Cartomancy: what is it?

How a centuries-old knowledge can guide your life through stormy times.

Before having my first esoteric reading, I confess that I had some stereotypes in my head: only gypsies or people with 'gift' can use the cards, fortune tellers talk to spirits, I don't need to say anything during a session, fortune tellers always dress a certain way, oracles are only useful for questions about love and money and so far. But I was wrong.

Not every card reader connects with entities. Mediumship is one thing, cartomancy is another. You can discover much more than just the life of your ex or future love. In short, there's no rule for becoming a card reading. Cartomancy is for everyone and can be learned at any stage of life.

But what is cartomancy? What is its function?

Cartomancy is the practice of predicting and interpreting life situations through oracle cards. It combines symbolic and archetypal study with the fortuneteller's intuition and experience to offer guidance, warnings, and insights.

Historical records indicate that the first tarot cards appeared around 1400 in Italy. Lenormand, also known in Brazil as Baralho Cigano, had its first versions in Germany before becoming popular in France. Its origins are linked to the board game Das Spiel der Hoffnung (The Game of Hope), released in 1799 by Johann Kaspar Hechtel. At some point, the game gained a new interpretation and became associated with Marie Anne Lenormand (1772–1843), a famous French fortune teller. Madame Lenormand became known for helping influential figures of the time, such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Josephine de Beauharnais and Robespierre.

In Brazil, cartomancy was officially recognized by the Ministry of Labor in 2002, under the code CBO 5168–05 . However, even though it is a legal activity, it is still shrouded in myth and prejudice. That's why I decided to write this article.

How does it work?

Many people think that using cards is about just "guessing" things about other people (like which number will come up on the dice), or having prophetic and random visions. It's nothing like that. It's about method and study.

We discover things about strangers because we study how each card can manifest in different life situations. We investigate symbols throughout history and cultures. We identify patterns that allow us to say that a particular card is an excellent indicator of success in a specific subject. What is discussed in a consultation is a blend of this theoretical and practical knowledge with a touch of intuition and personal wisdom. We study archetypes, mythology, numerology, religion, semiotics, color psychology…

Where do the answers come from?

From a person's own energy: who they are, how they think, where they live, how they interact with others, what they absorb from others. Everything is condensed into the symbols that best correspond to this information.

Energy and vibration aren't tangible, right? Thus, a card reader's work is similar to that of a translator. It can't be 100% accurate, as many expect, because some meanings changes depending on the context. Some words have no direct equivalence, and others escape our limited human understanding. Cartomancy isn't mathematics. However, with practice and technique, readers can achieve a high level of accuracy and detail.

Now, I'm going to touch on a sensitive point. There are those who claim they don't need to study because they were born with the "gift," or because the entities tell them everything. This justification has always sounded strange to me. In that case, what would be the need for the card? Or any other oracle? I've come across Instagram bios where the person claims to be from a "long generation of gypsy fortune tellers," in a tone as if origin and ancestry were a guarantee of knowledge. This type of discourse only discourages those who want to start studying. Me, for example, started as an adult and am the first in my family to venture into the subject. Ease of learning? Perhaps. Something from other lives? Maybe. But it's not a gift!

This reminds me of the excellent book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" (2006). It discusses how our culture associates effort and study with "stupidity" and lack of aptitude. In reality, being good at something is a combination of factors: natural predisposition, dedication and the ability to learn from mistakes and challenges. The so-called growth mindset.

By the way, how did I become a card reader? Maybe it will inspire you.

My path with the cards

I grew up in a Catholic-spiritualist family, but I was never religious; just a curious person. Fortunately, there was no prejudice or religious restrictions in my home. Today, I consider myself a spiritualist.

Conversations about aliens, paranormal stuff and the afterlife always caught my attention. However, my interest was fleeting and superficial, like a horoscope. Sometimes I believed, sometimes I thought it was nonsense. I even went through phases of disbelief and near-atheism. It was during one of these phases that I began studying Tarot.

It was back in college. I did a few Tarot readings out of sheer curiosity. I enjoyed it, but didn't pay much attention. Some time later, I went through one of the most difficult years of my life so far: a breakup, family loss, unemployment, the death of my cat, and health problems caused by the emotional upheaval.

In search for answers, I began researching spiritual content that might shed some light. Suddenly, the Tarot reappeared. Only this time, it was different. My eyes lit up. I saw the cards differently. I found them beautiful: the art, the details, the symbols. On the other hand, I couldn't understand how someone could "guess" my most intimate questions just by looking at a piece of paper.

It wasn't enough to just have a private reading. I wanted to understand how it worked. With this mix of skepticism and curiosity, I made a decision. I'm going to study Tarot for a month to see if it works or if it's nonsense.

A month later, I bought my first Tarot. To this day, I remember my cold hands, the anxiety, the fear that my simple act would "attract obsessive spirits." Again, those silly stereotypes. And guess which card came up? Death. The best card to sum up what I was experiencing.

Months later, I gave the Lenormand deck a try and fell in love. That year, I formed an online study group with over 50 fortune tellers. I received praise and positive feedback, but I didn't feel prepared to really work with it. However, a year later, what started as a hobby slowly transformed into a payed work and essential part of my life.

I discovered another possible path to self-knowledge, avoided traps (and assholes), anticipated problems, began to understand more about others and myself.

Cards are like a flashlight on a completely dark and deserted street. Without it, you can't see anything. You might fall into a hole, be surprised by a rage dog, end up on a dead end etc. But with a flashlight in hand, you can see the path around you, identify obstacles, signs and possible exits. Yes, even the most powerful flashlight has a limit range. The light doesn't reach every street of the neighborhood, only a few meters ahead. But this range is enough to pull you out of life's chaos and traps.

Cartomancy was the push I needed to invest more in self-knowledge. It helped me understand which paths no longer made sense and new possibilities for the future. If it helped me, it can help you too.