Horse Shoe Spread

Difficulty: Easy
The Horse Shoe is a classic tarot spread. It is more advanced than the three-card reading, yet simpler than most other spreads. It is a versatile method that can be used for most queries, though there are other spreads which would go into more depth. Like the simple Past, Present, and Future spread, it contains these cards in positions #1, #2, and #7, but also has four other tarot cards that help the reader understand how to deal with the future better. The cards are to be read as follows:
- The Past: Past events affecting the question.
- The Present: The current state or approaching influence.
- Hidden Influences: Things the reader may not be aware of (or barely be aware of).
- Obstacles: This is the challenge: obstacles may be avoided or may have to be dealt with.
- External Influences: Attitudes and thoughts regarding people around the reader.
- Suggestions: Recommended course of action.
- Outcome: The result of following the suggestions.
Your Horse Shoe Reading
Obstacle![]() XVIII – The Moon |
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Hidden Influences![]() Six of Swords |
External Influences![]() XVII – The Star |
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The Present![]() Three of Swords |
Suggestion![]() II – The High Priestess |
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The Past![]() Ace of Pentacles |
The Outcome![]() XI – Strength |
The Past Card represents past events that are affecting the question.
Ace of Pentacles
The Ace of Pentacles card indicates power in your assets or seeds, your own value, and that you matter. You needn't perfect yourself to be liked or loved.
Nurturing and tending your own garden of purpose, you bring new life into the world. You do not need to perfect yourself to be loved.
Conditions are rife with possibilities. Strengthen your connection to explore your sexuality. Share tokens or symbols of love and affection. And don't be afraid to get your hands dirty, or to be messy. Have fun in this burgeoning new time.
The Present Card represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.
Three of Swords
The 3 of Swords indicates distortion of your feelings, the illusion of a twig into water, heartfelt refraction. Your expectations are big blind spots. Think a heart tattooed with pain, a vicious dark spot. Take a walk. Then take a bath. Don't operate heavy machinery at this time. You are the heavy machinery. Flow through the change born of forgetting. Lighten up. There is strength in forgetting. Forgetting is sometimes for getting!
It may feel as if this pain will never end . . . take a walk in the park. Look more than both ways when crossing the street as you are not moving in a way you are used to or comfortable with.
Hidden Influences - Things that you may not be aware of, or barely be aware of.
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.
Obstacle - This is the challenge.
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.
External Influences - Attitudes about this situation from people around the querent.
XVII – The Star
The Star indicates continually finding your cosmic groove and going for it! Eternal hope in the diamond-like seat of your mind-body-beautiful is indicated to be sparkling brightly! The Star card indicates the immutable and vibrant presence of your memories, your hope, and your knowledge.
The Star encourages you to shift your focus and re-direct your scale without moving the gaze upon your focus. Even the smallest star provides a glimmer of hope.
This is a bright time for feeling your possibilities expanding!
* 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.
Suggestion - The recommended course of action.
II – The High Priestess
The High Priestess indicates inner illumination, you giving form to the formless, developing your creative conceptions with hidden influences actively at work. You may feel an unrevealed future as you put things together intuitively. Look into the night sky. The moon may resonate more with you at this time. Feel through tricksters like knowing the moon does not have its own light, but reflects in its own, powerful way.
Now is a powerful time to forge ahead with your projects, things you are working on.
* 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 Outcome - What will happen if the suggestion is followed.
XI – Strength
Strength indicates mastering self-control and taming fears or impulses. Feel infinite fortitude and self-restraint while incorporating your voice at this time. Visualize a sprinter sitting, a tiger napping. Strength is not indicated to tame your beast, but to harness your voice. A simple way is indicated. A simple gesture will establish your direction as your strength is naturally present. Anything more than necessary may cause decay.
Understand you are very powerful at this time. Be mindful of others as you are playing with more power than you may know. Step as only you need at this time.
Develop an understanding that the strength of your presence is felt without threat, backlash, or skepticism.
