Path Spread

Difficulty: Easy

For the Path reading, one asks for suggestions how to behave properly to achieve a desired result. The Current column represents how the reader has been acting, and the Suggestedcolumn suggests how they should act to achieve a certain goal. The chart-like spread uses the standard three levels: Rational, Emotional, and External Stance (how one projects oneself outwardly). When comparing the Current and Suggested cards, the most important thing is to notice the differences between the two cards. It is these differences which hint at the behaviours that should be altered.

Card #1 is the significator, the card which should reflect the nature of the query and/or the desired outcome.

Card #2 shows the way the reader is and has been thinking. Card #7 suggests how to change the way one thinks to serve themselves better.

Card #3 suggests the reader's emotional attitude. Though it may seem difficult to manipulate one's own emotions, it can be done if one puts their mind to it. For example, acting a certain way such as smiling intently for a few minutes will lead the emotions to follow. When a person tries this, as silly as the exercise seems, they find this to evoke the emotion of happiness. For this reading, one should try to make themselves feel the way that Card #6 suggests.

External Stance means how one acts outwardly, how they hope others see them. Card #4 is about how the reader has been acting, while #5 indicates how they should act outwardly, for other people's sake. It is the differences between these cards that hint at what behaviour patterns should be altered.

Your Path Reading

	Current	The Significator 8 of Cups	Suggested
Thought	Prince of Swords		Queen of Swords
Emotion	Princess of Cups		The Emperor
External Stance	The Sun		9 of Cups

Seven cups are covered with a cloth, so that they won't be damaged during absence. A cup is being held in the left hand and a sword in the right. They look like a complementary couple.

There is water to the right and left of the path and one must take care not to tread in it. In the background we can see the Hermit's hut and several hills, which could turn out to be mountains. The waxing moon shows uncertainty. The journey might not be too easy.

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 queen is holding the butterfly carefully on her lap. At the same time, she is showing the detached chain and is banishing the black butterfly to the guillotine.

The blood on the ground shows clearly that the apparatus has already been used. She does not look callous; instead, she looks grievous and resolute. Her collar, studded with 15 precious stones, indicates she is sometimes struck dumb by little devils, the result of painful experiences.

Waves emboss the picture and the princess‘ hair and the night-sky move with them. The moon and stars indicate intuition and emotionality.

The eyes seem to mirror the night-light, and also point to the personal inner starry sky. The hearts in the picture speak for themselves and the three fish suggest approaching materialism.

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).

The sun can be seen clearly and it dominates the picture. The last walls are being conquered and in between them flowers are already growing. This lets us suspect that the difficult path is at an end. The path, which continues, can already be seen beyond the wall.

The content of the nine cups is being poured over the picture and meets in a whirlpool in the middle. Three colours refer to the number three, out of which the number nine (3x3) exists. Notes (music/art), grapes (food/drink) and a heart (love/friendship) stand for areas which contain pleasure and well-being.

The colour red points to warmth, blue symbolises refreshment. The colour green can be understood as referring to a negative aspect on the card e.g., exaggerated personal pleasure.