The second Path spread is a seven-level design that yields insight to achieve a high level of personal and spiritual growth. The roots of the tree, shown in the first two cards, suggest what you need to learn and where the challenge lies. Growing upward, the next two cards are about the forces that guide you and what will help boost your growth. The next two cards show the lower branches of the tree, which provide warnings about what you need to let go of in order to maximise your progress. Finally at the top of the tree, we come to the outcome, showing where this growth process will ultimately lead.

The End Result
![]() 2 of Swords |
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Warnings You Should Heed
![]() 5 of Pentacles |
That Which You Should Let Pass
![]() 10 of Swords |
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What Powers Will Help You
![]() 2 of Pentacles |
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Your Guiding Card
![]() 3 of Wands |
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What You Need to Learn
![]() King of Swords |
The Challenges Before You
![]() The Emperor |
What You Need to Learn
He sits in judgement, holding the unsheathed sword. He recalls the conventional symbol of justice in the Major Arcana, and he may represent this virtue, but he is rather the power of life and death.
Upright Meaning:
Power, command, authority, militant intelligence, law, defensiveness, security, high office, duty, public service.
The Emperor sits on his throne holding his sceptre. He represents a male figure of power and authority.
Reversed Meaning:
Creditor, borrowing, confusion to enemies, obstruction, immaturity, annoyance, irritation.
A calm, stately personage, with his back turned, looking from a cliff's edge at ships passing over the sea. Three staves are planted in the ground, and he leans slightly on one of them.
Reversed Meaning:
The end of troubles, suspension or cessation of adversity, toil and disappointment.
A dancing young man has a pentacle in either hand, and they are joined by the lemniscate, the sign of eternity.
Reversed Meaning:
Enforced gaiety, simulated enjoyment, literal sense, handwriting, composition, exchanging letters.
Two injured people in a snow storm pass a well-lit church.
Reversed Meaning:
Disorder, chaos, ruin, discord, profligacy, injury, hurt, harm, jealousy, vagrancy, underdevelopment.
A murder victim, pierced by ten swords showing the act of excessive force.
Reversed Meaning:
Advantage, profit, success, favour, power, authority, triumph over your enemies.
A hoodwinked female figure balances two swords upon her shoulders.
Reversed Meaning:
Imposture, falsehood, duplicity, disloyalty, treason, back-stabbing.