Is Cardology Like Tarot? Oracle cards?

How is it different?

As a weekly Reader at a metaphysical store in Asheville, many times someone will sit across from me and expect to experience something similar to a Tarot reading. Granted, all Tarot readers have their own style and way of reading and even how they interact with the client, but for the most part, they do a spread of cards and start talking about what they see. Sometimes the client shares what is going on, sometimes they sit quietly and see if what they came to talk about is indeed the topic the Reader focuses on.

Cardology is more similar to Astrology or even Numerology in that it focuses on what you have going on currently in your blueprint. (Your yearly forecast)

It is a system that is based on your birthday and is unique to you, not a random draw. (I don’t believe tarot draws are random- my distinction is on a forecast verses a spread draw in the moment.)

That said, the playing cards can be used in so many ways, just like tarot or oracle cards can.

When I do a reading at Raven & Crone, I pull up the client’s current forecast (and I can look forward or backwards in years for further insights) and I  do a 3-card spread to go along with it.

This lets me see what energies are at play in their lives and typically what they are dealing with is evident in their forecast. The 3-card draw lets me give them specific insights into what they are needing in that moment.

This is one of the many reasons I love Cardology. The forecast can show the broad generalities, while a spread in the moment can pinpoint specifics.

When using the playing deck as divination, first insights (intuitive guidance) is important.

When I learned to read the Tarot, I was taught to use the first thing in the images that popped out at me. Especially with all the beautifully illustrated decks out today, the overload of imagery can be…well…an overload and hard to narrow the focus of the meaning of the card.

How can you interpret a card that just has a number and a suit? is a common question when one begins to delve into using the cards.

Of course, each card has a basic meaning just like each tarot card does, but without images to pull from, does each card only mean that basic interpretation?

No. It has its low side, its high side, where it sits in the Earth spread and where it sits in the Spiritual spread.

As a Reader, just as you intuitively feel what symbol or part of the tarot card image to focus on, it is the same when reading the playing deck.

A Queen of Hearts can be about being a Mother, it can be about romance, great sex, sensuality, taking care of and nurturing yourself or over-indulging in fantasies or an addiction.

So when that card shows up-what do I focus on for the client?

Obviously, I take into account the other cards and their forecast because it invariably connects and I can see the whole picture at play, but I might clearly see when that Q♥ pops up that the client needs to take care of and nurture themselves and that is what I will talk about.

The deck can be used just like any Oracle deck

Before I knew about the Forecasting system of Cardology, I would draw a card each morning and journal about its basic meaning and how that applied to my life. I noticed a pattern emerging. I was dealing with issues around stability, loyalty and faithfulness and for days on end, I would draw a 4 card. I even got so sick of drawing a 4 card that I threw the whole deck on the floor in anger and guess what? All the cards landed face down accept one – a four card.

That happened many times during the years that I used the cards as divination. I needed to truly understand the card, work on that situation in my life, change an erroneous belief and THEN that card would stop showing up!

I’ve used the cards as an oracle game

One of my favorite things to do is to use the dice from Rory’s Story Cubes. 

I do this when I feel I need to take action on something but I’m unclear on what ‘to do.’ While I have the whole collection, for inquiring on an action, I use the Action cubes.

I randomly pick a cube from the Action cubes (from a bag, so I’m not seeing them) and toss it onto my printed sheet of the Earth Spread and see where it lands.

This has given me such cool insights!

This kind of divination puts our creativity function in gear.

I asked the question: What can I DO to help increase my finances?

I drew a cube and tossed it on the sheet for the Earth spread.

You can see what cube and where it landed.

I laughed when I saw the results. The cube was an image of someone taking another by the hand and leading them. The card it landed on was the 2 of hearts – the card of heart connection. 

It said to me to put more time into one-on-one and Coaching/Readings work as that allows me to make deep connections and work closely with others.

Our brains will make connections where connections don’t seem likely and come up with an answer for us.

In the same way that you can ‘play’ with tarot cards with creative spreads, you can incorporate most anything and play with the regular deck for unique and creative divination. Even drawing an oracle card to go along with a regular deck draw for an added layer of understanding.

Of course now when I play any regular card games (I’m a lover of Canasta!), it is hard for me to just see the cards as cards…I always see a story playing out!

I love learning how other readers work with the cards.

Do you have a creative way to work with the cards? Please share with me!