ARCANA ARCANORUM
The Society for the Discouragement of the Immanentization of the Eschaton
...presents...
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ARCANA ARCANORUM:
THE PLAYING-CARD ORACLE __
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Guaranteed Absolutely Without a Doubt to Work / /\ \ / \
/ ____ \/ /\ \
written by / / \ \____ \
the Prophet ALOYSIUS /_/ /\_\ \ \
/_/ \_\
Transcribed from his own tongue and fingers
into the tongue of ASCII
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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 they 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 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 -- POWER. The energy that is within us all; the
essential force of being. It cannot be denied.
TWO OF SPADES -- GAIN. Physical and mental betterment; one's work is
succeeding.
THREE OF SPADES -- HEALTH. Stability; disappearance of illness or
decay.
FOUR OF SPADES -- FREEDOM. Lifting of oppression; the inner power of
the individual stands unchained.
FIVE OF SPADES -- COMPETITION. Healthy 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 -- DEFEAT. Destruction 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 DIAMONDS -- HONESTY. Being true to oneself and those around
one.
FOUR OF DIAMONDS -- CHARITY. Giving to the needy, not necessarily in
physical considerations.
FIVE OF DIAMONDS -- CONFUSION. Material unrest; one is unsure of
oneself.
SIX OF DIAMONDS -- ANXIETY. Further material unrest; one is starting
to lose control of that which is in and around one.
SEVEN OF DIAMONDS -- FUTILITY. Work for nothing.
EIGHT OF DIAMONDS -- FEAR. 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 DIAMONDS -- PATIENCE. 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 DIAMONDS -- VANITY. Pettiness; personal materiality taken to
the negative extreme.
KING OF DIAMONDS -- CONTENTMENT. Happiness and solemnness with one's
position in the world.
ACE OF CLUBS -- SPIRITUALITY. That 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 -- INNOCENCE. Naivete; failure to attempt to understand
the world around one.
SEVEN OF CLUBS -- DISAPPOINTMENT. Disappointment 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 -- IMMATURITY. Failing 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 -- EQUILIBRIUM. The essential balance of the Universe.
All was once in Equilibrium; one day, all will return.
KING OF CLUBS -- FORESIGHT. The ability to predict what is coming; an
important attribute in any person.
ACE OF HEARTS -- LOVE. That 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 -- OPPORTUNITY. The chance for betterment that one
should never miss or overlook.
FOUR OF HEARTS -- INSPIRATION. That 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 -- JEALOUSY. Obsession 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-DESTRUCTION. The 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. |
1. This covers one. | |
2. This crosses one. +----+
3. This crowns one.
4. This is beneath one.
5. This is behind one.
6. This is before one.
7. Oneself.
8. One's environment -- family, friends.
9. One's hopes and fears.
10. The culmination of all preceding influences; the outcome.
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.
DIAGRAM OF THE PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE METHOD OF DIVINATION
+----+ +----+ +----+
| | | | | |
| 1. | | 2. | | 3. |
| | | | | | +----+
+----+ +----+ +----+ | |
| 4. |
+----+ +----+ +----+ | |
| | |Sig.| | | +----+
| 5. | | & | | 7. |
| | | 6. | | | +----+
+----+ +----+ +----+ | |
| 8. |
+----+ +----+ +----+ | |
| | | | | | +----+
| 9. | | 10 | | 11 |
| | | | | |
+----+ +----+ +----+
1. That which is opposing one and in the past.
2. That which is affecting one and in the past.
3. That which is assisting one and in the past.
4. The transition from the past to the present.
5. That which is opposing one and in the present.
6. That which is affecting one and in the present.
7. That which is assisting one and in the present.
8. The transition from the present to the future.
9. That which is opposing one and in the future.
10. That which is affecting one and in the future.
11. That which is assisting one and in the future.
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 FOR THE CONFLICTION METHOD OF DIVINATION
+----+ +----+
| | | |
| 1. | | 4. |
Subject's | | | |
Significator +----+ +----+
\
+----+ +----+ +----+ +----+ +----+
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | 2. | | 7. | | 5. | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
+----+ +----+ +----+ +----+ +----+
\
+----+ +----+ Object's
| | | | Significator
| 3. | | 6. |
| | | |
+----+ +----+
1. That which has affected the subject.
2. That which is affecting the subject.
3. That which will affect the subject.
4. That which has affected the object.
5. That which is affecting the object.
6. That which will affect the object.
7. The Resolution Card.
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!)
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.
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.
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