The Suit of Hearts in Cartomancy

Now we come to the suit of Hearts. As I mentioned in a previous article, the Hearts are considered one of the better suits in the deck. They deal with love, friends, family, emotional issues… And can even mean religious matters! Anything with a deep emotional tie, the Hearts will cover it. If you draw a heart during a yes or no question, it usually means the equivalent of an emphatic “yes!”

Below is a list of traditional (more or less) meanings to the cards within this particular suit. These meanings are based on a mixture of what I was taught, what I studied, and what I learned through experimentation and a lot of readings.

King of Hearts: This card traditionally represents a good-hearted man in the old systems, emotional and prone to snap-decisions or irrational judgement arrived at quickly. Think of someone you know who means well, but tends to jump to conclusions based on evidence that they happen to agree with already. That, my friends, is the King of Hearts in a nutshell. The man represented by the King of Hearts is typically possessed of more enthusiasm than discretion, and is also of an amorous nature, being a fair bit of a romantic at heart. See what I did there?

Queen of Hearts: Contrary to the vision presented Through The Looking Glass, this woman is one who is as lovable as she is loving. She is a woman who would be quite content to be a housewife, and would do well in the caring professions (nursing, social work, counseling, etc.) Unlike her counter-part, the King of Hearts, she is prone to prudence, that is to say moral and ethical caution. She is also very faithful, sometimes to a fault as these women have the potential to find themselves trapped in generally toxic relationships. Traditionally, the Queen of Hearts meant a woman of fair complexion, however, this can indicate someone who happens to have fair hair, as well.

Jack (or Knave) of Hearts: This is a Face card without any particular gender. Traditional card readers sometimes took this to mean Cupid himself; however, it can also represent a close friend of the inquirer, or as a fair (potentially good-natured) person’s thoughts. The Jack of Hearts is a context-sensitive card, and the cards on either side of it reveal either good or bad intentions. When it crops up, this is a card that is truly worth noticing as it is basically a “mind reader” of sorts.

Ten of Hearts: The Ten of Hearts is one of the best cards you can have in a reading! It is traditionally a sign of good luck/fortune, and it can also imply a good nature, general happiness, and possibly even a large family. Furthermore, it can counteract the effects of bad cards, and confirms good ones drawn immediately before or after it.

Nine of Hearts: Here we have the traditional “Wish Card,” and the capitalization is necessary. I call this the Hollywood card, as it is a sign of wealth and high status, strong potential for flat-out fame, with all of the good stuff (influence, esteem of your peers, etc.) that entails. However, should it show up near negative cards, it may be affected by them. If good cards follow these either immediately or shortly thereafter, you’ll make back your losses, whether of a material nature or simply peace of mind.

Eight of Hearts: Eat, drink, and be merry, and hopefully we’ll be alive tomorrow! This is the card of the previous sentiment, always a welcome one in my spreads. It means exactly what it says on the tin, the pleasures of the kitchen and good company. It’s a night out with your friends, or a really awesome home-cooked meal with family. Another meaning, however, is the potential for love and marriage, which leads to… More feasting!

Seven of Hearts: Now this is kind of a rough card, and I think a fair few of you will agree. This card represents the possibility of an unreliable, unfaithful friend who might be out to get you. Think of the two-faced friends you might have known (or at least heard about,) all smiles to your face, but ultimately out for themselves, or at least out to spoil your good time. If this card were a Shakespearean character, it would be Iago of Othello fame.

Six of Hearts: The Six of Hearts is of a different stripe all together, and would probably be considered what people used to call a “good time Charlie.” It shows the likelihood of a trusting, confiding nature. One who is very free in thought and action, generous (possibly to a fault) and easy prey for a con-artist. The bright side is, it also represents the possibility of a serious relationship, possibly even turning into a proposal for marriage.

Five of Hearts: This is a card with a dose of crazy thrown in. The Five of Hearts traditionally means that there’s a strong probability of jealousy, almost always without the least bit of foundation in reality. Naturally this also implies a very unsettled disposition, which may mean the inquirer has been seriously misled, jumped to bad conclusions, or might be a little emotionally troubled. Either way, it’s important to correct the situation before things get out of hand.

Four of Hearts: The Four of Hearts typically means someone who is really difficult to please. If you want to win this person over to your cause, you will have your work cut out for you. It may also imply someone who has remained single until the middle of life from being such an individual. Either way, expect to turn up the heat if you want to melt this sort of ice…

Three of Hearts: Think of this card as the friend at a party who warns you that it may not be in your best interest to have that seventh beer. Traditionally, this card serves as a warning to clean up your act, before things start to get rough. Ill will from polite (and impolite) society due to the inquirer’s own lack of tact and social graces.

Two of Hearts: Good news! This card usually represents prosperity and success, fame and fortune (kind of like a scaled down Nine of Hearts,) and all that good stuff! However, it is in proportion to what surrounds it. And you’ll need to be smart if you want to have it (and keep it!) If negative cards are around it, it might be a while before you see the end result of this kind of awesome.

Ace of Hearts: Finally, we come to the Ace. This is a rather important card in traditional cartomancy, and like all cards, is context-sensitive. If you see it with Hearts, it implies love, new (or re-kindled) friends, and general affection all around. Should it be with Diamonds, it shows the possibility of cash and maybe an email from distant friends. If it shows up with Clubs, it’s party time; celebrations, foreign and domestic! However, if you spot it among Spades, it could mean there will be disputes, bad communication resulting in misunderstandings, arguments, or general misfortune. All on its own? It usually stands for the house.