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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

The World

The Outcome

King of Cups


Hopes and Fears

The Devil


External Forces

10 of Wands


The Querent

4 of Wands

The Recent Past

6 of Swords

The Crossing Card

5 of Wands


The Significator

Knight of Cups

The Future

7 of Wands


Foundation card


Queen of Cups

 

 

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

 

 

Knight of Cups

Graceful, and 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.

Upright Meaning:

Arrival, approach – sometimes that of a messenger; advances, proposition, demeanour, invitation, incitement.

 

 

 

 

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

 

5 of Wands

A posse of youths, who are brandishing staves, as if in sport or strife. It is mimic warfare.

Upright Meaning:

Imitation, as, for example, sham fight, strenuous competition, struggle, the search for fame and fortune, gold, gain, opulence.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.

Upright Meaning:

Assured success, courage, honour, glory, vitality, life, energy, vigour, zest, pep, fervour, passion, animation, existence, reality.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Queen of Cups

Beautiful, fair, dreamy – as one who sees visions in a cup. This is, however, only one of her aspects; she sees, but she also acts, and her activity feeds her dream.

Reversed Meaning:

The accounts vary; good woman; otherwise, distinguished woman but one not to be trusted; perverse woman; vice, dishonour, depravity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Recent Past represents past events and concerns.

 

6 of Swords

A ferryman delivering passengers to the further shore. The course is smooth, and seeing that the freight is light, as the workload is not beyond his ability.

Upright Meaning:

Journey by water, route, way, envoy, commissionary, expedient, travelling, a short trip.

 

 

 

 

The Future depicts that which lies ahead.

 

7 of Wands

A young man on a craggy eminence brandishing a staff; six other staves are raised towards him from below.

Upright Meaning:

Valour, discussion, wordy strife, negotiations, war of trade, barter, competition. It is further a card of success, for the combatant is on the top and his enemies may be unable to reach him.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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

 

10 of Wands

A man oppressed by the weight of the ten staves which he is carrying.

Upright Meaning:

Fortune, gain, success, false-seeming, disguise, perfidy. The rods that he carries may be bad news to the place he brings them. Success is stultified if the Nine of Swords follows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Devil

The devil holds the lovers, Adam and Eve in chains. This card represents the fall of man.

Reversed Meaning:

Evil, weakness, pettiness, vehemence, betrayal, deception, prison, small-mindedness, trifling.

 

 

 

 

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.

Reversed Meaning:

Dishonest, double-dealing man; roguery, exaction, injustice, vice, scandal, pillage, considerable loss.