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THIS PAGE: Sample Spreads

 

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Sample Spreads

      Below are a number of sample "spreads" showing how the Tarot cards may be laid out ("spread"). There are literally hundreds of different spreads, and entire books have been written on this subject. The following offers only a small taste of some of the more common ones. I have also included a description of possible meanings for each card's position. Please note, however, these meanings often vary from one reader to the next. Furthermore, the nature of the question itself may change the meanings assigned to a given card's position.

      In determining what spread to use in answering / informing a given question, we must first formulate a good quality question. This means thinking through the situation and touching the key idea with a pin-like precision. The more carefully we refine the question — which means both simplifying and clarifying it — the higher quality insight(s) we may anticipate.

      It is important to be mentally focused upon the question when shuffling the deck. This fixes our Intention. And our Intent seems to ripple outward into the Universe, bringing forth the opportunity for Empowered Randomness (Synchronicity) to interact with us. The effects of Synchronicity is seen by us first in the cards, and later as events unfold in our life.

      I find this quite interesting, if inexplicable.

      I choose to look at it this way: If God created the entire Universe — which I believe — then I presume arranging a handful of cards is child's play!

     

Triplets / 3-Card Sets

 

      This is a very common spread, and it is seen in many variations. Often it is a building block in more elaborate spreads. It is simply three cards laid out to inform the question. Among the typical meanings for these cards are:

1. Past
2. Present
3. Future

1. Subconscious
2. Conscious
3. Superconscious (Higher Self)

      Sometimes, we simply read the three cards dynamically without any pre-selected meanings.

• One such example which I recall using was to help a person select one of three viable travel options. I laid out three sets of three cards and then examined each for what it seemed to convey. As it turned out, one was very negative, one just looked like a lot of work, and the other was obviously of a much more relaxed and enjoyable nature. Given the question was which of three vacation locations to select, it made the choice quite easy and straight-forward.
• (After the reading she told me the two "less desirable" travel options included relatives/friends, which she thought would very much result in "flavoring" the trip as suggested in the cards.)

Celtic Cross

 

      The Celtic Cross is a very common spread, usually comprising 10-cards. In some cases a few "clarifying cards" may be drawn at the end of a reading on those occasions when the basic spread seems to lack completion, or is otherwise uncertain. When I use this spread, these are the most common meanings I assign to the 10 primary card positions:

1. COVER
2. CROSS
   • Together these first two cards form the "small cross."
   • The "Cover" is the beginning of the thought expressed in the pair.
   • The "Cross" is that which "crosses" (impedes) this expression or is the natural out-growth / continuation of the idea.
   • These two cards inform us as to what the rest of the reading will be about. This may or may not be what was asked (although it normally answers the query).
3. BASIS/FOUNDATION
   • This forms the "root" of the reading. All the other cards normally flow from this situation / influence.
4. NEAR PAST
   • Usually a near-term event or situation, however, in some cases a very important past influence may have taken place long ago.
5. POSSIBLE OUTCOME
   • This is only a possible outcome. To the degree it and the "Outcome" (card #10) are congruent, we expect this outcome is more likely, or will take greater effort to alter. (We always have Free Will to change that which is seen in the cards. Always!)
6. NEAR FUTURE
   • This is a forward-looking projection, of an event or influence soon to play a role.
7. SELF/EGO
   • This describes the person asking the question. Usually it informs an aspect of their personality or life that in some way has an impact upon the query.
8. ENVIRONMENT
   • This describes the environment in which the person asking the question finds themselves, or in some way expresses an important influence upon the query.
9. HOPES & FEARS
   • Pretty much what one would expect. This expresses either a hope or fear held by the person asking the question.
10. OUTCOME
    • This is the most likely outcome, provided nothing changes.
    • Free Will is always ours to wield. We most certainly effect the future in the choices we make in the preset.
    • We steer toward the Outcome we desire in at least two ways:
      • That which we like in the reading, we amplify and support.
      • That which we wish to alter, we change by making better informed decisions as we see the early indications of the larger ideas/situations/events/influences described in the reading.