I have described, she may be certain of its fulfilment, even should there be a slight delay.

The seventh or wish pack is extremely good, and tells us that many affairs will be transacted by writing.

The future of the queen of hearts is fair and bright, her disposition is lovable, and she will bring happiness to other people.

This example is not made up of selected cards. They were shuffled, cut, and drawn in the ordinary way. I say this because so few cards of bad import have appeared, and it might be thought these were chosen in order to avoid prophesying disappointments.

In the foregoing example twenty-three cards were dealt out, but the number may vary. It must, however, be an uneven number. Sometimes only fifteen or seventeen cards are taken, and with the smaller quantity of selected cards there is an optional way of concluding operations. After having read the pairs, the cards are gathered up, shuffled, and cut into three packs instead of seven. These three are placed in a row, and a fourth card is put apart for the surprise. The inquirer is requested to choose one of the three packs, which represent respectively For the house, For those who did not expect it, and For the inquirer—the last being decided by the choice of the person in question.

When these three packs have been duly read, all the cards are again taken up except The Surprise (which is left face downwards on the table), and dealt out again, the same process being repeated three times until there are three cards set aside for the surprise. These are read last of all, and form the concluding message to the inquirer. Let's hope it may be a cheerful one!