Tarot Spreads

The Tarot is consulted by performing readings which may be general in nature or may address a specific question or area of the querent's life. The simplest form of reading is the selection and interpretation of a single card (see our free weekly readings for an example of this), but more cards are usually selected in order to explore matters more fully. Interpreting the cards according to their basic meanings and associations alone is a rather disjointed and unsatisfying approach. For this reason, the cards are selected and arranged according to a predetermined pattern called a spread, in which each card is interpreted not only in relation to its innate meaning, but also by its position in the spread.

As a simple example of the modification of interpretation within a spread, consider the Nine of Cups (shown left, as illustrated in the Marseilles deck). This is a card of contentment and fulfilling relationships, and if it appears in a spread in a position indicating the future, a coming time of well-being and fulfillment is suggested. If it appears in a position that shows current difficulties then it most likely indicates that complacency, taking things for granted or stagnation are problems that the questioner must avoid.

Spreads offer even more refinements to interpretation , in that each card can be related to the other cards in the spread to clarify certain points and bring an additional richness to a reading. In some spreads, certain positions have strong links with others, and cards in these related positions are interpreted with reference to each other.

There are many spreads, from the simple to the confusingly complex, but all strive to provide a framework on which the meanings of the cards in the spread can be placed and worked into an insightful whole. Individual spreads are geared towards different purposes. 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 providing a framework for determining the time-scales involved in a reading. A variety of spread examples is given below.

 

3 Card Spread

Triskele Spread

Horse Shoe Spread

The Celtic Cross

The Calendar Spread