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  Wan 6 |
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Hidden Influences  Winter |
External Influences  Circles 2 |
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The Present  Orchid |
Suggestion  Green Dragon |
|
The Past  Summer |
The Outcome  East Wind |
The Past Tile represents past events that are affecting the question.
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.
Orchid
The Orchid represents refinement, luxury, and the attainment of rare and precious things. Enjoy these times, but be careful not to give it to excess.
Winter
The Scholar represents the cultured mind, prudence, and spiritual development. Some think of this tile more specifically as Confucius. This is the sign of refinement of the intellect and the mastery of intellectually oriented tasks.
Wan 6
The Fire tile stands for inspiration, passion, and intelligence, but also warns of the potential great danger. To not heed the warning from this tile could result in disaster beyond your wildest imagination. Keep an eye on your resources. This tile indicates they may be in jeopardy.
Circles 2
The Pine Tree symbolises firmness, strength, and resolve. It sometimes foretells of a powerful man with diplomatic talents, someone who knows exactly what he wants.
Green Dragon
The Green Dragon symbolises a commencement or beginning of a new project. Perhaps this will take your life in a whole new direction. You can choose to look upon this with anticipation or anxiety.
East Wind
The East Wind tile represents you. Tiles adjacent to the East tile in a reading should be given added weight.
Green, spring, wood, dragon