Spreads

Tarot reading are make up of three components. A question, a spread and an interpretation. The spread defines the how the cards are going to be used within the context of the reading. The cards that are drawn are interpreted in relationship to the question and spread. Spreads are typically composed of the following elements:

  • The Question or General Topic.
  • The Number of Cards to be Used (This may or may not be decided in advance)
  • The Meanings of the individual positions.
  • The Order the Cards will be laid out.

One Card Spreads

Three Cards Spreads

Three cards spreads are amazingly powerful and very effective at answering direct questions.

  • Background, Problem & Advice Spreads: This is the most common category. These spreads give an overview of the situation, talk about a specific challenge and discuss how to address the problem.
  • Yes/No Spreads:These spreads are designed to help answer yes/no questions
  • Choice Spreads:These spreads are designed to help with decision making
  • Interaction Spreads: These spreads are designed to explore the interaction between to things or two people. The middle card joins the right and left together.
  • Daily Spreads: These spreads are to be used for daily readings
  • Progression Spreads: These spreads start with a concept and either expand or contract. From general to specific or from specific to general.
  • Temporal Spreads: Time and Timing are the major consideration in these spreads.
  • Levels of Being: These spreads cover multiple levels of being
  • Miscellaneous Spreads: These spreads don’t fit into any category
  • (Note: the idea for categorization and some of the categories came from Tarot Tells the Tale by James Ricklef.)

    • 5 Cards

    • Relationship Cross: This spread gives and in-depth look at a relationship.
    • Elemental Spread: This spread explores a topic from 5 aspects according to their elemental attributions.
    • Situation : Challenge & Solution: This is a temporal spread that also looks at challenges and the unknown.
    • Situation: Known & Unknown: This spread uses five cards to look at the known & unknown aspects of a situation while giving background, advice and a potential outcome.
    • Situation & Undercurrent: This spread is a background-problem-advice spread that also looks at the undercurrent and hidden aspects.
    • X Spread: This spread explores multiple outcomes for a situation.

    Recommended Readings:

    Designing your own Tarot Spreads by Teresa Michelsen

    Recommended Links: