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Celtic Cross Spread

 

The Celtic Cross is the most well-known tarot spread and also the largest available here, involving ten cards. This spread begins with a pair of crossing cards at the center of the issue, essentially being two significators. When two significators are involved, they may strengthen or oppose each other, which speaks of the nature of the situation. Above and below the initial cross, we have two cards which are symbolic of the intellectual (top) and emotional (bottom) basis of the issue. The Before and After cards show the past and immediate future.

At the right, four cards are laid out, going upward. At the bottom you have a card representing yourself, and the next card shows how others may affect the situation. Card #9 indicates what you may be hoping for, or possibly, what you hope will not happen. Finally at the top is the outcome, meaning the distant or ultimate future.

Spread Positions

  1. This is it (what you asked about)
  2. This crosses it (strengthens or opposes)
  3. This crowns it (higher influences)
  4. It rests upon this (lower influences)
  5. This came before
  6. This comes next
  7. This is you
  8. The external world around you
  9. Your hopes, fears, and secret desires
  10. The result or outcome

 

 

 

Celtic Cross

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Celtic Cross Reading

The Crown

7 of Cups

The Outcome

6 of Wands


Hopes and Fears

The Empress


External Forces

Death


The Querent

5 of Swords

The Recent Past

2 of Pentacles

The Crossing Card

The Lovers


The Significator

The Emperor

The Future

3 of Pentacles


Foundation card


King of Swords

 

 

The Significator represents what the main theme of the reading deals with, the initial situation.

 

 

The Emperor

The Emperor sits on his throne holding his sceptre. He represents a male figure of power and authority.

Reversed Meaning:

Creditor, borrowing, confusion to enemies, obstruction, immaturity, annoyance, irritation.

 

 

 

 

The Crossing Card denotes an added impulse that compounds the initial card, whether complimentary or contradictory.

 

The Lovers

An angel unifies two lovers which are Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Reversed Meaning:

Failure, foolish designs, frustrated marriage, lack of empathy, contradiction, abuse, cheating, discord, disruption.

 

 

 

 

The Crown stands for what the asker is aware of consciously.

 

7 of Cups

Strange chalices of vision, but the images are more especially those of the fantastic spirit.

Reversed Meaning:

Desire, will, determination, project, ambition.

 

 

 

 

Foundation card reveals unconscious driving forces that the querent may not be aware of.

 

King of Swords

He sits in judgement, holding the unsheathed sword. He recalls the conventional symbol of justice in the Major Arcana, and he may represent this virtue, but he is rather the power of life and death.

Reversed Meaning:

Cruelty, perversity, barbarity, perfidy, bad intentions, a sharp tongue, insulting, insecurity, arrogance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Recent Past represents past events and concerns.

 

2 of Pentacles

A young man, in the act of dancing, has a pentacle in either hand, and they are joined by the lemniscate, the sign of eternity.

Upright Meaning:

On the one hand it is represented as a card of gaiety, recreation and its connections, which is the subject of the design; but it is read also as news and messages in writing, as obstacles, agitation, trouble, embroilment.

 

 

 

 

The Future depicts that which lies ahead.

 

3 of Pentacles

A sculptor at his work in a monastery. Compare the design which illustrates the Eight of Pentacles. The apprentice or amateur therein has received his reward and is now at work in earnest.

Upright Meaning:

Artifice, trade, skilled labour; regarded as a card of nobility, aristocracy, renown, glory.

 

 

 

 

The Querent represents the asker and their attitude towards the subject of the reading.

 

5 of Swords

A disdainful man looks after two retreating and dejected figures. Their swords lie upon the ground. He carries two others on his left shoulder, and a third sword is in his right hand, point to earth. He is the master in possession of the field.

Upright Meaning:

Degradation, destruction, revocation, infamy, dishonour, loss, disdain, notoriety.

 

 

 

 

External Forces represents the influence of others in your life as well as trends in your relationships with others.

 

Death

The Grim Reaper rides into town on a pale horse. The king has fallen, and the Pope greets Death with the king's family. The sun sets in the gateway on the horizon.

Reversed Meaning:

Inertia, sleep, lethargy, hope destroyed, depression, sloth, misery, undoing, ruin, subjugation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopes and Fears shows the expectations you have concerning the outcome of your question.

 

The Empress

Seated on her throne, the Empress holds up the golden sceptre. She represents the archetypal female.

Reversed Meaning:

The unravelling of important matters, vacillation, difficulty, doubt, ignorance, over-possessiveness, smothering.

 

 

 

 

The Outcome of your question. Interpret this card in the context of the entire reading and as an indicator of the path you are currently on, but not necessarily bound to.

 

6 of Wands

A laurelled horseman bears one staff adorned with a laurel crown; footmen with staves are at his side.

Reversed Meaning:

Apprehension, fear, as of a victorious enemy at the gate; treachery, disloyalty, gates being opened to the enemy, indefinite delay.