The Emperor - AriesThe Hierophant - TaurusThe Lovers - GeminiThe Chariot - Cancer

NOW that you have a clear understanding of

the cards, let’s turn our attention to a sample layout to be used for divination. The meaning of the cards are tied to the cards, but their location in a spread is the true art that allows interpretation on levels that a lot of readers will never achieve. In short, each position has a different meaning associated with it, and you use that meaning in conjunction with the meaning of the card, you get a very clear and accurate picture of what’s happening.

Let’s look at the example of the Five of Wands, the card of conflict. If it’s in a position in a spread that has to do with how one looks at themselves internally, so it could be internal conflict, which means most people in their lives won’t necessarily see the conflict within. But, if it is located in a position that is external in manifestation, such as an environmental position, then it could be straight up conflict with one’s environment and/or the people in it. You can see the diversity of the card when it is looked at this way, and you can see how it opens esoteric doors for further, deeper interpretation.

The following spread is based on the commonly found “Celtic Cross” spread. That spread accompanies most mass market produced tarot decks, and there have even been books written about it and how to interpret with it. This was the first tarot spread that I learned, but in hindsight I realized I learned it wrong. I still have the deck that came with my first tarot deck almost 25 years ago, and last year I went back for the sake of nostalgia. When I looked at the spread, I realized that through the fogginess of my memories I had juxtaposed a few of the positions accidentally. On one hand you could say that shows a faulty memory, and you would be right, but on the other hand it goes to show that when you develop your own system there is no limit to what you can achieve when it comes to accuracy and depth of a reading. I’m a professional reader with almost 25 years of experience, and I couldn’t have gotten this far if I was a bad reader. So the occult lesson here is that I started off with a template, and then accidentally changed it, but got so adept with it that it now successfully works for me. As has been said dozens of times before, once you learn a system, the next step is to develop your own system. Without further ado, here is the spread and the meaning of each position. Remember though, that the timeframes listed corresponding to the different positions is largely fluid. So for example, position six may be anywhere fromthree to five months into the future, and any time in between, but it is probably not talking about something only a few weeks away.

Position 1: Surface thoughts, superficial day to day thoughts, behavior, and how you are perceived

Position 2: What’s crossing your path in the next 10 days to 2 weeks

Position 3: The overall vibe of the whole reading and your current situation

Position 4: Distant past foundations; where you’ve come from in context of the question

Position 5: Recent past events; the last 3-5 months

Position 6: What’s coming up in the next 3-5 months

Position 7: You on an inner level, next level down from position 1

Position 8: Your environment and your relationship to it

Position 9: Your subconscious, the next layer down from position 7

Position 10: Final outcome approximately 6-10 months away; the “answer"

THIS is a tarot spread layout made exclusively for this book, and by extension for those that walk the path of the dragon. There are multiple elements at work here. For those of you that are familiar with the “Golden Dawn” spread, or the one that commonly comes with the Thoth tarot by Aleister Crowley, you will see strong parallels to this spread. However, the parallels are visual only, and the underpinnings of that spread should not be considered here, which could occur subconsciously if one is not careful with their focus.

In essence this is based on two factors. First, it is based on the well-known infinity symbol, and this is of particular note because it harkens back to the magician card that wears that symbol above his head, thus crowned in eternity. Secondly, it is based on Leviathan, the serpent that encompasses everything and generally resides in the void. When using this spread, you are tuning into not only the gnosis of infinity, you are also tapping into the consciousness of Leviathan and the dragon that resides everywhere. The numbers shown below are the order of laying them out. Before executing this spread, make sure the cards are well shuffled, and you have a clear intent in mind.

Of particular note is that this spread is more in line with a detailed initiation rather than a generic or standard yes or no spread. This is because life is a series of initiatic processes and moments, and it should always be remembered that the beginning of something is also the ending of something, and that the only constant is change. The recognition of this is the path of the dragon and the path of the Left Hand Path practitioner. If handled correctly and carefully, each initiatic moment raises us to a new level of being and throws open the door to higher experiences. This is why you see such parallels in particular positions of the cards below, especially positions 4 and 9.

Position 1: Represents the now, and where you are currently

Position 2: The natural flow of things, but more from the perspective of the build, rather than the climax

Position 3: The pinnacle of where things are going in the near future

Position 4: What comes after the height reached in position 3; it also represents when we are pushed to our limit

Position 5: The shadow gnosis that can provide personal growth and ascension

Position 6: How to apply said shadow gnosis

Position 7: How to proceed after the shadow gnosis is integrated

Position 8: Represents the next level up of personal and spiritual development now that the gnosis of the shadow is integrated

Position 9: The opposite limit from position 4; note this position precedes the next descent into the shadow

Position 10: The second piece of shadow gnosis that can be applied to the situation at hand

Position 11: The final piece of the equation; in this way it is the answer and the solution, but it is also a portal

WE now come to a different kind of layout you can use with a tarot deck, but rather than having its roots in divination, it has its roots in ceremonial magick. This should be obvious to those that are familiar with evocation, and for those of you that aren’t, then this can serve as your first introduction to that arcane art. There are three components to this spread.

Firstly, there is the ceremonial circle. This is created by laying down the major trumps that correspond to the zodiacal signs*, and they are laid down in that order as well. However, when you lay them down, do so in a counterclockwise direction to show the macrocosm of astrology. For those of you that are familiar with the rituals of the hexagram, you see how this all comes together.

Secondly, there is the altar in the middle. While some versions of this layout show the four aces interlocking to form the altar, technically the altar is subjective based on your personal spiritual path. For example, you could use the Four of Pentacles as your altar instead, since it corresponds to personal power. Or, you could choose one card from each suit to represent that particular element. If you do that though, remember the elemental correspondences, so you would want to place a sword in the east, a wand in the south, a cup in the west, and a pentacle in the north.

Finally, the third component is the triangle of art. This is the place where the spirit that is summoned will appear and be contained or focused, depending on your practice. This is made of three cards: the Fool, the Hanged Man, and Judgment. The reason these three cards are used is because each one of them corresponds to a primal element, but on a macrocosmic scale rather than the microcosmic scale of the aces. Yes, you can use this triangle for its intended purpose of evocation if you choose, or you can use it in a more modern and inventive way. In essence this is based on two factors.

This spread will differ from the previous two because it specifically focuses on spirit work rather than divining answers. In essence, this is the spread to use when you find yourself wanting to do ritual, but you are not in a position to access your temple or any one available, really. In this way it is a template to use to get started, and as you get better with it, adjusted to your taste. Because of this, it also really doesn’t matter too much which of thethree components you lay down first. Traditionally the triangle of art is located in the east, to the east of the circle, but if you work with a tradition that begins in the north, west, or south, then feel free to adjust accordingly. Leave the outer cards in the circle that are zodiacal in the same order though, starting with the Emperor/Aries in the east.

If you are familiar with evocation, then you will find the same principles can be used here. If you are not, nor are you interested in learning it, you can still use this layout. In this case, the mental way to approach it is to place a card corresponding to your desired manifestation within the triangle, and then execute the ritual as you feel appropriate from there. Once you decide whether you are going to perform an evocation or a different application of this format, the rest is performed according to your ritual skill. Remember though, this is a tarot deck, and if you find you are in a position to need it to execute a ritual, it would probably be wisest to keep your ritual simple rather than overly complex.

The Emperor - AriesThe Hierophant - TaurusThe Lovers - GeminiThe Chariot - Cancer

Lust - LeoThe Hermit - Virgo

Adjustment - LibraDeath - ScorpioArt - SagittariusThe Devil - CapricornThe Star - AquariusThe Moon - Pisces

⇐ Предыдущая 12