So whenever I do a reading for a client, or for a friend, or for myself, this is the layout I use. It's dynamic, simple yet detailed, and works every time to help me talk to the person I'm working with about their situation. I call it the perfect spread because I of all the layouts I've tried, this one is my go-to spread. It just really works.
It may be a little hard to read, if so I apologise. The spread is actually two spreads combined: a simple 3 card past, present, future spread, over a simple 5 card question spread. The two layouts mesh very well together, and if you're the type of reader who likes to move the cards around during a reading, this layout allows for that as well.
I like to begin the reading by going over the 3 top cards - they are basically gimme cards, but often they can give clues to what the lower five will be about.
Once I've covered the top 3, I start on the lower five - and I don't take my time. I basically go over what each card means. The next part is the fun part.
Here's where you can shift the cards around. The top 3 cards each usually line up with certain cards in the lower 5, allowing you to go back and start telling the story while physically lining the cards up and you verbally connect the dots between them.
Here's how they look shifted:
As you can see (again, small picture is small, sorry) the cards line up into columns under past, present and future.
Under Past, the fist two cards of the lower five line up, because they are literally about the past. Card Four is the Question or Issue card, and it is very rare that the question or issue has nothing to do with the past. Even if the question is ABOUT the future, the reason for asking about it is likely firmly rooted in the past, and because they are so closely linked, they line up under the Past.
Under Present, I usually talk a little about how the Present card is the Present - General, and the 6th card is Present - Specific. Usually, Present - Specific to this issue. And below it, the 7th card, Environment/Support falls under Present because it is speaking about the people and environment the querent is currently experiencing and how those things affect the issue at hand.
And finally, under Future, the Answer/Solutions card lines up. Here is where I might talk about how the tarot are not for telling your future, more about showing you the most likely outcome based on the path you are currently walking, that the future is not fate or destiny, it is not set in stone, etc.
So, lets work through this spread with cards in play.
So lets start at the top with the Past, Present, and Future cards.
For the Past, I drew the 2 of Swords, Reversed, which is a card about Balance. It implies that the querent - me - was at a stalemate, may feel impotent about the issue at stalemate, and may be preparing for a truce or release with this past issue. ( I have a feeling I know what this might be about. I reserve judgement.)
For the Present, I drew the Ace of Swords, Reversed, whose keywords are disaster, tyranny, and ignorance. So it indicates that I am in the middle of something that is falling apart, that I may be a tyrant or that I am under the thumb of a tyrant, and that I may be blind - ignorant - to the truth in that situation. (I can see a couple things that this relates to in my life, but nothing is jumping out at me. We will wait and see what the lower five have to say before I attach much meaning to this card.)
I drew the Judgement card for the Future position, which is usually about - you guessed it - judgement. It is also about reunion, awakening, perception, insight, assessment, integration, and manifestation. (This card actually hit hoe the most so far because I actually spent some time in the last week thinking about, then writing about, then talking with others about a but of self assessment I did that concluded in my making a realization about my relationship that, I think, will bring my fiancée and I closer together and help us create a stronger relationship.)
The fourth card, the card that represents my Question or issue, is the 8 of Swords. It means crisis, indecision, restriction, censure, doubt, mistrust, over-analytical mind, confusion, and interference. (This card says a lot to me, and definitely ties back to the Past and Future cards I drew. We're getting somewhere!)
The 5 of Cups card is in the position of the reason for asking/thing that happened that caused the issue at hand. The 5 of Cups represents disillusionment, disappointment, sorrow, loss, fragility, and depression. (This also means quite a bit to me, and speaks to my state of mind about the topic at hand.)
The card that represents my immediate Present, or me, in this moment, is the 7 of Cups, Reversed. Typically, if it were upright, it would be inferring temptation, selfishness, and addiction, but reversed, it indicates determination and realization. (This lines up a lot with what I mentioned about the Future card. Connecting the dots!)
My Environment and Support in relation to this issue is represented by the Queen of Swords. She means perception, confidence, rationality, objectivity, and a consulting intelligence. She basically means that the environment I'm in and the people I am going to to talk about this issue are the right ones, that I'm getting objective advice and feedback, and from people rational enough to provide it thoughtfully. It says the environment I'm in is one that will help me build confidence abut the issue as well.
For the final card, The Answer/Solution card, I drew the 10 of Wands, Reversed. It represents duplicity, separation, and loss. (This card has come up for me over and over in last few weeks, so I want to do some research and see if there's some other meaning here that I'm not seeing. I swear, this card is following me! I'll be doing a blog post about this very soon.)
So, this reading ended up being quite personal to me, and nothing I'd like to delve into here, so I won't be going quite as deep as I usually do, but I am hoping tat the breakdown earlier gives a clear idea of how this works.
Please make sure to comment and let me know what you think of the layout, of my interpretations, ask questions!
Next Blog: The Bat Tarot Spread - Break Your Illusions
I like to begin the reading by going over the 3 top cards - they are basically gimme cards, but often they can give clues to what the lower five will be about.
Once I've covered the top 3, I start on the lower five - and I don't take my time. I basically go over what each card means. The next part is the fun part.
Here's where you can shift the cards around. The top 3 cards each usually line up with certain cards in the lower 5, allowing you to go back and start telling the story while physically lining the cards up and you verbally connect the dots between them.
Here's how they look shifted:
As you can see (again, small picture is small, sorry) the cards line up into columns under past, present and future.
Under Past, the fist two cards of the lower five line up, because they are literally about the past. Card Four is the Question or Issue card, and it is very rare that the question or issue has nothing to do with the past. Even if the question is ABOUT the future, the reason for asking about it is likely firmly rooted in the past, and because they are so closely linked, they line up under the Past.
Under Present, I usually talk a little about how the Present card is the Present - General, and the 6th card is Present - Specific. Usually, Present - Specific to this issue. And below it, the 7th card, Environment/Support falls under Present because it is speaking about the people and environment the querent is currently experiencing and how those things affect the issue at hand.
And finally, under Future, the Answer/Solutions card lines up. Here is where I might talk about how the tarot are not for telling your future, more about showing you the most likely outcome based on the path you are currently walking, that the future is not fate or destiny, it is not set in stone, etc.
So, lets work through this spread with cards in play.
I drew:
1/Past: 2 of Swords, Reversed
2/Present: Ace of Swords, Reversed
3/Future: Judgement
4/Question/Issue: 8 of Swords
5/Reason Behind Question/Issue: 5 of Cups
6/Querent, In This Moment: 7 of Cups, Reversed
7/Environment/Support: Queen of Swords
8/Answer/Solution:10 of Wands, Reversed
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| See my lovely cramped kitchen table, uh, I mean, workspace? |
So lets start at the top with the Past, Present, and Future cards.
For the Past, I drew the 2 of Swords, Reversed, which is a card about Balance. It implies that the querent - me - was at a stalemate, may feel impotent about the issue at stalemate, and may be preparing for a truce or release with this past issue. ( I have a feeling I know what this might be about. I reserve judgement.)
For the Present, I drew the Ace of Swords, Reversed, whose keywords are disaster, tyranny, and ignorance. So it indicates that I am in the middle of something that is falling apart, that I may be a tyrant or that I am under the thumb of a tyrant, and that I may be blind - ignorant - to the truth in that situation. (I can see a couple things that this relates to in my life, but nothing is jumping out at me. We will wait and see what the lower five have to say before I attach much meaning to this card.)
I drew the Judgement card for the Future position, which is usually about - you guessed it - judgement. It is also about reunion, awakening, perception, insight, assessment, integration, and manifestation. (This card actually hit hoe the most so far because I actually spent some time in the last week thinking about, then writing about, then talking with others about a but of self assessment I did that concluded in my making a realization about my relationship that, I think, will bring my fiancée and I closer together and help us create a stronger relationship.)
The fourth card, the card that represents my Question or issue, is the 8 of Swords. It means crisis, indecision, restriction, censure, doubt, mistrust, over-analytical mind, confusion, and interference. (This card says a lot to me, and definitely ties back to the Past and Future cards I drew. We're getting somewhere!)
The 5 of Cups card is in the position of the reason for asking/thing that happened that caused the issue at hand. The 5 of Cups represents disillusionment, disappointment, sorrow, loss, fragility, and depression. (This also means quite a bit to me, and speaks to my state of mind about the topic at hand.)
The card that represents my immediate Present, or me, in this moment, is the 7 of Cups, Reversed. Typically, if it were upright, it would be inferring temptation, selfishness, and addiction, but reversed, it indicates determination and realization. (This lines up a lot with what I mentioned about the Future card. Connecting the dots!)
My Environment and Support in relation to this issue is represented by the Queen of Swords. She means perception, confidence, rationality, objectivity, and a consulting intelligence. She basically means that the environment I'm in and the people I am going to to talk about this issue are the right ones, that I'm getting objective advice and feedback, and from people rational enough to provide it thoughtfully. It says the environment I'm in is one that will help me build confidence abut the issue as well.
For the final card, The Answer/Solution card, I drew the 10 of Wands, Reversed. It represents duplicity, separation, and loss. (This card has come up for me over and over in last few weeks, so I want to do some research and see if there's some other meaning here that I'm not seeing. I swear, this card is following me! I'll be doing a blog post about this very soon.)
So, this reading ended up being quite personal to me, and nothing I'd like to delve into here, so I won't be going quite as deep as I usually do, but I am hoping tat the breakdown earlier gives a clear idea of how this works.
Please make sure to comment and let me know what you think of the layout, of my interpretations, ask questions!
Next Blog: The Bat Tarot Spread - Break Your Illusions
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