Jack of Spades

"The Jack represents a young person, but the sex is not indicated by the card itself. In the original Tarot cards, each suit had 14 cards, including a 'Knight' and a 'Page.' At a later date, the Knight and the Page were combined into the Jack. In early divination, the Knight represented a youth of the opposite sex from the Querent, while the page represented a young person of the same sex. 

"Because the Jack has a double identity, the Reader must depend to some extent on intuition in determining whether this card represents a suitor, a friend, a relative or the Querent's object of love. 

"If a Jack faces a Heart or Club, it usually means that the person is of the opposite sex of the Querent. If it faces a Spade or a Diamond, the indication is that the Jack represents someone of the Querent's own sex. If the Jack is the end card on the middle line of the spread, the suit of the card above may determine its sex. If the Jack is at the extreme end of one of the wings and looks outward, the indication is that the individual represented will be going out of the Querent's life. Whether this departure is fortunate or not, will depend on the card closest to the Jack. 

"(NOTE: This explanation concerning the way the Jack faces is the same in all suits, so it will not be repeated in each case.) 

"The Jack of Spades represents a young and frequently immature person. The delineation of character cannot be as complete as in cards representing older persons. By and large, if it is determined that the Jack represents a male, he will develop characteristics somewhat similar to those of the King of Spades. Similarly, if the individual is female, she is likely to possess many of the personality traits of the Queen of Spades. 

"However, these characteristics are usually modified. The Jack of Spades is always a friendly person. If he is a young man, he tends to be dynamic, alert and often brilliant. He is restless and filled with nervous energy which may take the form of athletic prowess or intellectual curiosity. However, his interests tend to be short-lived and much of his energy may be wasted. His capacities are undeveloped and he needs ballast to settle down to life. The female Querent interested in such a youth should examine herself to see if she can offer this stabilizing influence. If she herself is unstable, insecure or given to quick temper, the alliance may be marked by quarrels, unhappiness and eventual separation. On the other hand, if she is able to leash his energies and direct them into constructive channels, so that a true alliance is formed between them, contentment and success may evolve from the union. 

"If the Querent has doubts, she should be advised to delay her decision. She should also be encouraged to discuss long-term plans with this young man. While he may appear to her in romantic guise, he is essentially practical and wants a helpmate who will implement his progrss towards the goals which he has set for himself. 

"Where the Querent is a young man and the Jack of Spades appears in the spread in such a way as to designate a young woman, he will find that he is due for a series of surprised. Outwardly this girl may appear placid, but she will possess unexpected depths of character which will be revealed gradually. She is ardent, intuitive and inclined to be fiercely possessive. She will have many facets to her personality, some of which will appear contradictory. On the surface she may be wilful, capricious and given to flights of fancy. But her shifting moods cloak a determined character in which direct goals have been established. She is ambitious, skilled in directing others and her loyalty, once given, will never alter. She may achieve her ends by flattery, cajolery and subterfuge but, at the same time, she will be warm, generous and capable of tremendous sacrifices for those whom she loves. 

"Such a woman cannot be taken by storm. She must be wooed with diligence over a prolonged period. A young man may be fortunate to find such a partner with whom to share his life, but he should be warned that not all of the surprises in store for him will be pleasant ones."