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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

10 of Swords

The Outcome

Page of Pentacles


Hopes and Fears

4 of Cups


External Forces

Knight of Cups


The Querent

8 of Swords

The Recent Past

3 of Pentacles

The Crossing Card

King of Cups


The Significator

3 of Cups

The Future

Knight of Pentacles


Foundation card


The World

 

 

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

 

 

3 of Cups

Maidens in a garden-ground with cups uplifted, as if pledging one another.

Upright Meaning:

The conclusion of the matter in plenty, perfection and merriment; happy issue, victory, fulfilment, solace, healing.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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

 

10 of Swords

A murder victim, pierced by ten swords showing the act of excessive force.

Upright Meaning:

Pain, affliction, tears, sadness, desolation. It is not especially a card of violent death, but the feeling of utter victimisation and hopelessness.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The World

A nude, dancing female holding two batons, symbolic of Mother Earth and Mother Nature. She is encircled by a wreath and surrounded by the cherubs who are the guardians of Heaven and Earth.

Reversed Meaning:

fixity, stagnation, absence, nullification, dullness, discouragement, false visions, non-existence, lack-lustre, nullity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Recent Past represents past events and concerns.

 

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 Future depicts that which lies ahead.

 

Knight of Pentacles

He rides a slow but steady horse, which is just like him. He holds the pentacle, but does not look therein.

Upright Meaning:

Utility, service, interest, responsibility, rectitude, authority, obligation, accountability, work, trust.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Knight of Cups

Graceful, but not warlike; riding quietly, wearing a winged helmet, referring to those higher graces of the imagination which sometimes characterise this card. He too is a dreamer, but the images of the side of sense haunt him in his vision.

Reversed Meaning:

Trickery, artifice, subtlety, swindling, duplicity, fraud.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

4 of Cups

A young man is seated under a tree and contemplates three cups set on the grass before him; an arm reaching out from a cloud offers him another cup. His expression notwithstanding is one of discontent with his surroundings.

Reversed Meaning:

Novelty, presage, new instruction, new relations.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Page of Pentacles

A youthful figure, looking intently at the pentacle which hovers over his raised hands. He moves slowly, unaware of his surroundings.

Reversed Meaning:

Prodigality, dissipation, liberality, squandering luxury, bad news, misspending, waste, throw away, deplete, flush down the toilet.