Ankh Spread
Difficulty: Kind of tough
The Ankh Spread is for questions about the causes behind trends. It is similar to the Celtic Cross and Secret of the High Priestess spreads, but it covers the reasons behind the circumstances in question differently, perhaps giving a better explanation of why things are the way they are.
The loop of the upper section of the ankh reveals the spiritual background and causes of the situation, while the stem of the base focuses on prospects for the outcome.
The first two tarot cards represent the two parent causes of the situation. They will either complement each other or show two opposing sides of a conflict, depending on how they relate. These are the significator cards of the Ankh spread.
3. This tarot card shines light upon the early causes of the trend in question.
4. Pinpoints the causes that triggered the current situation.
5. Reveals the spiritual perspective of the subject at hand.
6. This card examines the reasons why this course of action had to unfold, as a means to this end.
At this point, it is good to pause to soak in the meaning of the first six cards before moving forward to the last three cards. The last three reveal prospects for the future.
7. The Next Step gives clues about the immediate future.
8. Surprising Experiences encountered en route to the result.
9. This represents the result.
Your Ankh Reading
| Early Causes | Higher Perceptions  Queen of Coins |
Triggering Causes |
 Princess of Wands |
Necessary Conclusions |  The Chariot |
| Significator #1 |  3 of Coins |
Significator #2 |
 Justice |
Next Step |  2 of Coins |
 King of Swords |
||
Surprising Experiences  Prince of Wands |
||
Outcome  Death |
Significator #1
Justice
The striking red background of the picture shows that justice has to be very often looked for in emotional situations. Libra's sword and suspension are blue. This stands for rational action. The sword with its double cross the card's eight. The violet colour of the bowls shows the necessity for openness and entirety.
Both hands are equally involved in the weighing process. Rationality and intuition are both important. The eye is half open, it is looking both outwardly and inwardly. The fruits symbolise maturity, which has to reach a good decision for justice.
Significator #2
2 of Coins
The picture is based on a classical presentation. The alternation is portrayed by the changing of the green and yellow colours and in addition through the movement the snake makes around the two pentacles, fashioned in the circle of colours. This appeals to a repetition of experiences. The double loop relates to our entire path through life.
Early Causes
Princess of Wands
The princess is apparently in a holiday situation with palm-trees, a beach and the sea. Fire (sun) and water (sea) come together here. Heat and refreshment alternate. There are enough references to the erotic theme in the picture.
Triggering Causes
The Chariot
The chariot itself is portrayed by the wheel. It has eight spokes, a symbol for the process of development. The shaft symbolises the centre and also the number nine, which completes the cycle. Hub and shaft are on fire and stand for sexual energy. Origin, the wheel's background, and destination, the celestial body's background, are the same colour, violet, which stands for the spiritual.
The dominating yellow in the picture depicts joy of living. The water at the bottom indicates frankness or naivety, but also emotions to be conquered, such as caution or fear. Black and white reins, held in the right and left hand, show different directions and ambivalences, which have to be brought into harmony to make the journey possible. The next part of the journey, which lies ahead of the coach driver, the material world, represented by green, square fields, opens up within all this.
Libra's symbol (justice) shows that one has to reckon with consequences for any mistakes. The section at the top leads into the night. The coach driver does not encounter the sun, as to be expected, but instead the moon and stars. He will meet intuition and the unconscious.
Higher Perceptions
Queen of Coins
The queen has made her and her family home very comfortable. Everything has been arranged beautifully, there are flowers on the table, delicious food is prepared, and as well as this she is carrying a new-born baby in her arms. You would think she would need four hands to accomplish it all.
She looks rather discontented and the red colour in the picture suggests a banked-down fire. The four precious stones on the crown refer to the element earth.
Necessary Conclusions
3 of Coins
The picture shows an attestation as a symbol of real development and change, framed by symbols of different areas of life: a fish, sausages, a hammer and compass for handicrafts, a lute, a palette and brushes for art, a book for knowledge, appreciation and education, the two hands for social understanding.
The Next Step
King of Swords
The throne-room looks very tidy, but at the same time very bare. The throne itself has hardly any decoration. The king is protecting himself by his complete dress; his coat of mail can be seen under his shirt; on his chest he is wearing the sign of Libra, an indication of his connection with justice and his role as a judge.
The two butterflies above him indicate that he shows a tendency towards black and white-thinking. The crown, with its three points, refers to the third element, air. His sword is not completely straight and the square tiles in the background emphasise, through the different tones of red, that life cannot be locked away into boxes.
Surprises
Prince of Wands
The prince appears unexpectedly in the picture. We are slightly alarmed. He looks as though he were made of fire and he seems to be setting his surroundings on fire.
He is lifting his wand as though to fight and moves everything out of his way. But the purple vase, which he has broken in his haste, might have perhaps been useful to him. He hardly notices it; the contents are now lost. In the background a volcano is erupting and pouring its lava over the picture.
The Outcome
Death
The circuit of coming and going is symbolised by the serpent, which frames the picture and bites its own tail. The red background portrays sunset, or as the case may be, sunrise. The house and the tree, representatives for the element earth, have fallen into decay and are bare. The three tombstones show the headgear of the pope, the king and the farmer. At death there is no difference.
The skeleton's hand comes from the left and holds a blue scythe, which seems to be a mixture between a sceptre and a sword. The leaf, which is growing out of it, shows that death, due to its quality allowing old things to fade away, makes new growth possible.
The water symbolises the river Styx, which has to be crossed at death so as to reach the next world. The colour blue in the picture stands for disconnection and purification. Like its younger brother sleep, death also has a cleansing property, which is particularly emphasised by the whiteness of the skeleton's hand and the blade of the scythe. What is interesting (I only realised later) is that the scythe's blade itself gives the hint of a crescent moon.
