Celtic Cross Spread

Difficulty: Average

This is probably the most well-known tarot spread. A good, basic spread for beginners to practise with, the Celtic Cross is useful for questions of all types. In this spread, it can be helpful to notice the relationships between the pairings of cards #5 & #9, #1 & #2, #3 & #4, and #6 & #10.

1. The significator epitomizes what the reading deals with, the initial situation.
2. An added impulse that compounds the significator, which may be either complimentary or contradictory.
3. This is what is consciously known (thoughts).
4. Unconscious driving forces that may not be known fully (emotions).
5. The immediate past regarding the current situation.
6. The first future card indicates the immediate future.
7. This card represents the reader and their attitude towards cards #1 and #2.
8. The external influences, the places and people which influence the topic.
9. This tarot card suggests expectations; what is secretly hoped for or feared.
10. The second future card reveals the long-term outcome.

Your Celtic Cross Reading

	The Crown Prince of Wands		The Outcome The Lovers Hopes and Fears Prince of Swords External Forces Prince of Cups The Querent 2 of Wands
The Recent Past Queen of Coins	The Crossing Card 5 of Wands The Significator 5 of Cups	The Future King of Wands
	Foundation card 7 of Swords

Three cups are spilling their contents. The other two are collecting what is lost, suggesting that nothing can really be lost. Nevertheless, the spill is important so that a change can take place.

The tower and the star refer to the cards, which are following the devil, which is related to the five cups. The flames in the tower can be understood as a heart. If the observer turns round, he will take the path in the right direction and will not look back.

The beam of a building or some construction shows a definite crack and looks as if it will soon break; therefore, there is need for action. Five different coloured hands are trying to mend it by supporting the beam with stakes. But they are lacking in coordination and a united aim. One has the impression that the stakes could form an upside-down five-pointed star.

The prince appears unexpectedly in the picture. We are slightly alarmed. He looks as though he were made of fire and he seems to be setting his surroundings on fire.

He is lifting his wand as though to fight and moves everything out of his way. But the purple vase, which he has broken in his haste, might have perhaps been useful to him. He hardly notices it; the contents are now lost. In the background a volcano is erupting and pouring its lava over the picture.

The left hand points to the new path towards intuition and the subconscious. The colours correspond with those of the Cups. The right hand tends to turn towards the swords. This area is dominated by the colour blue. The question is how many swords should be taken on the journey.

The queen has made her and her family home very comfortable. Everything has been arranged beautifully, there are flowers on the table, delicious food is prepared, and as well as this she is carrying a new-born baby in her arms. You would think she would need four hands to accomplish it all.

She looks rather discontented and the red colour in the picture suggests a banked-down fire. The four precious stones on the crown refer to the element earth.

The beam of a building or some construction shows a definite crack and looks as if it will soon break; therefore, there is need for action. Five different coloured hands are trying to mend it by supporting the beam with stakes. But they are lacking in coordination and a united aim. One has the impression that the stakes could form an upside-down five-pointed star.

The picture shows coloured energy as well as a certain pallor. The brown colour suggests to us, stuck in the earth, that the right wand could help us.

The hand appears to be hesitant, the waning moon points to fear, the flag of parliament indicates false compromises. The waves in the middle show the situation's emotions.

By winking, the prince is trying to make the marshy spot more attractive for a bathe. The content of his cup doesn't look like water. The sun brightens the scene, although the first cloud has already appeared.

The strong helmet protects the prince, while, with eyes closed and head bent forward, he is demolishing the hard wall. Some bricks are falling down. A part of the wall looks like a bookcase.

This is all about ancient knowledge and opinions, the details of which are being asked about or, in the truest sense of the word, which are being blown into mid-air. However, with his eyes closed the prince cannot take into consideration what he is throwing around.

The picture shows the connection with the opposite theme represented by two circles (blue = conscious) which combine to form an oval. The oval represents striving for unity on a higher level. The two hands stand for polarity and the confrontation with the tree of eternity and the tree of knowledge (of good and evil) with heart-shaped fruit. The serpent is coiled up at the foot of the tree of knowledge.

The yellow background emphasises the energy of the moment. Fish and water show the duality again and the produced flow of energy. The archangel Raphael watches over everyone with his blessing, indicated by God's eye.