Playing Card Oracles Study

Satori

I have been going through various threads and looking for methods for playing card study. All the while that I have been doing this my own Playing Card Oracles set sits on a nearby shelf, calling to me. It came to me 2 years ago on one of the AT Trade Trains and I have to admit, it is one of those finds that I still sort of rejoice over. Something new, something unexpected, something that delights and tantalizes because it is so different.

I pulled the deck out, and I have taken it with me pretty much everywhere I go for the last week, and have been looking at the book and still coming to the forum and searching for a method to study. Sort of loopy, right?

Finally I took the deck out and asked, "Why should I pick you. Why you over all the others?"

I got the 7:club: and what surprised me the most about this choice when I sat looking at the card was the "Believe in Me" quote on the hilt of the sword. I sort of froze, because I could feel this plea, believe that this is the right system, just believe.

And, for some unexplained reason, I thought of my nephew, who we lost last year. Believe in me. I have no logical reason for thinking of him at that moment, but I could almost hear him as well, saying believe that I'm still accessible, believe in so many things, on faith, for no good reason, just because. But in the case of the deck, it answered my question.

So, because it is in my possession I figure I'll use it. Why not. The thing is here, so I might as well use it. From what I see the other methods are there to add in or not as I see fit.
 

Satori

Deck Structure

One of the things that I like and dislike about the deck is that it is illustrated. I want to read playing cards, which means no illustrations. But as a 15 year student of Tarot, illustrations on the PCOS (from here on referred to as Polly) are well, nice. But part of me sort of feels like I'm using the "easy" playing card deck. Bottom line, I hate it when someone says certain Tarots are easy...so....I better get over that.

I like the illustrations on Polly. The art isn't gorgeous like on some of the Tarot decks I love, but it is interesting. The faces are real, they have personality and character. Some of the pictures are well, weird. But I'm willing to put up with them.

While there are illustrations on the cards, the Ace through 9 all have the pip marks on them as well as the illustration. 10, 11, 12, 13 are numerical and illustrated. So, what I've decided is that I'm going to get another regular playing card deck, actually two, and I'm going to use one to write on and make notes on, and the other will stay plain. And I'm going to practice with all three decks. And I'll see how it works out.

The idea is to get used to looking at the regular playing card deck, and get used to Polly. Hopefully I'll be able to use either one to read with.

Aces:
Each Ace has a distinct personality, which I really like. And each card has been named, and the name is a real name.

:diamond: Ignita-Fire-South-Autumn
:club: Ethra-Air-East-Summer
:heart: Agana-Water-West-Spring
:spade: Terra Incognito-Earth-North-Winter

Terra Incognito means Hidden Earth.

Twos:

The twos are interesting because they each have a personification that really brings to life the idea behind the particular lesson being brought to bear: cooperation, partnership, creating some kind of harmony.

2:diamond: The Rivals
2:club: The Friends
2:heart: The Lovers
2:spade: The Enemies

Threes
The lessons here center on making decisions, choices and seeking stability.

3:diamond: The Necklace
3:club: The Wish
3:heart: The Clutch
3:spade: The Grave

Fours
I find this suit fascinating because of how it is illustrated. Here we meet the four winds of the world, and we see how the compass has been brought to life. 4 winds, 4 directions, 4 suits and elements. Mood comes into play, and here we see how the balance or friction point is found as we seek to create either disorganization and carelessness against organization and completion.

4:diamond: The South Wind
4:club: The East Wind
4:heart: The West Wind
4:spade: The North Wind

I will pick this up another day soon. What I'd like to show is that there is a real flow to the progression of the numbers that I see being personified in a very nice way. I find this way of looking at the cards to be very accessible and interesting. You can see already how having a Wind in a spread will quickly show if things are getting blown away, or if things are somehow falling into place.

I think that what I like so much about the study I am undertaking is that things are happening in my own mind regarding what I thought I knew about numbers, about Tarot and about the pips. I'm excited by the new information, and by how different yet similar the two seem to be.
 

cardlady22

7 of Clubs

I don't have the deck, so my pics may not be showing all the colors. But, I like how Ana refers to this card as a "key" for unlocking and opening doors. The lower portion gives hints of the business end of a key, but it also resembles human bodies in dance or acrobatic positions. What is the gesture being formed by the hands on the ends of the crosspiece? It looks like the thumb and middle finger are touching. Will you untie the knots in the ribbons? Or are you working in reverse, like the people who use knots for magical intent?
 

Satori

cardlady22 said:
I don't have the deck, so my pics may not be showing all the colors. But, I like how Ana refers to this card as a "key" for unlocking and opening doors. The lower portion gives hints of the business end of a key, but it also resembles human bodies in dance or acrobatic positions. What is the gesture being formed by the hands on the ends of the crosspiece? It looks like the thumb and middle finger are touching. Will you untie the knots in the ribbons? Or are you working in reverse, like the people who use knots for magical intent?

Yes this sword does look like a key, and the hands are intriguing. The only sword with the hands on the hilt flanges. Great observations cardlady, I hadn't even gotten to figuring out what the hands might be doing. I was a bit perplexed, and I'm thinking about the cards and trying to learn them and hadn't really left room for thinking about my own personal ideas yet.

Sounds like you have the book and not the deck. You know if you do a search for the deck it comes up pretty inexpensive on Amazon, other sellers. And I think I found it on Abe Books even cheaper.

Are you using the meanings with a regular deck? How is that working out for you? I'm going to try to do the same thing and I keep wondering if it will work or if I should just use illustrated deck for now....and that eventually I'll be able to remember that the 7's are all swords....etc.
 

cardlady22

7 of Clubs

Since I came to things from the regular playing card deck, and went through so many different people's systems, I tend to hang associations on a mental peg. I have the trunk or framework of planetary energies for the numbers and then "translate" each author's points into how that might fit.

For instance, 7 as Uranus compared to Ana's sword and key
The story behind the castration & deposition by his son really works here. You actively choose what to do or change in your situation. Hopefully, when sweeping things aside you don't choose something that will turn out to be worse. *which ties into her speaking about responsibility ~ the Revolution that gets out of hand

The pip patterns are also a fun way to ponder. 4 over 3 pattern, or 3 over 4
3 as Venus; 4 as Mars
Of course, there are others to play with. Use the associations that work for you. In the Chaldean numerology scheme, 3 could be Jupiter, 4 could be Sun/Uranus and that heads right back into our myth! :grin:

ETA: To help with memory, draw them as pip cards! It will teach you the pattern as well as the symbol association. Check out her section on page 170 Geomantic Calculation - Connecting the Dots too.

Like the Nines as a bridge. Imagine people getting through the bottleneck. Now take it to a ferry. You are the poleman who needs to get the passengers across.
*forgot to add that I use 9 as Pluto most of the time; but, I've seen Mars and the Moon too.
 

Satori

Reading Practice with Polly!

I will be doing a reading study of the spreads in the PCO book with franniee. We will be going through the book spread by spread and doing readings for each other with the system. While this is a Seeker's study of the deck, I've been told to put the readings in Oracle readings.

If anyone is interested in these readings I will link to the thread when I create it.

Thanks!