Tarot spreads are much more than a way to draw cards—they are a structured map that guides us through the intricate web of life, illuminating the unseen forces shaping our experiences. By placing the cards in a deliberate pattern, we create a visual story that can reveal influences, motivations, and potential outcomes. A spread is a mirror into the unconscious, providing perspective on questions that might otherwise seem unanswerable.
To get the most from your reading, approach your cards in a relaxed, open state of mind. Avoid rigid analysis or intellectual overthinking. Instead, let intuition, imagination, and spiritual insight guide you. Techniques such as meditation, ritual, or simply taking deep, centering breaths before a reading can help align your awareness with the subtle messages the cards wish to convey. The tarot speaks in images, symbols, and metaphors; its wisdom is rarely literal.
Each tarot spread serves a purpose, depending on the question at hand and the depth of exploration desired. Some spreads provide quick answers or daily guidance, while others explore the root causes of a situation, uncover hidden dynamics, or reveal pathways toward personal transformation. Below, we present a wide range of spreads—from simple to complex—designed to help you navigate different layers of consciousness and life experience. Many of these layouts were created by tarot masters over generations and are versatile enough to adapt for other forms of divination, such as oracle cards.
What is a Tarot Spread?
A tarot spread is essentially a template that defines the placement of each card in relation to the others. Every card is read not only for its intrinsic meaning but also for the context provided by its position and its relationship to neighboring cards. This interplay adds layers of meaning, allowing a card’s influence to ripple across the spread, enriching interpretation.
Understanding Elemental Relationships and Card Orientation
Some tarot decks, particularly those that do not use reversed cards, rely on elemental dignities to determine the strength or weakness of a card within a spread. Each card’s impact is influenced by its neighbors:
- Cards of the same suit reinforce one another, amplifying their message.
- Cards of opposite suits (Wands vs Cups, Swords vs Pentacles) can diminish or distort a card’s energy, creating tension or challenges.
- Neutral suits have little direct influence on one another.
Major Arcana cards are often exempt from elemental rules, as their archetypal significance transcends classical elemental associations. The Golden Dawn method, for example, leans heavily on these relationships to produce a precise, nuanced reading.
Decks like the Rider-Waite often include reversed cards, which provide another dimension of meaning. Reversals can indicate blocked energy, internalised forces, or the need for conscious attention. The practice of using reversed cards in tarot reading was popularised after the introduction of the Rider-Waite deck, and the first known references appear in the 18th century, attributed to Etteilla.
Ultimately, whether you use elemental dignities, reversals, or purely intuitive interpretation, the goal is the same: to access insights that are meaningful and actionable for you. These techniques serve as guidelines, not rigid rules. Personal practice and observation are what cultivate mastery.
Simple Tarot Spreads
One-Card Reading
Difficulty: Minimal
A single card can provide remarkably clear insight for a day, a week, or a specific question. It’s ideal for meditation, reflection, or focused guidance. You can also use it repeatedly to see a story emerge gradually over multiple draws. This method is perfect for those who want an immediate sense of direction without complexity.
Three-Card Spread
Difficulty: Easy
This spread examines influences along a timeline: past, present, and future. Card #1 reveals what has already shaped the situation. Card #2 represents current conditions or challenges, and Card #3 indicates forthcoming events or outcomes. Variations of this trinity can also explore mind, body, and spirit, or any other set of three that resonates with the question.
The Blind Spot
Difficulty: Variable
Designed to uncover hidden aspects of self-awareness, the Blind Spot spread helps reveal what is unseen or unacknowledged. It highlights:
- Conscious identity: the aspects of yourself you project openly.
- Unconscious motives: forces shaping your behavior without your awareness.
- Concealed elements: tendencies or secrets hidden from others.
This spread is particularly effective for self-exploration and discovering recurring patterns that may influence your life without your knowledge.
The Cross Spread
Difficulty: Easy
This versatile spread is suitable for seeking guidance, clarifying confusion, or analysing specific challenges. Positions:
- The main topic or question.
2–3. Forces influencing the situation; differentiating these is key. - The resulting outcome based on the interactions of prior cards.
It is excellent for interpreting previously drawn cards, offering insight into what was intended versus what was perceived.
Horse Shoe Spread
Difficulty: Easy
A flexible seven-card spread, the Horse Shoe builds upon the simplicity of a three-card layout but allows more depth. It examines:
- Past influences
- Present circumstances
- Hidden influences
- Obstacles
- External influences
- Recommendations for action
- Outcome
This spread gives a broad overview while maintaining clarity, suitable for most practical questions.
Ankh Spread
Difficulty: Moderate
The Ankh spread investigates causes behind patterns or events. It combines spiritual insight with practical foresight.
- The top loop explores background and causation.
- The base examines outcomes and future implications.
Positions 1–6 reveal causes, influences, and spiritual perspectives, while cards 7–9 focus on potential developments and what the future holds. This spread is ideal for understanding why events unfold as they do.
Celtic Cross
Difficulty: Intermediate
A classic and widely recognised spread, ideal for a comprehensive reading. It examines:
- Present situation
- Immediate challenge or obstacle
3–10. Relationships between conscious and unconscious forces, recent past, immediate future, attitudes of the reader and others, hopes/fears, and long-term outcome
The Celtic Cross is excellent for detailed readings across personal, professional, and relational contexts.
Secret of the High Priestess Spread
Difficulty: Intermediate
This layout uncovers trends and subtle dynamics similar to the Celtic Cross but focuses on hidden influences. Highlights:
- Contrasting forces shaping the topic
- Influences moving into the past and approaching in the near future
- Conscious and unconscious awareness
- A Major Arcana card may reveal a special hidden insight, the ‘secret’ of the situation
Comic Strip Spread
Difficulty: Easy
Nine cards arranged sequentially to illustrate events as a visual narrative. Works especially well with decks depicting full scenes rather than symbolic pips. Ideal for predicting outcomes chronologically and observing how the story naturally unfolds.
Relationship Spread #1
Difficulty: Easy
Focuses on the dynamics between two people (or groups). Court cards often represent actual individuals. The layout examines:
- Thoughts (conscious awareness)
- Feelings (emotional depth)
- Actions (behavior and outward expression)
This spread helps identify patterns, misalignments, and authentic or performative behaviors within a relationship.
Relationship Spread #2
Difficulty: Easy
Examines the common ground between partners and the contributions each brings. The central column reflects the past, present, and future of the relationship, while the side columns reveal individual characteristics and perspectives. Useful for both romantic and non-romantic dynamics.
Advanced Tarot Spreads
The Love Triangle
Difficulty: Complex
Designed to explore the interwoven dynamics of three people. Arranged in a hexagram of multiple triangles, this spread provides insight into:
- Individual perspectives and relationships within the triangle
- How each person sees and reacts to the others
- The overall potential of the three-way dynamic
The Decision Spread
Difficulty: Easy
Focuses on a single choice. Cards reveal outcomes if you act versus if you do not act. Helps clarify consequences, risks, and benefits. Positions:
- Significator card: central theme
- Chronological sequences for action versus inaction
The Path Spread
Difficulty: Easy
A behavior-oriented spread that examines current actions versus recommended behaviors to achieve a desired result. Includes rational, emotional, and external layers, highlighting where changes in thought, feeling, or action may improve outcomes.
The Game Plan Spread
Difficulty: Easy
Ideal for evaluating strategies. The central card is the plan, while surrounding cards highlight driving forces, social influence, pitfalls, and recommendations for successful execution.
Astrological Spread
Difficulty: Complex
Based on the twelve astrological houses. Cards are analysed in relation to personal development, material concerns, intellectual pursuits, and emotional landscapes. Triads of Fire, Earth, Air, and Water correspond to temperament, career, ideas, and feelings, respectively. Additional patterns provide insights into recurring themes and relationships between influences.
The Three Pyramids Spread
Difficulty: Complex
A self-actualisation spread, featuring a main pyramid and two auxiliary pyramids (one inverted). Explores:
- Past influences shaping identity
- Current self-awareness
- Potential growth
- Strengths, weaknesses, and areas for personal development
- How to contribute to the world
This layout is a powerful tool for deep introspection and transformational insight.
The Golden Dawn Spread
Difficulty: Complex
Optimised for decks without reversals. Focuses on elemental dignity, card relationships, and court card roles (Princes and Queens represent people; Princesses represent ideas; Knights indicate movement or transition).
The spread examines:
- Chronological paths
- Psychological undertones
- Karma and destiny
- Patterns and elemental interactions
Golden Dawn readings require careful observation of suits, numbers, and positions. This method uncovers detailed, multi-layered guidance and subtle influences often invisible in simpler layouts.
Tarot spreads are gateways into the underlying patterns of your life. Whether you choose a simple three-card reading or a complex Golden Dawn arrangement, the key is to approach the cards with openness, patience, and attention. Through this process, you can illuminate hidden dynamics, reveal personal truths, and guide your journey with clarity and insight.
This page was adapted from the spreads page of tarotsmith.com. To see the original page, go here.