Spreading the Cards

Introduction

Reading Tarot cards can reveal insights into your past, present, or future. The premise is simple: the Querent asks a question, and then the Reader draws the cards and interprets the results.

Tarot reading has been used for divination since the 1700s, and every Reader develops his or her own methods for interpreting the cards. There are some fundamentals, but Readers are encouraged to explore and develop their own unique approach.

The Deck

The Tarot deck contains seventy-eight cards: twenty-two Major Arcana and fifty-six Minor Arcana.

The Major Arcana represent the journey through life, and the archetypical stages that everyone experiences. Everyone begins life as the Fool, and ends life as the Fool.

The Minor Arcana represents the actions, thoughts, feelings, and material struggles that we all encounter in our lives. The Querent seeks to learn from every experience.

The Minor Arcana are made up of four suits and fifty-six cards, like a traditional deck of playing cards. Face cards consist of Knave/Page, Knight, Queen, and King. Each suit is associated with one of the elements.

Clubs/Wands/Staffs corresponds to Fire, Cups to Water, Coins/ Pentacles/Disks/Spheres to Earth, and Swords/Spears/Arrows to Air. The cards in each of the suits take on the symbolism and essence of the corresponding element: Fire/Action, Water/Emotions, Earthwork, and Air/Thought.

Spreading the Cards

A spread is a layout for the Tarot cards which provides a framework for the reading. Spreads often follow a predefined theme where the position of the cards is relevant to how they are interpreted.

There are numerous different types of spreads. Certain spreads tend to work well for different types of questions. This guide will provide a starter spread, but you can research and find many predefined spreads. As you become more experienced, consider developing your own unique spreads.

Three-Card Spread

The past/present/future three-card spread is the best and most commonly used starting spread. This simple spread is ideal for novice Readers and simple questions. Cards are drawn and read in the following order:

t) Past, 2) Present, and 3) Future.

Past Present Future

The Past: This card symbolizes the Querent’s past experiences, recent or distant, that pertain to the Querent’s question.

2. The Present: This card represents the current situation.

3. The Future: This card indicates a possible future outcome for the

Querent, or a goal the Querent should strive for regarding the question or issue. The Querent can have an impact on his or her future via their thoughts and actions.

Tips

Become familiar with your deck. Buy a journal and take a page to write about each card, starting with the Fool, in the Major Arcana, and going through all seventy-eight cards, in sequence.

Look at the pictures and use the explanations in this booklet to connect each card with one of your life experiences. Since the cards are archetypical, you have experienced all seventy-eight at least once. Perhaps you’ve experienced certain cards repeatedly. Write your corresponding life experience with each card in your journal.

The explanations in this booklet refer to the card being “upright” or “reversed”. After shuffling, drawing, and turning over the cards, some may be upright while others will be upside

down (or reversed). Reversed cards turn the meaning “upside down. “

Pay attention to the symbolism in the artwork; the symbolism enhances, and provides nuance, to the meaning of the cards.

Tarot cards are not deterministic and life is not lated. The future is never set. The Querent can always alter his or her future by changing their course of action, changing their thoughts, or adjusting their feelings.

The Major

Arcana

The Fool (0)

Meaning: The Fool represents a leap of faith, the beginning and ending of the Major Arcana journey we all take through life. We are the Fool; therefore, the Fool archetype is about curiosity and open- mindedness, going with the flow of life, and managing our way through the unknown.

Symbolism: The figure is dancing and leaping through the air while a skeletal animal watches from below. The dancing energy represents the Fool's carefree nature and exuberance for life.

Upright: optimism, a journey without a destination, a new beginning, curiosity, and potential

Reversed: foolishness, gullibility, and ignorance

The Magician (I)

Meaning: The Magician represents choices and creative problem-solving, a connection between imagination and reality. The Magician archetype is the first encounter for the Fool, indicating that we all must make crucial decisions on our life journey.

Symbolism: The hooded figure uses his magical power to bring light into the darkness. The light is necessary for the figure to solve problems, fix what is broken, and make rational choices.

Upright: choices, problem-solving, diverse knowledge, solutions, and cleverness

Reversed: deception, conning, mistakes, something broken beyond repair, and failure

The High Priestess (II)

Meaning: The High Priestess represents the knowledge and enlightenment that we attain by overcoming difficulties. The High Priestess archetype is the second encounter for the Fool, indicating that we must learn how to trust our intuition, and when to seek guidance from others.

Symbolism: A female figure stands in front of a full moon with half of her body exposed and the other half covered. Her face is a swirl of black and white energy. These visuals symbolize her connection to the light and the darkness, to positive and negative energy.

Upright: divination, wisdom from experience, insight, and counseling

Reversed: gossip, bad advice, incomplete knowledge, and misrepresentation

The Empress (III)

Meaning: The Empress represents the feminine divine, the essence of beauty, abundance, and nourishment. The Empress archetype is the third encounter for the Fool, teaching you about the natural world, how to care for the world, how to nurture yourself, and how to care for others.

Symbolism: A female figure prepares to swallow the light in order to nourish her child. Even in darkness, the light is necessary for life. She does what is necessary to grow and protect her unborn offspring.

Upright: nurturing, abundance, the feminine divine, and sovereignty over the natural order

Reversed: Hardships, scarcity, bareness, and neediness

The Emperor (IV)

Meaning: The Emperor represents the masculine divine, the essence of command, order, and power. The Emperor archetype is the fourth encounter for the Fool, teaching us how to establish order from chaos, how to the shape the natural world to our needs, and how to build civilization.

Symbolism: A powerfully built figure rises through the darkness, displaying physical strength and mental fortitude.

Upright: authority, the rule maker, order, stability, and sovereignty over society and civilization

Reversed: abuse of power, cruelty, dictatorship, and narcissism

The Hierophant (V)

Meaning: The Hierophant represents wisdom attained through scholarship and exploring the world, the knowledge and potential wisdom we attain in our effort to make sense of life. The Hierophant archetype is the fifth encounter for the Fool, indicating that we need to go beyond intuition and emotion, and use intellect and experience to solve some problems. Or, we need to find someone with those qualities to help us.

Symbolism: A figure whose head is bursting with so much knowledge and power that he has to use both hands to contain his wisdom until he can fully process what he has learned and will share with others.

Upright: wisdom, authority, knowledge, doctrine, and advice

Reversed: arrogance, elitism, hypocrisy, and charlatanism

The Lovers (VI)

Meaning: The Lovers represents partnership, especially a profound connection with someone that is both intimate and romantic. The Lovers archetype is the sixth encounter for the Fool, indicating that we cannot fully experience life until we connect with someone intimately and deeply.

Symbolism: Two figures embrace one another, merging their energies together in a sacred and sexual union.

Upright: commitment, status through union, connection, and soul mate

Reversed: jealousy, unfaithfulness, conflict, and separation or divorce

The Chariot (VII)

Meaning: The Chariot represents willpower and drive; the intense focus we need to establish our identities and stand out in important and useful ways. The Chariot archetype is the seventh encounter for the Fool, teaching us how important it is to have conviction and intensity in our lives.

Symbolism: A warrior rides a chariot across uneven terrain pulled by black and white stallions. They traverse the landscape going ever higher, undaunted by any challenges.

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