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  Fall |
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Hidden Influences  Circles 6 |
External Influences  Circles 4 |
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The Present  Summer |
Suggestion  Wan 5 |
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The Past  Bamboo 5 |
The Outcome  Circles 5 |
The Past Tile represents past events that are affecting the question.
Bamboo 5
The Lotus flower represents fertility and more specifically birth. It may indicate an addition to the family or perhaps a new project to occupy your days. This is also a symbol of healing and constant regeneration, also self-sufficiency.
Summer
The Woodcutter represents success through activity. The woodcutter puts Fire, Wood and Metal to work for him in his craft. He represents skilled labour, ambition, and creativity.
Circles 6
The Peach stands for feminine beauty, extravagance, and unfortunately indolence. It means femininity in general, and more specifically suggests that a particular woman is a factor in this reading.
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.
Circles 4
The Jade tile is about lasting values and convictions. It indicates strong commitments, longevity, and vibrant health. It sometimes foretells hard work resulting in impressive gains.
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.
Circles 5
The Dragon tile embodies good fortune. It tends to mean a massive and sudden gain not tied to any specific efforts made on your part. This tile suggests that a pleasant surprise may be right around the corner.