The Love Triangle Spread

Difficulty: Complicated

Casually referred to as the Love Triangle, this spread can be used to determine the dynamics of the relationship between three people, regardless of whether romance is involved. This spread is arranged in the form of a hexagram, consisting of several large and small triangles. This tarot spread may seem somewhat complicated, but it is not entirely that difficult.

The first step is to interpret the card for each individual position in the spread. Generally, one might ask about a relationship they are involved in, but this does not have to be the case. Ordinarily, the reader's representative card is #1, their main person of interest is #2, and the other person would be #3.

The second step fills in the downward triangle and involves further examination of the individuals through their views of the other people. Each person has two more cards showing the way they see and relate to the other members of the triangle. For example, Card #6 indicates how Person #3 relates to Person #1, while Card #9 stands for Person #1's attitude toward Person #3.

The next step completes the upward triangle and the hexagram, focusing on cards #10–13. It also completes the many smaller triangles and hints at the potential for each relationship. The final card, #13 can be considered the significator of the reading, which suggests the overall potential for this three-way relationship.

Your Love Triangle Reading

P#3		3to2	2+3	2to3		P#2
	3to1		Overall		2to1
1+3		1to3		1to2		1+2
			P#1

1: Person #1

The 2 of Cups indicates love, friendship, healing, contentment, satisfying relationships, harmony, and cooperation. Two joined are more than just two ones. Distinction made between joined / united versus union. Two identities feeling mutual respect, powerful witness, and participation with one another. With attraction present your heart's desire, feelings, and expressions trump being right.

2: Person #2

The 5 of Swords indicates feeling an overwhelming sense of defeat. Everything is out to get you or there is no way out. Beware of truth- against-the-world thinking as it is only ego-echoes tantrum-ing through what may be depression or low energy. Your ego's socio-pathing you so to speak, and remember that some studies have shown that it can only tantrum for 2 minutes at a time. Right now, its endurance may be dealing you successive strikes. Weather this storm as your inner storm making your outer one. Cease pitying yourself! Cease pitying yourself! DO NOT return the ego-echo's call! You DO NOT need to perfect yourself to be loved! Feel that!

The 5 of Swords indicates that with some careful reassessment, or simply a good bout of forgetting transparent beliefs, you will be free to accomplish your visualised outcomes again before too long. Go get the oil changed in your car if it's time, and empathise with that process. Google it. You might just feel like you've exploded. There WAS calm before the storm. You will MAKE calm as it becomes AFTER the storm. Do it differently this time, though. The landscape may be a little different after a storm.

Also, think about it this way: as with splitting wood with an adze which is stuck and all work is stopped. Stop pulling. Stop whacking. Tap your adze. Get yourself out of your heart knot and wipe your brow.

3: Person #3

The Fool indicates you naturally expressing your place along the way of your journey. You have recently completed a powerful cycle, and are enthusiastically on your way in new endeavours. You may have freed yourself from enforced ignorance or blinding preconceptions.

Feel you're the natural new directions you are creating!

4: Person #1's view of #2

The 6 of Wands indicates receiving victory and glory, where through teamwork obstacles will be overcome.

5: Person #2's view of #3

The Devil indicates earthly desires rising in you. Mind that such feelings are nothing to fear, be ashamed of, or avoid so long as you are compassionate with yourself. Inhibitions can enslave as easily as excesses.

It is indicated that your expectations can be blind spots OR magical and invisible connections between things. It is also indicated to be mindful of your intensities. Your tethers are loose at this time. Don't let your intensities take you by surprise as you use the greater mobility.

Earthly desires can light you up and inspire you and make you feel great! Unrequited anything may be hurtful. Abolish your toxins of fear and you may very well feel the purity of your desires. Ambitions you have may be frightening and dangerous, but feel how they can be less frightening and dangerous than the subtle decay present if your hands are idle.

This is a strong time to start learning how it feels to be honest and alive inside and out!

&ask; 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.

6: Person #3's view of #1

Sneaky. Devious. Sly. Stealth. Your troubles are hiding in plain sight. Underhanded, theft, robbery, unreliability, betrayal, spying, dishonour, deceit, suspicion. Mistrust. Look differently. Pause and expand outwardly. Take a day off in the middle of the week. Feel into your blind spots as they are actively deceiving you! Like the hand. Like the seventh sword. Feel the meditation of being able to hide in plain sight! You are OFF and THERE at one and the same time. Everywhere to be seen, and nowhere to be found.

Feel YOUR place. You may not be as exposed as you think. You MAY simply be in a place of creation or new place. Feel YOUR place, not your clever. The cards do not indicate your path, here. YOU DO!, with wonderful placement and awareness. Drop your stones. Your placement supersedes your trepidation. STAND and deliver!, from wherever you are IN A NEW WAY!. Silence is deliverance as well. Feel the contradiction. Feel your place in your multi-faceted context! Discern between the negativity of no-one noticing you vs the same thing indicating stealth.

* 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.

7: Person #2's view of #1

The 3 of pentacles indicates your Industry, hard work, and talent paying off as you work on some sort of project utilising all the aspects of yourself – Mind, Body, Spirit. A project or idea that has greater significance than you realise.

Use creativity to discover what you should be doing with your life, or to enhance and reinforce what you already ARE doing. A project done with careful planning and joy that has the potential to touch lives and leave a lasting impression. HECK!!! Downshift and enjoy the turns, BABY! Drive your thang as you make smiles!

8: Person #3's view of #2

The Magician indicates the house of your creativity. You are receiving those first sparks, the first inklings of your inspiration. Your insight is flashing in a pure vessel. Visualise your first exciting strokes across a blank page! You have both an intense focus and a vibrant enthusiasm available to you at this time.

Now is a great time to begin something new!

* 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.

9: Person #1's view of #3

The Ace of Wands indicates new life, place-making, as with setting the sacred staff, the omphalos, locating a building, a space, a place. Courage is indicated in the act of placement, creativity in the placement itself, and enthusiasm in the impending energy of place being made.

10: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #2

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.

11: Overall relationship between persons #2 and #3

The Knight of Pentacles indicates making earthbound goals come into being. Consistently and steadily applying their highest aspects. Related to the Hierophant as a more mundane, every day devotion, one may call to their mate as they shuffle through the leaves in the forest, may work diligently but more so fully in feeling their task AS the meaning. This is the card of the joy of getting “lost” on a walk or run, in / on a kayak in the middle of a bay or the ocean. . . lost while traveling intently, conscious only of your traveling, exploration. Loss as freedom rather than deficient.

This is not necessarily a card about being physical per se, but of being present in one's body in context. This feeling of being lost, or of stillness. . .this is the loss where one is fully present, a meditation where reasons have wonderfully gone missing. Reason is lost. This is the card indicating a full mind-body-beautiful presence with the justice of strength simply present. Imagine your own tiger cubs frolic-stumble-rolling over your paws. . . and your secret glance and smile. This is the card of the youthful silverback.

* 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.

12: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #3

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.

13: Overall 3-way Relationship

The Knight of Cups indicates that things have taken on emotional or intuitive modes. Emotion or intuition will lead the way to your destination.

* 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.