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 |  |
 |
||
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1: Person #1
Leo
Also known as Lust or Strength. The carnal experience. The whore rides the great beast of the apocalypse. She knows one way to tame the beast.
Meaning:
Strength, courage, energy, control of vital forces, resorting to magic, love affair.
2: Person #2
Sun in Gemini
Ten swords form the shape of the tree of life. The sixth and tenth swords are broken to pieces. In the centre of Tiphareth, the heart is broken. This is the worst omen of the deck. Rock bottom. But upon deeper inspection, something highly significant is achieved through the process.
Meaning:
Reason divorced from reality, the end of sanity, disaster, failure, desolation, dishonour. Spiritually may mean the end of delusion.
3: Person #3
Libra
Justice. Balance is achieved through adaptation. You may need to take a look at the book.
Meaning:
Justice, balance, equilibrium. A pause in the action to achieve balance.
4: Person #1's view of #2
Aries
The king of the world represents power, authority, and male vitality. The ruler sitting on his throne bears the male symbols of earthly authority. The lamb at his feet represents not only the sheepishness of his servants, but the self-sacrifice required of a great leader.
Meaning:
Ambition, conquest, originality, leadership, stability, realisation, power, fortitude, powerful man, authority, conviction.
Ill-dignified: bad temper, counterproductive pride, rashness, even megalomania.
5: Person #2's view of #3
The Moon
The Priestess sits on her throne, queen of the heavens, the eternal virgin, and the counterpart of the Hierophant. She holds the keys to the feminine secrets of the universe.
Meaning:
Enthusiastic focus on the unconscious. A pure, exalted influence comes into play. The Priestess warns not to get too carried away.
6: Person #3's view of #1
Jupiter in Leo
This card represents energy in its most balanced and powerful state. Six snake-rods are crossed with nine flames burning at the joints. This represents the male energy being reflected by the female in a state of perfect harmony and balance.
Meaning:
Triumph after strife. Success and gain, good news, expectations fulfilled.
When ill-dignified: excessive pride and insolence.
7: Person #2's view of #1
Moon in Sagittarius
Great Strength. Eight arrows have been collected and are now under the authority of a headmaster arrow. They have been completed by this arrangement and the addition of the moon-heads. The driving force that empowers them is the sun.
Meaning:
Great strength, tremendous force, power, competition, warrior spirit, focused rage. Change is stability.
8: Person #3's view of #2
Virgo
Solitary time. Father Time retreats from society to be alone. The mirror represents reflection and inner self-discovery. Cerberus follows the lantern as the Hermit enlightens his dark side. Turned sideways, the hourglass represents a moment of timelessness, and at this juncture the Hermit realises the nature of eternity.
Meaning:
Divine inspiration, wisdom, finding one's guiding light, a period of time being out of touch with society, circumspection, self-knowledge.
When ill-dignified: loneliness, despair, loss of sanity, paranoia.
9: Person #1's view of #3
A voluptuous young woman stands in an Autumn forest, plunging her sceptre into the earth, symbolising the union of masculine and feminine energy. Underground, her sceptre evolves into a diamond. She wears the skull of a ram and a coat of wool. Her disk is the yin-yang inside of a rose with golden petals. Represented here is the eternally pregnant spirit of the earth.
Meaning:
A generous, kind, caring young woman.
When ill-dignified: a wasteful young woman out of touch with reality, at war with herself.
10: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #2
Fire
Judgement is reserved for god. The Guardian Angel blows his trumpet. He has been sent to judge the man. This is true Judgement, all else is mere opinion. The earthling sheds all his earthly coverings and comes to naked truth. He has been X'ed out of this world. The wolf lies with the lamb.
Meaning:
Always means taking a new step. Leaving the past behind.
11: Overall relationship between persons #2 and #3
Venus in Virgo
Six of the nine disks have now turned to coins, representing material gain. The three spiritual disks converge in the centre, forming a colour wheel and a rainbow. There are two triangles formed by the coins, one male and one female. A card of material gain.
Meaning:
Inheritance, increase in wealth, material fortune, accomplishment.
When ill-dignified: envy, theft.
12: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #3
Saturn
As the counterpart of the Tower, this card represents the journey to the centre of the Universe, the quest for the Devil's Hole. The Black Hole is the portal to the other side. A place beyond the Universe, but also a critical component of the Universe, it is the hub of the wheel and the eye of the storm. It is total darkness. Non-existence. The unknown. This is the gateway to another dimension.
Meaning:
?
13: Overall 3-way Relationship
Jupiter in Libra
Four swords come together in union. The square formed in the centre is a white flag. This card represents reconciliation. The Process.
Meaning:
Recovery from a period of trouble. An oasis. Authority in the realm of intellect. Establishment of dogma.
