The Wise and Subtle Arte of Reading Cards

…as examined by a Witch who practices said Arte

For the Witch of Middling Memory:  

Further in the Land of Courts and Pips

            Having mastered the arte of reading cards as suited to the Witch of poor memory, if you are a witch of at least middling memory, you may consider continuing your study with the following material. 

            Those that are skilled at reading cards generally look at their courts and pips in an intuitive way, each a strand in a web, a word in a sentence.  That is what you must learn to do to develop this skill – learn to look at the cards in combinations to understand their speech.  The material set forth here will aid you in this endeavor, but you must also be willing to stretch your mind a bit and to reason patiently, for truly is it said that intuition is the daughter of reason.  To help you, you may consider keeping a notebook for cardreading.  Assign a couple pages to each card, and as you learn and/or discovery their meanings and combinations, note them down for your own future reference and to teach others who would follow in Our Way. 

The Suits

            In order to better understand the Court cards that follow, you must understand a bit more about the suits and their correspondences, thus extending your grasp of the secondmost rule. Those of you that are familiar with correspondences to the suits of Tarot must keep them out of your mind.  The daughter does not take after the mother in all particulars.  

            Diamonds:  Fire, Spring

            “Money, wealth, means, and ends”.  Diamonds are associated with the element Fire and the season of Spring.  In the human body, the suit of Diamonds is the vital, electric energy that courses through the nervous system.  Thus, Diamonds are associated with intelligence, wit, and nervous energy.  It is the “thinking suit.”

            Hearts:  Water, Summer

            “Love, family, and friends”.  Hearts are associated with the element of Water and the season of Summer.  In the human body, the suit of Hearts represents the circulatory system, the river of blood that courses through the heart.  Hearts are associated with emotions, artistry, happiness.  It is the “feeling suit.”

            Clubs:  Air, Autumn

            “Work, callings, and plans”.  Clubs are associated with the element of Air and the season of Autumn.  In the human body, the suit of Clubs represents the muscular system, which gives us the power to act in the world.  Thus, Clubs are associated with practicality, business (and busy-ness), and activity.  It is the “doing suit.”

            Spades:  Earth, Winter

            “The troubles that plague every man.”  Spades are associated with the element of Earth and the season of Winter.  In the human body, the suit of Spades represents the skeletal system, the groundwork of our physical being that limits us to certain activities.  Thus, Spades are associated with limitations, trouble, and frustration.  It is the “learning suit”, but typically learning through adversity. 

            You should have no trouble remembering the elemental and seasonal designations.  In the Northern hemisphere, at least, Aries is the Fire sign that starts the Spring, Cancer is the Water sign that starts the Summer, Libra is the Air sign that starts the Autumn, and Capricorn is the Earth sign that starts the Winter.

            A Note on Arteful Meanings of the Suits:  Diamonds represent human souls.  Hearts represent the Gods.  Spades represent the fated patterns and befallings that the Gods assign to human souls.  Clubs represent the progress of human souls in living out their patterns, ultimately to achieve Godhood themselves. 

            In the lay of the worlds, Diamonds represent the journeying human consciousness.  Hearts are the Upperworld, Chimeri, the Heavens.  Clubs are the Midworld, Earth, the Green Field.  Spades are the Underworld, Elfhame, Hel.   Witches, who are intimately concerned with Fate, are generally represented by Spades.  One of the meanings of the King of Spades is a male witch, just as the Queen of Spades may be a female witch.  The Knave of Spades is the witch’s familiar or fetch or the initiatory experience that sets one upon the path of witchery.  The 8 of Spades is a Coven or Witch Family. 

The Court Cards:  We will now examine each court card in turn and reason out further meanings in light of the three rules and the correspondences given above.  Please note that a Court card does not invariable represent a person. 

            The Kings:  “While Kings are the symbols of power and men.”

King of Diamonds:  A very fair man, or one with white hair.  A man of wealth or financial means.  A man who is intelligent and quick, and usually sociable.  A man who is restless, always wanting to be “up and away”, and thus, a lover of travel and new experiences.  A male professor.  Financial power or the power to pay for things.

King of Hearts:  A man of medium coloring.  An emotional man, and thus one that will seek security in a relationship.  An artistic man.  The father or other man in the seeker’s family, such as a brother or uncle.  A husband.  A family man.  Whoever he is, he will have the seeker’s welfare and best interests at heart.  Emotional power or the power to arouse feeling.

King of Clubs:  A man of darker coloring.  A business man, work-oriented.  Boss or superior.  A practical, efficient man.  A man active in practical affairs.  If with hearts, sometimes the Seeker’s grandfather.  Practical power or the power to progress, get things done, or accomplish a goal.

King of Spades:  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, such as a police officer, judge, or military man.  A male witch.  A human male, deceased.  The power to teach others a lesson, to hinder, to do harm or evil, or to know and play one’s part in Fate’s pattern. 

            A Note on the Kings as Power:  If a King is read as a type of power in the reading, whether the power is used for good or ill shall depend on the cards around it.  The King of Hearts flanked by two spades, for instance, may indicate emotional manipulation; the King of Diamonds flanked by two clubs, may indicate money turned to practical ends.  The King of Spades flanked by Hearts may show a Witch playing a benevolent role in a Fated pattern.  The first and secondmost rules shall hold you in good stead here. 

            The Queens:  “Queens are the emblems of women and truth.”

Queen of Diamonds: A very fair woman, or one with white hair.  A woman of wealth or financial means.  A woman who is intelligent and quick.  She may be a socialite, and is generally somewhat superficial.  Like the King, she likes travel and have new experiences.  A female professor.  The truth of a financial matter. 

Queen of Hearts:  A woman of medium coloring.  An emotional woman, intuitive, and sometimes psychic.  An artistic woman.  The mother or other woman in the seeker’s family, such as a sister or aunt.  A wife.  A homemaker.  Whoever she is, she will have the seeker’s welfare and best interests at heart.  The truth of an emotional matter, or in general, the truth.

Queen of Clubs:  A woman of darker coloring.  A business woman, career-oriented.  Boss or superior.  A practical, efficient woman.  A woman active in practical affairs.  If with hearts, sometimes the Seeker’s grandmother.  The truth of a business matter.

Queen of Spades:  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, such as a police officer, judge, or military man.  A female witch.  A human female, deceased.  An unpleasant truth, or in general, a lie. 

            A Note on the Queens as Truth:  Again, look to the cards near the Queen when you interpret one of them as Truth.  A Queen by red cards, for instance, will show that the Seeker is being told the truth of a matter (whether financial, emotional, etc.).  If she is near spades, the Seeker may have a falsehood to grapple with.  If with Clubs, she may have to dig or work in uncovering the truth. 

            The Knaves:  “A Knave is a message, a girl, or a youth.”  Where a youth is indicated below, “girl” should be understood with it in tandem.

Knave of Diamonds:  A very fair youth.  A privileged youth.  A youth who is intelligent and quick.  A student, perhaps of a scholarly bent.  A message concerning money. 

Knave of Hearts:  A youth of medium coloring.  An emotional, artistic, or dreamy youth.  Sometimes a beloved pet.  A happy-go-lucky or merrymaking youth that sometimes acts foolishly.  A message from a loved one or friend, a compliment, “thank you” or small gift to show appreciation.  Being asked out on a date.   

Knave of Clubs:  A youth of darker coloring.  A practical, efficient youth.  A youth active in endeavors like sports, clubs, or volunteering.  An apprentice.  A message concerning a business venture or some practical matter. 

Knave of Spades:  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.  The witch’s familiar or fetch.  A deceased spirit, in general.  A message containing bad news. 

            A Note on the Courts and the Old Craft:  Although of little practical value in reading the cards, there are certain Craft titles given to the Courts, which are mentioned here for the sake of interest:

The Pip Cards:  We will now examine each pip card in turn.  Read over the meanings of each card and if you have any trouble understanding whence the meaning derives, review all previous material on the suits and numbers, and you will be able to piece together the given meaning. 

            When this system was developed, the only material available was that which we have given for the witch of poor memory.  But over the decades, new things have emerged in the world, and card readers adapted their meanings to those new things.  For instance, when confronted with the expensive motor car, the 6 of Diamonds was pressed into service.  Generally, however, any additions make sense in terms of the rhyming rules for the witch of poor memory, and so the apprentice card reader will not have trouble recalling them. 

            The Aces:  “An Ace brings beginnings”.  Recall that each of the Aces has a traditional meaning, which you have heretofore memorized.  These have been incorporated below. 

Ace of Diamonds:  Money.  A letter.  Something new, generally connected with finances, but not invariably.   Fire.  A diamond ring, but other cards must support that interpretation.              

Ace of Hearts:  The home.  The family or a family member.  The beginning of a love affair or new friendship.  Sometimes a birth or addition to the family, or a change of residence (because aces indicate beginnings), but those interpretations are usually supported by other cards. 

            A Note on the Ace of Hearts:  In almost all old systems of card reading, the Ace of Hearts is called “The House”, and from judging the cards associated with it, the reader tells whether a letter, visitor, trouble, marriage, etc. shall come to the Seeker’s home.  We shall examine this concept later in a spread given for those of exceptional memory.

Ace of Clubs:  A new duty, task, goal, or opportunity. 

Ace of Spades:  A decision, generally an important one.  A death or an ending.  A big change. 

            A Note on Death:  It is possible to see the physical death of either the Seeker or a person close to the Seeker.  It is definitely not advisable to mention it, but we leave you to make your own mistakes.  To predict it, you must usually see three or four of the spades close together – such as the 3♠ (loss), 5♠ (illness, disease, doctor), 7♠ (tears), 9♠ (change for the worse), or 10♠ (worry, grief) – together with the A♠.  The A♠ must be present for a death to occur. 

            The Twos:  “And Two gives exchange.” 

2 of Diamonds:  Money changing hands.  A gift.   An invitation.  Telephone call, message.

2 of Hearts:  Love, relationship, or marriage.  Dancing.  The arts.  Harmony.

2 of Clubs:  A helping hand.  Business partnership.  A doubling of something or a repeated cycle.

2 of Spades:  Conflict.  Argument.  Inability to get along.   Separation. 

            The Threes:  “Three shows things growing”.  3s denote gradual growth, bit-by-bit, and the concept of “little”.  The idea of “much” or “great” is assigned to the 10s.

3 of Diamonds:  A raise in pay, greater financial security, profits, although only a little of any of those.  A small amount of money.  A scattered mind, concentrating on many little things, so not much is accomplished in any one thing. 

3 of Hearts:  Fertility.  A child, or children in general.  Decorating or adding beauty to something.  An emotional bond growing, little by little.  A love triangle.

3 of Clubs:  A practical development.  Moving forward, progress bit by bit.  Extra work or duties.  A temporary job.  Part-time work.  A garden or gardening.  Herbs.  Crops, in general.

3 of Spades:  Problems adding up.  Small aggravations.  Interference from a third party.  Loss, something lost. 

            The Fours:  “But Four does not change”.  And the meaning of Fours have generally not changed.  They have always denoted stable things, and squarish things, including papers and buildings and fields.  Because of their stability, they also connote justice and legal matters. 

4 of Diamonds:  Financial stability.  A check.  A bank account.  An official document.  A license or certification.  “The City”, in general.

4 of Hearts:  Emotional stability.  An even temper.  Fairness or justice.   An apartment or summer home or cottage.  In times past, but occasionally still today, a barn or outbuilding serving some function for the doings of the homestead (which is the Ace of Hearts). 

4 of Clubs:  Goals are on a firm footing.  Job security.  Boredom at work.  Plowing or plodding along. Land or field or farm.  “The Country”, in general.  An outside building or place.  A desk. 

4 of Spades:  Instability.  An uneven temper.  A problem that you cannot solve or get away from (it hems you in at all four corners).  Exhaustion because of steady pressure against you.  “Sick and tired” of it all.  Unfairness or injustice.  A parking ticket or speeding ticket.  A summons, lawsuit, or court of law.  The Armed Forces, in general. 

            A Note on the 4 of Clubs:  “Outside building or place” is meant to be general here because specific buildings or places depend on the cards next to the 4 of Clubs.  For instance with the 5 of Spades (illness), it would mean a hospital.  With the 2 of Hearts (the arts), museum (and if the 5 of Clubs was with it, a dance club).  With the 3 of hearts (children), daycare center.  With the Ace of Spades (death), a funeral home.  With the 4 of Diamonds (bank account or “City”), a bank or City Hall. 

            The Fives:  “Five is the body, its health and its stead”. 

Five of Diamonds:  Eating.  Clothes.  Jewelry.  Appliances, furniture.  Shopping.

Five of Hearts:  Good health.  The hand of friendship or a friend.  Sexual relations.  Enjoyment, entertainment in general.

Five of Clubs:  Exercise.  Sports.  Hobbies.  Craftsmanship (making practical things by hand).  Working hard, nose to the grindstone.  Determination. 

Five of Spades:  Illness, disease.  A doctor.   Drugs, alcoholism, addiction.   Taking on more than you can handle. 

            The Sixes:  “Six shows a path that the Seeker shall tread.” 

Six of Diamonds:  Distance, in general, that is, someone or something at a distance.  A car.  Steps toward a financial goal.  Investments. 

Six of Hearts:  Pleasant trip, vacation, usually associated with family or friends.  Making good progress, moving ahead, the means will reach the end.  A deepening emotional bond. 

Six of Clubs:  Business trip.  Steps toward a business goal.  Education, learning, teaching.  Reading, books. 

Six of Spades:  Walking away from or abandoning something.  Cleaning up your life, getting rid of things.  Wrong choice, headed in the wrong direction.  Difficulties while traveling, an ill-advised journey, or a journey from which no profit comes.  Running with the wrong crowd. 

            The Sevens:  “Seven brings trouble that Fate as assigned.”  Because Fate is mentioned in this line, the 7s are also associated with magic and religion – things used to cope with the problems that Fate has assigned to us.   The Sevens have many secrets connected to them because they are the in-between number of their respective suits:  there are six cards behind them, and six cards before them. 

Seven of Diamonds:  A troubled purse or financial problem.  Profits down.  The means will not reach the end sought.  Clairvoyance and foretelling.  The talent of seeing and speaking true.  Psychism in general. 

            A Note on the Seven of Diamonds:  The divination and foretelling referred to may be by any method, but this card has particular reference to astrology because the seven Diamonds on this card are meant to refer to the “Seven Lights” – the Seven Planets – which are the primary indicators of Fate’s movements.  Technically, there are only 5 Planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn), and two Luminaries (the Sun and the Moon), but they were and are often grouped together and called the Seven Planets.  There are greater considerations to all of the Sevens, which we do not have space to detail here, although a hint of the larger meaning is given in the note on the Arteful Meanings of the Suits.  In any event, the greater considerations are of very little practical value in cardreading.

Seven of Hearts:  A troubled heart or emotional problem.  Unsettled emotions.  Dissipation of trouble, sometimes.  Religion, in general. 

Seven of Clubs:  Trouble at work or some practical problem.  The power of chance, happenstance, in general.  A charm, talisman, spell, or other work of magic.  The power to make things happen by magic.

Seven of Spades:  Double trouble.  Tears.  Mystery or a mystery, something hidden.  Investigation.  Rarely, a curse or hex. 

            The Eights:  “While Eight shows ideas or thoughts in the mind.”  Eights show ideas and thoughts, and hence imply the exchange of ideas and thoughts, that is, communication.  Unlike the Knaves and 2s, which tend to indicate person-to-person exchanges, the greater-numbered 8s tend to show groups of people.

Eight of Diamonds:  Thoughts about money or finances.  Financial plans, budgeting, how to make ends meet.  Computer or other electronic (fire) media used for communication.  Electronics in general.  Occasionally, a bank, accounting firm, financial planning firm. 

Eight of Hearts:  Thoughts about love or emotional thoughts.  A group of people celebrating.  Festive atmosphere, party, or sometimes wedding.  “Raised cups”, that is, social drinking.  Flirtatious conversation.  A social club. 

Eight of Clubs:  Thoughts about work.  Work or career, in general.  Business conversations, sometimes job interview.  Company or corporation.  Labor union.  Practical plans. 

Eight of Spades:  Negative thoughts or attitude.  Oppression or feeling oppressed.  A “poisoned atmosphere”.  Gossip, rumors.  War, or conflict involving groups of people.    A gang, organized crime, or unruly mob.  The Coven or Witch Family. 

            A Note on Rural Life:  Not of such great importance as it once was, but farm animals are also represented by the 8s.  Larger farm animals that are workers or beasts of burden are the 8 of Clubs, while productive animals – those that give products for the use of people (sheep, goats, cows, chickens) are the 8 of Diamonds.  The 8 of Hearts would show animals doing well, while the 8 of Spades might tell of a sickness running through the herd or other animal group.  For instance, a sickness befalling one’s chickens might be established by 4 of Clubs (farm) - 8 of Diamonds (the animals) – 5 of Spades (illness).  And you know from the secondmost rule that this would pose a temporary financial problem for the Seeker. 

            The Nines:  “Nine heralds changes.”

Nine of Diamonds:  Change in financial status, usually for the better.  “Creature comforts”, finery.  A change in plans, generally.  On rare occasion, fame. 

Nine of Hearts:  Change for the better, the Seeker’s wish will come true.  A change of heart. 

Nine of Clubs:  A change of job or business methods.  A change in goals or priorities.   Going back to work.  A change taking place at work. 

Nine of Spades:  Change for the worse.  The Seeker’s wish will not come true.  Disappointment.  Injury.

            The Tens:  “And Ten is the end.”  As the 3s have a connotation of “little”, the 10s have a connotation of “great” or “much”.  The word “end” in the verse also represents a destination, and so the 10s also mean journey and travel. 

Ten of Diamonds:  Financial independence.  Enough money to get something done.  A large sum of money.  Sealing a financial deal.  Success, in general. 

Ten of Hearts:  Emotional security.  Pleasant and stable family life.  Unshakeable marriage bond.  The spouse.  Happiness, in general.  Journey by or over water.  A boat or ship.  Lake, ocean or other large body of water. 

Ten of Clubs:  A great deal of work to do.  Work piling up.  The completion of a practical project – whether associated with work or a hobby.  Achievement, in general.  Journey by air, an airplane. 

Ten of Spades:  A great deal of trouble, worry.  Evil, violence, grief.   Great force. Failure, in general.  Journey by land (Earth). 

            A Note on the 10s and Travel:  A 10 in a spread will usually not indicate a journey unless it is linked with a 6 (path, steps) or another 10.  The linkage may occur by virtue of the cards being next to each other, or linked through the card of the Seeker in someway.  For instance, referring back to the example Square of Nine spread, we see that the King of Hearts is linked to two 10s because a 10 occurs in each of his lines 123 and 369; therefore, the cards show him traveling on business (10 of Diamonds), most likely by air (10 of Clubs).  Compare that to the Queen of Spades.  She is linked to the 10 of Diamonds in line 147, but she is not linked to the 10 of Clubs in any fashion; therefore, she will not be traveling with her husband.  Three 10s would indicate long-distance or foreign travel, and four 10s would indicate world travel or a world traveler. 

Learning Suggestions

            Admittedly, the above represents a great deal of information to absorb.  If you feel overwhelmed, you need not go on.  Cardreading for the Witch of Poor Memory gives you a serviceable oracle at your disposal and you can stop your study there.  If you wish to continue, you will be able to predict much more specific things, but it will take some effort to learn the speech of the cards. 

            It need not be an onerous learning.  Do not sit down and memorize the card meanings by rote.  Instead, try the following suggestions:

            (1)  Take 10 to 15 minutes a day to simply review one group of four cards – the Kings, the Queens, the Sevens, the Twos, etc.  Have that group of cards before you, and simply read over the material three or four times times, letting it sink in. 

            (2)  Keep a pack of cards with you as often as you can.  If you have a few private moments, simply take them out and draw off the top three cards.  See if you can come up with an interpretation or two for them.  Remember a trio of cards does not necessarily mean just one thing.  It can mean several things, and all of those several interpretations will be correct.  When you are done with those three cards, go on to the next three until you are through the deck. 

            (3)  Do practice readings for an imaginary Seeker, as if you were telling a story from the cards.  Lay out a Square of Nine and interpret it.  Even though imaginary, it is still excellent practice.  Almost every Witch learns to read cards this way.  It is said that a cardreader is a storyteller, only different from a fictionteller in that her stories come true.  So practice by laying out an imaginary throw and telling an imaginary story.  But know that when a true Seeker comes, your story will be true.  It’s as simple as that. 

            (4)  Keep a notebook.  If you read cards frequently, you will see combinations recurring, and you should note those down.  Focus primarily on the card meanings at first; when you know them well, start focusing on combinations. 

Combinations

            With the meanings above, you can see many specific things in the cards when reading them in combination.  Some combinations involve only two cards, some involve three, and on rare occasion, four cards.  In time, as you learn the speech of the cards, you will easily see combinations, not just those given here, but your own, too.

            *Here* is a list of card combinations.  We have been working with trios up until now, so we will stick to combinations of two and three cards.  Make no effort to memorize any of them, although you may wish to add them your own notebook if they make sense to you.  As you read each combination, simply think through its rationale so that you know how it is derived.  This is likely the most important section for the Witch of Middling Memory.  Again, it is emphasized that memorization is not the point here.  It is by going through this list of combinations and simply thinking them through that you will learn the speech of the cards.  The meanings you eventually understand from the cards will not invariably be the meanings given here for the combinations.  In addition, the list given here is by no means exhaustive. 

            Remember, too, that the first and second rules may help you in interpreting combinations. 

            A Note on Describing the Characteristics of Court Cards:  When you see a Court Card in a trio or spread, you will usually identify it in two ways – by the characteristics of its suit and surrounding cards, but not by coloring.  The coloring of the Courts (very fair, medium, darker, very dark) are mostly used for choosing a card to represent the Seeker. 

An example:  Let us say we have the King of Clubs in the spread and he represents a person in the Seeker’s life.  You describe to the Seeker that the man is practical, work-oriented, and efficient; that much you know from the suit.  Sometimes the Seeker will know the person right away, but oftentimes will not.  So, the Seeker will ask you if you can tell anything more about the man to help identify him.  Or maybe it is someone that the Seeker does not know yet, but will meet in the future; in that case, the Seeker will want to know how to identify the person when she meets him.  So, look to the cards near the King of Clubs.  You may see that he wants a family or that family is important to him (Ace of Hearts).  He may have a negative outlook (8 of Spades).  He may be a sportsman, big sports fan, or exercise nut (5 of Clubs).  He may always be ready to lend a helping hand to others (2 of Clubs).  Perhaps he is religious (7 of Hearts).  A high achiever (10 of Clubs)?  “Too much in his cups”? (5 of Spades and 8 of Hearts)?  Stylish and a good dresser (9 of Diamonds)?  You will usually be able to tell any of that from the cards. 

Spreads

            We will be covering three new spreads for the witch of middling memory:  The Three Steps, The Horns, and The Cross.  After a general discussion of each, you will find an example spread.

The Three Steps

            Although using more cards, this spread is based on interpreting trios, which the witch of poor memory is accustomed to doing.  This spread is good for getting a general look at the future, but not as good for specific questions.        

            Choose a card for the Seeker, but leave it within the deck.  Have the Seeker shuffle the cards and cut them.  Fan out the cards upon the table and ask the Seeker to choose 23 of them, face down.  Keep them in order as the Seeker selects them, then lay them, faces upward, in the following pattern:

            Some of the ninefold symbolism of the Square of Nine is repeated in this spread, for the Seeker walks up the three steps three times.  It is based on the countings of sevens to find the middle card of each trio.  There are nine trios to read in this spread, and then a final tenth, which is traditionally called “the Surprise”.  Starting, count 7 cards.  Landing on card 7, read the trio 6-7-8.   Next, count 7 again.  Landing on card 14, read the trio 13-14-15.  And so on.  Here are the trios that you will read from start to finish: 

First ascent:                  6-7-8, 13-14-15, 20-21-22

Second ascent:             4-5-6,  11-12-13, 18-19-20

Third ascent:                 2-3-4, 9-10-11, 16-17-18

The Surprise:                23-1-2

            You will note that there are some overlapping cards in the ascents (ex. card 6 is read both in the first trio of the first ascent, and the first trio of the second ascent).  These will sometimes link events together.  Thus, the trio 6-7-8 may show an event that will further progress in trio 4-5-6. 

            If the Seeker’s card appears in the draw, you may also read that card as the middle of a trio.  For example, if the Seeking Q♥ appears as card 4, read 3-4-5 as a trio, which would otherwise not be read as a trio per the outline above.  A trio with the Seeker should be looked for and read first.

            Additional Consideration:  if there is some difficulty in determining the meaning of a trio, you may look to the card above or below the middle card of the trio, if there is one, for guidance or additional information.  This is usually necessary only when reading the first couple of trios, when the Witch is trying to determine exactly what the events surrounding the Seeker’s life are.  The interpretation of the card above or below should never contradict or usurp the meaning of the trio, but merely adds additional, supportive information. 

            Final Note:  Twenty-three cards are much to look at, and the novice cardreader’s initial reaction to her first few spreads of this size is to gulp, perspire, and sit tongue-tied.  Keep in mind, however, that there are only ten trios to read in this spread, and that if you are practiced in the Square of Nine, you have routinely interpreted eight trios.  Here, read each trio, one by one, and ignore the rest of the cards until you come to them.  Fall back on the firstmost and secondmost rules as and when you need to. 

The Three Steps:  An Example

            The Seeker here is a man of darker coloring; thus, the K♣.  This reading was conducted in September 2002.

           The Seeker’s card has not appeared in the draw, so we will jump right into interpreting the trios.  For considerations of space, we will not detail the supportive information given from the firstmost and secondmost rules

First Ascent

Kn♥, 3♠, 3♦:  From this trio, we can see that the Seeker has not come to us for advice on business matters – at least, not primarily (note, too, that there are only two ♣s amongst the 23 cards).  The Kn♥ could possibly indicate a date, but the 3♠ indicates small aggravations, interference from a third party, and loss.  The 3♦ shows a scattered mind.  This does not give us much to go on, initially, so we look at the card above the middle card of the trio and find the 6♥, indicating a deepening emotional bond.  From this we may deduce that the Seeker is interested in dating someone and getting closer to that person, but he has not been very successful.  A third party seems to be the issue, and may have been the cause of a cancelled date (Kn♥, 3♠).  The Seeker’s mind has been scattered, as he has been thinking about the issue off-and-on (3♦); one inference is that he is thinking that the person simply does not want to be with him and is using this third-party interference as an excuse. 

Q♠, 6♥, 4♠:  Here is the person the Seeker is interested in – a woman who is a widow or divorced (Q♠).  She is generally a warm-hearted person (6♥), but her situation is unstable (4♠).  Her heart is heavy (♥ hemmed in by ♠s), she feels exhausted and hemmed in by problems at times (4♠), and she needs a vacation (6♥); unfortunately, she won’t get one (♠ on top of 6♥).  The Q♠ may be interested in a deepening emotional bond, theoretically (6♥), but she may feel that her present circumstances are too unstable to maintain such a bond (4♠).  Note, however, that the cards do not give the impression that the Q♠ is inimical to the Seeker or that she does not want his attentions.  She is simply tired and dealing with problems.  We can set the Seeker’s mind at ease on that point. 

10♦, 4♣, 2♥:  The 10♦ is success, in general.  The 4♣ is plodding along and goals on a firm footing.  The 2♥ is love and relationship.  Thus, the cards advise the Seeker that success (10♦) in gaining the desired deeper emotional bond (the 6♥ seen before) may be achieved by not giving up and with patient plodding (4♣).  When the 4♣ appears, we must incline our thoughts to the possibility of an “outside place” being in the cards.  Here, combined with the 2♥, a museum or theater is