Comic Strip Spread

Difficulty: Easy

Note: This spread works best with decks like the Diary of a Broken Soul or Surrealist Tarot because they display scenes rather than pips and do not use reversals.

The Comic Strip Spread is a simple nine-card chronological spread that looks like a page of a comic book. This method should be used to get a glimpse of the future as it would pan out naturally. It may be insightful to use this spread in coordination with biorhythms. The spread is easy to read as a storyboard, just like a comic strip.

The main subject is apparent in the first card, while the story plays out through the following tarot cards.

It is important to pay particular attention to the cards and the relationships with their neighbours. Notice which directions the cards are facing, and how they interact.

Your Comic Strip Reading

VII – The Chariot	XIV – Temperance	Knight of Swords
XVI – The Tower	Ace of Cups	King of Swords
IX – The Hermit	XII – The Hanged Man	Four of Wands

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! * 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.

Card 2: XIV – Temperance

Temperance indicates seeming impossible opposites mixing and working together. See the man and beast joined in the centaur is a uniquely complete being. See a bow and arrow. One is moving, one stationary. Feel the mixing of things working together to point your way.

A strong sequence is indicated where... unity incorporates into your identity, your identity transforms to point the direction, and your direction transforms to support you with agile balance. The elements of your actions are powerfully expansive and pulsing. Striking a balance is indicated. Take everything in moderation at this time... including moderation. Moderation may simply be a well-balanced and harmonious blending appropriate to the time.

Enjoy this strong time, where your biggest ideas and dreams and your daily grind and rush-rush activities may feel just right together! * 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.

Card 3: 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.

* 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.

Card 4: XVI – The Tower

The Tower indicates your pond turning over, a major change. Resistance to change has already been torn down and renewal is at hand. It is indicated that the smoke is clearing on this your new playing field! False structures and beliefs are dramatically tumbling down! Tumbling down suddenly, violently, and all at once.

Grief may be present but be mindful not to re-hydrate old fears as they fall of their own accord. Breathe in the change. Enjoy and take in what remains first. You may have just dismissed single-mindedness!

No-one said this one's gonna be easy, but smile. This is you. . .only NEW!

Card 5: 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!

Card 6: King of Swords

The King of Swords indicates discrimination, clarity of perception. Logical and fair you do not allow emotions to interfere with your ability to bring beliefs and sometimes very innovative ideas to fruition. At this time utilise the ability to carefully weigh all angles of a situation in order to make a fair decision that befits all involved. Benefit.

There is indicated a tendency to be emotionally detached, sometimes making those around you feel intellectually inferior. Be mindful and mindless as to misusing your cerebral abilities. Avoid cunning and outsmarting with cleverness in regards to yourself and others. Feel it all. Do not be the know-it-all. Feel more than you listen. Your clarity goes beyond the words you speak.

* 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.

Card 7: IX – The Hermit

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. * 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.

Card 8: 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.

Card 9: Four of Wands

The Four of Wands indicates the joy of coming together for a purpose and the growth and happiness that can result. A surprise or thrill out of the blue may be in store for you. You may meet someone unexpectedly. Planned celebrations or the freedom of building something together with someone are also indicated. Build it together and you will reap abundance.

Reversed you may find an obstacle blocking you from happiness. A surprise may bring both happiness and sorrow or dissatisfaction. Look to the surprise for its surprise, and amend your soil with the newness alone, letting the sorrow and dissatisfaction fall away at most as compost, more probably as chaff.