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 The Hierophant		The Outcome Strength Hopes and Fears The Emperor External Forces Justice The Querent Prince of Wands
The Recent Past 7 of Swords	The Crossing Card The Star The Significator 4 of Cups	The Future 3 of Cups
	Foundation card Ace of Swords

A fourth cup, which, does not really want to fit in the well-balanced harmony of the other three, joins the three cups. The hand with its intensive colour shows the rejection it experiences. The fourth fish is green, as though it felt ill. Altogether the colours are lighter than those of the Three of Cups.

Nine stars are pointing towards a goal. The violet colour in the picture illustrates the spiritual atmosphere, the blue water and the fish symbolise clarity, flow of energy and liveliness, the path is well lit and seems to become easier and the sky is clearing to a light blue.

The signs of the Zodiac point towards methods, which are occupied with one's own future, and act as deputy for all oracle techniques.

The pentahedral star in the picture shows how the four elements, which appear in the four lower rays, come into contact with spiritualism. This is represented in the uppermost point by God's eye, in the iris of which the Wheel of Fortune is alluded to. The violet background underlines the principle of spiritualism.

The labyrinth in the middle of the star points to the search for the meaning, which by way of the heart is also a search for the centre. The two hands at the top represent the obvious (exoteric) and the concealed (esoteric). The praying hands at the bottom symbolise the pupil.

The sword is rising out of the water. The blue colour in the picture symbolises clarity. The three different coloured butterflies indicate different thoughts and the perception of difference. One butterfly is sitting on the tip of the sword, a symbol of decision. The halo supports the impression of clarification and purification.

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.

Nine stars are pointing towards a goal. The violet colour in the picture illustrates the spiritual atmosphere, the blue water and the fish symbolise clarity, flow of energy and liveliness, the path is well lit and seems to become easier and the sky is clearing to a light blue.

The signs of the Zodiac point towards methods, which are occupied with one's own future, and act as deputy for all oracle techniques.

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 striking red background of the picture shows that justice has to be very often looked for in emotional situations. Libra's sword and suspension are blue. This stands for rational action. The sword with its double cross the card's eight. The violet colour of the bowls shows the necessity for openness and entirety.

Both hands are equally involved in the weighing process. Rationality and intuition are both important. The eye is half open, it is looking both outwardly and inwardly. The fruits symbolise maturity, which has to reach a good decision for justice.

The picture has the effect of being rather poor and harsh. The blue colours represent coolness, but due to the red and yellow one can sense a certain energy, which also appears in Aries' head at the corner of the throne, connected astrologically with the Emperor.

The card's number four, which also represents the element earth, can be found in the house in the square of rocks and the crown also shows four spikes and four stones. Further symbols of the Emperor are an orb (symbol of world dominion) and a form of sceptre (symbol of materialism in life).

A sceptre and a sword seem to be fighting. Water and fire, portrayed in striking red, stand for subconscious strength. They are kept under control by the symbols of earth and air, the conscious elements, portrayed by the sword (clarity), the house (stability) and the wall (limits, firmness). The violet colour of the wall also shows a penetration of the colours red and blue.

The trees also contain this mixture of the elements, but they are growing cautiously as well as the clouds, water, which so to speak, becomes air (gaseous). They also stand for integration, which on the one hand makes us more flexible but on the other hand obscures things. The lemniscates, which can be seen clearly in magic, can be found in the two trees in the top left corner. It illustrates swinging into the next bend.