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  Plum Blossom |
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Hidden Influences  Fall |
External Influences  Circles 9 |
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The Present  Wan 2 |
Suggestion  Wan 5 |
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The Past  North Wind |
The Outcome  Wan 7 |
The Past Tile represents past events that are affecting the question.
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
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.
Fall
The harvest depends upon the effort you put in. The Farmer represents massive gains through hard work and dedication. It is a sign of self-sufficiency, abundance, and generosity.
Plum Blossom
The Plum represents spring, youth, innocence, inexperience, and childlike happiness. It may be a sign that you need a fresh perspective on something. Something in your life may need to be re-evaluated.
Circles 9
The Unicorn means foresight and prophecy. It suggests a visionary with "psychic" abilities, one who is strongly connected to the spiritual source. It suggests the ability to quickly size up individuals and situations intuitively. A symbol of wisdom.
Wan 5
The House stands not for the family, but for the place of dwelling itself, its architecture and character. Depending upon your past, the house can represent a place of love and shelter or a place of confinement and torment.
Wan 7
The Seven Stars tile indicates imagination, creativity, and inspiration. This is the time to apply your creativity, to let your imagination run wild. You are the creator of your own future.