arcana arcanorum_ the playing-card oracle

The Society for the Discouragement of the Immanentization of the Eschaton

... presents ...

THE PLAYING-CARD ORACLE __ / \ __ Guaranteed Absolutely Without a Doubt to Work / /\ \ / \ / ____ \/ /\ \ written by / / \ \____ \ the Prophet ARCANA /_/ /\_\ \ \ /_/ \_\ Transcribed from his own tongue and fingers into the tongue of ASCII

ORIGINS

ARCANA ARCANORUM came about on one summer's day when I was lazily pondering (as I often do)

about the Universe. Surely, there must be some truth to the Tarot and similar methods Divination: they

have been around for millennia; this proves that there must be something to them. I am a mathematician

by trade, and it occurred to me that the divining power lies not in the Cards themselves, but in the fabric

of space-time.

Statistical laws imply that a deck, properly shuffled, will yield the same chance of a given Card being

drawn. But the key to this axiom is that this is true -- but it is a law of averages; if you draw a Card from a

deck ten thousand times, you'll find that each Card has roughly the same chances of being drawn.

Equilibrium is the key; the key to Equilibrium is number. The key to Divination, I found, is in the Cards

that are chosen at first. The Universe is forced to average the selection of a Card out with large numbers

of drawings; but for small numbers, the Universe has a method to communicate with us, the sentient

beings inside Her womb, waiting to be born.

It dawned on me then that the deck of Cards (Tarot, Thoth, etc.) -- nay, even the method of Divination --

is irrelevant. Whether you are throwing sticks on the ground, picking Cards from an ornately- decorated

deck, or casting rune-inscribed dried clay markers, the effects are the same. The power to divine is in the

person, not in the divining instrument.

Thus came my Illumination: Why use a deck of Tarot Cards? Why cast runes? Why throw sticks and

consult a chart? If it is true that the Diviner is important and not the medium, then it is unimportant which

medium actually is used, and all things will return to Equilibrium, as they always have and always will.

Hence ARCANA ARCANORUM, the Playing-Card Tarot, was born. If medium is not the message after

all, then why not use a very simple, easy-to-understand, easily-obtained, inexpensive one? That is, the

average deck of playing Cards that can be bought in any store.

THE DECK

The deck of the ARCANA ARCANORUM, like any other Divination method, has peculiarities that

warrant further discussion.

The deck is divided into four suits: the Spades, the Diamonds, the Clubs, and Hearts. Hereafter, the

Spades will be known as Power; the Diamonds as Materiality; the Clubs as Spirituality; and the Hearts as

Love.

Also, each suit is divided into thirteen ranks: Ace through King. Each Card has a different meaning in

ARCANA ARCANORUM. The Ace of a suit has the meaning of that suit -- for instance, the Ace of

Arcana Arcanorum: The Playing-Card Oracle http://www.alcyone.com/arcana/oracle.html

Diamonds means materiality. In general, the Two through the Ten indicate the concept of that suit to a

lessening degree: That is, the Two of Spades has the meaning gain, while the Ten of Spades has the

meaning defeat. The Face Cards (that is, the Jack, the Queen, and the King) each have meanings

unrelated to this simple chain of degree (as often does life).

Optionally one may insert two Jokers into the deck; these will be called Trumps. They should be

distinguishable from each other. One Trump will be referred to as Life; the other as Death.

THE CARDS

Here follows individual meanings of each Card.

ACE OF SPADES POWERThe energy that is within us all; the essential force of

being. It cannot be denied.

TWO OF SPADES GAINPhysical and mental betterment; one's work is

succeeding.

THREE OF SPADES HEALTH Stability; disappearance of illness or decay.

FOUR OF SPADES FREEDOMLifting of oppression; the inner power of the individual

stands unchained.

FIVE OF SPADES COMPETITIONHealthy conflict, bringing about the better of all parties

involved.

SIX OF SPADES MEDIOCRITY Lack of progress; mundanity.

SEVEN OF SPADES HUMILIATION Embarrassment; a waste of human effort.

EIGHT OF SPADES LOSS The loss of something physical or mental.

NINE OF SPADES ARROGANCE Taking one's position too seriously; overconfidence.

TEN OF SPADES DEFEATDestruction of one's accomplishments or attempts;

physical or mental reduction.

JACK OF SPADES CHANGE

The essential force in all things. Change can be for the

better or for the worse; only the individual can decide

which he or she wants.

QUEEN OF SPADES VULNERABILITY Opening up oneself to injury or to downfall.

KING OF SPADES VICTORY Triumph; physical or mental release.

ACE OF DIAMONDS MATERIALITY The physical; the temptations.

TWO OF DIAMONDS LOYALTY Staying besides oneself or one's responsibilities.

THREE OF

DIAMONDSHONESTY Being true to oneself and those around one.

FOUR OF

DIAMONDSCHARITY

Giving to the needy, not necessarily in physical

considerations.

FIVE OF DIAMONDS CONFUSION Material unrest; one is unsure of oneself.

SIX OF DIAMONDS ANXIETYFurther material unrest; one is starting to lose control of

that which is in and around one.

SEVEN OF

DIAMONDSFUTILITY Work for nothing.

EIGHT OF

DIAMONDSFEAR That which will end us all if not put into its proper place.

NINE OF DIAMONDS BIAS Unneeded prejudice; blindness.

TEN OF DIAMONDS FRAUD Lies, deceit, sin.


JACK OF

DIAMONDSPATIENCE

One of the greater things in life; one must learn to wait

for what is coming to one. All things happen, given the

right place and the right opportunity.

QUEEN OF

DIAMONDSVANITY

Pettiness; personal materiality taken to the negative

extreme.

KING OF

DIAMONDSCONTENTMENT

Happiness and solemnness with one's position in the

world.

ACE OF CLUBS SPIRITUALITYThat which is without, and yet within. All of us have the

energy inside of ourselves, if we wish to let it out.

TWO OF CLUBS (or

THE CIRCLE)SIMPLICITY

The perfection of spirituality. The oneness and beauty of

the circle; the solidarity and singularity of a point.

Nothing is better.

THREE OF CLUBS COMPREHENSION Understanding, cognition, positive thought energy.

FOUR OF CLUBS RESPONSIBILITY Taking care of one's commitments.

FIVE OF CLUBS REFLECTION

Looking at one's own accomplishments and failures and

feelings. The importance of this is not known to the

nonspiritual.

SIX OF CLUBS INNOCENCENaivete; failure to attempt to understand the world

around one.

SEVEN OF CLUBS DISAPPOINTMENTDisappointment in oneself; unwarranted unhappiness in

the world around one.

EIGHT OF CLUBS INSTABILITY Internal strife; the foundations within are crumbling.

NINE OF CLUBS STAGNATION Fermentation; worthlessness.

TEN OF CLUBS IMMATURITYFailing to understand one's place in the world; taking for

granted.

JACK OF CLUBS SHAME

Shame is dangerous. One need not be ashamed of

oneself; there are many other things in this Universe that

demand attention, and warrant more.

QUEEN OF CLUBS EQUILIBRIUMThe essential balance of the Universe. All was once in

Equilibrium; one day, all will return.

KING OF CLUBS FORESIGHTThe ability to predict what is coming; an important

attribute in any person.

ACE OF HEARTS LOVEThat communion between two souls, with a beauty that

can never be forgotten or ignored.

TWO OF HEARTS (or

THE LOVERS)INVOLVEMENT The meeting and joining of two souls.

THREE OF HEARTS OPPORTUNITYThe chance for betterment that one should never miss or

overlook.

FOUR OF HEARTS INSPIRATIONThat spark of genius that arises when one is touched by

love.

FIVE OF HEARTS APATHY Disinterest. One of the more dangerous of the evils.

SIX OF HEARTS REGRET

Disappointment in oneself or one's actions from a

previous time. What is past is past. What is future is

another thing.

SEVEN OF HEARTS FANTASY

Dangerous self-involvement. It is healthy to wonder and

wander among oneself -- but it is dangerous to take this

too far.


EIGHT OF HEARTS OBSESSION

Love taken for itself; love for another in spite of the

other. Love is the sharing of two souls, not the stealing

of one.

NINE OF HEARTS HATRED Antipathy, often caused of failed or failing love.

TEN OF HEARTS ISOLATION Loneliness; desperation; unending sadness.

JACK OF HEARTS JEALOUSYObsession turned around; the stealing of a soul that is

not one's to steal.

QUEEN OF HEARTS COMPASSION Oh, the beauty of love!

KING OF HEARTS

(or THE SUICIDE

KING)

SELF-DESTRUCTIONThe taking of oneself, literally or figuratively, for selfish

and worthless causes.

FIRST TRUMP LIFE Evolution, beauty, and harmony. Infinity.

SECOND TRUMP DEATH Stagnation, ugliness, and chaos. Zero.

THE DIVINATION

The Divination is the manner in which meaning and context are brought to a set of Cards. There are many

different types of Divination with ARCANA ARCANORUM -- no method is "better" than any other

(however, some are better at answering certain questions than others). A few different types are detailed

below.

It is probably best to use a fresh deck of Cards with each new subject.

Divinations usually revolve around a question asked by the subject. "What will be the outcome of this

situation?" is a common thread.

A given Divination usually involves laying down the Cards in a certain array, attributing meaning to each

position which holds a Card. Thus, one position might signify oneself; another might signify the future of

oneself. The meaning of each Card is applied to the position it falls in.

Divination is more of an art than anything else. The Diviner must key in on kinesic clues that would

normally be invisible to anyone else. The meaning a Card might be positive or negative: it might refer to

an abundance or a dearth of something. The Diviner must decide what, and draw everything together into

a coherent whole.

The method of Divination is incidental; any method will work. The one chosen should reflect what the

question is dealing with, and the subject.

THE SIGNIFICATOR

Most Divinations involve choosing a Significator, a Card to symbolize the subject of a Divination. That

card is usually placed, face-up, somewhere important in the Divination array. A few methods of

Divination, usually those where a question is asked about someone else, require two Significators: one for

the subject, and one for the object.

The suit of the Significator is chosen quite simply. The concept that the Divining question deals with

becomes the suit of the Significator. Questions about power, position, etc., are Spades; those concerning

wealth, material gain, etc., are Diamonds; those concerning mental capacity, religion, etc., are Clubs; and

those concerning emotional issues are Hearts.

The rank of the Significator is chosen by simple rules: If the subject is a mature male, the King. If a

mature female, the Queen. If a young man, a Jack; if a young woman, the Ten. A child would use an Ace.


Thus if a young man is asking about his relationship with an amour, his Significator would be the Jack of

Hearts.

THE METHODS OF DIVINATION

Here follow some methods of DIVINATION.

THE ANCIENT CELTIC METHOD OF DIVINATION

Place the Significator face up on the table. Concentrating on the question he wishes to ask, the subject

now shuffles the pack thoroughly three times, the faces always downward. After shuffling, he cuts the

pack into three piles and places them face downward to his left.

The Diviner now picks up the pack from his left, still keeping the Cards face downward.

And now begins the Divination.

1. Turn up the First Card and cover the Significator and say: This covers one. This Card represents the

general atmosphere relevant to the question asked.

2. Turn up the Second Card and lay it across the first, saying: This crosses one. This card indicates the

nature of the forces opposing one, for good or for evil.

3. Turn up the Third Card and place it above the Significator, saying: This crowns one. It represents what

the subject hopes for in relation to the question and has not yet been realized but may be in the future.

4. Turn up the Fourth Card and place it below the Significator, saying: This is beneath one. This Card

shows the foundation of the matter, that which the subject has already experience relevant to it.

5. Turn up the Fifth Card and place it to the left of the Significator and say: This is behind one. This card

shows the influence that has just passed or is now passing away.

6. Turn up the Sixth Card and place it to the right of the Significator and say: This is before one. It shows

the influence that will operate in the near future.

Now turn up the Seventh, Eights, Ninth, and Tenth Cards and place one above the other in a line on the

right side of the cross.

7. The Seventh Card represents the attitude of the subject toward the matter.

8. The Eighth Card represents the subject's environment and those tendencies or influences in family and

friends which may have a bearing on the matter.

9. The Ninth Card indicates the hopes and fears of the subject concerning the matter.

10. The Tenth Card indicates the outcome of the matter, the culmination of all the influences at work in

the preceding cards.

The operation is now completed; however, should the Tenth Card indicate an uncertain nature from which

no conclusions can be drawn, one can repeat the process using the Tenth Card as Significator. The pack

should be shuffled again, cut three times and the first ten cards taken as before. By this method, a more

thorough account of the outcome may be procured.

Should the Tenth Card be a Face Card, the outcome of the matter may lie in the hand of the person

suggested by the card. For further information as to the outcome, one may take the Face Card in question

and use it as Significator and repeat the process again.


DIAGRAM OF THE ANCIENT CELTIC METHOD OF DIVINATION

+----+

| |

| 10 |

+----+ | |

| | +----+

| 3. |

| | Significator +----+

+----+ / and 1. | |

/ | 9. |

+----+ +----+ +----+ | |

| | +------+ | | +----+

| 5. | | 2. | | 6. |

| | +------+ | | +----+

+----+ +----+ +----+ | |

| 8. |

+----+ | |

| | +----+

| 4. |

| | +----+

+----+ | |

| 7. |

| |

+----+

This covers one.1.

This crosses one.2.

This crowns one.3.

This is beneath one.4.

This is behind one.5.

This is before one.6.

Oneself.7.

One's environment -- family, friends.8.

One's hopes and fears.9.

The culmination of all preceding influences; the outcome.10.

THE PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE METHOD OF DIVINATION

This method is particularly useful when asking general questions concerning the atmosphere surrounding

the subject.

The Diviner should shuffle the deck thoroughly and have the subject cut the deck.

Take the Significator and place it face-up on the table. Then lay nine Cards around and on it, face down,

to make a square.

Then take two more Cards and place them at the right end of the square, one half-way between the first

row and second row and the other half-way between the second and third rows.

The top row indicates the past; the middle row signifies the present; and the third bottom row indicates

the future. The left column signifies the forces opposing one; the middle column signifies one himself or

herself; and the right column indicates the forces helping one.

The two extra Cards (called the Hanging Cards) indicate transitions from the past to the present, and from

the present the future, respectively.

The Cards are lifted face-up one at a time. It really does not matter which order; usually left to right and

top to bottom suffice.


+----+ +----+ +----+

| | | | | |

| 1. | | 2. | | 3. |

| | | | | | +----+

+----+ +----+ +----+ | |

| 4. |

+----+ +----+ +----+ | |

| | |Sig.| | | +----+

| 5. | | & | | 7. |

| | | 6. | | | +----+

+----+ +----+ +----+ | |

| 8. |

+----+ +----+ +----+ | |

| | | | | | +----+

| 9. | | 10 | | 11 |

| | | | | |

+----+ +----+ +----+

That which is opposing one and in the past.1.

That which is affecting one and in the past.2.

That which is assisting one and in the past.3.

The transition from the past to the present.4.

That which is opposing one and in the present.5.

That which is affecting one and in the present.6.

That which is assisting one and in the present.7.

The transition from the present to the future.8.

That which is opposing one and in the future.9.

That which is affecting one and in the future.10.

That which is assisting one and in the future.11.

THE CONFLICTION METHOD OF DIVINATION

This method is particularly useful for asking questions involving two people. There are two Significators:

one for the subject, and one for the object. The typical question to be solved with this is "What will

happen between this person and I?"

Pick two Significators, one for the subject and one for the object. Put them on the table, face-up.

Next draw six Cards, and put the face down in the following pattern: three Cards to the upper-right, the

right, and the lower- right of the subject's Significator; and three cards to the upper- left, the left, and the

lower-left of the object's Significator.

Drawn one final Card and put it in between the two groupings described above.

The drawn Cards to the left affect the subject; those on the right affect the object. The top row deals with

the past; the middle row the present; and the bottom row the future. The center Card (called the

Resolution Card) represents the outcome of the question.

If the Resolution Card is ambiguous, simply reverse the subject and object cards and begin again (without

reshuffling). If it happens again, then the question itself is too ambiguous (or encompassing) to be

answered in one Divination and should be rephrased.


DIAGRAM OF THE PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE METHOD OF DIVINATION

| | | | | | | | | |

| | | 2. | | 7. | | 5. | | |

| | | | | | | | | |

+----+ +----+ +----+ +----+ +----+

\

+----+ +----+ Object's

| | | | Significator

| 3. | | 6. |

| | | |

+----+ +----+

That which has affected the subject.1.

That which is affecting the subject.2.

That which will affect the subject.3.

That which has affected the object.4.

That which is affecting the object.5.

That which will affect the object.6.

The Resolution Card.7.

THE FINAL WORD

If you think all of this was a lot of hogwash, then read it again.


And if you never intended to believe in the first place, then it really is a pity that you read down to

the final word.

ARCANA ARCANORUM, like any other Divination method, takes a little while to master; but it, like any

other, is equally valid if one believes in it. It is considerably simpler and easier to understand than some

other Divination methods; and it is easy to remember the meanings of the Cards with only a little practice

(you'll find that the same ones tend to show up over and over). (In fact, one might even consider writing

the meanings on the Cards themselves!)

+----+ +----+

| | | |

| 1. | | 4. |

Subject's | | | |

Significator +----+ +----+

\

+----+ +----+ +----+ +----+ +----+

DIAGRAM FOR THE CONFLICTION METHOD OF DIVINATION

ARCANA ARCANORUM is not for the unbeliever. If you don't believe in the Divination, it will not work

-- plain and simple. The Universe only wishes to give information to those who believe in Her.

arcana arcanorum_ the playing-card oracle

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