Cartomancers: What do you do with the Joker?

Logiatrix

Do you leave the Joker out? If so, why?

Do you include it in your readings? If so, what meaning do you attribute to it?

PEACE...
:D
 

6 Haunted Days

I myself have never liked to use it. Knowing it was never included in the original design until around 1870 in the US for playing Euchre (and then moving on to being used as a wild card in Poker and Rummy), then moving to moving to Europe to be included in some decks. I guess I just like using the deck knowing it is the way it was originally intended many hundreds of years ago. It feels more complete, mystical and ancient that way for me.

I know quite a few (if not most? not sure) include the joker and use it like a mystery card or wild card. I don't see why you couldn't do that if you wanted too, if you feel it fits in with your reading method and style!

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celticnoodle

I do include the joker when i read with my playing deck. to me the joker symbolizes a fresh start, much like the fool does in tarot. depending on how it falls in the reading, it can say you are being reckless or it can say you are exploring new territory and have a lot to learn about it, (which is good). I, too, know people who use it and those who do not. Again, one of those personal choices.
 

mgrace

I keep them in an treat them kind of as "the fool of playing cards," and "wild card" idea. I take them as invitation to look more deeply at the question, and from a somewhat different angle; for something that's a little "wild," a bit off base, surprising, profound. A gift of guidance. "What else is there to see?" that isn't even visible (unless we look, sort of, way into the bag, or under the blanket), in the cards or otherwise. (I hope that makes any sense!)
 

AJ

just as a side issue, I've been looking at old cards on Ebay and found a seller who notes in his antique cards listings that jokers are missing.

Then further down his list of items for sale are the jokers at a big price :) Guess people collect just deck jokers?
 

Logiatrix

..........
 

poivre

I started out as reading a Joker as a Wild Card...
then went to read it as the Fool...
then went to the Joker being a bridge inbetween the cards...
then to Red is a spiritual person, Black is a spiritual situation at hand...
now I'm thinking about going back to the Wild Card or a Void to
only the universe knows what's coming next...

People I feel sometimes like the Spiritual aspect of a Joker,
it takes the scariness out of a reading, if it comes up.

Now, I'm just reading as I go.
Somedays :confused: somedays not! :laugh: :laugh:

The Jokers are not sitting right with me right now so I'm
not dead on sure of what to do with them. When I find
something that is, what it is, that will be it! :)
 

thinbuddha

It's my significator.
 

poivre

Thanks thinbuddha...
that's good answer to think about
and try! :)
 

thinbuddha

Actually, it was sort of a joke- I haven't used the joker (the only deck I've used doesn't have jokers, so I never really thought about it before). I don't really use significators either. The question is a compelling one, though. My first reaction was to use it as a "Fool" trump- but somehow this just doesn't seem to be the right answer. I think that maybe viewing it as a "trickster" element added to the mix- something that indicates that some unexpected event will cause mischief.