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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

8 of Cups

The Outcome

6 of Cups


Hopes and Fears

10 of Swords


External Forces

Queen of Wands


The Querent

4 of Cups

The Recent Past

The Empress

The Crossing Card

Justice


The Significator

The Hierophant

The Future

Page of Wands


Foundation card


6 of Pentacles

 

 

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

 

 

The Hierophant

Seated on his throne, the Pope symbolises the male understanding of the spiritual workings of the world and traditional values. Two monks flank him on either side.

Upright Meaning:

Tradition, custom, light, truth, marriage, alliance, captivity, servitude, mercy, inspiration, understanding, spiritual awareness.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Justice

A female judge holds the sword of Justice in her right hand and the scales of Justice in her left. This is symbolic of fairness and the knowledge of the law, as well as the power to execute judgement.

Reversed Meaning:

Legal complications, bigotry, bias, excessive severity, conspiracy, mind games, prejudice, intolerance, discrimination.

 

 

 

 

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

 

8 of Cups

A man of dejected aspect is deserting the cups of his felicity, enterprise, undertaking or previous concern.

Upright Meaning:

Giving joy, mildness, timidity, honour, modesty; the decline of a matter, or that a matter which has been thought to be important is really of slight consequence.

 

 

 

 

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

 

6 of Pentacles

A person in the guise of a merchant weighs money in a pair of scales and distributes it to the needy and distressed. It is a testimony to his own success in life, as well as to his goodness of heart.

Upright Meaning:

Presents, gifts, gratification, attention, vigilance, prudence, prosperity, generosity, aid, kindness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Recent Past represents past events and concerns.

 

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 Future depicts that which lies ahead.

 

Page of Wands

A young man stands in the act of proclamation. He is unknown but faithful, and his tidings are strange.

Reversed Meaning:

Anecdotes, announcements, bad news. Also, indecision and the anxiety which accompanies it.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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 environment.

Upright Meaning:

Weariness, blended pleasure, disgust, aversion, imaginary vexations, as if the wine of this world had caused satiety only; another wine, as if a fairy gift, is now offered the wastrel, but he sees no consolation therein.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

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 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 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.