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 | ||
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3to1 |  |
Overall |  |
2to1 |  |
| 1+3 |  |
1to3 |  |
1to2 |  |
1+2 |
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P#1 |  |
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1: Person #1
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.
2: Person #2
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.
3: Person #3
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.
4: Person #1's view of #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.
5: Person #2's view of #3
Capricorn: The Queen of Diamonds exudes a grounded, nurturing power that is both practical and affectionate. Her influence is marked by a sense of duty and well-cultivated charm that brings warmth to even the most restrictive environments. She symbolises a person—or an energy—who combines the rigour of material success with kindness, nurturing the prosperity of those around her while maintaining a firm grasp on reality.
A practical, kind, domesticated, affectionate, charming woman
6: Person #3's view of #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.
7: Person #2's view of #1
The Root of Water: This card emerges as the fountainhead of emotion—a pristine, unfiltered source of joy, love, and creative potential. It heralds a new beginning in the realm of feelings, inviting you to immerse yourself in unconditional love and beauty. The Ace of Hearts is a reminder to nourish your inner self and allow pure, healing energy to flow into every aspect of life.
Joy, contentment, love, fruitfulness, beauty.
8: Person #3's view of #2
Debauch (Venus in Scorpio): The Seven of Hearts warns of the dangers of unbridled passion when it tips into excess. With Venus in Scorpio intensifying its energy, this card highlights a descent into moral ambiguity—where the allure of indulgence may lead to deception and loss of integrity. It calls for reflection on your desires, encouraging you to cultivate a balance between passion and ethical grounding, lest you become entangled in fleeting, self-destructive pursuits.
Deception, shameless indulgence, lust, fornication, intoxication, delusion, promises unfulfilled.
9: Person #1's view of #3
Interference (Jupiter in Gemini): Marked by the restless energy of Jupiter in Gemini, the Eight of Spades warns against the dangers of distraction and needless complexity. It speaks of interference—where attention to minutiae undermines the broader vision, leading to restrictions and unforeseen misfortunes. This card urges you to step back from over-analysis and focus on the larger picture, lest the clutter of details obscure your true objectives and sap your momentum.
10: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #2
Gain (Venus in Virgo): The Nine of Diamonds radiates the graceful influence of Venus in Virgo, symbolising the fruition of material efforts through enhanced wealth and fortune. It points to gains that come through careful cultivation and practical acumen—such as inheritances or steady financial growth. This card encourages you to appreciate and build upon the material blessings in your life, transforming small victories into enduring prosperity.
Inheritance, increase in wealth, material fortune, accomplishment.
11: Overall relationship between persons #2 and #3
Virtue (Sun in Aries): Radiating with the intense light of the Sun in Aries, the Three of Clubs celebrates the realisation of a noble vision. It heralds the flourishing of creative ambition, where hope transforms into achievement. Yet, while it honours pride in one's pursuits, it also cautions against the perils of arrogance. This card invites you to honour your successes with humility—using your newfound strength to inspire rather than dominate.
12: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #3
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.
13: Overall 3-way Relationship
Worry (Mercury in Taurus): The Five of Diamonds channels the cautionary energy of Mercury in Taurus, highlighting the strain that accompanies periods of stagnation or disruption in material pursuits. It speaks to the anxiety and potential loss that may arise from inertia or poorly timed ventures. This card advises you to address your concerns through practical reflection and clear communication—acknowledging that even moments of worry hold lessons that, once learned, can fortify your future efforts.
