Ankh Spread

Difficulty: Kind of tough

The Ankh Spread is for questions about the causes behind trends. It is similar to the Celtic Cross and Secret of the High Priestess spreads, but it covers the reasons behind the circumstances in question differently, perhaps giving a better explanation of why things are the way they are.

The loop of the upper section of the ankh reveals the spiritual background and causes of the situation, while the stem of the base focuses on prospects for the outcome.

The first two tarot cards represent the two parent causes of the situation. They will either complement each other or show two opposing sides of a conflict, depending on how they relate. These are the significator cards of the Ankh spread.

3. This tarot card shines light upon the early causes of the trend in question.

4. Pinpoints the causes that triggered the current situation.

5. Reveals the spiritual perspective of the subject at hand.

6. This card examines the reasons why this course of action had to unfold, as a means to this end.

At this point, it is good to pause to soak in the meaning of the first six cards before moving forward to the last three cards. The last three reveal prospects for the future.

7. The Next Step gives clues about the immediate future.

8. Surprising Experiences encountered en route to the result.

9. This represents the result.

Your Ankh Reading

Early Causes	Higher Perceptions Ace of Cups	Triggering Causes
Eight of Swords	Necessary Conclusions	VII – The Chariot
Significator #1	IX – The Hermit	Significator #2
Two of Pentacles	Next Step	Eight of Cups
	XIX – The Sun
	Surprising Experiences Five of Pentacles
	Outcome X – The Wheel of Fortune

The Two of Pentacles card indicates that you have power in your balance, striving for equality and choosing not to indulge in instant gratification at the expense of your own purpose. Based upon your values, you are responsible in taking on only what you can handle. Choice and negotiation are your assets.

The Two of Pentacles card reversed suggests that it might be tempting to give up in the face of conflict or romantic stagnation, especially if it seems like you're facing a 'catch-22' or a 'lesser of two evils' decision. When it comes to your partner, you may not be on the same wavelength regarding this matter. Be conscious of the two-way street of overcompensation. . .It should work itself out.

While it may be a hassle or a struggle, making an effort to dance the fine line between practical realities and sensual pleasures can put you in position to resolve this issue. Remember that concentrating too much on the positive or negative makes an opening for maliciousness. Be what IS as you balance! Communication, voicing your issue may bring forth balance.

* A manner of reading a reversal is to emphasise rather than a reversed meaning, an internal meaning relating more to one's inner self than indicating the outer world. Read the card with your inner context, what it says to you about your inner person.

The 8 of Cups indicates listlessness, lack of purpose, or a moving away from what no longer works to something new. Thinking of the 7 of Cups, the baby steps of your new actions are just poking through as with new noses poking up in your garden.

The 8 of Cups also indicates to be neither patient nor anxious. Telling your dahlias to hurry may just be laughable to the dahlias. Let in the laughable of your current situation. Travel may also be indicated, some travel even as simple as a stroll through an unfamiliar park or place. Sometimes it's best to let things clear on their own accord. Feel free to lose your focus and forget your troubled inertia. Forgetting is often for getting what you're missing.

* A manner of reading a reversal is to emphasise rather than a reversed meaning, an internal meaning relating more to one's inner self than indicating the outer world. Read the card with your inner context, what it says to you about your inner person.

The 8 of Swords indicates a positive change of mind towards your troubles, a positive change of mind manifesting. Enhance it boldly. Justice, material progress, and health are indicated with this new way. You're releasing yourself from the prison of transparent belief. Act in the moment. Your positive change of mind is indicated to turn your troubles into effective communications that you can utilise to balance yourself forward.

The Chariot indicates you are bringing powerfully diverse, internal forces into harmony. Indicates agility at speed in your process. Take note of your strategies as chariots typically engage from the side rather than head on. Look to the powerful forces in your life to feel where strain needs to be tuned back in to balance. The embodiment of stand-alone, self-nourishing connections is indicated in the agility of your actions. Shift and corner! This is a great time to feel the agility of your responsiveness!

The Ace of Cups indicates opening up to love, to new life beginning. Opening up to the psychic and spiritual realm is also indicated. Trust your intuition. Receive the blessing of your psychic messages. That's a voicemail code to remember! Only think the good ones into action. The rest. . .let them rest. Initiate your emotional and intuitive cycle of nurturing love and restoring joy. Your cup is filled with dreams, visions, and inspirations welling up from within. Share them. Take a walk and crank your iPod on the beach!

The Hermit indicates inner activity and the clarity you see in the mysteries and seeming lack of form in darkness, indicates walking the cloister of your mind. You may be acutely aware of cycles of experience completed at this time. Identify them clearly and meditate on them from within. Be inwardly active. Others may not see what you see or feel what you feel. The Hermit is not stationary. Do not maintain or hold static perspectives. Now is a poignant time to sense YOUR perspective, and believe what you feel.

The Sun indicates who you really are but forgot when you entered life. Smiling, you reconcile opposites. You have your own inner light serving to illuminate the way on your path. This will always come and go like the Sun. Remember, though, even when it is gone, it is soon to return. . . .like the sun!

Visualise dawn and dusk. Note the marked difference between them, the powerful changes present between night and day, between day and night.

Here it is indicated that you meet your inner light in a way that moves you to shine more brightly with the truth of the purpose you feel. Shining brightly, feeling who you are, be refreshed both inside and out! The Sun card indicates that you will experience your own glory and respect what you have to offer. Honour and utilise your own gains, feel your pleasures, experience your triumphs. With your refreshed brightness enthusiastically reap your success!

This is a time where you are more visible, and your way feels bright.

The 5 of Pentacles indicates emotional, physical, material and /or spiritual crises that manifest as loss and lack on the physical plane. Look within. Determine what must be changed to improve your situation. Healing the inside. Weed. Amend your soil. Forgiveness of yourself, others. Transform negative thought patterns while not feeling sorry for yourself, not being a separatist, or blind to the blessings all around. Anger is a fabulous reminder that there are still some things misunderstood, and if you're mad at yourself, change gears with a nap, a warm bath, or meditation. Feel the hope and bright warmth hiding in oppressive circumstances.

Creatively using oppressive circumstances, rise above your own limitations. Recognise your own appreciation. . .Drop the things that are expected but unnecessary and you get more valuable all the time!

Beware of daydreams that substitute patterns that keep you from manifesting your dreams. Think self-limitation, your soul becoming more conscious, isolation for the purpose of gathering strength and gaining focus to develop your own uniqueness. Shamanic work is also indicated. Simply value your life. . .and do not act on reactive impulses. As soon as you decide, then take at least ONE more step. It may feel like rock bottom, but perspective can also place that as something strong on which to stand. Look for the glow!

The Wheel Of Fortune indicates big things. Luck, change, and fortune. Abundance, prosperity, and happiness. Is there a dollar on the sidewalk? The Wheel indicates change in a manner that almost always brings joy along with it. Place yourself where you want to be and flow naturally without force. . .such as. . .as you do your work, think only of the doing of your work and lose yourself in it for a bit mindfully. Reasons have gone wonderfully missing here. This is a time of being comfortable with the not-knowing. Stay aware and enjoy things simply happening as they do. * A manner of reading a reversal is to emphasise rather than a reversed meaning, an internal meaning relating more to one's inner self than indicating the outer world. Read the card with your inner context, what it says to you about your inner person.