The Love Triangle Spread
Difficulty: Complicated
Casually referred to as the Love Triangle, this spread can be used to determine the dynamics of the relationship between three people, regardless of whether romance is involved. This spread is arranged in the form of a hexagram, consisting of several large and small triangles. This tarot spread may seem somewhat complicated, but it is not entirely that difficult.
The first step is to interpret the card for each individual position in the spread. Generally, one might ask about a relationship they are involved in, but this does not have to be the case. Ordinarily, the reader's representative card is #1, their main person of interest is #2, and the other person would be #3.
The second step fills in the downward triangle and involves further examination of the individuals through their views of the other people. Each person has two more cards showing the way they see and relate to the other members of the triangle. For example, Card #6 indicates how Person #3 relates to Person #1, while Card #9 stands for Person #1's attitude toward Person #3.
The next step completes the upward triangle and the hexagram, focusing on cards #10–13. It also completes the many smaller triangles and hints at the potential for each relationship. The final card, #13 can be considered the significator of the reading, which suggests the overall potential for this three-way relationship.
Your Love Triangle Reading
| P#3 | 3to2 | 2+3 |
2to3 | P#2 | ||
 |
3to1 |  |
Overall |  |
2to1 |  |
| 1+3 |  |
1to3 |  |
1to2 |  |
1+2 |
 |
 |
P#1 |  |
 |
||
 |
1: Person #1
Power (Sun in Capricorn): Radiating with the commanding energy of the Sun in Capricorn, the Four of Diamonds symbolises earthly dominion and structured success. This card speaks to the attainment of power through established order, discipline, and skilled confrontation. It indicates that mastery over your environment is achievable through strategic control and authority—reminding you that the wise use of power can create stability and influence in the material realm.
Earthly power, dominion, law and order, material success, skill in confrontation.
2: Person #2
Failure (Saturn in Taurus): Saturn in Taurus casts a sobering light on the Seven of Diamonds, which speaks to the perils of wasted effort and unfulfilled promises. This card reflects moments when hard work yields little gain, or when hopes are dashed by unforeseen obstacles. It urges you to reassess your strategies, learn from setbacks, and recognise that even failure carries the seeds of wisdom—encouraging you to recalibrate your approach for more fruitful outcomes.
Sloth, abandoned labour, hopes deceived, promises unfulfilled, disappointment.
3: Person #3
Valour (Mars in Leo): Embodying the courageous spirit of Mars in Leo, the Seven of Clubs champions the power of bravery in the face of adversity. This card reflects the grit required to overcome ongoing challenges—even if the victories are small, they are hard-won and significant. It is a call to confront obstacles head-on, relying on your inner valour and determination. It reminds you that every courageous step, no matter how modest, builds the foundation for enduring strength.
Struggles, obstacles, difficulties met with courage. Small victories.
4: Person #1's view of #2
Leo: A vibrant young figure bursting with the fire of youth and noble intent, he embodies a courageous spirit and a generous heart. His impulsive nature and quick humour mask a deep inner strength and creative passion. He invites you to seize the moment and trust that your innate vitality can spark new beginnings.
A young man, just, noble, generous, impulsive, humorous, strong.
5: Person #2's view of #3
Virgo: The King of Diamonds stands as the embodiment of mastery over the material realm, wielding his expertise with precision and dedication. His reign is characterised by a focus on agricultural abundance, craftsmanship, and the efficient management of resources. He represents a figure of authority deeply invested in the practical aspects of life—his disciplined approach ensuring that every venture is executed with reliability, even if it sometimes comes at the expense of more transcendent pursuits.
6: Person #3's view of #1
Aquarius: A brilliant and restless intellect, this figure thrives on innovative ideas and a stream of ever-changing thoughts. Clever yet unpredictable, he often abandons one notion as quickly as it appears in favour of the next. In your reading, he challenges you to harness your creative mind while seeking consistency and depth—transforming fleeting inspirations into purposeful action.
7: Person #2's view of #1
Truth (Jupiter in Libra): Radiating with the expansive clarity of Jupiter in Libra, the Four of Spades offers a sanctuary of intellectual recovery and restoration. This card is an oasis emerging after tumultuous periods, where the establishment of truth and established dogma brings order and balance. It calls upon you to seek honesty and intellectual authority, encouraging the formation of a clear, reasoned foundation after the chaos has subsided.
8: Person #3's view of #2
Indolence (Saturn in Pisces): Here, the Eight of Hearts reflects a state of emotional stagnation—a weariness that comes from either a deliberate renunciation of worldly pursuits or a surrender to melancholic inertia. Under Saturn's disciplined influence in Pisces, it signals a pause, a moment of introspection where success is abandoned or delayed. This card prompts you to assess whether you're disengaging from life out of necessary spiritual recalibration or simply succumbing to apathy, urging you to find the courage to reawaken your heart's ambitions.
Success abandoned, apathy, misery, transience, instability, a small victory. Sometimes means abandonment of materialistic pursuits in favour of the spiritual.
9: Person #1's view of #3
Scorpio: Moving gracefully in the shadows, this enigmatic figure is driven by a fierce, insatiable ambition for hidden wisdom and power. His calm exterior belies an ocean of turbulent passion. His presence urges you to delve into the depths of your own emotions, confronting buried truths and harnessing transformative intensity, even when it challenges the status quo.
10: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #2
The Joker embodies a sense of limitless possibility and quiet transformation. It suggests the path ahead may be more fluid than it seems, urging you to consider that every moment holds the potential for re-invention. Its energy is subtle yet profound, encouraging you to remain receptive and adaptable in the face of change.
11: Overall relationship between persons #2 and #3
Oppression (Saturn in Sagittarius): The Ten of Clubs serves as a stark warning about the misuse of raw power. Under the heavy hand of Saturn in Sagittarius, this card represents energy turned destructive—brute force that suppresses growth and stifles creativity. It cautions against the potential for self-imposed or external repression, where ambition may devolve into cruelty or malice if not guided by wisdom and compassion. It urges you to seek balance and channel your fiery energy constructively, lest it become an instrument of oppression.
Lies, repression, cruelty, malice. The element of fire in its most destructive form.
12: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #3
Prudence (Sun in Virgo): Guided by the precise and diligent energy of the Sun in Virgo, the Eight of Diamonds champions the virtues of careful planning and industrious management. This card is a call to exercise prudence in all material endeavours—whether through agriculture, construction, or financial planning. It reminds you that success is often the result of meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to building your dreams step by step.
Industriousness, agriculture, building, construction, intelligence in material affairs.
13: Overall 3-way Relationship
Disappointment (Mars in Scorpio): Turbulent waters mark the Five of Hearts—a card that speaks to the pain of unfulfilled expectations and the sting of betrayal. Its energy, charged by Mars in Scorpio, often manifests as intense grief, regret, or the aftermath of a broken bond. It serves as a sombre reminder that emotional setbacks are part of the transformative process, urging you to confront and heal your wounds so new growth may eventually emerge.
Grief, misfortune, sadness, regret, loss, treachery, bitterness, frustration, bad marriage, expectations unfulfilled.
