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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

4 of Wands

The Outcome

King of Cups


Hopes and Fears

8 of Swords


External Forces

Death


The Querent

7 of Swords

The Recent Past

2 of Swords

The Crossing Card

The Fool


The Significator

3 of Pentacles

The Future

The Hierophant


Foundation card


8 of Cups

 

 

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

 

 

3 of Pentacles

A sculptor at his work in a monastery. Compare the design which illustrates the Eight of Pentacles. The apprentice or amateur therein has received his reward and is now at work in earnest.

Reversed Meaning:

Mediocrity, puerility, pettiness, weakness, pathetic-ness, lameness, a quack.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Fool

A watchdog warns a foolish youth that he is about to carelessly walk off a cliff. The Fool seems totally ignorant of his surrounding and the danger he is in.

Reversed Meaning:

Negligence, inertia, carelessness, apathy, mistake, trespass, transgression, blunder, failure, bungle.

 

 

 

 

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

 

4 of Wands

From the four great staves planted in the foreground there is a great garland suspended; two female figures uplift nosegays; at their side is a bridge over a moat, leading to an old manorial house.

Upright Meaning:

Country life, haven of refuge, a species of domestic harvest – home, repose, concord, harmony, prosperity, peace, and the perfected work of these.

 

 

 

 

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

 

8 of Cups

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

Reversed Meaning:

Great joy, happiness, feasting, jubilee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Recent Past represents past events and concerns.

 

2 of Swords

A hoodwinked female figure balances two swords upon her shoulders.

Upright Meaning:

Conformity and the equipoise which it suggests, courage, friendship, concord in a state of arms; another reading gives tenderness, affection, intimacy, harmony and other favourable happenings.

 

 

 

 

The Future depicts that which lies ahead.

 

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

 

7 of Swords

A man in the act of carrying away five swords hastily; missing two which remain stuck in the ground. A camp is close at hand. He is a thief.

Upright Meaning:

Good advice, counsel, instruction, attempt, wish, hope, confidence, bravery, a dirty job that needs to get done.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Death

The Grim Reaper rides into town on a pale horse. The king has fallen, and the Pope greets Death with the king's family. The sun sets in the gateway on the horizon.

Reversed Meaning:

Inertia, sleep, lethargy, hope destroyed, depression, sloth, misery, undoing, ruin, subjugation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

8 of Swords

A woman, blindfolded and bound, with the swords of the card around her. Yet it is rather a card of temporary endurance than of irretrievable bondage.

Upright Meaning:

Bad news, violent chagrin, crisis, censure, power in trammels, conflict, calumny, sickness, having one's hands tied, insanity.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

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.