Your online guide to divination and positive magic

A spread is a preset pattern for laying out the cards that has its own particular interpretation and meaning. It defines how many cards are to be drawn, and what each one will mean. A spread is a template guiding the placement of the cards so they can help us get more insight into a given topic. Some spreads use only a few cards while others, many. Each spread is designed for a particular type of reading. Some are well-suited to general readings where no particular question is being asked, others work best when a specific question is being explored, and others are geared towards gauging the time scales involved in a reading.
 

The Triskele Spread

Just as the figure from which this spread gets its name consists of three branches radiating from a common center, so the Triskele Spread shows present concerns at the focal point of past, future and ultimate influences. This compact yet powerful spread can be used to address a specific issue, or it can be used for a more general reading. To prepare the reading, five cards are selected and dealt in the order shown. They are then interpreted in turn as follows:

1 The Covering	The important events, issues, attitudes or influences around the question or current situation
2 The Crossing	Current obstacles, problems, conflicts and opposition that the questioner must deal with
3 The Root	Past events or influences that have played a role in bringing about the current situation
4 The Future	Future events and fresh influences about to come into play that will operate in the near future
5 The Outcome	The eventual outcome of events shown by the other cards

The Horseshoe Spread

The Horseshoe is a simple spread of seven cards arranged, unsurprisingly, something like a horseshoe. This spread is often considered to be more applicable to a specific question than a general reading, though it may be used for either. To prepare the reading, seven cards are selected and dealt in the order shown. They are then interpreted in turn as follows:
 

1 The Past	Important events, issues or attitudes that have given rise to the current situation
2 The Present	The prevailing circumstances around the questioner
3 Hopes and Fears	The questioner's hopes, fears and expectations about the question or situation
4 Obstacles	Current obstacles, problems and conflicts that the questioner must deal with
5 Environment	The attitudes and actions of other people around the questioner
6 The Future	Future events and fresh influences about to come into play
7 The Outcome	The eventual outcome of events shown by the other cards

The Celtic Cross

The Celtic Cross (sometimes called the Grand Cross) is probably the most common spread used to read the Tarot, though it is not the easiest to master. It is often stated that this spread is only suitable for answering a specific question, but in actual fact it works very well for general readings, too. The Celtic Cross is usually (though not always) used with a significator, selected during the preparatory phase of the reading. The significator is placed face-up on the table and the selected cards laid out as above, with the first card being placed face-down over the significator, the second across it and the rest around it. Some readers opt to say the following phrases as each card is laid down in turn:
 
 If using a significator, place the card in the center of the table, and lay the number one card for the reading immediately over it. Then proceed with the rest of the cards.
 
 
 
Card 1: The question
The first card to be laid down represents the question in the mind of the querent. This can be a question they are asking consciously, or it can be something that is in the back of their mind.

Card 2: What covers the question
The second card is laid across the first card horizontally, and can be interpreted to mean an obstacle to the querent's question, or it can be another factor in the question itself.

Card 3: Thought and expectations.
The third card is laid down on the table below the first two, and it represents an issue or element in the querent's past which has influenced him or her to become the person he or she is today. This can be a recent event or a long-ago time, and it affects how this person views the situation they are in which has prompted them to seek tarot counseling.

Card 4: The foundation.
The fourth card in the spread is laid directly to the left of the first and second cards, and represents the phase which the querent has recently been in and is just now leaving the influence of. This is the sub-consious. It can be either an emotional or mental phase, or it can show actual events or people in the querent's life which have been influential recently.

Card 5: The near past.
The fifth card in the spread is laid down above all the rest of the cards, and represents one possible outcome of the situation the querent is going through presently or something from the near past that is influencing the current situation.

Card 6: The near future.
The sixth card is laid out directly to the right of the first and second cards, and represents the phase the querent is going to be passing into, what will happen in the near future. Like the fourth card, the sixth can mean either an emotional or mental phase, or an actual person or event in the querent's life.


Card 7: The inner world.
The seventh card gets laid out to the right of the sixth card, and lower down, to begin forming a column on the side.  This card represents the unconscious or subconscious feelings of the querent regarding the situation in question.  It can be a person or an event, insofar as the querent is focused on them mentally, however, it is usual that the meaning is more about the emotion than an actual person or event.


Card 8: The outer world.
The eighth card is laid out above the seventh and represents an outside perspective on the situation in question.  Usually this is interpreted as the way the querent's family and friends view the situation he or she is in. Things which are read in this position are to be noted strongly for the perspective which they can give the querent, however in no way do they reflect the actual oucome or events in the situation.

Card 9: Hopes and fears.
The ninth card is laid out above the eight and represents the querent's goals, hopes, fears and expectations regarding the situation in question. This can mean avoidance goals (things the querent wishes to avoid) as well as goals the querent would like to fulfill. This can be either emotional or mental, or an event. It is unlikely that an actual person will be represented here.

Card 10: The outcome.
The tenth card is laid out at the top of the column and represents the Final Outcome as it pertains to the querent's situation at hand. All of the cards leading up to this card should be considered as lending their own meaning to its context; in other words, this card represents the sum total of the reading and all the other information gathered.  As with any outcome, if the querent changes the path he or she is on, this outcome's probability also changes. It can be used as a warning or an alert to watch for certain kinds of activity in the querent's life, or as a form of advice as to how to handle a certain situation in question. A few readers consider that if they feel the tenth and final card does not indicate the ultimate culmination of the reading, another reading should be performed using this card as significator, for clarification.
 

15 card layout
Also known as The English Spread

Cards 2-1-3: Here and now.

1 is the querent's general state.
2 is the internal aspects of the querent's environment (i.e. mental/intellectual influences).
3 is the external environment (i.e. physical/material influences).

Cards 4-8-12: Events and influences in the 'near future'

8 is the querent's general state.
4 is the internal influences or ordeals.
12 is the external influences or ordeals.

Cards 13-9-5: Events and influences further into the future,
but not so far as to be blind. Maybe a week or a month at the most.

9 is the querent's general state.
13 is the internal influences or ordeals.
5 is the external influences or ordeals.

Cards 14-10-6: Influences or events. These cards represents the mode of the influences or events in either or both the near future and the further future.

10 is the querent's general state.
14 is the internal influences or ordeals.
6 is the external influences or ordeals.

Cards 7-11-15: Likely outcome. This is the likely outcome of these events, if things go as they currently are and the appropriate methods or influences are perceived and employed.

11 the querent's general state or state change.
7 the querent's internal state or growth.
15 the querent's external result or manifestation
 

 6 card layout

Card 1: The past. Represents a portion of the past that is the basis of the question.

Card 2: Emphasis. This card also represents the past and is an emphasis card telling more about what led up to present situation.

Card 3 and 4: Energy surrounding the question. Factors in play at the time of the question which are important to be considered.
What the inquiring person feels about the present situation..
If it's about a relationship:
The cards represents male and female attitudes about the question.
It is NOT specified which card is male and which is female. You'll just have to know!

Card 5: What to work for. What needs to happen or be worked for, to attain the outcome.

Card 6: The outcome.
The outcome or immediate future.

5 card layout

It's a five-card spread for use with specific questions. The reader asks the querent to shuffle the cards. The reader takes the cards and asks the querent to chose five numbers; the first one has to be between one and 78, the second between one and 77 and so on. The reader picks the card from the deck (starting from the top) that corresponds with each number. Lay them out in a horizontal line from left to right.

The first card on the left is the situation as it stands now; what will happen if the querent takes no action and continues on the present course.

The second card represents what the querent could do to change that situation, whether for better or worse.

The third card represents why the querent is in this situation.

The fourth card represents forces (internal or external or both) that can help or hinder the querent.

The fifth card is what the outcome will be if the querent follows the changes represented by the second card.

THE ENGLISH SPREAD

The primary purpose of this spread is to provide information on choices in a querent's life. It is made up of five groups of three cards. The numbers on the cards show their order of placement. In the four quadrants, the spread is read from the outside cards to the inside cards.
When the cards are read, they are done so in a story book fashion. For example, if the following cards were present:
12: King of Swords
8: Two of Cups
4: Eight of Wands
These cards could be read: A man, one of thinking and intellect, will make a proposal to you in the very near future.

Card One: This represents the Querent, the problems surrounding them, their present situation and primary influences. This position is a card of summation, telling the nature of the entire spread.
Cards Two and Three: These in conjunction with card One, are the key cards of the spread. They give extended information on the situation of the Querent, and provide clues on the outcome of the paths indicated.
Cards Twelve, Eight, and Four (Upper Left): These show one direction in the Querent's life. If desired, the position can be the possibilities for alternate action, which may be desirable or un desirable, depending on the other cards in the spread.
Cards Thirteen, Nine, and Five: These show a another direction in the Querent's life. If desired, the position show the direction the Querent's life will naturally follow, unless some action is taken to change this course ("The Stars impel, they do not compel").
Cards Fifteen, Eleven, and Seven: These show what cannot not be changed. In all lives, there are events that are out of our control. To be aware of these events keeps one from wasting energy and time.
Cards Fourteen, Ten, and Six: These cards show where the Querent has leverage in life. This can indicate a strength, or provide a warning

THE WHEEL SPREAD

The Wheel Spread is used when there is no specific question. The strength of this spread is that it provides information about all areas of a person's life.

The twelve cards represent the twelve zodiac houses. When a card is interpreted, it is done so in the meaning of the house the card is placed in.

PYRAMID SPREAD

By James Schlesselman
This spread is based on the Tree Of Life glyph as found in the Kabalah. The cards are layed out in a sequence which follows the "path of the flaming sword", which is the traditional order in which each circle or, "sephira", is manifested on the Tree. The two lower sephira, numbers 9 and 10, are "raised up" to fit between the 7th and 8th sephira to form the pyramid configuration. The first card is refered to as the "key card", while the sixth is called the "core card".

The interpretation may then proceed from this literal "Tree of Life" format in which each card is referred to its corresponding sephira on the Tree, and is considered in light of the qualities thereof, or, once the spread has been generated, one may choose to "detach" from the "Tree of Life" format and introduce one or more of any number of possible configurations that form new patterns, or grids, based on various structural relationships.
Here is an explanation of the nine sample patterns by James Schlesselman
 

	Wedge The key card oversees. The three solid black cards represent influences descending from above that wedges in between the two three card pyramids that represent two different ways of receiving and dealing with the solid black cards.
	Grand triangle Three three-card pyramids placed around the core card.
	Grid and wheel The solid black cards represent solid, fixed, male, or yang energies. The white cards represent yielding, moving, female, or yin energies.
	Double whammy The key card oversees two six-card pyramids representing two possible outcomes, or yin and yang, etc. The three-card pyramid at the bottom center is an area where the two six-card pyramids overlap and are integrated.
	Reducing The key card, "x", absorbs or pulls up the two outer rows, "y and z", forming a single three-card pyramid comprised of "x,y,and, z". (all of the "component" cards are considered in this "reduced" pyramid.) This simplifies (reduces) the reading into two three-card pyramids consisting of "x, y, and, z" and the three "a" cards respectively.
	3 pillars This reflects a direct correspondence to the three pillars of Severity, Mildness, and Mercy found on the Tree of Life. (see either of the above mentioned books)
	3 dimensional As the name implies this pattern "pops out" at you, so the core (black) card is the uppermost point of a cone, while the six cards (grey) surrounding it are the central portion of the cone, and the three corner cards form the base. Or, the direction can be viewed in reverse, so the core card is furthest away, as if your looking into a tunnel.
	Triple mesh three three-card pyramids whose bases are represented by "A, B, and,C". the points of these pyramids can be outward pointing, represented by "X", or they can point inward and share a common point represented by "O".
	Yod, He, Vau, He Derived from the Tetragrammaton, this represents the sacred progression of manifestation. From the top of the layoout it's: the point, the line, the triangle, and the square.