Welcome!
"We give this method of Fortune-telling for what it is worth. It may be either a pastime seasoned with a flavour of mystery, a study in the weird ways of coincidence, or a test of skill quickened by intuition. We would have all our readers amused and interested, but none saddened or enslaved by it."
"As the instruments of Cartomancy we give them our respectful consideration. We would urge those of a morbid and unhealthy turn of mind to beware of letting this practice take too strong a hold upon them. No reasonable being need be ashamed of confessing a certain fear of the Unseen and the Unknowable; but, on the other hand, no sane person would take a pack of cards as the rule and guide of life, the final court of appeal in any matters of moment."
— Professor P.R.S. Foli
This section of my website is dedicated to my interest in the cards. While I have a great interest in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck and Mr. Waite's teachings for both Tarot and cartomancy, I also have a keen interest in others, such as 1800s and older definitions that predate Waite and his alterations (Strength and Justice switching positions, in example). Some of the best histories I have found on Tarot and cartomancy have been done by Auntie Tarot and Tony Willis, including reproductions of Madeline Montalban's submissions for the Prediction magazine. I strongly recommend reading their articles if you have a serious interest in the cards.
For books whose copyright has expired and now reside in public domain I will repost their definitions to this site. (Texts and the illustrations are in the public domain in the United States of America if they were published prior to 1923.) But should anything copyrighted be posted here, I will remove it at the owner's request without a hassle.
Also included in this subdomain will be other occult topics, such as astrology, numerology, palmistry, and witchcraft.
Cards
Cartomancy: Clubs • Hearts • Spades • Diamonds
Piquet: Clubs • Hearts • Spades • Diamonds
Tarot: Major Arcana • Wands • Cups • Swords • Pentacles
A blessing upon you...
Thus Arthur achieved the adventure of the sword that day and entered into his birthright of royalty. Wherefore, may God grant His Grace unto you all that ye too may likewise succeed in your undertakings. For any man may be a king in that life in which he is placed if so be he may draw forth the sword of success from out of the iron of circumstance. Wherefore when your time of assay cometh, I do hope it may be with you as it was with Arthur that day, and that ye too may achieve success with entire satisfaction unto yourself and to your great glory and perfect happiness. Amen.
— The Story of King Arthur and His Knights, part 1, chapter 3. Howard Pyle. 1903.————
So endeth the story of the winning of Excalibur, and may God give unto you in your life, that you may have His truth to aid you, like a shining sword, for to overcome your enemies; and may He give you Faith (for Faith containeth Truth as a scabbard containeth its sword), and may that Faith heal all your wounds of sorrow as the sheath of Excalibur healed all the wounds of him who wore that excellent weapon. For with Truth and Faith girded upon you, you shall be as well able to fight all your battles as did that noble hero of old, whom men called King Arthur.
— The Story of King Arthur and His Knights, part 2, chapter 3. Howard Pyle. 1903.