Tarot Spreads

Reading the Tarot is typically done by using spreads. Choosing the right one depends on your intention, whether you want an answer to a specific question, or to build your intuitive responses, or perhaps you're wanting to explore deeper into your soul's journey. As you progress with your understanding of the cards you will intuitively know what spread to use, or you can create your own spread to suit your needs.

The Three Card Spread is simple to use and usually answers a basic question. Here are some examples.

1. The Past 2. The Present 3. The Future

1. Self 2. Situation 3. Challenge/Opportunity

1. Known 2. Unknown 3. Advice

1. Theme 2. Issues 3. Soul Lesson

1. Truth 2. Feelings 3. Beliefs

1. Revelation 2. Support 3. Surrender

1. Secret Desire 2. Expectation 3. Outcome

Four Card Decision Spread

This spread is great if you need an answer or some clarity on an issue or challenge that you're facing.

1. The Situation

2. What is known

3. What is unknown

4. Best course of action

Celtic Spread

1. Heart of the Matter
This card reflects the crux of the question and the feelings surrounding it. It shows what is important to the inquirer at the present time.

2. Challenges / Issues
This card suggests obstacles, blocks or any potential opposition that may be a concern. This shows what is challenging for the inquirer regarding the situation.

3. Roots / History
This card denotes the background and past influences that have led to this point, or have a significant bearing on the situation. It implies what is at the root of the question.

4. Higher Power
This card relates to conscious plans and intentions and may suggest the inquirer's beliefs and aspirations. It is the driving force behind the situation.

5. Past Influences
This card reveals aspects from the past that have led to this point. It also implies past influences that may still be relevant.

6. Near Future
This card represents the near future, new influences and future events. It may also indicate new opportunities or a change in perspective.

7. The Self
This card indicates the inquirer's present state of mind and feelings about the situation. It reveals the thoughts they have about themselves at the present time.

8. Surrounding Environment
This card denotes the actions and attitudes involving other people in relation to the question. It may also show external resources that are available to the inquirer.

9. Advice
This card suggests the inquirer's hopes, wishes or fears related to the situation. This offers guidance as to what the inquirer should focus on and what fears to surrender.

10. Outcome
This card points to the most likely outcome of the situation provided the inquirer has taken the advice - or course of action- from the previous cards.

The Horoscope Spread

1. The First House

Ruling Sign: Aries

Element: Fire

The Self

The First House comprises everything about the self and how it is presented to the world. This includes a person's physical appearance, mannerisms and personality traits. It also reveals their current state of mind, thoughts and feelings, and often shows how they approach challenges and problems. This house can also indicate behaviours and the impression they make on others. It can show if someone is self-confident, insecure, or self-obsessed etc, whether or not they show it outwardly.

2. The Second House

Ruling Sign: Taurus

Element: Earth

Resources & Money

The Second House indicates finances, possessions and other material goods, and can also reveal a person's attitude towards those things. This House also refers to financial circumstances and how someone responds to their situation. This is where we unearth the fruits of our labour, along with the natural world we live in. It can reveal a person's values around wealth, income, career success, and possessions, and also whether or not they have unhealthy attachments towards the material world.

3. The Third House
Ruling Sign: Gemini
Element: Air

Communication

This House refers to communications such as emails, phone calls, text messages and visits. These also include the gathering of information via the spoken or written word, through reading books, newspapers, Internet and other forms of the media. It also encompasses short journeys, day trips, weekends away, and travel that is work-related. It can reveal incoming projects and people or events that are significant at the present time. The way someone communicates with others, with their siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, can also be found in this House.

4. The Fourth House
Ruling Sign: Cancer
Element: Water

Home & Parents

The Fourth House focuses on the relationship we have with our parents and aspects of our home life. It also reveals how someone thinks and feels around those things, and the impact it's had on their life. Emotions play heavily in this House, especially with its connection to the element of water. It can also indicate our childhood associations with the kind of house we grew up in, whether it was comfortable and stable or dysfunctional and negligent.

5. The Fifth House
Ruling Sign: Leo
Element: Fire

Pleasure & Creativity

The Fifth House denotes love, happiness and joyful things that ignite a spark of passion. It reveals how we focus our creative energy and where we find inspiration. The element of fire- which this House represents- relates to physical activities, games, sports and dance. This is where we find our enthusiasm for entertainment, socializing and parties. It also includes our romantic life, our children and how we think and feel about those relationships.

6. The Sixth House
Ruling Sign: Virgo
Element: Earth

Work & Health

The Sixth House relates to our daily work and aspects of our health. This also includes physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health matters. It can reveal work that is related to our daily routine, employment options, training or studying, and how we function in those situations. It can show how well we work with others, in groups and alone, and whether we are efficient in our duties. This also provides indicators to our own health and any difficulties to our well being, and how to manage them.

7. The Seventh House
Ruling Sign: Libra
Element: Air

Partners & Relationships

The Seventh House represents joint ventures, partnerships- including marriage- and how we deal with close connections. This can indicate our feelings within a relationship and our attitude towards others. Any difficulties within personal relationships, whether romantic or professional can be seen here, along with emotional attachments and successful outcomes. This House can also show the signing of documents and business agreements.

8. The Eighth House
Ruling Sign: Scorpio
Element: Water

Intimacy & Secrets

The Eighth House represents our shared values and feelings. It also indicates themes around sexuality, death, taxes and inheritance. It covers issues with the most taboo subjects within society and the secrecy around those matters. This House reveals how we cope with endings and letting go of attachments to others and how well we recover from personal losses. It also indicates shared possessions including property and money and our principles regarding those matters.

9. The Ninth House
Ruling Sign: Sagittarius
Element: Fire

Far Horizons

The Ninth House represents long journeys, travel and our philosophy on life. It also denotes education and our hopes for the future. It refers to spiritual and mental journeys as well as the tangible. This is where we open up to exploration and find meaning in life, and how our perceptions are shaped by our findings. It reveals the knowledge and wisdom we gain from the journeys we embark on. It also shows our relationship with other countries and cultures and how far we're prepared to venture away from home.

10. The Tenth House
Ruling Sign: Capricorn
Element: Earth

Career & Public Image

The Tenth House represents career and status in the broadest sense and how we address those matters. It denotes a person's ambitions and aspirations, and their ability to strive towards their goals. It can reveal the type of work we do and place of employment and the recognition of our accomplishments. It can also reflect the face we present to the world and the way in which we want to be perceived. It can relate to unpaid work such as parenting or charity work, and also pertain to students and people in retirement.

11. The Eleventh House

Ruling Sign: Aquarius
Element: Air

Friendship & Service

The Eleventh House refers to our friendships and social interactions. It represents communities, groups and gatherings and our ideals regarding those meetings. It can denote the friendships we have with work colleagues, fellow students and teachers, or our neighbours. This is where we find time to enjoy leisure time, social activities and various recreations. This House also refers to the gifts we have that may be of service to others and the people we associate with and the value they hold in our lives.

12. The Twelfth House
Ruling Sign: Pisces
Element: Water

Privacy & Hidden

The Twelfth House reveals our inner private life and the things we keep hidden from the world around us. It can denote our deepest desires or fears, along with unconscious thoughts and feelings. This position can also show repressed emotions and any blocks or resistance that are limiting to our personal growth. This is where our secrets are kept, and our ability to open up to others, or whether we'd prefer to keep them suppressed. It also indicates the issue's that we face alone.