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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

Judgement

The Outcome

The Hierophant


Hopes and Fears

8 of Cups


External Forces

Justice


The Querent

The Hanged Man

The Recent Past

4 of Swords

The Crossing Card

King of Pentacles


The Significator

2 of Pentacles

The Future

Ace of Cups


Foundation card


8 of Pentacles

 

 

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

 

 

2 of Pentacles

A young man, in the act of dancing, has a pentacle in either hand, and they are joined by the lemniscate, the sign of eternity.

Upright Meaning:

On the one hand it is represented as a card of gaiety, recreation and its connections, which is the subject of the design; but it is read also as news and messages in writing, as obstacles, agitation, trouble, embroilment.

 

 

 

 

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

 

King of Pentacles

His face is rather dark, suggesting also courage, but stubborn. The bull's head is a recurrent symbol on the throne. The sign of this suit is engraved or blazoned with the pentagram, signifying the four elements of nature and the spirit which governs them. This suit is sometimes represented as coins or disks, and is symbolic of money and material goods or services.

Upright Meaning:

Valour, intelligence, business aptitude, mathematical gifts and attainments; success, proficiency, arrival, execution.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Judgement

An angel in the heavens blows a trumpet, calling the dead to rise from their graves.

Reversed Meaning:

Weakness, simplicity, deliberation, decision, sentence, lawsuit, loss, condemnation.

 

 

 

 

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

 

8 of Pentacles

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

Reversed Meaning:

Voided ambition, vanity, cupidity, exaction, usury, cunning, sham, intrigue, loan shark, swindle, blackmail, cheat, shakedown, double-deal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Recent Past represents past events and concerns.

 

4 of Swords

The effigy of a knight in the attitude of prayer, at full length upon his tomb.

Reversed Meaning:

Wise administration, circumspection, economy, avarice, precaution, testament.

 

 

 

 

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 Hanged Man

A man hangs upside down from the Tau cross. This is a card of self-sacrifice and enlightenment.

Reversed Meaning:

Selfishness, the crowd, politics, corruption, self-deception, misunderstanding, ignorance, denseness, blindness.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.

Upright Meaning:

Equity, rightness, probity, fair, honest, reasonable, uprightness, nonpartisan, balance, justness, integrity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

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.