Horse Shoe Spread

Difficulty: Easy

The Horse Shoe is a classic tarot spread. It is more advanced than the three-card reading, yet simpler than most other spreads. It is a versatile method that can be used for most queries, though there are other spreads which would go into more depth. Like the simple Past, Present, and Future spread, it contains these cards in positions #1, #2, and #7, but also has four other tarot cards that help the reader understand how to deal with the future better. The cards are to be read as follows:

1. The Past: Past events affecting the question.
2. The Present: The current state or approaching influence.
3. Hidden Influences: Things the reader may not be aware of (or barely be aware of).
4. Obstacles: This is the challenge: obstacles may be avoided or may have to be dealt with.
5. External Influences: Attitudes and thoughts regarding people around the reader.
6. Suggestions: Recommended course of action.
7. Outcome: The result of following the suggestions.

Your Horse Shoe Reading

	Obstacle The Lovers
Hidden Influences Prince of Swords		External Influences Princess of Coins
The Present 9 of Swords		Suggestion The Hanged Man
The Past Queen of Wands		The Outcome 4 of Wands

The orangey-yellow colour of the picture symbolises fire; the green colour portrays fertility and growth. The sunflowers also testify a connection between energy and growth.

The throne gives the impression of a sun-queen; the creases on her skirt point to sexual energy, her red hair is tied back. The black cat, with its back to us, stands for independence and magic powers. There is a precious stone on the queen's crown, this connects her to the magician's figure one.

The swords look like teeth, which at any moment could bite. The hands are held up for protection. The eye wants to open, but its vision is obstructed.

The waning moon emphasises the existing fear. The sunrise is at hand. Roses promise development, joy of life and the coming forth of emotions in the near future.

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.

The many different types of mushrooms fascinate the princess. Each one of them is like a precious stone. She collects everything she finds without considering what to do with them. As one can see, some of the mushrooms are poisonous. Her curiosity and openness can also be a danger to her.

She is in the country. The busy mice look like friends or brothers and sisters.

The sole of the foot is turned upwards, the world is turned upside down. This is what the picture shows. The beam and the rope are blue. Rationality, an attempt to consciously act, binds the hanged man. But here there also seems to be hope. Leaves are growing out of wood.

The colour yellow at the bottom of the picture stands for the light which the hanged man experiences when he manages to let himself fall. The wide path in the background leads to a dead-end against blue rocks. Walking back a bit one can find a narrow track which leads around the rocks back into the light. The violet background portrays the night sky. Normal vision is not carried any further.

The colours portray richness of energy as well as naturalness and balance. The trees are young, which shows the garden has just been laid out. The small fir tree, put up for the topping-out ceremony, is still standing on the roof of the house.

The garden-gate is open and the hand is making an inviting gesture. The wall, however, gives a certain amount of protection and the door can also be closed.

The number four, noticeable in the clouds, in the number of trees and the style of the building stones, emphasise materialism. The mountains in the background indicate that this is most probably not the last project of its sort.