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.
- The significator epitomizes what the reading deals with, the initial situation.
- An added impulse that compounds the significator, which may be either complimentary or contradictory.
- This is what is consciously known (thoughts).
- Unconscious driving forces that may not be known fully (emotions).
- The immediate past regarding the current situation.
- The first future card indicates the immediate future.
- This card represents the reader and their attitude towards cards #1 and #2.
- The external influences, the places and people which influence the topic.
- This tarot card suggests expectations; what is secretly hoped for or feared.
- The second future card reveals the long-term outcome.
Your Celtic Cross Reading
The Crown |
The Outcome![]() Five of Cups
External Forces ![]() Two of Swords
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The Recent Past![]() Seven of Pentacles |
The Crossing Card
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The Future![]() Eight of Swords |
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The Significator represents what the main theme of the reading deals with, the initial situation.
Page of Pentacles
The Page of Pentacles indicates identity development, tuning and tailoring of your established identity, growing and finding your own space, making your own place, building foundations under dreams, amending the soil to nourish your context.
About beginning to find your roots and what works for you. About money and / or health. The Page of Pentacles indicates a person who is very studious and conscientious about money and respectful of others and their property. With this mindset tinker with things at length to see how they work. Understand placement and how your things, aspects, and surroundings inhabit the world they live in.
Pages often indicate expert skill disguised in play. Have fun or simply flow while very actively developing the object of your inquiry. Look at the vitality in the community that is your life.
The Crossing Card denotes an added impulse that compounds the initial card, whether complimentary or contradictory.
V – The Hierophant
The Hierophant indicates infusing you, your mind-body-beautiful, with the divine, bringing your dreams clearly down to earth. Your spirit is radiating. Bring your dreams to reality from within you!
This time is well-suited for enhancing meaningful things in your life.
* 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 Crown stands for what the asker is aware of consciously.
Eight of Cups
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.
Foundation card reveals unconscious driving forces that the querent may not be aware of.
Ace of Swords
The Ace of Swords card indicates to stick to the point, make yourself clear. Prepared, stand up for yourself. Meditate options objectively before taking the next logical step. Understand or identify the cause by feeling it. You get what you want by trusting your own personal convictions and inner voice implicitly.
Be mindful of impersonal, indifferent, or even bossy expressions. Cut through the bull while protecting your privacy. Do not let down your guard, and visualise your guard and armour as your health. Keep your wits about you. Feelings rule here over reasons or explanations.
Ideas are present with the Ace of Swords, but with no certainty towards placement. The Ace of Swords presents your present opportunity to cut through the confusion, and shed some new light on the situation that is causing difficulties. Change the light in your home. Wide open blinds! Blast-wash with light. Your ideas are there. Let them cut in to your dance! This is the daily sword-sharpening devotion. Let its roots flower in patience. There is a discipline of the ritual in plants. First year roots. Second year foliage. Third year fruits and flowers.
Swords often represent some type of communications. A problem that you've created for yourself in your own mind, involvement in a situation where a clear decision isn't present, or you've been looping, record-skipping, can't see an end in sight. It is indicated to cut through and look at the core of what is being communicated to you.
Reversed, the Ace of Swords could mean an opportunity that won't really make any difference to the situation. Don't be fooled. Continue your daily sharpening and feel your inner landscape. Your only outburst is recommended to be a smirk of a smile inside or out amidst and during your whetstone strokes, sharpening your sword. Breath is prayer. Pray as breath. Sharpen as breath.
The Recent Past represents past events and concerns.
Seven of Pentacles
The 7 of Pentacles indicates that the hard work has been done. It is time for quiet watchfulness, gestation, letting things develop. Tangible material success in some form is on its way.
Visualise wonderful outcomes and let them come as they may. Do not be attached to the outcomes. Be attached to being delightfully surprised. Use this time wisely by being actively invigorated!
The Future depicts that which lies ahead.
V – The Hierophant
The Hierophant indicates infusing you, your mind-body-beautiful, with the divine, bringing your dreams clearly down to earth. Your spirit is radiating. Bring your dreams to reality from within you!
This time is well-suited for enhancing meaningful things in your life.
* 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 Querent represents the asker and their attitude towards the subject of the reading.
Page of Cups
The Page of Cups indicates caring for someone, playful and fun thoughts of loved ones. Musical or artistic talent are indicated, playing with your cup. Being loved and feeling that you are being loved even if you are on your own. There is strength of character present with the Page of Cups to skilfully and playfully follow your dreams.
External Forces represents the influence of others in your life as well as trends in your relationships with others.
Two of Swords
The 2 of Swords indicates a balance of opposites, an upcoming decision, considering the views of your opponent. Judge clearly whether a shout or a whisper of an action will be heard more clearly, or none at all.
Hopes and Fears shows the expectations you have concerning the outcome of your question.
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.
The Outcome of your question. Interpret this card in the context of the entire reading and as an indicator of the path you are currently on, but not necessarily bound to.
Five of Cups
The 5 of Cups indicates rough, turbulent, or confusing times. Possible loss, or loss already occurred are also indicated. Cups indicate that all is not lost, though. Like the seagull seeing something positive in the tumultuous sea, hope for the future and treasure discovered in your emotions is indicated.

