5 reading tips for the Falnama Oracle | Tutorial

17 July 2018

5 TIPS to read better with the Falnama Turkish Oracle Cards

Extra reading tips from The Queen’s Sword & the creators of the deck.

& Includes 2 extensive test readings by TQS

The Falnama Oracle deck knows no equal. Or at least…there is currently non alike. It is, as far as I know, the first modern interpretation with cards of the 16th and 17th century Islamic Book(s) of Omens, a way of divination also called Falnama. The Falnama Oracle challenges you to interpret in a different way. To make that transition a tad easier The Queen’s Sword created a mini tutorial with 5 tips and 2 example readings. An addition to its companion with the help of creators Asli & Polat.

TIP 1.
Envision and wish

Forget everything you’ve been taught on Lenormand or tarot when it comes to questions for a moment. Don’t ask a how or why question: start with an intention, a wish. For a love reading focus on the person you’d like to be with. For a career query see yourself in that new job.  That’ll translate into a question the Oracle will answer.

TIP 2.
Use Female and Male energies

In some readings you only read with the cards that have a red shape on the back, in others only with the. These Man & Woman cards, as well as the neutral Together ones also have some sort of role in the full deck readings. Female cards mostly involve thoughts, male cards actions and the Together cards signify events. Separating the cards in short-term predictions makes it easier to read. If you see them in a full deck, you can get an immediate overall feel for the answer of your reading and if action f.e. is more desired.

TIP 3.
Location, location, location…

Just like with tarot for example, the position in a spread is essential for the interpretation of the card. The place where the cards are located, the meanings of the previous and next cards, change the reading in the sestet opening. A negative card in the past, may have a positive meaning in the future and vice versa. For example: When the SLEEP (retreat, rest) card comes in third place (Past and effects on present), it heralds a positive future. That part is over. If the same card is in the sixth place (Conclusion, yes or no), it says there is more time needed to reach the wish. So, here you’ll sooner accept the negative connotations that card has.

If you look at MASTER, you see a sword in the imagery. This is what he masters and you need to interpret the sword in relation to the question. What does he wield? When it comes to Bob for example he is a master of the sword…a master of the pen. However, in this career reading it falls in a position where it could also say he is quite likely a master, but using that sword for the benefit of others and not your own. So position, connection to imagery in that position/related to the topic/linked to general symbology: all important. In that aspect tarot readers will like the Falnama.

TIP 4.
Bigger = bigger

The bigger the question, the better the Sestet opening. The 1 cards are really more for fun or to practice, the 3 cards are for simpler queries. If someone has important questions (think: will I beat my depression and become happy, will I become a good father, will I find the right career for me) and truly wants to know which steps to take or what characteristics might prevent success you’ll need more cards to get a balanced answer. The bigger the query, the bigger the spread since you’ll need more verses. Sue’s question therefore would have benefited from a Sestet, even though the readings I did for her (I showed just one) kept showing the same 2 cards. Probably she needs to focus on these 2 before a bigger spread is even useful.

TIP 5.
Protect

Not a necessity, but it could be of use. Some cards in the deck show negative energy. The Jinni card (Jinn, a supernatural creature from the Qur’an causes illness, unhappiness and bad luck) is one reflecting negative energy and in an outcome position counts as a huge warning. Whether you’ve lost faith in good outcomes or you’re currently letting yourself drown in your awful circumstances, the card shows any positivity in life is now negatively affected. The creators of the oracle suggest that if you have faith in crystals or talismans – or whatever else – to protect yourself once you encounter this card. Poor Sue!

 Click here to read a review of Falnama Turkish Oracle Cards by The Queen’s Sword

 

 

Falnama Turkish Oracle review The Queen's Sword**READING EXAMPLES**
(Names are changed, querents have given permission for publication)

Two spreads & interpretation with the Falnama Oracle


Example 1: A career reading, ‘SESTET opening’.

WISH: Bob wants to be a successful novelist

BACKGROUND: Bob has always dreamt of being a novelist, but he wonders if he is actually capable of doing so and if he should leave his current work situation for such a risk. So, he wants to know what will happen if he chooses this path. Does he have any chance of seeing his wish of becoming a successful novelist come true?

DRAW:

BEAST OF THE EARTH

VICTOR——————————————   MIGRATION

MASTER

FAVOR —————————————————- CEDARWOOD

 

 

Falnama Oracle review extra article The Queen's Sword

The 6 card Sestet opening spread for Bob’s novelist career.

 


INTERPRETATION
: if Bob goes for a novel writing career, he will be leaning on qualities he definitely has already. This isn’t a huge surprise because Bob is already is a writer of sorts, as a work for hire in commercial and other texts. But he never truly used his full potential (Master card), since he applied those talents for someone else’s benefit. The signs for the characteristics are good if he works hard and believes in himself.

However, it will definitely be a change (Migration) from what he has done before. It will be leaving for the unknown, leaving what feels safe. Migration does not show where we are going (visually, the figure looks out on the right, with no card or other image linking. Total blank…) Yet again: signs are relatively good and based on the rest of the verse people will support him in this career.

The past and effect of present is a different matter (Beast): in that past Bob has made mistakes in his career, did stupid things or did things for the wrong reasons. Perhaps he always makes the same mistakes and then his projects fail, he loses his job or he becomes sick. Therefore writing has gotten a bit of a negative connotation, as well as changing careers. If he knows himself and is willing to accept that the previous way didn’t work and to do it differently, that past won’t affect the present too much and the future looks better. If he isn’t honest with himself this new career path will never happen.

This ties in with the next Victor card a lot. Bob is aware he has made mistakes and he fears he might repeat them and become unbalanced again. On the other hand…he also hopes he will overcome them just as much. Victor is a double edged sword and a card of balance alike, where the hope to become a novelist can bring him on the wrong path again, but the acknowledgement of being balanced will actually bring victor(Y). It seems Bob might be a workaholic to the extreme because he wants things badly…but then bad things happen. Working hard is good, but forgetting yourself while benefitting another is stupid. And other times he might not work hard enough when it comes to things he simply does not like. But every career comes with parts that are necessary but less thrilling. This is a warning card and a neutral card. If he knows how to balance, the positive cards in this spread will gain more weight (and vice versa).

Which leaves us with expectations and the conclusion. I think Bob might secretly think he is destined to be(come) a novelist (Favor). If you look at previous cards he probably has been working towards some form of writing career all of his life but has been failing for various reasons (not believing in himself is one of them). He wants this badly…Here the Falnama agrees with him. Bob could very well be destined to become a successful novelist. So far his journey has been one that had to happen and so is – if he chooses this path – everything that will happen now. What Bob needs to do is trust. Trust that out of this will come good regardless.

The Cedarwood card is the overall outcome card and it tells me that Bob’s journey is already known in a way…Bob doing this is actually not so much of a change as he thinks, but within the parameters of his life path and journey. He always had the possibility to do this, but he needs to take the step. Bob’s problem is his fear that he won’t succeed, combined with the fact he often makes the same mistakes. The only way Bob can become a novelist if he lets go of his current ‘comfortable’ situation entirely, completely focuses on that wish and adheres to all the warnings that come with it.


Example 2. A general 3 card ‘WOMAN opening’.

WISH: Sue wants to find happiness in this life

BACKGROUND: Sue hasn’t had an easy life so far and can’t seem to catch a break. She no longer has a steady foundation in life and is becoming depressed. Sue wants to know if she will still find happiness in this life (several 3 cards were done on all facets of life, but I am allowed to show this one).

DRAW:

JINNI —————————— SACRIFICE

SIMURGH

 

 

 

Falnama Turkish Oracle Cards 3 crd reading The Queen's Sword

Sue’s 3 card reading, the Man-Woman opening, on her life’s happiness.

 

 

INTERPRETATION: The card for Sue’s past is a difficult one (Sacrifice). It looks like there’s a division in the verse: the first part claims wishes won’t be for you, the last bit states a wish will come true. My eye fell on the mentioning of time, I focused on that. Whatever she has wished so far hasn’t come true because the time that they need to become true is very, very long. As a result she might have let go of whatever she prayed for in the past. The wish was sacrificed due to impatience – though in her case perhaps understandable. Looking at the verse as a whole it shows Sue has had to sacrifice a lot already in her life, period, purely to stay on her feet.

In her search for happiness Simurgh will come on her path. A card that resonates with the myth of the Phoenix. From the ashes she will rise. Again it shows that Sue’s life hasn’t been easy so far, nor will it be all of a sudden. But this card promises her path to be one she comes out a victor in the end. Sadly, before you can rise from any ashes, you will burn. It will be hard, it will be painful, but eventually Sue can create something new out of it if she lets it and -also looking back at card 1 – can stomach the endless waiting. Patience, dear Sue!

Conclusions, will it be? Jinni…Well, this feels very much a slap on the fingers for Sue, or at least a warning. The first 2 cards show that Sue has reason to be doubtful she’ll ever be happy or get some good in her life. But Jinni is the warning that if she does not believe she will get happiness she indeed won’t get it. Or makes it harder for the good to reach her.

Sometimes cards like these are hard to communicate to querents who have had to endure a lot already and who are currently feeling hopeless or angry. Eventually most people *will* lose faith that something great will happen if they’re beaten down continuously in every way. Sue also got a little testy. But I told her: the Falnama promises her happiness certainly *can* happen, the energy is there. It is a better answer than what Sue has gotten in her life (or readings) so far. It takes ‘just’ 2 things: patience and the ability to put conviction behind her wishes that happiness will find her.

What she needs to do is surround herself with what she likes and loves already in whatever way possible and not let her heartache and difficult life take over. If she is in the darkness light can’t find her. As soon as she puts a spotlight onto herself, no matter how small, the right people, events and eventually ‘happiness in life’ will be able to find her (eventually). Overall: her circumstances make things harder and she needs to go to a lot of grief and misery before she can find what she wants. And even then only if she does not let the darkness rule her life but is able to stay positive. Sue needs to believe she is worthy of her wishes.

EXTRA NOTES
For the history of the Falnama, Book of Omens, go to the article on the Islamic divination tradition on The Queen’s Sword.
You can also read the review on the Falnama Oracle Cards on the website. Both articles are linked to this 5 TIPS on reading better with the Falnama Oracle.

The Queen’s Sword reads via her practice Eureka Readings. If you want a 3-card or 6-card sestet reading with the Falnama Oracle like Bob and Sue contact her through her Facebook page or via eurekareadings@gmail.com. Most proceedings with review decks will be invested into this website again.

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