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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

6 of Swords

The Outcome

Ace of Pentacles


Hopes and Fears

The Star


External Forces

The Hermit


The Querent

The Emperor

The Recent Past

Knight of Pentacles

The Crossing Card

The Empress


The Significator

3 of Pentacles

The Future

Ace of Cups


Foundation card


10 of Swords

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

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 Crown stands for what the asker is aware of consciously.

 

6 of Swords

A ferryman delivering passengers to the further shore. The course is smooth, and seeing that the freight is light, as the workload is not beyond his ability.

Reversed Meaning:

Declaration, confession, publicity; possibly a proposal of love.

 

 

 

 

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

 

10 of Swords

A murder victim, pierced by ten swords showing the act of excessive force.

Upright Meaning:

Pain, affliction, tears, sadness, desolation. It is not especially a card of violent death, but the feeling of utter victimisation and hopelessness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Recent Past represents past events and concerns.

 

Knight of Pentacles

He rides a slow but steady horse, which is just like him. He holds the pentacle, but does not look therein.

Reversed Meaning:

Inertia, idleness, stagnation, placidity, discouragement, carelessness, blame, irresponsibility, affliction, hardship, trial, burden, stress.

 

 

 

 

The Future depicts that which lies ahead.

 

Ace of Cups

Atop the waters are water-lilies; the hand reaches out from the cloud, holding in its palm the cup, from which four streams are pouring; a dove, bearing in its bill a cross-marked Host, descends to place the Wafer in the Cup; the dew of water is falling on all sides.

Upright Meaning:

House of the true heart, joy, content, abode, nourishment, abundance, fertility; Holy Table, felicity hereof.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Emperor

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

Upright Meaning:

Authority, stability, power, protection, benevolence, realisation a greatness, aid, reason, conviction, willpower.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Hermit

An old man with a walking stick holds up a lantern to enlighten his path.

Upright Meaning:

Prudence, circumspection, insight, self-awareness, retreat, solitude, detachment, isolation, peace, withdrawal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Star

Under the stars, a nude woman pours out two vials of water, one onto the land, the other into a pond. Opposite the angel of Temperance, her left foot is on the land, her right on the water.

Reversed Meaning:

Arrogance, haughtiness, impotence, conceit, pomposity, pride, pretention, sterility, inefficiency, vanity.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Ace of Pentacles

A hand reaching out from a cloud holds up a pentacle.

Reversed Meaning:

The negative side of wealth, malicious intelligence; also great riches, prosperity, comfortable material conditions, but this is to your disadvantage when the card appears reversed.