About the Spreads
With the Marseille and Visconti-Sforza decks which do not use reversals dignification depends upon the neighboring cards. Cards of the same suit strengthen. Cards of opposite energies such as cups and wands oppose one another. Cards that are not opposite or the same suit are considered friendly. In most spreads dignification is considered neutral and not relevant. The Golden Dawn Spread is the one that relies most heavily on dignification.
Since the Rider-Waite deck employs reversals, interpretation of dignification is automatic with this deck.
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Single-card Draw:
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Difficulty: Easiest
The single-card draw is best for times when you need to narrow your focus to a single point. It can be used to draw a card of the day, week, or even your ultimate destiny. It couldn't be any simpler than this one. |
Past/Present/Future
3-card Draw:
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Difficulty: Very easy
This 3-card draw is a very simple spread that will determine the influences that are behind you, current, and approaching. |
The Horse Shoe Reading
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Difficulty: Fairly Easy
The Horse Shoe is an old classic tarot spread. More advanced than the 3-card reading, yet simpler than most other spreads, it is a versatile method that can be used for most questions. The cards are to be read as follows:
#1 The Past: This card represents past events that are affecting the queston.
#2 The Present: This card represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.
#3 Hidden Influences: Things that you may not be aware of, or barely be aware of.
#4 Obstacles: This is the challenge.
#5 Outside Influences: Attitudes and thoughts about this situation from people around the querent.
#6 Suggestions: Recommended course of action.
#7 The Final Outcome: This is what will happen if the suggestion is followed. |
The Ankh:
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Difficulty: Kind of tough
The Ankh Spread is for deeper questions about the causes behind trends.
The loop of the ankh shows the deeper spiritual background, while the base shows your prospects for the outcome.
The first 2 cards represent the 2 parent causes of the situation. They will either compliment each other or they show 2 sides of a conflict.
Card #3 determines the early causes of the trend you have asked about.
#4 shows the causes that triggered the current situation.
#5 reveals the spiritual perspective behind the subject of this reading.
#6 informs the querent of the reasons why the spirit demanded this course of action to unfold, in that it was a means to this end.
At this point, you want to soak in the meaning of the first 6 cards before moving forward to the last 3 cards. The last 3 will show your prospects for the future.
#7 shows the next step, or the immediate future.
#8 shows surprising experiences on the road to the end result.
#9 is the end result. |
The Blind Spot:
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Known to self |
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NOT known to self |
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| NOT known to others |
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Difficulty: depends on one's will to objectively view the self
This spread is used to enhance self-awareness. No question is necessary, or questions about learning something about yourself.
#1: This card displays the obvious identity, the part of your self that you know and show.
#2: This card shows unconscious driving forces from a secret dimension that neither you nor your company is aware of about you. This is the Great Unknown.
#3: The secrets you keep from others are apparent in this card.
#4: This is your Blind Spot. This is what you asked about which you needed to be made aware of by this reading. You may want to watch these mannerisms. |
The Cross
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DO this
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It deals with
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Do NOT do this
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It leads to
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Difficulty: Easy
The Cross Spread is good for questions asking for advice. It can also be used to determine the meaning of a confusing card from a previous reading, or for that matter, to shed light on other points of confusion as well.
In questions asking advice, this spread is self-explanatory. The main thing is to determine the difference between cards #2 and #3. #1 is the topic and #4 is the result.
In questions regarding confusion, such as: "What was the meaning of Card (X) in the last spread?" the main thing is also to determine the difference between cards #2 and #3. In this case, Card #2 will show what the card was not referring to, and Card #3 will show what the card really meant. #1 is the topic and #4 represents the purpose it serves. |
The Celtic Cross
Before
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After
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Where it leads
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Expectations
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Environment
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Querent
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difficulty: Average
This is the most commonly known and used spread. This one is good for questions of all types. It's also a good basic spread for beginners. In this spread it's good to notice relationships between the pairings of cards #5 & #9, #1 & #2, #3 & #4, and #6 & #10.
#1: What it deals with, the initial situation.
#2: An added impulse that compounds the initial card, whether complimentary or contradictory.
#3: This is the asker is aware of consciously.
#4: Unconscious driving forces that the querent may not be aware of.
#5: The immediate past regarding the current situation.
#6: The first future card indicates the immediate future.
#7: This card represents the querent and their attitude towards cards #1 and #2.
#8: The external influences, the places and people which influence the topic.
#9: This card is the querent's expectations; what they secretly hope for or what they fear.
#10: The second future card shows the longer-term outcome. |
The Secret of the Priestess
Waxing
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Full Moon
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Waning
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Significators
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Dark
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Secret
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Light
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Next Step
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Difficulty: Average
This spread is a nice for going into the background of a current trend. It is good for when a question doesn't quite call for the Ankh spread. This spread is like a hybrid of the Ankh and Celtic Cross, but with a mysterious secret to be interpretted after the rest of the spread.
#1 and #2: Main impulses that represent the topic at hand. They may work together or they may not.
#3: This is the current influence at this time.
#5: The Waning Moon is the influence that you are putting behind you.
#4: The Waxing Moon indicates what is on the horizon, or the approaching influence.
#7: The Light is what is clearly recognized.
#6: The Dark shows what is there but not fully perceived, though noticed on a deeper level of consciousness.
#8: The Next Step is the near future, where this journey will take you.
#9: The last card, if a trump, reveals the Secret of the High Priestess. This is a special message that you should pay extra special attention to.
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Difficulty: Complicated
In this spread particular attention is to be payed to a card's exact position in relation to its neighbors. Whether the neighbor cards bear the same energy (suit) determines whether a card is considered well- or ill-dignified. Opposite suits ill-dignify each other, while other suits are considered friendly. Cards of the same suit strengthen each other.
Also it is important to count the cards' tendencies, such as whether there is a lot of one particular suit or number pattern. The patterns will reveal special messages. Lots of trumps means higher forces at work, lots of cups means strong emotions, etc. |
The Golden Dawn Method
| Alternate path (or extension of current path) |
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Current path |
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| Psychological basis |
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Karma |
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The Golden Dawn / Thoth Spread:
| Alternate path (or extension of current path) |
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Current path you are
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Querent |
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Karma |
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Card #1 represents the querent and the nature of the topic at hand.
Cards #2 & #3 are used in conjunction with #1 to further comprehend the nature of the topic.
The 2 sets of 3 cards at the top of the spread represent chronological sets of events. Your current path as it would unfold naturally is represented by cards #4, #8, & #12. The alternate path that you could take is represented by cards #13, #9, & #5. However, if these cards tell you that they go together instead, then the alternate path is to be considered an extension of your current path, and to be read chronologically in this order: #4, #8, #12, #13, #9, #5.
Cards #14, #10, & #6 shed light upon the psychological undertones of the current problem.
Cards #7, #11, & #15 represent the influences of karma and destiny that are beyond the querent's control. These cards suggest adapting to this fate.
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Relationship Spread #1
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Querent |
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Partner |
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| Emotional |
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Significator
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External
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Difficulty: Easy
This spread is as easy to read as the chart at the left. Court cards generally indicate actual people with the same characteristics. Knights and Queens always represent men and women. Look for patterns in the cards as always. |
Relationship Spread #2
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Mutual goals
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Their
qualities
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Connection
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Your
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What they
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Common
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What you
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Difficulty: Easy
Another self-explanatory relationship spread. The middle column shows the common ground. The columns on either side show what each partner brings to the table. |
The Decision Game
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Difficulty: Easy
For this spread, you ask a question like: "What happens if I do (X), and what happens if I don't do (X)?"
Card #7 is the significator.
Cards #3, #1, & #5 represent the chronological sequence of events that occurs if you choose to do (X).
Cards #4, #2, & #6 represent the chronological sequence of events that unfolds if you choose NOT to do (X). |
The Path
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Current |
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Suggested |
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| Emotional |
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External
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Difficulty: Easy
The Path is a spread that the querent asks for suggestions on how to behave properly in order to achieve a desired result. The Current column shows how the querent has been acting, and the Suggested column suggests how the querent should act in order to achieve their desires. The spread uses the standard 3 levels: rational, emotional, and external stance.
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The Plan Game
Unconscious driving force
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External attitudes
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Significator
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How it succeeds
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How it does not succeed
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Difficulty: Easy
When you have a certain plan in mind, this simple spread reveals whether or not your plan can succeed, and how it will work out. Like most spreads, this spread is self-explanatory. |
Difficulty: Complicated
The Astrological Reading is based on houses of astrology. This complicated spread takes several steps to understand.
The first step is to interpret the card for each individual position in the spread.
The second step involves further examination of the main axes. Positions 1 & 7 show the relationship theme, #1 representing you, #7 your partner. Positions 4 & 10 indicate motion. #4 shows where you are, and #10 shows what you are moving towards.
The third step involves breaking down the chart into triads according to their house elements.
Positions 1, 5, & 9 represent the Fire triad, which shows about temperment and personal development.
Positions 2, 6, & 10 represent the Earth triad, which is concerned with materialism, money, and work.
Positions 3, 7, & 11 represent the Air triad, which has to do with thoughts, ideas, and connections with other people.
Positions 4, 8, & 12 represent the Water triad, which is the realm of emotions, moods, intuition, and yearnings.
Further, you may connect other patterns and correlations between certain numbers. Certain numbers such as the set of 5, 7, & 8 often speak about a particular theme. |
The Astrological Tarot Reading
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Public Recognition
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Friends
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Higher Perceptions
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Hopes & Fears
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Hidden Aspects
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Basic Mood
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Partnership
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Finances
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Work
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Everyday Experiences |
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Fun Things
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The Home
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