List of Several Tarot Spreads Compiled by Nina Lee Braden Number of Cards Name of Spread 3

List of Several Tarot Spreads Compiled by Nina Lee Braden Number of Cards Name of Spread 3 Blessings 5 Seeker 9 Work 9 Dancing Maidens 3 Relationship 7 Medicine Wheel 3 Moving On 10 Gill 15 Creating a New Relationship 15 Enhancing a Relationship 8 Spiritual 7 Jung 5 Goal 10 Mandala 15 Wish 1 Daily 6 Relationship Path 3 Rune Blessings Spread by MAGE (Adolph Lopez), using 3 cards. Blessing Spread based upon an old Navajo legend | The sun rises in the East and sets in the North | West. We awaken to the rising sun which | brings to us KNOWLEDGE and we reflect with West East | the setting sun on the WISDOM we've acquired | These are only the things of man and those | who need more must journey North into the Sig | heart of the night where reside the MYSTIC | or esoteric forces that surround & guide us. Sig: Significator = may be a card or an object 1st position = East 2nd position = West 3rd position = North This is one of my favorite spreads and it is extremely versatile, more so than you would expect. It is good for holidays, birthdays, celebrations, beginnings, endings, blessings, and greetings. Seeker Spread Here are the meanings of the positions for the 5-card Seeker spread (meanings my own, based on comments by Robin Wood and Michael Short): 1 The question itself. This card helps to define the question and sets the tone for the whole spread. 2 The background. This card describes the past environment, background and overall situation which have =led up to= the question--both the question itself and the reason that the question is being asked. 3 The seeker. This card represents the querent in the situation at hand. It may show many different aspects of the seeker, but all/any of them relate specifically to the question that prompted this spread. Often, it gives a clue as to the querent's strengths or weaknesses that will affect the outcome of the situation. In other words, if it points to a strength, that strength will be a key in the situation. If it points to a weakness, that weakness will also be a key. 4 The environment. This card represents the impact of the outside world on finding the answer to the question. It represents the present, as opposed to the past of position 2. This card points to places to look for advice and counsel and also reflects the importance and place of family, friends, co- workers in making the decision. 5 The answer. This card tells you what step you should take for the question/situation--provided that it is interpreted correctly !!! Rachel Pollack's Work Spread, 9 cards: Here is a brief description of the spread: Card 1, Cover card which covers the Significator (if chosen) Card 2, Card crossing to make a small cross, similar to Celtic Cross Together, these two cards show influences upon the situation or starting point, often opposing, but not always. Pollack calls them inner and outer aspects of the situation or Center and crossing. In a straight line below the small cross, 7 cards are dealt out, left to right. Card 3 = Past Experience Card 4 = Expectations (similar to Hopes and Fears) Cards 5-7 = Work: situations, influences and attitudes to be used and/or overcome, ways of creative possibilities--these three cards are read together, with no one card having an assigned meaning Card 8 = Outcome, or what will happen Card 9 = Result, or the reaction to the Outcome This is an interesting and useful variation on the Celtic Cross and is good for ongoing concerns. It uses one less card than the Celtic Cross, however, and gives a slightly different focus. Dancing Maidens spread by MAGE (Adolph Lopez), using 9 cards, plus an optional significator. 3 2 4 1 5/S 9 6 8 7 1: Self in the Past 2: What you Saw 3: What you Heard 4: What you Felt 5: Self in the Present/Significator underneath if using one 6: What you will See 7: What you will Hear 8: What you will Feel 9: Self in Process of Becoming Mage says that should picture cards 1, 5, and 9 as being on the line of the horizon. 2, 3, and 4 are above the horizon and easily discerned. 6, 7, and 8 are below the horizon and unknown to us at the present moment (card 5). It is based on a Navaho legend, and is a =beautiful= spread. This is an excellent spread for introspection and opening up new ways of thinking and breaking out of mental ruts and blocks. Relationship Spread, based on Mary Greer's spread from _Tarot for Your Self_ and using 3 cards The relationship spread (as modified by me) has three variations: 1) What is the nature of this relationship? 2) What is the problem between X and me? 3) What is the means to resolving the problem, or, if it is currently unresolvable, what is the block preventing the resolution? In these readings (all three variations), the card on the left is the questioner's view, the center card is the problem or resolution or relationship itself, and the right hand card is the perspective of the other person in the relationship. This is an extremely simple spread, but one that has often proved to be extremely powerful, offering excellent insights into relationships. It works for all sorts of relationships, not just romantic ones. Medicine Wheel Spread, 7 cards There is more than one spread called the Medicine Wheel. This is a description of the one from the booklet that comes with the Medicine Woman deck. Here is what the Medicine Wheel looks like: 4 RESOURCES (North/Winter/Night,pentacles) 7 DEVOTIONS 1 5 CHANNELS (West/Fall/Sunset,cups) (East/spring/dawn,wands) 2 3 6 AIMS (South/summer/noon,swords) Card 2 slightly overlaps card 1, and card 3 is horizontal, slightly touching the bottom of card 2. This is what the author, Carol Bridges, has to say about the spread: 4 North: Preparation. Empty and make room. 5 East: Energy channel. Envision and be filled. 6 South: Aim and direct. Speak for yourself. 7 West: Devote time with utmost love. The cards: 1. You as you are currently experiencing yourself. 2. The bridge you are now crossing. 3. That which will be experienced when the bridge is crossed. 4. The purification needed or taking place (if you choose to cross the bridge and desire the experience on the other side). The preparation or emptying stage often relates particularly to Earth, resources, and/or your relationship to having material form. 5. The creative focus needed or taking place, especially in regard to self-expression; the vision or fantasies that guide you and fill you with enthusiasm for life. 6. That which must be scrutinized for its benefit to or interference with your goal. Direct your thoughts and words, aiming affirmatively toward the achievement you desire. 7. That which you must act on with devotion and to which you must give your most unselfish love. This is the ritual or disciplined offering you must make in order to reach your full potential in the area in question (to cross the bridge to reach the experience depicted in card position 3). This spread is a very positive, learning spread, as indeed the whole Medicine Woman deck seems to be, but the spread can be done with any deck. It seems to be a good spread for future actions and decisions and for journeys inward. Moving On Spread, 3 cards This spread is described in the booklet that comes with the Medicine Woman deck. It is good for clarifying thoughts on the present and on helping to choose actions for the future. Three cards, arranged in a line, left to right: 1. The way you see your present condition. 2. The act affecting and holding the situation. 3. The attitude that will raise the situation to a higher level and be most beneficial to all concerned. Creating a New Relationship: a spread by Gail Fairfield This spread calls for 12 cards and an optional additional 3 adding up to a potential 15 cards. When studying the illustration, begin at the bottom. Fairfield says, "The bottom line represents the status quo." This is a spread of balances, where one weighs the pros and cons, the benefits and disadvantages of having and not having. 13 14 15 Probable timing of arrival of the "other" ================ <---- reshuffle cards 11 12 Next steps to take 08 09 10 Key qualities to maintain/express in self 05 06 07 Key qualities to seek in the other ---------------- <---- reading may end here 03 04 A way to satisfy : A way to satisfy the same need the same need 01 02 Reason to create : Reason not to create a relationship a relationship Draw the first four cards and if you like what you see just end the reading there, if you should do the complete spread be sure to reshuffle before drawing 13, 14, and 15. This spread has two companion spreads, Enhancing a Relationship and Ending a Relationship. For more on all three spreads, see Fairfield's article "Creating, Maintaining and Enhancing Relationships" in NEW THOUGHTS ON TAROT ed. Mary Greer and Rachel Pollack. This spread is designed to help you =create= a new relationship. If you already have a relationship that you want to enhance or improve, the Enhancing a New Relationships spread is best. Enhancing an Existing Relationship: a spread by Gail Fairfield This spread calls for 12 cards and an optional additional 3 adding up to a potential 15 cards. When studying the illustration, begin at the bottom. Fairfield says, "At the bottom, it asks 'What's the reason why the relationship exists this way right now?'" This is a spread of balances, where one weighs the pros and cons, the benefits and disadvantages of changing and not changing. 13 14 15 probable results for self : other : relationship (13 = self, 14 = other, 15 = relationship) 09 10 11 12 Request of the "other" (9-10 are Requests of the other for change. 11-12 are requests of the other for behavior to add.) 05 06 07 08 Request of the self (5-6 are Requests of the self for change. 7-8 are requests of the self for behavior to add.) ---------------- <---- reading may end here 03 04 A way to satisfy : A way to satisfy the need the need 01 02 Reason for change : Reason for Status Quo Draw the first four cards and if you like what you see, just end the reading there, if you should do the complete spread cards 05-06- 09-10 represent current behavior to change and cards 07-08-11-12 represent new behavior to add. Fairfield says, "it's important to remember that creating a new relationship or having a relationship evolve is always a choice." To her, it is important to say, "I choose to act this way, to respond this way. I am not just sliding into things" (my paraphrase). She also cautions that sometimes what is needed to enhance a relationship is not worth the cost. You have to decide what is most important to you, yourself, the other person, or the relationship, and make your decisions based on that. The Gill Layout, 10 cards This is a ten card spread that is described in the booklet that comes with the Gill Tarot deck. This spread emphasizes spiritual guidance, and it is based on the Tree of Life spread, although simplified. For helping a person take a "inner checkup," this spread is hard to beat. Here are the positions of the cards: 1 3 2 5 4 6 8 7 9 10 In this spread, you begin with card 10, and read backwards to card one. No author is listed for the booklet that comes with the deck, which is where I found this spread, but I quote, at length from this author who may or may not be Jo Gill. "By working back from 10 to 1, you are travelling from the external, physical self to the depths of the psyche." Card 10, "You at present, within your physical body and external circumstances. The traditional virtue of the tenth position is discrimination; the vice is greed or avarice." Card 9 "represents the subconscious and shows what lies behind the situation--what is not immediately obvious. Expect hidden motivations, deeply buried worries. The virtue is independence; the vice is idleness." Card 8 "is the position of the mental functions, communication, learning, mental agility. The card in this position will indicate what is affecting your mind most strongly at the time, or the way in which you use your mind. Truth is the virtue; dishonesty is the vice." Card 7 "is the seat of the emotional or desire nature. Paired as it is with number 8, the mind sphere on the Tree of Life, it shows that much rationalization and false reasoning can be the mind's attempt to adjust to the driving force of the emotional nature. The virtue is unselfishness; the vice is lust." Card 6 "is the heart center....Its virtue is devotion; its vice is pride." Card 5 "will show from which direction or in which way the revolutionary part of the self operates. It does not have to be a violent or destructive element, as habitually busy people may need to calm down in order to face themselves and change direction, but it is traditionally associated with fear, as we all feel most comfortable behaving in a familiar way. It can also indicate a previously unrealized behavior pattern which is operating in a destructive way in the enquirer's life. Its virtue is energy or courage; its vice is cruelty or destruction." Card 4 "can be seen as your center of stability, how you 'rule your own kingdom," the four-square base from which you operate. It can also indicate where you 'stick,' too comfortable or complacent to move forward. Its virtue is obedience to higher guidance; its vices are bigotry, hypocrisy and gluttony." Card 3 "is the sphere of the feminine principle. The card here can relate closely to the actual relationship that the querent has with his or her mother, and the way in which this is now affecting him/her. The feminine pattern infuses everything we believe we are and how we experience the world. As this is a situation into which we are born, one could say it is one of the basic formations of our life journey. The virtue is silence; the vice is avarice." Card 2 "relates to the masculine, outward moving side of the self. This can relate to the actual father of the querent...However, as the mother sphere is the first sphere of limitation or formation, the father sphere represents a condition before the limitations of form, and is therefore associated with...the querent's spiritual aspirations. It can also indicate what you worship or aim for on other levels. There is no vice for this sphere; the virtue is devotion." Card 1 "is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending. In the layout it indicates the root cause and gives the pattern to the reading. Its virtue is completion; there is no vice." Spiritual Spread by Nancy Garen This is a description of the Spiritual Spread which calls for 8 cards. Nancy Garen has more about it in her _Tarot Made Easy_ book. It is quite useful for looking at your reasons and motivations. Here's the layout: 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 1 Where you are now, or that which concerns you 2 What is the force or motivation behind your desire 3 What is the underlying problem 4 What you need to understand and that you're not aware of 5 What you need to do to come to terms with your problem 6 What's the best way to proceed in order to carry out the advice given 7 Spiritual guidance concerning your future 8 Your ultimate attainment If you are doing this spread for yourself, the instructions are to shuffle in between each draw. For instance, you would draw card one and set it aside, then you would take the remainder of the deck and reshuffle and draw card 2. You do this until all 8 cards are drawn. For drawings here on the board, these instructions would not, of course, apply. Jung spread, 7 cards Adapted from Sasha Fenton's _Tarot in Action_ Fenton says of this spread that it "is the best way I know of identifying a matter of inner conflict." The layout: 2 & 3 1 4 & 5 6 & 7 1 The Questioner in the here and now. 2 & 3 The anima. The needs of the inner subjective, intuitive, subconscious self. The Moon self, the dream self, feelings. Sometimes how you think you should feel and act. Society's programming. 4 & 5 The animus. The needs of the outer objective, rational, conscious self. The Sun self, the acting self, behavior. Outer reactions in the here and now. 6 & 7 The child. What the questioner really wants and needs out of life. True inner desires. The path to resolution of conflicts between the anima and animus by integration. Goal Spread by James Wanless, using 5 cards First, choose a goal. Then, you shuffle and fan your cards face down. You are going to randomly pull five cards that will tell you What You Must Do in order to Achieve Your Goal. Do not turn your cards over until you have pulled all five. Do not deal the cards; instead, choose them from the fanned-out, face down deck. As you choose the first card, think about what you must do mentally to help yourself to achieve your goal. As you choose the second card, think about what you must do emotionally to help you achieve your goal. As you choose your third card, think about what you must do physically, bodily to help you achieve your goal. As you choose your fourth card, think about what you must do spiritually to help you achieve your goal. And, as you pull the fifth card, think about what you must do on a worldly, mundane or practical level to help you achieve your goal. Now, this exercise is designed to give you knowledge. Once you have that knowledge, it is up to the individual to act upon that knowledge. You may lay the cards out in any fashion that you please. In order of their drawing, they are What I must do mentally to achieve my goal. What I must do emotionally to achieve my goal. What I must do physically to achieve my goal. What I must do spiritually to achieve my goal. What I must do practically to achieve my goal. This spread is very good for specific goals. It is very empowering. Whole Self Mandala Spread requiring 10 cards This is a spread developed by James Wanless. I have adapted it partly for simplification, partly because Wanless explains it one way in the booklet that goes with the Voyager deck, another way in the New Age Tarot book, and yet another way in his video tape. I've modified it slightly and put it into my own words. In the deck booklet, Wanless says, "A mandala is a circular, symmetrical, symbolic portrait. This layout is a mandala of the Whole Self because its positions provide a picture of your mental, emotional, and physical states, your Archetypal character, and your masculine and feminine energies. These six positions reveal the state of your being. Circling your inner self is the condition of your external world, including the state of your finances, work, home, and relationships." To begin the spread, first, separate the deck into the Major and Minor Arcana. Lay the Minor Arcana to the side for now. Then, shuffle the Major Arcana, and fan the cards out, face down. In this spread, as in many of Wanless's spreads, you pull a card at random or by intuition from the spread out facedown deck. Thinking about the archetypes in the Major Arcana and how they relate to your life, you pull a card, face down and place it at the center of your reading. This is your core archetype that centers this reading. It is your spirit, who you are now. Next, put the Majors back with the Minors and shuffle well. Then fan all of the cards face down. Thinking about your mind, choose a card from the deck. Place it in the mind position, still face down. Thinking about your emotions, choose another card. Place it face down, slightly below, yet overlapping with the Archetype card. Thinking about your physical state, choose a card. If you look now at the diagram, you'll see that the Mind card is on the top, where your head is. The archetype and emotions cards are in your chest cavity, where your heart and lungs and other vital organs are. The physical card is in the place of your legs. Next, thinking about the female aspects of your life, choose a card. By female, Wanless means what you draw to you and what your passive magnetic traits are. Place the card representing your female aspects face down to the left. Thinking about the masculine aspects of your life, choose a card and place it to the right. By masculine, Wanless means that which radiates out from you, that which you actively emit. Now, turn all 6 cards over and study them. After you are done studying these cards, leave them in their positions. Take the remaining cards and divide them into four stacks. Designate one stack as the Finances Stack. Fan it out above the Mind Card, face down. Designate another stack as the Work stack. Fan it out, face down, to the right of the Male Card. Designate another stack as the Home stack. Fan this out, face down, to the left of the Female card. Take the remaining stack and fan it out face down below the Legs as the Relationships stack. Now, choose one card from the finances arc and turn it over. Choose one card from the Work arc and turn it over. Choose one card from the Home arc and turn it over. Choose one card from the Relationships arc and turn it over. The first six cards are your inner self. The second four cards are your worldly or outer self. Study the differences between them and see what the relationships between the cards have to say to you. Remember, in Tarot, the most important thing is, "Does it make sense?" |-------7 Finances--------| 2 Head, Mind -- -- | | | 1 Archetype, Spirit, Major | 9 5 Left, Female 6 Right, Male 8 Home 3 Heart, Emotional Work | | | | -- 4 Legs, Physical -- |-------10 Relationships-------| This is a good spread for birthdays and anniversaries, but it can also be used for specific questions. The WISH Spread, using 15 cards: This spread and variants of it may be found in several older Tarot books. The Wish spread is used to determine if some wish will be realized. First, choose a significator to represent the one making the wish and place it face up in the center of the spread. As you deal the remaining 15 cards of this spread, place them face down. As you turn over cards 1-3 (left), say "This is what surrounds you." As you turn over cards 4-6, say "This is your wish." As you turn over and read cards 7-9, say "This is what opposes you." Then turn over cards 10-12 and say, "This is what comes to your home." Finally, turn over cards 13-15 and say, "This is what you will realize." 06 05 04 (S) 03 02 01 15 14 13 09 08 07 12 11 10 The 15 cards, in 5 groups of 3 cards each form a cross. The first group (cards 1-3, to the left) surrounds you--this is the environment. The top group (cards 4-6) is your wish--this represents all aspects of your wish, including your feelings toward it. The next group (7-9, on the right) opposes you and the bottom group (cards 10-12) comes to your home. This "comes to your home" part is hard to explain, but it means that this is what really affects you about the wish, deep within your home, inwardly in your bodily home and also in your literal home. The center and last group is what you will realize--this is what will happen and what you will learn. The 9 of Cups is the WISH-CARD and if it appears in the spread you are certain to get your wish, but if it shows up in the opposition (9-8-7) you will not get your wish. The closer the WISH-CARD is to the 1st card position the sooner your wish will come true. If no WISH-CARD but the reading is favorable then you still stand to get your wish. Wanless's Card a Day (one card spread) One of my favorite Tarot teachers, James Wanless, recommends a card a day as the best single way to learn Tarot. You draw a card a day, and you let that image imprint your day as either an affirmation or a challenge or a lesson for the day. (Note: this card is not a prediction for the day.) It is important to learn to read and relate Tarot to our daily lives, more important than to learn to read spreads, so I recommend that all beginners begin with "a card a day, every day." The Card a Day is something that all of us can do. It takes no special study or training. Often a day is to busy or hectic for a full spread, but rarely is a day too hectic to draw just one card. I practice a Card a Day in my own life and have found it invaluable. Here are the steps (paraphrased, except where noted) that Wanless recommends when doing the Card a Day: 1) Randomly select a card in whatever way you have come to feel comfortable. 2) Study the picture. Study the symbols. Examine the card closely. 3) Ask yourself, "How does this card apply to me?" Wanless says, "Symbols like cards are vehicles for talking with yourself. The face meaning of the card is unimportant compared to your own personal reaction. Cards are simply catalysts for self-understanding through self-dialogue. Always make the cards make sense for you. Otherwise they have no value. Making sense of the cards comes through seeing how it could possibly apply to your life" (from _Voyager Tarot_ by James Wanless). Make even the so-called negative cards work for you in some way. 4) Envision how you will use the truth of the card in your life for the day. 5) Give the truth a physical reinforcement by a ritual or symbolic action. This may be very brief and simple. In fact, it may be best if it is brief and simple. 6) Decide on a way to share your truth for the day with others. Then share. 7) At the end of the day, review how you have lived the truth of your Day Card. Relationship Path Spread, 6 cards I designed this spread with an assist from Patsy Haggerty and from studying other relationship spreads. I was trying to get the maximum amount of information into the fewest possible cards. This spread can be used for a romantic relationship or any other relationship. 6 1 3 5 4 2 1 = How you see the other person 2 = How the other person sees you 3 = How you see the relationship 4 = How the other person sees the relationship 5 = Something about the relationship that the querent needs to know 6 = Where the relationship is going Three Card Rune Spread This spread is based on a Rune card spread found in Ralph Blum's _The Book of Rune Cards_. You shuffle the cards and divide them into three piles, face down. You turn over the top card on each stack and read them right to left. (According to Blum, Rune cards are always read right to left, but if you are using Tarot cards, I suppose that you could read from left to right if you wished and if you renamed your piles.) The first card (right stack) is The Overview. The second card (middle stack) is The Challenge. The third card (left stack) is The Course of Action Called For. If the reading does not make sense at first, leave the cards out overnight and look at them again in the cool light of dawn in order to gain another perspective.