Learning Tarot: Different Spreads

In the past few months, we’ve examined the deeper meanings of tarot cards. We saw how their symbolism can evoke strong emotions and how the process of tarot reading can be a tool for self-care and a way to unlock your divination powers.

Now it’s time to delve deeper into tarot readings.

Create a relationship with your tarot deck

Your tarot cards are not just painted images on paper. They’re a viaduct for divine energy and your subconscious. So the first thing you need to do is get acquainted with your deck and treat it with respect.

Keep your deck in a specific place on your altar. When not using it, either put it inside a velvet or cloth pouch or place a clear quartz crystal on top of it to charge it. Every now and then, smudge your deck with sage or palo santo. And remember to fan the cards away from you before you shuffle them: this will help them let go of energies from previous readings. Okay? Let’s get started!

One-card daily guidance

Pulling one card every day and observing how the card’s energy manifests into your life is a great exercise before you can do more advanced spreads. Make the one-card guidance a part of your morning ritual. You can ask a broad question like “what will this day bring?” or “what do I need to know today?” Leave the card of the day open on top of your deck.

Three-card spreads

The next stage to try is three-card spreads: three cards, placed one next to another, vertically or horizontally. This spread is very versatile. You can use it for any three qualities or questions, like the ones below.

Card 1: Me | Card 2: My Love Interest | Card 3: Us Together
Card 1: Past | Card 2: Present | Card 3: Future

Card 1: Opportunity | Card 2: Obstacle | Card 3: Outcome

Card 1: Maiden | Card 2: Mother | Card 3: Crone

Card 1: What to know | Card 2: What to do | Card 3: What to avoid

Yes-No spreads

Yes-No spreads are also quite simple to master. Because of that, though, many people overuse them. You need to remember that tarot cards just depict the current energies, so this Yes-No answer is not necessarily a final one. Here’s how to do it:

Think about the question you want to ask in your mind. Shuffle and cut.

Start opening the cards, one by one. Stop when you reach the 13th card or if you get an Ace or the Magician before that.

Continue into the next stack and repeat the process, up to 13 cards.

You will end up with four stacks, one next to another, which will either feature Aces and/or the Magician, or they won’t.

If you have at least three Aces, or two Aces and the Magician, then the answer to your question is Yes. If you have only two Aces, it’s Maybe. If you have only one Ace or none, the answer is No.

Five-card/Five Elements spreads

Your five cards represent the five Elements: Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. Divide your deck into five stacks, one for each of the suits. For Earth, the Pentacle cards; for Air, the Swords; for Fire, the Wands; for Water the Cups; for Spirit, the Major Arcana.

Shuffle each stack and place them in a star shape: the Spirit stack should be on top.

Now, open a card from each stack. The cards you’ll get represent the current energies in that area of your life: financial and physical matters for Earth, thoughts and communication for Air, work and passion for Wands, emotional life and relationships for Chalice, overall guiding energies and the Divine for Spirit.

This is a good spread to do at the beginning of a new month or on a New Moon.

The Celtic Cross spread

A traditional 10-card tarot spread for when you need some more clarity or want to see the underlying forces and influences around a situation. You can do the Celtic Cross for your Love Interest, or do one Celtic Cross for each and see how the cards interact. Check the drawing for the right card placement and find the meanings below:

Card 1: The Present. Where you are now.

Card 2: The Obstacle. What’s stopping you/blocking you.

Card 3: The Past. What has led to your current situation.

Card 4: The Future. What’s likely to come about in the next weeks/months.

Card 5: The Goal. What your ideal outcome is.

Card 6: The Unknown. Subconscious or inner influences that affect your goal.

Card 7: The Advice. What to do next.

Card 8: The Outer Influences. People, events, or energies that affect you.

Card 9: Your Hopes and Fears. What you are hoping or fearing in relation to this goal.

Card 10: The Outcome. How the issue will be resolved based on your current path.

Wheel of the Year spread

A simple but great spread to do on New Year’s or your birthday. You need 12 cards, one for each month, placed in a circle. The first card should be either January (for New Year’s readings) or your birthday month (for birthday readings).

You can do this spread for yourself, for someone else, or to see how your relationship with someone will evolve within the course of a year.

Bespoke spreads

Once you’ve grown into your tarot practice, you can make your own spreads. A good number of cards is around 6–7 (although there’s no limit). Keep your question/goal in your mind, and pull a card for every aspect of it.

Your spread doesn’t need to look a certain way. You can place cards one next to the other or use a shape that makes sense for the kind of reading you’re doing. You can place your cards into an arrow shape, for instance, if you’re doing a spread about goals, or into a heart shape if you’re doing a love reading.