10/2/2006 - Symbolism in Cards

What we now think of as simple normal playing cards were once used as a form of divination, much like an early Tarot, and it is not hard to see the simillarities between Tarot cards and playing cards in thier structure and suits.

Here is a little archaic symbolism for the common deck of playing cards.

Color

Red: Positive

Black: Negative

Suits

Seasons and Elements

Hearts: Spring; creative fire; principle of love

Dimonds: Fall; creative water; principle of abundence

Clubs: Summer; creative air; principle of mind

Spades: Winter; creative earth; principle of labor and wisomd

12 court cards

4 Kings, 4 Queens, and 4 Jacks: 12 months of the year

Kings: positive and active

Queens: Negative and receptive

Jacks: Neutral

13 cards in a suit

12 zodicac signs and the sun

52 cards in a deck

52 weeks in a year

Number cards

1: desire or self

2: union or dependence

3: right choice or indecision

4: results or incompletion

5: expressiveness or crossess

6: adjustment or montony

7: spritual knowlege or obstacle

8: power or domination

9: fullfillment or dissapointment

10: sucress or egotism

Suit cards

Jack: inspiration or imaturity

Queen: power in thier own right or selfishness

King: princples of fixation: the power of the number 22

Joker: a law unto itself. Its symbol is 0. It is all things to all men; eternal