Cartomancy 101.17 – Do This Or Do That?

Sometimes a problem is more complex than ‘Should I make this change to my life or stay as I am?’ The classic situation is a choice between two apparently equally alluring options – job A or job B, man X or man Y. When an inquirer has this kind choice to make, I lay out two Cross spreads next to one another; the first five cards dealt from the deck form the first spread, the next five cards constitute the second spread. Here is an example of a choice between two jobs. The inquirer had been interviewed by two companies and both had offered him a position. This left him, he felt, with the dilemma of which would be the best career-path for him to take.

The spread for Company A contained these cards:

Position 1: 9 of Hearts. Position 2: 7 Clubs.

Position 3: 2 Spades. Position 4: 7 Diamonds

Position 5: 8 Spades

Although the 9 of Hearts tells of a wish or dream fulfilled, we should not give it undue emphasis. It falls in the first position, which relates to the way the inquirer sees the situation. If we want to know how matters will proceed, we must look to the cards in positions 3, 4 and 5. The 9 of Hearts in position 1 reveals only that the inquirer sees the job offer as an opportunity to succeed.

The card in position 2 gives us two key issues to contemplate. On the one hand the 7 of Clubs indicates a change in the inquirer’s business situation. This may be a promotion, but moving over to work for a new employer fits the bill also. On the other hand the card is associated with relationship problems in the work environment. The first of these meanings we can consider valid in the context of the reading as the interpretation fits the prospective outcome, assuming the inquirer accepts the job offer from Company A. To ascertain the validity of the second meaning we must examine the other cards in the spread.

With the 2 of Spades falling in position 3, we can see the likelihood of the inquirer struggling to find his feet in Company A. But also he will encounter scandal and gossip, which, linked back to the 7 of Clubs’ second meaning suggests trouble with a female co-worker of a highly disruptive nature.

What are we to make, then, of the 7 of Diamonds in position 4? It denotes disagreements or contentious issues in the workplace, but the interpretation from the list informs us that such disagreements are ‘generally expected to be resolved happily’. In this instance the happy resolution is to be considered cancelled. The 7 of Diamonds is preceded by the bothersome 2 of Spades and followed by the disturbing 8 of Spades. The effect is the same as would be the case if the 7 of Diamonds was sandwiched between two Spade cards in a storybook spread.

The 8 of Spades in position 5, indicating the final outcome, tells its own sad story. The card forecasts trouble and disappointment for the inquirer, a period during which plans go awry and allies let one down. Worst of all, the keyword ‘cancellations’ is applied to this card, suggesting that, in a worst-case scenario, the inquirer might not keep his job.

This is the layout covering the offer from Company B.

Position 1: 10 Hearts. Position 2: Ace Clubs.

Position 3: 6 Spades. Position 4: King Hearts.

Position 5: Ace Hearts.

This spread immediately looks more hopeful: it contains three Hearts and two Aces, with Aces, so long as they are not reversed, signifying attainment.

The 10 of Hearts falls in position 1 and has much the same meaning as that borne by the 9 of Hearts which occupies the same position in the previous spread. It too must be treated with caution for, unless its promises are backed up by other cards in the spread, they may never attain substance outside the inquirer’s mind.

The rest of the indications are good, however, starting with the Ace of Clubs in position 2. It signifies prosperity and unexpected gain. It also signifies good luck in the venture inquired about. The next card, the 6 of Spades, supports these meanings, for it denotes small improvements and developments in the inquirer’s life.

The card in the fourth position is the King of Hearts. When a court card is encountered, it almost invariably indicates a person who will advance the inquirer’s hopes or attempt to frustrate them, according to the nature of the card. Therefore, our inquirer is counseled to be on the lookout for a fair-haired man with an even-handed nature, temperamentally warm-hearted but with a strong sense of justice. This man will be in a superior position to inquirer in the company’s hierarchy, and he is destined to play the part of good friend or mentor to the inquirer.

The final card hardly requires interpreting. The Ace of Hearts represents things like romance and a love letter, but these meanings do not apply to this reading. In the context of business, the Ace of Hearts signifies happiness, usually deriving from the inquirer’s attainment of some significant career goal, a change for the better.

Of the two job offers, that from Company B is to be preferred. But not all two spread readings work out that way. I have on my records two instances where the implications of spread A and spread B were almost equal, with one or the other winning by no more than a whisker. In one case, the inquirer worked for the British National Health Service. She wanted to know if would be more advantageous for her to accept a promotion at the hospital for which she was working and where she had been happy for the past six years or whether it would be in her better interests to accept a post in a hospital in the next county. The spreads showed a slight inclination towards the latter option. But I privately wondered if it would make any significant difference in the long run which option she chose.

She decided to go to the other hospital on the grounds that it was better for her to have as wide an experience as possible of how the Health Service ran in different areas. She kept in touch with me and I learned that, three years after moving to the second hospital, a prized administrative position was advertised at the hospital where the inquirer used to work. She applied for the job and found her old colleagues welcoming her back with open arms. Now, she was a good worker, efficient, unflappable and thorough, so she would probably have gotten the promotion anyway. However, I happen to believe that her decision was the right one, for she did return with a broader experience in fields such as man-management and good practice, giving her a more rounded perspective.

I just wanted to flag up the fact that a two spread reading doesn’t always give a clear cut answer. And sometimes less hangs in the balance than the inquirer imagines.