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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

5 of Pentacles

The Outcome

4 of Cups


Hopes and Fears

8 of Pentacles


External Forces

Queen of Wands


The Querent

8 of Wands

The Recent Past

6 of Cups

The Crossing Card

King of Swords


The Significator

King of Cups

The Future

The Wheel of Fortune


Foundation card


Ace of Pentacles

 

 

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

 

 

King of Cups

He holds a short sceptre in his left hand and a great cup in his right; his throne is set upon the sea; on one side a ship is riding and on the other a dolphin is leaping.

Upright Meaning:

Fair man, man of business, law, or divinity; responsible, disposed to oblige the Querent; also equity, art and science, including those who profess science, law and art; creative intelligence.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.

Upright Meaning:

Power, command, authority, militant intelligence, law, defensiveness, security, high office, duty, public service.

 

 

 

 

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

 

5 of Pentacles

Two injured people in a snow storm pass a well-lit church.

Reversed Meaning:

Disorder, chaos, ruin, discord, profligacy, injury, hurt, harm, jealousy, vagrancy, underdevelopment.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Ace of Pentacles

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

Upright Meaning:

Perfect contentment, felicity, ecstasy, sharpness, intelligence, a quick wit, gold.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Recent Past represents past events and concerns.

 

6 of Cups

Children in an old garden, their cups filled with flowers.

Upright Meaning:

Remembrances, looking back, as on childhood; happiness, enjoyment, but coming rather from the past; things that have vanished. Another reading reverses this, giving new relations, new knowledge, new environment, and then the children are disporting in an unfamiliar precinct.

 

 

 

 

The Future depicts that which lies ahead.

 

The Wheel of Fortune

The Sphinx sits atop a wheel in the sky, symbolic of the wisdom of fate. Other Egyptian characters ride the wheel as it turns, which is surrounded by four cherubs who serve as the guardians of Heaven.

Reversed Meaning:

Increase, abundance, superfluity, comfort, gain, eminence, convenience, luxury, extravagance, benefit.

 

 

 

 

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

 

8 of Wands

The card represents motion through the immovable – a flight of wands through an open country; but they draw to the term of their course. That which they signify is at hand; it may be even on the threshold.

Reversed Meaning:

Arrows of jealousy, internal dispute, stinging of conscience, quarrels, domestic disputes for married people.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Queen of Wands

Emotionally and otherwise, the Queen's personality corresponds to that of the King of Wands, though she is more charismatic.

Upright Meaning:

A dark woman, countrywoman, friendly, chaste, loving, honourable. If the card beside her signifies a man, she is well disposed towards him; if a woman, she is interested in you. Also indicates love of money, or a certain success in business.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

8 of Pentacles

An artist in stone at his work, which he exhibits in the form of trophies.

Upright Meaning:

Work, employment, commission, craftsmanship, skill in craft and business, preparedness, readiness.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

4 of Cups

A young man is seated under a tree and contemplates three cups set on the grass before him; an arm reaching out from a cloud offers him another cup. His expression notwithstanding is one of discontent with his surroundings.

Reversed Meaning:

Novelty, presage, new instruction, new relations.