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 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. |
                              |    |
                              +----+

This covers one.
This crosses one.
This crowns one.
This is beneath one.
This is behind one.
This is before one.
Oneself.
One's environment -- family, friends.
One's hopes and fears.
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 |          
|    |    |    |    |    |          
+----+    +----+    +----+

That which is opposing one and in the past.
That which is affecting one and in the past.
That which is assisting one and in the past.
The transition from the past to the present.
That which is opposing one and in the present.
That which is affecting one and in the present.
That which is assisting one and in the present.
The transition from the present to the future.
That which is opposing one and in the future.
That which is affecting one and in the future.
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. |                     
                      |    |              |    |                     
                      +----+              +----+

That which has affected the subject.
That which is affecting the subject.
That which will affect the subject.
That which has affected the object.
That which is affecting the object.
That which will affect the object.
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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