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  Bamboo 1 |
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Hidden Influences  Bamboo 8 |
External Influences  Bamboo 2 |
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The Present  Circles 5 |
Suggestion  Wan 8 |
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The Past  Green Dragon |
The Outcome  West Wind |
The Past Tile represents past events that are affecting the question.
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.
Circles 5
The Dragon tile embodies good fortune. It tends to mean a massive and sudden gain not tied to any specific efforts made on your part. This tile suggests that a pleasant surprise may be right around the corner.
Bamboo 8
The Mushroom represents variety and uniqueness. It reminds that surprises can spring up anyplace at any time and leave lasting impressions. Persistence, progress, and regeneration are strong with this sign.
Bamboo 1
The first tile of the mah-jong set represents success in general. At the same time the "peacock" also warns that success can lead to egotism and arrogance. A positive change in your life path is foretold.
Bamboo 2
The Duck symbolises enduring partnerships – long lasting relationships with the strength to overcome all obstacles. It suggests fidelity and trustworthiness, just as ducks are monogamous for life.
Wan 8
The Knot tile stands for both tying and setting loose. If this tile appears in the reading with the Sword tile (2 Wan), it suggests that the time to sever your connection to someone or something has arrived. However, if the Duck tile (2 Bamboo) is in this reading, this indicates the strengthening of an existing bond.
West Wind
The West Wind tile signifies some kind of obstacle blocking your path that must be overcome before you can make true progress.
White, autumn, metal, tiger