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 ![]() Seven of Wands |
Triggering Causes |
![]() Six of Swords |
Necessary Conclusions | ![]() VIII – Justice |
| Significator #1 | ![]() XII – The Hanged Man |
Significator #2 |
![]() Ten of Wands |
Next Step | ![]() Ace of Cups |
![]() XVIII – The Moon |
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Surprising Experiences ![]() Knight of Swords |
||
Outcome ![]() King of Pentacles |
Significator #1
Ten of Wands
The 10 of Wands indicates courage shown along the road of your path, wonderfully strong balance of all you carry. Towing EVERYTHING with the grace of your own body. Each twilight sky prefigures the coming of the night, presages the promise of the coming dawn. New days bring wonderful new challenges. There is courage in owning what you carry, invigorating it and being invigorated by it. Blind faith in fulfilling your purpose expresses the balance indicated. Transformation here is catalysed by the passion and direction in your principles.
The agility with wonderfully strong balance indicates you may juggle so well and naturally that it appears to be a solar system.
Significator #2
Ace of Cups
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!
Early Causes
Six of Swords
The 6 of Swords indicates a person is dragging with baggage from their past, oftentimes problems that have been dwelt on at length. Realise your transparent beliefs, and work to stop depending on them. They are not crushing you, but open your eyes and see what the world has to offer. Face your problems, it's time to fight them off. See what IS rather than what you expect.
Also indicated is that expectations right in front of you can dull your senses to make for multiple blind spots. Sometimes all your problems may not be problems at all. Before jettisoning them, take a look and see if your perspective is simply one of not feeling how all these things are working together. A disassembled car in a garage can be a mess. The key's just another part. But, put together, and that key may = VROOOOOM!!! And, there's also the other side of taking out the trash when the pieces don't fit. Be mindful to not trick yourself into thinking things are working when they are not. As with the re-assembled car, but with several extra pieces in your hand. . .where key might not = VROOM!
Reversed the 6 of Swords indicates that you may be blocking out invigorating energies that are calling you to action. Though an awareness of the facts may be present, you may be ignoring them or moving around or sitting still afraid of facing them. Most probably the solution and / or course of action is present. You may be refusing to see the solution. The solution may be so big and there and present that you aren't seeing it out of the blind spot of comfortable expectations.
Triggering Causes
VIII – Justice
Justice indicates that your life is coming back into balance with a strong sense of fairness. This fairness indicates not to concentrate so much on right and wrong. Odds are you are a good person. Consequences and outcomes are more important at this time. Suggested to work to be considerate rather than being agreeable at this time. Consideration is a fitting use of the energies of Justice. Be mindful of yourself as you are, and mindful of others as they are. Your life decisions and the fabric of your unfolding patterns is indicated to be informed by your inner scale of weights and measures. * 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.
Higher Perceptions
Seven of Wands
The 7 of wands indicates going in headlong, taking affirmative and decisive action, and succeeding. Success is indicated even when out-numbered or swamped by adversity.
Necessary Conclusions
XII – The Hanged Man
The Hanged Man indicates you may be afloat in clarity with your spirituality and dreams and psychic abilities being wholly present. Ever peaceful, never suffering. Suspension, not life or death, is indicated.
The Hanged Man indicates to stop resisting and make yourself vulnerable to the positive things, and in doing so glimpse illumination. An insight so deep is indicated that, even if but for a moment, nothing but that insight will feel to exist. And, as timeless as that moment seems, there is also an acute awareness of its temporary nature. Remember this time as you may never see things quite the same.
Note your insights at this time, however great or small they are. You may feel forever changed by them, and by the memory of their presence. * A manner of reading a reversal is to emphasize 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 Next Step
XVIII – The Moon
The Moon indicates inner connections so intense that they transcend space. Your intense intuition can seamlessly join a variety of unseen forces in harmony as they are reflected inside you. Creative connections with seemingly impossible things can also be indicated.
The moon's reflection on a watery path can be disorienting OR a fascinatingly beautiful and mesmerising image to behold. The Moon indicates to feel your actions. Planning is for another time. Your planning may have placed you right where you are now. Move with only your natural movements in mind. There can be a kind of magnetism in this reflection.
Believing and knowing are not enough at this time. It is indicated to trust your intuition.
Surprises
Knight of Swords
The Knight of Swords indicates you are a generator of ideas. Well placed, you are putting ideas into action. Regardless of the opposition, large or small, conviction in your beliefs and ideas is indicated. Be prepared to defend your placement, your position. Full speed ahead Baby! You are working with a strong base.
The Outcome
King of Pentacles
The King of Pentacles indicates the Master Builder, building concrete and psychic structures together. Everything built here stands the test of time as it is living of its own accord and rooted strongly. There is an uncompromising quality with clean lines spare of ornament. This is not the domain of the glorious, but of grand simplicity with strength and wit and directness of gesture. In regard to an architecture of clean lines spare of ornament visualise the human body.
This is the card of strong foundations already built under your dreams. Proper reinforcement and formwork is not a requirement, was the norm, and all exceeds expectations. Formwork was sloughed off as forgotten memory, afterbirth. Reinforcement enhances and strengthens the structure, and is embedded. Quick fixes make for shallow roots. This is the card of developed roots and healthy and prominent accomplishments.
