Jack of Hearts – The Boyfriend (Amante)
Design: a handsome young man serenading under his sweetheart’s balcony.
UPRIGHT J♥
A generally neutral card with a slightly positive polarity. It shows a man (often the querent or the querent’s love interest) who is motivated by (positive) feelings. He is often single or at least not married. Its age range varies depending on what the cards what to emphasize. Traditionally he is between 20 and 40, but if the cards want to refer to the person’s role in the querent’s life (e.g. brother, son, friend, etc) then he may be of any age. He is a man who is capable of committing and has the querent’s best interest at heart. Only rarely this card does not represent a person, in which instance it shows the idea of “courting” something or someone, waiting for something to happen and longing for it. It is also a card of good news (all Jacks can represent news).
REVERSED J♥
All court cards, when reversed, show two types of people: negative or in distress. When it represents a negative person, the type of negativity they represent is based on their suit. The Jack of Hearts reversed is a seductor without scruples in all sectors of life. He is prone to cheating. Sometimes it shows simply a man who is not in love with the querent, but may not necessarily be negative, if with positive cards. In rare instances, when it does not represent a person, the Jack of Hearts reversed shows lusting after someone or something, and excessive desire.
Jack of Clubs – The Servant (Domestico)
Design: a helpful young man bowing to his master or mistress.
UPRIGHT J♣
A neutral card, but more neutral than the Jack of Hearts. In itself it signifies a young man, often younger than 30 or even in his teens. He is usually already part of the querent’s life (son, brother, friend), but other cards may imply otherwise. Its positive characteristics include being helpful and humble. He can be a friend. The card is connected with manual labor, service and employed work, and even when it does not represent a person it signifies the concept of help being given or offered. It can represent a student, a coworker, an apprentice. With negative cards helpfulness becomes servility, or it can turn into an inferiority complex. In love readings the person represented by this card is not necessarily negative, but the fact that he doesn’t come up as a Heart face card is a warning that the story is unlikely last, unless positive love cards make up for it in the spread (note, what I just said is not necessarily true for gay couples). The card signifies help all around, including advice and friendly words.
REVERSED J♣
The reversed Jack of Clubs is a negative card. It shows a man who behaves foolishly and is unruly, doesn’t know his place and is misguided. It signifies the concept of help being denied. The person can be debauched and, insteading of helping, latching on to the querent (a bum, a deadbeat son, etc). Sometimes it signifies a young man who is troubled and needs help. Upright and with positive cards it shows humbleness, reversed it can signified being humbled or forced to submit.
Jack of Diamonds – The Messenger (Messaggiero)
Design: a postman approaching to deliver the mail.
UPRIGHT J♦
This is very rarely a face card. More often than not it acts similarly to the Two of Diamonds, the Letter, showing the arrival of news and communication. In general, the Jack shows more important news or news more focused on the querent’s situation. It can also signify parcels. It is connected to mediation, agencies, go-betweens, ambassasors etc. It is connected with short trips, running errands and commutes. It is a quick card.
REVERSED J♦
The card signifies delay in the receipt of news or packages (which may become permanent delay with negative cards). This needn’t be tragic though. For instance, it once came up in a positive spread that announced a pregnancy in the family. Two months later my sister-in-law told us she was pregnant and that she had taken her time announcing it because she was afraid revealing it too soon would jinx the pregnancy. The reversed Jack of Diamonds is also a card of gossip and sharp tongues. It can signify a bad mediator or go-between.
Jack of Spades – The Villain (Nemico)
Design: a stereotypical villain holding a snake and moving in the shadows.
UPRIGHT J♠
The card signifies a man who is moved by negative aims. The person doesn’t need to be evil, he just need to be inimical to the querent, even on just in the question at hand (if you break daddy’s card, don’t be surprised to see him come up as the Enemy). More generally, though, it can signify a man who is trying to disrupt the querent’s life. He can be a thief, a competitor, a meddler or a false friend. He is usually malicious and cunning. Whatever he proposes to the querent (a business deal, a contract, an investment, a one night stand) it is best refused. The one time the card is neutral is when it represents the father-in-law. It can show the arrival of unpleasant news.
REVERSED J♠
Near cards that show the querent’s victory, the reversed Jack of Spades signifies the demise of the enemy. When near negative cards it shows open enmity and someone who is hell-bent on destroying the querent, someone who is beyond help or redeption and will go to any length to see their plans through. Sometimes the card refers to a man who behaves badly out of stupidity or cowardice.
