A Tarot spread is a preset pattern for laying out the Tarot cards. It will define how many cards you will use, where each of the cards will be placed, and what the cards will mean when placed in a certain spot within the spread. Each card once placed into position has a unique meaning that will color the interpretation of a particular card. The pattern of a spread often forms a design that will reflect it's theme and tell you a story.
A Tarot spread can be any size or pattern, and there are many different kinds of Tarot spreads, each specific to the type of reading you wish to do. Many Tarot readers will often design their own spreads. The Celtic Cross is the most commonly used spread, by most Tarot readers.
Preparing a Tarot Spread
Staying focused is important when you are doing a Tarot reading, and it is easy if your surrounding are quiet, comfortable and relaxing. Atmosphere is the key. If you have peace and quiet and you are able to concentrate quietly to yourself about the question in mind, then you will find that your Tarot reading will tend to answer your question. If on the other hand you have kids running around the house screaming, dogs barking and cats meowing, then you are not able to completely focus on your question properly, and you may find that it will come up a little confusing.
Meditation is also used by many Tarot readers to help get their minds open and receptive to the cards. There are many different types of meditation out there that you could try out if you feel this might help you relax and open your mind up into the cards. Your meditation practices can even be as simple as just sitting at your spot for the reading, and stretching and loosening up your next muscles by rolling your head and trying to clear your mind of all thoughts, until you find that quiet spot within you. Once you feel relaxed and focused enough, begin your Tarot reading, by selecting a spread that you think will best help offer you advice.
Asking your Question
Your question should be written down or thought about before you begin shuffling your cards. There are many different questions you can ask the cards, basically anything you wish to know you can ask. Below are some examples of how to ask your question.
How?
How should I proceed with ______?
How will _____ turn out?
How is ______ coming along?
How can I improve my chances with _____?
What?
What will the outcome of ______ be?
What does _____ expect from me?
What should I do about _______?
What should I know about _______?
What are the prospects for ______?
What is the lesson or purpose of _______?
What are the circumstances underlying ______?
What does the future have in store for me?
What do I need to understand about ______?
Where?
Where is my relationship with ______ going?
Where is my job with _____ headed?
Where will I be in ______ years?
What If?
What if I _____?
What if I don't _____?
Try to make your question based on more of asking the cards for guidance, rather than a yes or no question. Yes and No questions are harder to answer than those seeking guidance.
Shuffling & Cutting Your Cards
Once you feel you are ready, have your question in your mind, and begin shuffling your cards. While you are shuffling the cards ask the question you wish to seek guidance about, continuing thinking about your question until you feel that the cards are done then stop and place your cards face down in front of you. You will then cut your cards.
According to ancient wisdom when you cut your cards, you are giving your cards a "blessing" and this blessing is giving permission to the cards to be read. Many different people cut their decks in many different ways, and ther is no bad way to do this which ever is the best way for you. I cut my deck into three piles, with my right hand, the first cut will go to the left of the pile and the second cut will go to the right of the original pile. This is called crossing your heart. Once the cards are cut you then pick a pile the feels right for you and place all other piles on the bottom. You then lay your cards out in the pattern or spread that you chose, and begin reading your cards.
When you begin reading your spread, take into consideration, the layout of your spread and what certain card positions mean. This will help tie in the meaning of your card with the position it is in within the spread.
Find out what it is you need to learn, what you have already learned, and what it is you need to do in order to make the outcome favorable. If your outcome card is not all that favorable, then reread your spread and try to learn what it is you will need to do to avoid the outcome suggested by the cards, the outcome card could be showing you, that if you continue down a particular path, then it will lead you to that negative card at the end. Like I had mentioned before, nothing is written in stone, and only YOU are in charge of your destiny, so you can always change those negative cards around to make them more positive for you.
Below you will find different spreads that I use on a regular basis, or have tried in the past and I enjoy doing. If you have developed some spreads on your own, and find them to be useful I would love to hear about them. I enjoy trying new spreads often and would look forward to hear what you have come up with. You can either post them on my Message Board or Email me.
The Celtic Cross is telling a story about a question. What is its history? How did you get to where you are now? Where do you go from here? Who's involved? What's scary and what's not? When you want to know a question from every angle, a Celtic Cross is the spread to use.
Card 1: "This covers you" This card represents the Querent and describes your current situation with the question you asked. It often reveals the substance of the question, the problem at hand, the present influences, the current state of the querent, Heart of the matter, and the general atmosphere now surrounding the matter. Consider this card as representing where the querent is at, with regard to the question.
Card 2: "This crosses you for good or ill" (This card will cross the #1 card forming a 'T' or cross and is usually always read upright) This crossing card shows the nature of obstacles and opposition or lack of them - Helping or Hindering Forces. What problems or difficulties are in the way? This card will show conflicts, hang-ups, challenges, difficulties, and issues you need to confront, but will also show opportunities and resources. A positive card here means few obstacles to overcome and can point to areas of support, growth, and opportunity. A negative card will reveal factors that challenge, block, or modify the situation. To interpret this card, ask yourself what is the nature of the challenge or asset represented by the card. What is helping or hindering the Querent?
Card 3: "This is beneath you" This card represents the Querent's energy and shows past influences affecting the matter, past experiences, repetitive behavior, motivations, internal factors, deeper meanings, unconscious influence, and the roots or foundations of where the question comes from. Shows where the Querent is coming from.
Card 4: "This is behind you" Here's your past experiences regarding the question. It is either passing away or has already gone. This card can refer to events, feelings, communications, situations, a resolved factor, quality to let go of, or even dreams during the past few weeks. It can also describe how you got into this situation.
Card 5: "This crowns you" It shows the Querent's ideals, goals, options, intentions, and avenues of development, possibilities, opportunities, attitudes and beliefs, and your conscious influences. It is the energy around you and this energy may manifest itself in the future, but it's a free will energy, so it manifestation is up to you. It can also give you new directions and often the best possible outcome. Given the challenges and assets of card two, the crowning card helps us to see how the Querent might resolve the situation, where the question might lead, and what options are open for growth and resolution.
Card 6: "This is before you" The before or immediate future card reveals forthcoming circumstances and influences coming into being in the near future or unresolved factors and a quality to embrace. This card shows what will happen with in the next few weeks in the matter. The happenings referred to by the 6th card will require attention or action to resolve the matter inquired after. This card along with the 10th card can also indicate timing.
Card 7: "This is yourself" This card symbolizes where you stand on the issue. It reveals your state of mind, your self-view, your feelings, attitudes, secret wishes and how you see the current situation. You as You are, You as You could be, You as Your present self, You as You see Yourself. This card can also show your fears regarding the question.
Card 8: "This is your environment and those around you" The environment card shows how those around you view the matter as well as your interactions with these people in your life. It can represent the opinions of family, friends, coworkers and others involved in the matter. It also reveals how outside influences and environmental factors, including your residence, might affect the outcome.
Card 9: "This is your hopes, fears and expectations" This card can help clarify what you fear as well as what you expect or want from the current situation. Positive cards show your hopes and wishes, and negative cards show your fears and doubts. This will also be your guidance card. You've got to get through whatever the ninth card represents to get to the tenth. Sometimes this card reveals unexpected factors that will influence the outcome.
Card 10: "This is what to come, your outcome" The final outcome card symbolizes the most likely future result - where the spread has been leading, the final resolution of the matter. You should compare the final outcome card with both card 5 and card 6.
A court card in this position often indicates that the outcome depends on another person who will bring matters to its conclusion. You can also take another card to cover this Court card to see what the person signified in position ten will do.
The Three Card Spread can be used for questions you want answered quickly. It provides a simple, effective assessment of any given situation. There are a number of different ways to read this spread and they are listed below.
Card 1: a) This card presents your current situation.
OR
b) This card can be read as a Past card. This card will show some significant aspect of
events or feelings from your past leading up to the present card.
Card 2: a) This card represents the action you should consider taking.
OR
b) This card can be read as your Present card. This card will clarify your present state.
Card 3: a) This card represents the outcome you can expect.
OR
b) This your Future card. This card represents future possibilities of the matter under
investigation.
**This spread can also be used as a continuous reading, tying all the cards together as if one big sentence**
This spread is similar to the Three Card Spread but it gives a little more insight in a question.
Card 1: Past: This Past card represents influences leading up to the present situation.
Card 2: Present: This Present card reflects your current thoughts, feelings, and actions in the matter.
Card 3: Hidden Influences: This card points to aspects of the question you have overlooked or which are operating out of your awareness.
Card 4: Advice: This card often offers a practical suggestion about how to proceed with your question.
Card 5: Likely Outcome: This card suggests the probable outcome of following the advice of the spread.
**The Querent is always free to make his or her own decisions, which may alter the future course of events. An outcome in a Tarot reading is simply a likely course of events suggested by the forces in effect at the time of the spread**
You can use the Seven Card Spread to help answer "yes" or "no" answers, but it adds some extra spice into your answer (If read as a "yes" or "no" answer read it like telling a story from beginning to end). But most often it is used as a Present/Past/Future spread which shows the inter-relationship between experiences and lessons you have learned and those you will learn.
Past: For the Past experiences you should read cards 1 & 2. They will lie out the foundations of your question and lead you to the Present.
Present: For the Present situation you should read cards 3, 4 & 5. They will let you know where you are now and lead you to the Future.
Future: For the Future Outcome you will need to read cards 6 & 7. They will give you the possible outcome of the question you asked.
The Decision Spread can help you make a decision by showing both past information and present conditions about the subject, as well as the future direction(s) you can make wise choices from. When you read a Decision Spread, always bear in mind that the Querent wants to make a decision. Make them aware of the choices the cards show and try to predict timing that seems appropriate for the question. But the decision itself it still up to the Querent.
The Past: The Past cards include cards 1, 4, & 7. These cards will help clarify things from the past that will either help or hinder the present situation or decision. Lets you know where the Querent I coming from with past decisions made on this matter.
The Present: The Present cards include cards 2, 5, & 8. These cards will tell the Querent what is happening right now with the decision. Or if this is a decision that he/she truly desires.
The Future: The Future cards include cards 3, 6, & 9. These cards should be able to help answer the Querent's decision. It may indicate the go ahead and go for whatever it is he/she desires, or it may suggest that it is not the right time to be making this decision.
**These cards should be read as though you are telling a story about the cards say in each position. They will help clarify if this is the right decision, but ultimately it will be up to the Querent as whether or not they will follow through with making the decision**
The Mission and Purpose Spread are finding out what your life's purpose and challenges are. It enables you to look at your past, present, and future life mission and purpose. When you read a Mission Spread, do it as if you were telling a story. The story will include what you've done regarding your mission in life, what you're working on now (the Present) and then the outcome of what you are and how the world sees your mission and accomplishment or how you accomplish your mission. Start by having the Querent ask the question "What is my mission in life NOW?"
Cards 1 threw 7: The first row of seven cards represents what you've accomplished so far as part of your mission. Life's Past missions & purposes.
Cards 8 threw 14: The second row of seven cards will show what you are dealing with in the present. Life's Present mission & purpose.
Cards 15 threw 21: The third row of seven cards will show what you'll accomplish and contribute to this world, what mark you might make on the world, or how you'll touch the world and how it will touch you. You will realize what your future purpose or mission is.
**This is one of my favorite spreads, and it amazes me how acuratly the cards come up for the people I have done this with.**
Your horoscope, or birth chart, is divided into twelve pie sections called houses, each for a specific area of your life. When you place a card in each house, the cards will show a general cycle of what will be happening in the Querent's life for the next twelve months. Think of this spread as a yearly overview, which shows both what cycles the Querent is currently in, and a general glimpse of what's coming up for them. This type of spread is good for folks who want to know a little something about what is coming rather than specific details. (The cards should be laid out in a cirlce with the first card starting in the bottom left hand side of the cirlce and moving counter clock wise)
First House: The first house is the area where you'll find your physical self, your personality, and your early childhood. Also; sense of identity, mothers, health, vitality. It is read as the upcoming month from where you are now.
Second House: Here's where your possessions, earning abilities, and self-esteem are located. Also; money, income, finances, wealth, resources. This card will represent 2 months from now.
Third House: The third house holds your knowledge, siblings, and environment. Also; neighbors, close kin, short trips, letters, phone calls, examinations. This card will represent 3 months from now.
Fourth House: In the fourth house are your home and family, and the literal foundation of your life. Also; fathers, elders, real estate, roots, internal needs, security. This card will represent 4 months from now.
Fifth House: The fifth house contains your creativity. Here's where you'll find fun, romance, risks, and children. Also; hobbies, gambling, games, self-expression, affections, pleasures, love affairs. This card will represent 5 months from now.
Sixth House: The sixth house is your house of personal responsibilities, your health, and how you serve others. Also; work, daily routines, pets, perfection, fathers siblings. This card will represent 6 months from now.
Seventh House: The seventh house is where your primary relationships and partnerships are located. Also; spouse, mate, marriage, contracts, opponents. This card will represent 7 months from now.
Eighth House: The eighth house you can find your joint resources. It's also the house of sex, death, and rebirth. Also; loans, legacies, others resources, personal transformation. This card will represent 8 months from now.
Ninth House: The ninth house is where you'll find your social areas: higher educations, philosophy, law, religion, and travel. This card will represent 9 months from now.
Tenth House: In the tenth house resides your reputation, career, and social responsibilities. Also; mother, ambition, superiors, success, public standing, status, discipline. This card will represent 10 months from now.
Eleventh House: This is the house of your goals, groups, and friends. Also; social activities, societies, advice, hopes and wishes. This card will represent 11 months from now.
Twelfth House: This house contains your subconscious. It's the house of privacy, past karma, secrets, and hidden knowledge. Also; solitude, confinement, hospitalization, retreat, sacrifice, meditation. This card will represent 12 months from now.
This spread is used to predict the outcome of a personal wish. The type of question that works best with this spread is one of a mundane variety - one with a wish or desire attached to it. Some possible questions for this spread can be;
Will I win the Lotery?
I wish to make some good money by the time I am 35, will I?
Will I get a new boyfriend soon, real soon?
I wish I could go to Europe this summer, will I get to go?
I wish to buy a new house next year, will it happen?
The Key to reading this spread is called the 9 of Cups, also known as the wish card. This spread is simple; if the 9 of Cups comes up in a reading, the wish will be granted! If it appears reversed, the wish that you asked about will not occur in the manner you're thinking or want. It may delay it, but it is possible that you are not really sure you want what you are asking in the first place. If it doesn't come up at all, you can look at some other favorable cards to see if it will come about. You do not need the 9 of Cups to get an ultimate yes; other positive cards can do the same.
Shuffling & Dealing the Cards
First pick a card that the Querent feels best represents them and place it face up in the middle of the table (usually the card picked is a court card, but can be any card at all). Then shuffle the deck and concentrate on your wish until you're ready. Fan out all the cards face down, and pick out fifteen cards, leaving them face down as well, Do not look at these cards. Put the rest of the deck aside, and shuffle the 15 cards you have selected until you feel you are ready to place them in the spread. (The spread design is below)
Cards 1, 2, & 3: What Surrounds You: The first 3 cards concern the conditions around the wish.
Cards 4, 5, & 6: Your Wish: The next three cards will represent the wish or the goal for the wish.
Cards 7, 8, & 9: What Opposes You: These three cards represent opposition to the wish, but id they are all positive, then there is no opposition.
Cards 10, 11, & 12: What You Will Realize: Here with these three cards, you will realize if your wish is obtainable or not. It will show you if this is what you really want this to be or not.
Card 13, 14, & 15: What Will Come Into Your Life: These last three cards shows what will come into your life, it may possibly be the wish, or some other form of it, perhaps being something different all together.
If you wish to do a general spread, which regards to a specific question and want to narrow down the complications of other cards, you can use these spreads. First you would want to take out the first ten cards of the Major Arcana (Magician - The Wheel of Fortune), and depending on what type of question you would like answers to, take out the suits (from Aces to Tens) that would best answer your question.
Wands are about the things we do for a living, work related questions.
Cups represent things that are near and dear to us, things do with the heart.
Pentacles usually tend to deal with money matters and our financial situations.
Swords pertain to success, power and the inevitable conflicts or strife that surrounds such pursuits.
Now to just think about what it is you would like to know about in particular. What changes can I look forward to with work? What do I need to know about my employment situation? How am I doing in my personal relationships or love life? How will my relationship with ____ turn out? What role does money play in my life? How can I expect my money to go this year? How is my financial situation? How successful will I be in this life? What should my strategy be with regard to ____? These are just some examples of questions you can ask.
Using the Celtic Cross Spread you would shuffle the cards asking your question and deal the cards in this manner. First shuffle the 10 Trump cards together asking your question, then deal up the first two cards and place them in a Cover and Cross formation. Now shuffle the suit that pertains to the question being asked, asking the same question, and deal them in positions 3 to 6. Finally shuffle the Trumps and the suit used together, as you ask your question one final time and deal up the top four cards and place them in positions 7 to 10. Read the spread as you would using a regular Celtic Cross Spread.
Using the Three Card Spread is used for knowing a quick answer to your question. You would shuffle the suit (ace through ten) that best answers your question. Ask your question and deal up the top card and place it in front of you, this card will talk about your past. Repeat your question as you shuffle the first 10 Tarot Trumps, and deal up the top card and place it face up to the right of your first card, this card represents your present situation. Now shuffle the suit you used again asking your question one more time and deal up the top card beside the present card, this card will represent your likely outcome or future.
You can also use the Cover and Cross Spread if you wish to find out what obstacle lies before you at the moment. Take your suit that best answers your question. Ask your question while shuffling the cards and place the top card up in front of you. This card covers you. Shuffle the first ten Trumps together asking the same question and place the top card across the first one. This is what crosses you.
Tarot Spreads
