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
Abundance (Mercury in Cancer): Overflowing with the energy of creative fertility, the Three of Hearts celebrates the fullness of life. It speaks of bountiful emotional riches, the nurturing of relationships, and the joy found in shared kindness and hospitality. This card encourages you to embrace generosity and allow your heart to be a wellspring of inspiration, fostering growth and fulfilment in both personal and communal realms.
Fulfilment, conclusion, plenty, fertility, hospitality, kindness, creation.
2: Person #2
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.
3: Person #3
Sorrow (Saturn in Libra): Shrouded in melancholy, the Three of Spades brings the weight of sorrow and disruption. Under the sombre influence of Saturn in Libra, it embodies the inevitability of loss, delay, and separation. This card gently warns that the seeds of discord and melancholy, though painful, are integral to the cyclical nature of growth—each moment of sorrow paving the way for deeper wisdom.
Melancholy, disruption, discord, delay, separation.
4: Person #1's view of #2
Gemini: A dynamic master of communication and wit, he moves with agile energy and versatile skill. His clever mind and active nature drive him to explore multiple facets of any challenge, though his quicksilver approach can sometimes border on impetuosity. His presence inspires you to embrace duality—melding rapid thought with careful deliberation to achieve a well-rounded vision.
An active, skilful, witty, clever, fierce man.
5: Person #2's view of #3
Wealth (Mercury in Virgo): This card encapsulates the pinnacle of material achievement—a culmination of diligent work and prudent management that leads to prosperity. The Ten of Diamonds signifies not only financial abundance but the completion of a long-term project or life's work. It invites you to savour the rewards of your labour, recognise the maturity of your achievements, and prepare for the wisdom that comes with experience and stability.
6: Person #3's view of #1
The Joker exudes playful disruption and unexpected vitality. It invites you to break free from the routine and consider that sometimes a sudden change can lead to new opportunities. It encourages a bold, creative stance—urging you to experiment with unconventional approaches and trust in the energy of spontaneity.
7: Person #2's view of #1
Cruelty (Mars in Gemini): The Nine of Spades confronts you with a raw depiction of suffering and malice. Infused with the aggressive energy of Mars in Gemini, it reveals the darker facets of human interaction—lies, despair, and the infliction of pain borne from both external conflict and inner turmoil. This card acts as a stark reminder of the perils of untempered aggression and the importance of compassion, encouraging you to transform harshness into healing when faced with cruelty.
Suffering, pain, malice, loss, lies, despair, slander.
8: Person #3's view of #2
Satiety (Mars in Pisces): This card presents a paradox of fulfilment—a state where pleasure appears complete yet leaves an echo of longing. The Ten of Hearts, energised by Mars in Pisces, suggests that even when desires seem satisfied, there remains an undercurrent of what might have been. It challenges you to explore the nature of satisfaction: to recognise that true contentment involves continual growth and that each peak of joy is but a stepping stone to further emotional discovery.
9: Person #1's view of #3
Science (Mercury in Aquarius): In the precise, methodical energy of Mercury in Aquarius, the Six of Spades represents the culmination of intellectual endeavours. This card heralds the successful alignment of thought, analysis, and innovative insight—where every faculty converges on a clear, singular truth. It symbolises that through reason and collective understanding, even the most challenging problems can be dissected and resolved, paving the way for progress grounded in rationality.
10: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #2
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.
11: Overall relationship between persons #2 and #3
Love (Venus in Cancer): Embodying the tender union of opposites, the Two of Hearts radiates a harmonious blend of passion and nurturing care. It signifies a balanced partnership where intuitive understanding and mutual warmth create a sanctuary of love and comfort. This card speaks to the deep connection between souls—a call to honour intimacy, trust, and the transformative power of emotional unity.
Love, union, friendship, warmth, comfort, passion, affinity, intercourse.
12: Overall relationship between persons #1 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.
13: Overall 3-way Relationship
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.
