What is Cartomancy?

In short, Cartomancy is the art of doing a reading with a deck of playing cards. The four suits - diamonds, spades, clubs, and hearts are broken into 4 categories - money and finances, challenging tasks or events coming in the future, positive things coming in the future, and feelings, family, home, love, and relationships. The person conducting the reading, or Cartomancer or Cartomantes, will interpret the cards according to the tradition of how they learned the cards.

In the instance of this article the focus will be on the La Baraja Española (Spanish Fortune Telling) cards; ones that are used by Puerto Rican Sancistas and a number of Hispanic cultures. It’s believed the origination of these cards came from China in the 14th century and made their way to Europe, namely Italy, France, and Spain, and later disseminated through the Americas, arriving in the Caribbean and on the island of Puerto Rico.

La Baraja Española cards are different from traditional playing cards in a few ways, namely the number of cards and the suits. Regular playing cards have 52 cards and La Baraja Española has 48. And instead of having diamonds, spades, clubs, and hearts, there are Batons (Bastos), Swords (Espadas), Cups (Copas), and Coins (Oros). Both of these decks are different from Tarot cards which have 78 cards including the Arcana, which tends to offer more insight into the cards’ meanings. La Baraja Española cards have a more direct and literal translation, although individuals reading the cards are able to access more insights through their intuitive abilities and the invitation from spirit guides. Each card or “naipe” has a traditional meaning or keyword used to represent the meaning.

The way La Baraja Española cards are set up for a reading varies based on the lineage of the reader or cartomancer. Traditionally the cards are handed down from an individual’s Abuela and the style is taught by her. As a result, you don’t see a lot on the internet about this practice, particularly in English. Remember that during the time of the Inquisition people who practiced divination arts were killed.

If you’re interested in learning how to read cards - Tarot (a version of cartomancy) or playing cards there are a number of resources online and in-person offering different types of instruction. Find yourself a deck or set of cards, ones that resonate with you, and start practicing on yourself. Keep a journal to track your readings and progress and have fun.