The seven-card Horse Shoe is a convenient, basic layout that can be used to answer different types of questions, especially concerning questions where insight would be helpful. Like several other layouts, it has tiles representing the past, present, and future.
The pinnacle of the Horse Shoe, looking like the top of the mountain, shows the obstacle or challenge that needs to be addressed and overcome. Tile #6 suggests a course of action to meet this challenge. The final tile shows the outcome or future, should this advice be followed.
Other clues are provided in Tiles #3 and #5, which indicate hidden or outside influences that come into play, affecting the journey to your goal.
Obstacle  Bamboo 7 |
||
Hidden Influences  Circles 2 |
External Influences  Wan 1 |
|
The Present  South Wind |
Suggestion  Wan 8 |
|
The Past  Wan 2 |
The Outcome  North Wind |
The Past Tile represents past events that are affecting the question.
Wan 2
The Sword stands for an important decision you will need to make. You must be careful to use balance as you weigh your decision, or risk damage to yourself if not others.
South Wind
The South Wind tile is a particularly favourable sign. It foretells an end to problems allowing for new progress.
Red, summer, fire, phoenix
Circles 2
The Pine Tree symbolises firmness, strength, and resolve. It sometimes foretells of a powerful man with diplomatic talents, someone who knows exactly what he wants.
Bamboo 7
The Tortoise symbolises the world or universe and its consciousness of the self. This may be a time when it is best to move slowly. Patience will be important. This is a symbol of slow and steady progress, prosperity, and longevity.
Wan 1
The Entering tile suggests that although doors may be closed to you at the moment, they will soon begin to open. You will soon overcome the ideas that have been blocking you. Opportunities are coming, so be prepared to take advantage of them.
Wan 8
The Knot tile stands for both tying and setting loose. If this tile appears in the reading with the Sword tile (2 Wan), it suggests that the time to sever your connection to someone or something has arrived. However, if the Duck tile (2 Bamboo) is in this reading, this indicates the strengthening of an existing bond.
North Wind
The North Wind tile warns that you may hit a rough patch in your journey. Be watchful and you can navigate this bump in the road without losing much. If the South Wind is also present, this tile will be nullified.
Black, winter, water, tortoise