The Bohemian Fortune Telling Cards & Mercury's Fortune Telling Cards

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Greetings from the Dome of Doom. Maybe you've heard about the heat dome? Triple digit temps with no end in sight. Not just "Wow, I'm really sticky and uncomfortable" hot, but "This shit will literally kill you" hot. It's an issue in much of the US, and I read that Italy is currently experiencing a heat dome too. Global warming is real, kids. Now is a good time to stick close to the AC and knock wood our raggedy power grid holds.

So pardon my not-great rumpled sheet photos. This is where the air conditioner blows best!
Go here and here for better images and a bit of historical background. These decks are gorgeous, my photos don't begin to do them justice. 

The Bohemian Fortune Telling Cards is a deck I've been anticipating for years. Karen and Alex have been working on it in between other projects, so it took awhile. It was announced in 2017 or thereabouts, and at that time it had already been in the works for four years. Along with that, they've cleaned up and recolored a 19th century deck originally published in what is now Lviv, Ukraine but was called Lemberg then, during the Habsburg Era. Borders in that part of the world seem to be in constant flux, even now. They named it for the Mercury image on the Message card: Mercury's Fortune Telling Cards.

These decks follow the same system as the Zigeuner Wahrsagekarten, Biedermeier Aufschlagkarten, the Konrad Jegel cards, and many others, too numerous to name here. I like that they've changed the G word - it's both an ethnic slur for Roma people and inaccurate - to "Bohemian."  The companion book covers both decks. It's substantial, well-researched, and gives you everything you need to read these cards, plus a fascinating history section with lots of images from old decks.

And as with all of Karen and Alex's decks, the cards are sumptuous, with lovely cold stamping, quality stock and printing, wooden boxes, and bags that appear to be some type of sturdy duck fabric, humble yet elegant in their simplicity.

But enough fangirling, lets lay some cards.

"Will the heat ease up this month?"

Thinking about going on a journey or visiting the cemetery isn't the same as going. And Widower is an older man, he doesn't get around like he used to. So there will be lots of staying in the rest of this month, with no unnecessary outings. The Dome of Doom stays put.

These cards are easy, just put them in context. You can adapt them to literally anything.

OK, July is hopeless. What about August?


Much better! It'll still be hot, of course, but not lethally hot. Happy kids, happy newlyweds, life resumes, people feel prosperous. (The bills do get lower when you're not running the AC full bore 24/7!) August will be better - not even cooler temps can hide from the cards. ;)

Bohemian Fortune Telling Cards and Mercury's Fortune Telling Cards by Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov, BabaBarock Ltd. https://baba-store.com/ All rights reserved, used by permission.

Purchase at these links:
https://baba-store.com/products/the-bohemian-fortune-telling-cards-with-wooden-box

https://baba-store.com/products/mercurys-fortune-telling-cards 

Companion book:
https://baba-store.com/products/the-bohemian-fortune-telling-cards-companion-book

 

Comments

  1. GillesJuly 18, 2023 at 11:17 PM

    Thank you for these examples of readings.
    I finally ordered the Bohemian Fortune Telling Cards too (it should come today). We are also very hot here and this heat dome is also over southern Europe (south of France, Italy, Greece and Spain).
    Global warming is real as you said!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AntaresAugust 10, 2023 at 9:42 PM

    I've been researching this bohemian cards for a while. Found your old post in the Tarot & Tea forum and followed you here.

    And I'm so glad to find this post since I've been looking for source to learn this fortune telling cards. I'm very curious about Karen Mahony's book, but I'm in the South side of Asia so the book will have a long way to travel.

    If you don't mind, is it possible to share the table of content of the book so I can have a bit more information before getting it. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. stellaAugust 10, 2023 at 10:50 PM

      Sure, no problem. It should be fine under Fair Use.
      https://imgur.com/a/cGYJ5Hh

      Delete
    2. AntaresAugust 11, 2023 at 12:46 AM

      Thank you Stella! I'm very drawn to this system. Looks like I'm going to get the book sooner or later.

      *Note: Sorry for the admin username on the previous comment, I wasn't aware about it. I actually never used this account to comment and just use the name Admin to sign my blog posts.

      Delete
    3. AntaresAugust 11, 2023 at 7:53 AM

      Btw does the book discuss about Grand Tableau?

      Delete
    4. stellaDecember 4, 2023 at 2:15 PM

      It's mentioned, but Karen doesn't go into any detail. The spreads discussed are smaller ones like lines, boxes, etc. But a GT is a GT, and it's easily adapted to these cards. Recommended reading on the GT, as always, are Lenormand works: Andy Boroveshengra's Lenormand - Thirty-Six Cards: An Introduction to the Petit-Lenormand and Bjorn Meuris's Petit Lenormand Encyclopedia: Volume 2. The techniques are the same, regardless of the deck you're using.

      Delete
  3. Feline FortunesSeptember 12, 2023 at 8:40 AM

    Despite my best efforts I did cave and purchased the Mercury cards and book. I liked the look of the Bohemian (and will probably regret not getting them), but the Mercury cards really stood out.
    They were dispatched today and are eagerly awaited.

    Are you working with them regularly?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. stellaSeptember 12, 2023 at 4:54 PM

      I keep them on the table and use them fairly often. I need to learn to trust them more - there's something about them that seems "too easy", it's not something I've really had to work at. But they've been accurate in spite of that.
      It's a very attractive deck, historic, and it has that Baba quality. I think you'll like it.

      Delete

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