Tarot Reading
Celtic Cross Spread
Tarot reading is an art as well as a science to some. Knowing the meaning of every individual card in the major and minor arcana is not the only thing that qualifies you, but knowing how to spread the cards and read them accurately according to that spread is also essential.
A spread is a distinctive arrangement of the cards. It involves the placing of the cards meaningfully for an answer. Every user or tarot card reader has a different way of spreading the cards. But the most famous and well known spread would be the Celtic cross spread, which is what we concentrate on here.
Every spread serves a different purpose, depending on the questions you are going to ask. The Celtic spread helps give us an overview of a persons' life in the present as well as the future. It answers all general questions, but doesn't work too well for specific questions referring to one to the point answer.
| Card | Represents |
| 1 | The present situation |
| 2 | The issue at hand; the problem that needs to be overcome |
| 3 | The root of the issue |
| 4 | The recent past; events or people that led to this point |
| 5 | The best that can come of this situation |
| 6 | The next step |
| 7 | How you'll deal with the issue; your feelings |
| 8 | People or events that will affect the outcome |
| 9 | Your hopes or fears |
| 10 | The outcome |
If the card drawn will not fit with your question then pull more three cards to broaden your perspective. The three extra cards drawn are called clarifying cards.
Dealing the cards
When you begin dealing the cards, tell the person you are reading them to, to cut the card deck. Ask him to make sure he thinks of the general questions he is going to ask while doing this.
You begin with placing the first card in the middle and the second card on the top of the first. Make sure you place it sideways so that the first card is seen. Place the third, fourth, fifth and sixth card clockwise , each in line with the first card.
At the end of this, the sixth card will be to the right of the first. Now place a row of 4 cards, starting from the bottom, to the right of the sixth card.
For further accuracy refer to the picture given.
Meaning of each position:
- Position 1 - This card provides an insight to the main question. It reflects the general problems or issues faced by the individual.
- Position 2 - This card gives a brief of the obstacles one might face. And how he must overcome them
- Position 3 - This card tells the person about something he is already contemplating. It mustn't come as a surprise.
- Position 4 - This card tells the person about something he may not have accepted himself yet.
- Position 5 - This card represents the askers path
- Position 6 - This card represents the askers' future.
- Position 7 - This represents the attitude of the asker towards this current situation.
- Position 8 - This card represents the attitude of the people around the asker.
- Position 9 - This card gives an idea about what the asker hopes or fears about the outcome.
- Position 10 - This Card tells us about the outcome of it all.
Learning to read tarot cards is not only interesting but also challenging. If you are a beginner, then Celtic cross spread is the best way to start off. Make sure you stay clear with deciphering the meanings of every position. Confusing them will only render you with a waste of time.