The Wise and Subtle Arte — Complete Card Meanings Reference

The Wise and Subtle Arte of Reading Cards

Complete Card Meanings Reference — Mundane · Household · Magical · Health · Body/Craft

♦ Diamonds

Money, wealth, means & ends · Fire · Spring · nervous system · "the thinking suit"

Arteful/Craft correspondence: the human soul; the journeying human consciousness.

Card	Context	Meaning
A♦	Mundane	Money. A letter. Something new, generally connected with finances (not invariably). Fire. A diamond ring, if supported by nearby cards.
	Body System	The nervous system (the Aces are the roots of the four bodily systems).
	Household	Not a fixed room — appears in household use as a marker for "brand new" (e.g. A♦ + 5♦ + 10-card = a brand new appliance).
2♦	Mundane	Money changing hands. A gift. An invitation. A telephone call or message.
2♦	Health	Ears — two, a receptive number and a receptive body part. Several of the 2♦'s meanings involve using one's ears.
3♦	Mundane	A raise in pay, greater financial security, profits — but only a little. A small amount of money. A scattered mind, concentrating on many little things so not much gets accomplished.
3♦	Health	Energy level, in general. Followed by a ♠: low energy. Followed by two ♠s: low for a prolonged period. Followed by ♠ then ♥: low, then returns to normal. Followed by ♣ then ♥: sufficient energy to succeed at the task. Holds regardless of whether the 4♠/5♠ are present.
4♦	Mundane	Financial stability. A check. A bank account. An official document. A license or certification. "The City", in general.
4♦	Health	Solar plexus — located in the stable "core" of the body, sometimes called the abdominal brain.
5♦	Mundane	Eating. Clothes. Jewelry. Appliances, furniture. Shopping.
	Household	The kitchen — a place of food preparation and eating, also containing many appliances. Key card for identifying appliances when paired with a 10 (10♦=furnace, 10♥=washing machine, 10♣=air circulation, 10♠=refrigerator/freezer).
	Health	Stomach — an extended meaning from the 5♦'s link to eating. If a ♠ follows it or many ♠s surround it, the Seeker has a nervous stomach, or the stomach is the barometer for the Seeker's emotions.
6♦	Mundane	Distance, in general — someone or something far away. A car. Steps toward a financial goal. Investments.
6♦	Household	The garage — where the car is housed. Key indicator for car trouble: followed by a ♠, expect vehicle problems, with the third card often naming the issue — e.g. 6♦ 3♠ A♦ = a minor ignition problem; 6♦ 8♣ 5♠ = the car is "sick," needs a mechanic; 6♦ 5♠ + any ♣ = a fan/air-system problem; 6♦ 5♠ + any ♥ = a fluid-system problem; 6♦ 5♠ 3♦ = an inexpensive fix; 6♦ 7♠ 10♦ = a costly repair.
7♦	Mundane	A troubled purse or financial problem. Profits down. The means will not reach the end sought.
	Magical	Clairvoyance, foretelling, psychism, astrology (the "Seven Lights" — the seven planets, primary indicators of Fate's movements). The talent of seeing and speaking true; psychism in general.
	Health	Trouble — nervous trouble specifically, since the 7s generally show trouble within the system of their suit.
8♦	Mundane	Thoughts about money or finances. Financial plans, budgeting, making ends meet. Computer or other electronic (fire) media used for communication; electronics in general. Occasionally a bank, accounting firm, or financial planning firm. Productive farm animals (sheep, goats, cows, chickens).
	Household	The computer room or media room. In older readings, associated with the pantry (shares the "eating" suit-link with 5♦) and with budgeting.
	Health	Throat, speech (the 8s indicate communication).
	Topic Card	Used in the Coven Spread in place of the Joker to ask specifically about finances in general.
9♦	Mundane	Change in financial status, usually for the better. "Creature comforts", finery. A change in plans, generally. On rare occasion, fame.
9♦	Health	Nerves, in general — nervous energy in flux, at times low, at times high. Together with 10♦, points to headaches (to a somewhat lesser degree than 10♦ alone).
10♦	Mundane	Financial independence. Enough money to get something done. A large sum of money. Sealing a financial deal. Success, in general.
	Household	The hearth or fireplace — the main place in the house associated with fire.
	Health	The brain — coordinator of the nervous system; also the head in general. Followed by a ♠: prone to headaches (severe/migrainous if 10♠ involved).
J♦	Mundane	A very fair youth. A privileged youth. Intelligent and quick. A student, perhaps of scholarly bent. A message concerning money.
J♦	Craft Title	The Dancer.
Q♦	Mundane	A very fair woman, or one with white hair. A woman of wealth or financial means. Intelligent and quick; a socialite, generally somewhat superficial. Likes travel and new experiences. A female professor. The truth of a financial matter.
	Truth Qualifier	Look to the cards near her: near red cards, the Seeker is being told the truth; near spades, the Seeker may have a falsehood to grapple with; near clubs, she may have to dig or work to uncover the truth.
	Craft Title	The May Queen.
K♦	Mundane	A very fair man, or one with white hair. A man of wealth or financial means. Intelligent, quick, usually sociable. Restless, always wanting to be "up and away" — a lover of travel and new experiences. A male professor. Financial power, or the power to pay for things.
	Power Qualifier	When read as a type of power, whether it's used for good or ill depends on the cards around it. K♦ flanked by two clubs may show money turned to practical ends.
	Craft Title	The Devouring Sun.

↑ back to index

♥ Hearts

Love, family & friends · Water · Summer · circulatory system · "the feeling suit"

Arteful/Craft correspondence: the Gods; the Upperworld, Chimeri, the Heavens.

Card	Context	Meaning
A♥	Mundane	The home or family. The beginning of a love affair or new friendship. Sometimes a birth or addition to the family, or a change of residence — usually supported by other cards. Traditionally called "The House" in most old card systems: cards near it show whether a letter, visitor, trouble, or marriage comes to the Seeker's home.
	Body System	The circulatory system.
	Household / Magical	Household anchor card — generally must be present or nearby for any room-of-the-house reading to apply. Paired with 8♠: a witch household. Paired with 7♣: occult work in the home.
2♥	Mundane	Love, relationship, or marriage. Dancing. The arts. Harmony.
	Health	Breasts (a rather easy meaning to remember, though not often used).
	Topic Card	Used in the Coven Spread in place of the Joker to ask specifically about a love affair.
3♥	Mundane	Fertility. A child, or children in general. Decorating or adding beauty to something. An emotional bond growing little by little. A love triangle.
	Household	The nursery — the living quarters of a child. More often used for its "decorating/beautifying" meaning than for "nursery".
	Health	Iron, vitamins, nutrition — the building blocks of the blood. Followed by a ♠: poor eating habits.
	Topic Card	Used in the Coven Spread in place of the Joker to ask specifically about children.
4♥	Mundane	Emotional stability. An even temper. Fairness or justice. An apartment, summer home, or cottage. In times past (occasionally still), a barn or outbuilding of the homestead.
4♥	Health	Medication; a stable harmony; improvement, recuperation, good health. Medication restores the body to stable harmony.
5♥	Mundane	Good health. The hand of friendship, or a friend. Sexual relations. Enjoyment, entertainment in general.
	Household	The master bedroom — the marital bedroom, where sexual relations take place.
	Health	Genitals (an extended meaning, since this card indicates sexual activity).
6♥	Mundane	Pleasant trip, vacation — usually with family or friends. Making good progress, moving ahead, means reaching the end. A deepening emotional bond.
	Household	The living room — a place to retreat and relax. With two connected 10s (A♥ 6♥): a motor home or large recreational vehicle.
	Health	Blood — travels through the circulatory system.
7♥	Mundane	A troubled heart or emotional problem. Unsettled emotions. Sometimes the dissipation of trouble.
	Magical	Religion, in general. With K♥: God, or a male deity. With Q♥: Goddess, or a female deity. With any 8: prayer, involving the subject shown by the 8's suit. The third card in the trio can name the deity's domain (e.g. 7♥ K♥ A♦ = a God of Fire; 7♥ Q♥ 2♥ = a Goddess of Love).
	Health	Trouble with the circulatory system, in general — perhaps poor circulation.
	Topic Card	Used in the Coven Spread in place of the Joker to ask specifically about emotional trouble.
8♥	Mundane	Thoughts about love, or emotional thoughts. A group of people celebrating. Festive atmosphere, party, sometimes a wedding. Social drinking ("raised cups"). Flirtatious conversation. A social club. Farm animals doing well.
	Household	The dining room — a place for larger groups to celebrate and eat.
	Health	Arteries — which communicate blood to different areas of the body.
9♥	Mundane	Change for the better — the Seeker's wish will come true. The traditional "wish card". A change of heart.
9♥	Health	The heart — an extended meaning, since this is the "heart's desire" card.
10♥	Mundane	Emotional security. Pleasant and stable family life. An unshakeable marriage bond. The spouse. Happiness, in general. Journey by or over water. A boat or ship. A lake, ocean, or other large body of water.
	Household	A pool — a large body of water associated with the house.
	Health	Body fluids, in general.
J♥	Mundane	A youth of medium coloring. An emotional, artistic, or dreamy youth. Sometimes a beloved pet. A happy-go-lucky or merrymaking youth, sometimes acting foolishly. A message from a loved one or friend, a compliment, "thank you", or small gift. Being asked out on a date.
J♥	Craft Title	The Merryman.
Q♥	Mundane	A woman of medium coloring. An emotional woman, intuitive, sometimes psychic. An artistic woman. The mother or other woman in the Seeker's family (sister, aunt). A wife. A homemaker. Has the Seeker's welfare and best interests at heart. The truth of an emotional matter, or truth in general.
	Truth Qualifier	Look to the cards near her: near red cards, the Seeker is being told the truth; near spades, the Seeker may have a falsehood to grapple with; near clubs, she may have to dig or work to uncover the truth.
	Craft Title	The Seeress.
K♥	Mundane	A man of medium coloring. An emotional man who seeks security in a relationship. An artistic man. The father or other man in the Seeker's family (brother, uncle). A husband. A family man. Has the Seeker's welfare and best interests at heart. Emotional power, or the power to arouse feeling.
	Power Qualifier	When read as a type of power, whether it's used for good or ill depends on the cards around it. K♥ flanked by two spades may indicate emotional manipulation.
	Craft Title	The Red Lord (refers to bloodline).

↑ back to index

♣ Clubs

Work, callings & plans · Air · Autumn · muscular system · "the doing suit"

Arteful/Craft correspondence: the progress of human souls living out their patterns, ultimately to achieve Godhood; the Midworld, Earth, the Green Field.

Card	Context	Meaning
A♣	Mundane	A new duty, task, goal, or opportunity.
A♣	Body System	The muscular system.
2♣	Mundane	A helping hand. Business partnership. A doubling of something, or a repeated cycle.
	Household	A duplex, or two-family house — the 2♣ shows a doubling. Near an appliance combination, often signals a replacement.
	Health	Hands — two of them, our most useful tools for accomplishing tasks.
3♣	Mundane	A practical development. Moving forward, progress bit by bit. Extra work or duties. A temporary or part-time job. A garden or gardening. Crops, in general.
	Household	The garden. Secondarily, a hallway — a place of moving forward temporarily (rarely used).
	Magical	Herbs and herbalism. Paired with 9♠: dark, poisonous witch herbs. Paired with 7♣: magic worked on crops.
	Health	Smaller muscles (using the "small" sense of 3).
4♣	Mundane	Goals on a firm footing. Job security. Boredom at work. Plowing or plodding along. Land, field, or farm. "The Country" in general. An outside building or place — its specific nature depends on nearby cards (e.g. with 5♠: hospital; with 2♥: museum; with 3♥: daycare center; with A♠: funeral home; with 4♦: bank or City Hall). A desk.
	Household	The den — a place in the home where a work desk is kept (may combine with 4♦ if financial documents are kept there).
	Magical	With 8♠: the covenstead, the outside meeting place of the coven.
5♣	Mundane	Exercise. Sports. Hobbies. Craftsmanship (making practical things by hand). Working hard, nose to the grindstone. Determination.
	Household	Sewing, crafts, or work room (illustrative example from the source, not formally listed among the room-cards).
	Health	Adrenals — providing the chemical basis for action. Followed by a ♠: insufficient exercise.
6♣	Mundane	Business trip. Steps toward a business goal. Education, learning, teaching. Reading, books.
	Household / Magical	Household: stairs — like the 3♣ as hallway, but progress made upward. Magical: paired with 7♦, studying psychism or a method of divination.
	Health	Legs — the means for traveling distances, an extension of "6 = steps/progress".
7♣	Mundane	Trouble at work, or some practical problem. The power of chance, happenstance, in general.
	Magical	Magic or occultism, in general — a charm, talisman, spell, or other concrete work of magic; the power to make things happen by magic. Often indicates a mundane practical problem first, unless a witch-card (Q♠, K♠, J♠, 8♠) is present or nearby. With A♥: occult work in the home. With 8♠ + A♥: home needs spiritual purification. With A♦ or 10♦: a money spell. With 2♥: a love spell.
	Health	Trouble, muscle soreness.
8♣	Mundane	Thoughts about work. Work or career, in general. Business conversations, sometimes a job interview. Company or corporation. Labor union. Practical plans. Larger farm animals — workers or beasts of burden.
	Household	The home office — where the Seeker's business is carried on.
	Health	Lungs, oxygen — oxygen is communicated to the blood and thence through the body.
9♣	Mundane	A change of job or business methods. A change in goals or priorities. Going back to work. A change taking place at work.
	Health	Glandular system — constantly in flux, balancing the body's chemistry.
	Topic Card	Used in the Coven Spread in place of the Joker to ask specifically about changing jobs.
10♣	Mundane	A great deal of work to do. Work piling up. Completion of a practical project, whether work or hobby. Achievement, in general. Journey by air, an airplane.
	Household	The roof or attic — the highest, airy point of the house.
	Health	Larger muscles (using the "large/great" sense of 10).
J♣	Mundane	A youth of darker coloring. A practical, efficient youth. Active in endeavors like sports, clubs, or volunteering. An apprentice. A message concerning a business venture or practical matter.
J♣	Craft Title	The Kern Baby, or Corn Dolly.
Q♣	Mundane	A woman of darker coloring. A business woman, career-oriented. Boss or superior. Practical, efficient, active in practical affairs. Sometimes the Seeker's grandmother (if with hearts). The truth of a business matter.
	Truth Qualifier	Look to the cards near her: near red cards, the Seeker is being told the truth; near spades, the Seeker may have a falsehood to grapple with; near clubs, she may have to dig or work to uncover the truth.
	Craft Title	The Reaping Wife.
K♣	Mundane	A man of darker coloring. A business man, work-oriented. Boss or superior. Practical, efficient, active in practical affairs. Sometimes the Seeker's grandfather (if with hearts). Practical power — the power to progress, get things done, or accomplish a goal.
	Power Qualifier	When read as a type of power, whether it's used for good or ill depends on the cards around it (the first and second rules will hold you in good stead here).
	Craft Title	The Harvest King.

↑ back to index

♠ Spades

The troubles that plague every man · Earth · Winter · skeletal system · "the learning suit" (through adversity)

Arteful/Craft correspondence: the fated patterns and befallings the Gods assign to human souls; the Underworld, Elfhame, Hel. Witches, being intimately concerned with Fate, are generally represented by Spades.

Card	Context	Meaning
A♠	Mundane	A decision, generally an important one. A death or an ending. A big change. Must be present (with 3–4 other spades nearby, e.g. 3♠, 5♠, 7♠, 9♠, or 10♠) before a physical death should ever be considered as a reading — and is not advisable to voice even then.
	Body System / Household	Body: the skeletal system. Household: the foundation of the house or cellar — the most earthen point of the house.
	Magical	With 7♠ and A♦: initiation into a mystery school or religion (A♠ = symbolic death, A♦ = symbolic rebirth).
2♠	Mundane	Conflict. Argument. Inability to get along. Separation.
2♠	Health	Teeth — made of bone, and begin the process of breaking food into component parts.
3♠	Mundane	Problems adding up. Small aggravations. Interference from a third party. Loss, something lost.
	Household	Does not indicate a room itself, but — like the 10♠ in greater amount — indicates the force of a renovation, here a minor one (e.g. 3♠ + A♥ + 5♦ = minor renovations to a kitchen).
	Health	Spine (the three spades in a line resemble it). Alternate, more serious meaning: cancer — the growth of injurious cell forms — but only when 5♠ is also present, 7♠ (diagnosis/doctor) is nearby, and 9♠ or 10♠ is also nearby; without the 7♠ there is no diagnosis, without the 5♠ there is no cancer at all.
4♠	Mundane	Instability. An uneven temper. A problem you cannot solve or escape (hemmed in at all four corners). Exhaustion from steady pressure — "sick and tired of it all". Unfairness or injustice. A parking or speeding ticket. A summons, lawsuit, or court of law. The Armed Forces, in general.
4♠	Household / Health	Household: a bedroom — a place to retreat to when exhausted. Health: exhaustion; next to a Court, signals the body's defenses are down (onset of a cold) — with 8♦ the throat/cough is affected, with 8♣ chest congestion, with 8♠ possible infection.
5♠	Mundane	Illness, disease. A doctor. Drugs, alcoholism, addiction. Taking on more than you can handle.
	Health	Ill health — the primary key-indicator card that must be present (or the 4♠ secondarily) before any health-matter reading is used at all.
	Topic Card	Used in the Coven Spread in place of the Joker to ask specifically about ill health.
6♠	Mundane	Walking away from or abandoning something. Cleaning up your life, getting rid of things. A wrong choice, headed in the wrong direction. Difficulties while traveling; an ill-advised journey, or one from which no profit comes. Running with the wrong crowd.
6♠	Household / Health	Household: the bathroom — where dirt is washed away and waste eliminated. Health: the elimination system (from the general meaning of "getting rid of things").
7♠	Mundane	Double trouble. Tears. Mystery, or something hidden. Investigation. Rarely, a curse or hex.
	Magical	The Mysteries, in general, or a mystery school/religion; rarely a curse or hex. With A♥ and J♠: a restless, sad spirit in the house. With K♠ and 3♠: a male witch's hex causing minor trouble.
	Health	Examination, investigation, diagnosis, doctor — extending its "mystery/investigation" meaning into a medical exam or diagnosis.
8♠	Mundane	Negative thoughts or attitude. Oppression, feeling oppressed. A "poisoned atmosphere". Gossip, rumors. War, or conflict involving groups of people. A gang, organized crime, or unruly mob. Sickness running through an animal herd.
	Magical	The Coven or Witch Family. With 4♣: the covenstead. With A♥: a witch household.
	Health	Infection — an illness communicated to another.
9♠	Mundane	Change for the worse. The Seeker's wish will not come true. Disappointment. Injury.
9♠	Health	Surgery (controlled, purposeful injury), or improvement — improvement specifically when followed by a ♥ or ♦.
10♠	Mundane	A great deal of trouble, worry. Evil, violence, grief. Great force. Failure, in general. Journey by land (Earth).
	Household	The floor — still connected to earth and stability, but not as foundational as the A♠. Also indicates renovation force in greater amount than the 3♠ (e.g. A♥ + 10♣ + 10♠ = the home needs a whole new roof).
	Health	Bone, or very serious illness — a bone may be broken, or the bones may be thinning/weakening. Can also mean sheer "great force" rather than bone (e.g. in high blood pressure).
J♠	Mundane	A youth of very dark coloring. An untrustworthy youth, or one ill-disposed toward the Seeker. A lonely or depressed youth. A youth in trouble. A message containing bad news.
	Magical	The witch's familiar or fetch. A deceased spirit, in general. A younger witch of either gender, or a candidate for admission to a coven or family.
	Craft Title	The Man in Black.
Q♠	Mundane	A woman of very dark coloring. A widow or divorced woman. An enemy, or woman ill-disposed toward the Seeker. A lonely or depressed woman. A woman of great authority (police officer, judge, military). A human female, deceased. An unpleasant truth, or a lie in general.
	Truth Qualifier	Look to the cards near her: near red cards, the Seeker is being told the truth; near spades, the Seeker may have a falsehood to grapple with; near clubs, she may have to dig or work to uncover the truth.
	Magical	A female witch. Followed by another ♠, may indicate falsehood/fraud rather than a literal female witch (e.g. a fraudulent psychic).
	Craft Title	Fate, or the Lady.
K♠	Mundane	A man of very dark coloring. A widower or divorced man. An enemy, or man ill-disposed toward the Seeker. A lonely or depressed man. A man of great authority (police officer, judge, military). A human male, deceased. The power to teach a lesson, to hinder, to do harm or evil, or to know and play one's part in Fate's pattern.
	Power Qualifier	When read as a type of power, whether it's used for good or ill depends on the cards around it. K♠ flanked by Hearts may show a Witch playing a benevolent role in a Fated pattern.
	Magical	A male witch.
	Craft Title	The Horned Man, or Magister.

↑ back to index