Tarot Cards: Spread and Layouts

When you have decided to use a deck of Tarot cards, you will discover that there are usually 78 cards. These cards are then divided into the major and minor arcana. The minor arcana is then divided into 21 trump cards, as well as a Fool card. The minor arcana is made up of 56 cards, which are then broken down into a variety of suits, numbers and symbols.

When breaking down the minor arcana, the 56 cards consist of ten numbered cards presented as four different suits. The cards are numbered from Ace to 10. By tradition, the symbols you will encounter include the cups, swords, coins (pentacles), as well as batons (wands). There are also four court cards, consisting of a page, knight, king and queen, which also are displayed in four different suits. These make up 16 of the 56 minor arcana cards.

Some of the predicting process of the Tarot cards can be achieved through the analysis of one card, but for a more thorough examination, several cards laid out in a particular pattern, which is referred to as a spread or layout. There are numerous spreads to consider, but many will tell you that the most popular is called the Celtic Cross. When beginners are being taught how to arrange the cards, this is the way they may be shown. Sometimes, advanced individuals will create their own spread, where they also create the meaning behind the positions of the layout.

When interested in the Celtic Cross spread, which is also known as the Great Cross layout, you should know that the layout consists of 10 cards. Sometimes an extra card is used, which is referred to as the significator card. This card is meant to represent the person or a certain situation. The first six cards of the ten are arranged in the shape of a cross. If you have chosen to use the significator card, the first card of the ten covers this card. The remaining four cards are then arranged in a column on the right hand side of the cross.

Another spread to consider is called the Five-Card Spread, where the cards are taken from only the major arcana. A specific order is then used for the arrangement. Five cards are placed in front of the individual. They can be facing up or placed upside down. The first card represents the past, where the second card tells of the present. The third card represents the possibilities for the future, whether they are positive or negative outcomes. The fourth card is used to tell of what sort of obstacles or roadblocks lie ahead that may prevent the third card from occurring. The fifth card, which is also known as the final result, tells of what could occur when the fourth card is never played. The minor arcana can be used with the Five-Card Spread, but the only difference is the intensity of the outcome. Fortunes told with the minor arcana seem more powerful, where the major arcana leaves room for the imagination.

Additional spreads and layouts to consider, include the “Crowley’s Thoth Layout, as well as the Romany Draw Layout, which is also referred to as the Past/Present/Future Layout,