In praise of the Grand Tableau (again)

This is my favourite way to read playing cards.

Skatkarten, Französisches bild - ASS Altenburger

Ok, it's easier for me because I only use 32 cards, but you can count cards to get just 32 or 36* for a spread.

And I don't attempt to read every single card. I just home in on the interesting stuff. Laying all the cards out gives your deck the opportunity to hit you with some really juicy clusters and juxtapositions.

For instance, I've clearly left it too long to do a spread like this for myself because I'm sitting - Queen of Hearts - right at the bottom of the spread with all sorts of “stuff” going on over my head. And look at that line of three Aces with me staring intently at the bottom one. In fact, you could see that whole column as a situation “between” me and my Significant Other - King of Hearts – at the top of the spread. Who are those two Kings in the middle of the spread and what is their interest in the 8 of Spades? Perhaps the cards above can tell me more about them. And if you place a special significance on the first three cards of the spread, what might two 9s plus an 8 of Diamonds tell you?

There’s so much potential in a Grand Tableau – it’s entirely up to you how much time and energy you want to put into it.


*For 36 cards - take a 52-card deck and count by 3s through the deck, discarding cards 1 and 2, and placing #3 to the side. Repeat until the deck is exhausted (you'll have one card left over, discard it, and a pile of 17 cards). Take the discards and repeat the process - now you'll have two extras and 28 cards selected. Repeat one more time, so 3 times in all (the magickal 3 x 3 effect) and you'll end up with 36 cards and no leftovers - a nice symmetry.

32-Card Fortune Telling Spreads?

If you scroll down to the very bottom of this page you'll see that I have a "visits" counter, powered by StatCounter. I was checking said stats when I noticed that someone from Nevada stumbled across my blog by Googling "32-card fortune telling spreads". They were directed to my "German Method" post.

Fair enough, but if you should wander back this way my Googling friend, I have to confess that I actually don't use those two spreads. (Sorry Oma, but I just haven't clicked with them.) If I were to recommend a spread for 32 card decks (other than your basic "line of n") it would be the spread that uses all of them - the 8x4 Grand Tableau.

I don't know whether you're interested in read playing cards or another "small" deck, but I'm a fan of GTs generally - see this post. I've certainly had good results reading playing cards this way.

Apart from that, as long as it doesn't require more than 32 cards, I suppose you could use any spread that appeals to you. If you were searching for something specific or have any questions I might be able to help with, drop me a comment. And if anyone else out there knows of a purpose-built spread for 32 card decks, we'd both like to hear from you! :)

Reading Houses within a GT

Many people like to read the Houses within a Grand Tableau (GT). I've tried it and I know the method has merit. But I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to reading a GT and I don't like to add Houses to my reading process. There's quite enough to do using traditional Lenormand methods without adding general cartomantic techniques to the mix.

This post by Madame Seaqueen, which explains Houses for those of you who may not have come across it before, employs a 6x6 GT layout however. I've seen this layout used before but not really considered it because, purist that I am, I like an 8x4+4 but... [light bulb goes on] I could use this layout for the times I think looking at the Houses would be the best way to tackle a reading. So now I can happily use Houses within a 6×6 without compromising my principles. ;)

So simple, so obvious in hindsight. But this is the sort of thing that highlights that you never stop learning your craft.

The Grand Tableau

It's been a while. I've been, let's say 'distracted' the past couple of months, but here is another "Judy says...", this time on the topic of the GT or Grand Tableau.

Madame Seaqueen, of Ask My Cards, posited in her Facebook group Zigeuner Cards Community, "One needs to remember that in yesteryear these Gipsy cards were quite frequently read in the GT layout using the near & far technique... Lines of 3, 5 or even 7 are a more modern option." 

To which I responded -

Yes, the Grand Tableau was the norm. That was simply "How it was done". My grandmother read Swedenborg cards, always in a GT. That's the only method given in the instructions and the meanings depend on whether a card is near or far from a significator. 

I wish people weren't so intimidated by GTs. You don't have to read every single card and use every single technique. You can ask a question, throw a GT and then simply read the line or square around the appropriate sig, just like a line of 3/5/7 or a 3x3. But, and this is the important bit, you then also have the opportunity, if you want, to look beyond those cards for more information. I think the GT should make a comeback. :)  (Although I suspect that in many parts of the world it probably still is the spread of choice or habit.)