The Astrological Spread
Difficulty: Complicated
The Astrological Tarot Spread is based upon houses of astrology. This complicated spread takes several steps to understand.
The first step is to interpret the tarot card for each individual position in the spread.
The second step involves further examination of the main axes. Positions 1 & 7 show the relationship theme, #1 representing the reader, #7 their partner. Positions 4 & 10 indicate motion. #4 indicates where the reader is now, and #10 suggests what they are moving towards.
The third step involves breaking down the chart into triads according to their house elements.
Positions 1, 5, & 9 represent the Fire triad, symbolising temperament and personal development.
Positions 2, 6, & 10 represent the Earth triad, concerned with materialism, money, and work.
Positions 3, 7, & 11 represent the Air triad, which has to do with thoughts, ideas, and connections with other people.
Positions 4, 8, & 12 represent the Water triad, the realm of emotions, moods, intuition, and yearnings.
Further, other patterns and correlations between certain numbers can be noted. Certain numbers such as the set of 5, 7, & 8 often speak about a particular theme.
Your Astrological Reading
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1: Basic Mood
Three cups are spilling their contents. The other two are collecting what is lost, suggesting that nothing can really be lost. Nevertheless, the spill is important so that a change can take place.
The tower and the star refer to the cards, which are following the devil, which is related to the five cups. The flames in the tower can be understood as a heart. If the observer turns round, he will take the path in the right direction and will not look back.
2: Finance
The powerful energy in this situation is emphasised by the intensive colour red in the background. The wands are moving onwards through a magnifying-glass, which bundles up the strength into one item. The blue colour of the magnifying-glass points to conscious action.
Scratches can be seen on the fingers of the hand, which, due to lack of concentration or coordination, come into contact with their own energy and have been recognised on previous cards.
3: Mundane Life
Six trees have been felled in a forest, which couldn't be entered and be used, because the trees were growing in all directions. They are lying to the left-hand side of the path, which is now free to let in light, causing new leaves to sprout.
The wood from the forest has been used to melt down the iron for an axe, to turn a style and therefore to create a significant relationship between growth and order.
4: Home
The sprouting seed refers to actual growth. The heart leads two ends together into a point. The house offers an outward protection for a partnership for life.
The child (small hand) shows itself as being an actual product of its parents' love. The snake suggests that the child will carry this cycle on, one day, as a parent.
5: Fun Things
The orangey-yellow colour of the picture symbolises fire; the green colour portrays fertility and growth. The sunflowers also testify a connection between energy and growth.
The throne gives the impression of a sun-queen; the creases on her skirt point to sexual energy, her red hair is tied back. The black cat, with its back to us, stands for independence and magic powers. There is a precious stone on the queen's crown, this connects her to the magician's figure one.
6: Work
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.
7: Partners
Water is formed from a cloud, due to condensation, and is dripping into a cup. Through this the relationship between water and its opposite energy air is portrayed. If we look carefully all the four elements are present here: water=Water, cup= Earth, cloud= Air and the liberated energy = Fire.
8: Hidden Aspects
A fourth cup, which, does not really want to fit in the well-balanced harmony of the other three, joins the three cups. The hand with its intensive colour shows the rejection it experiences. The fourth fish is green, as though it felt ill. Altogether the colours are lighter than those of the Three of Cups.
9: Higher Views
The sketch quotes the picture from the Raider-Waite deck. Eight wands are flying through the air.
10: Reputation
The beam of a building or some construction shows a definite crack and looks as if it will soon break; therefore, there is need for action. Five different coloured hands are trying to mend it by supporting the beam with stakes. But they are lacking in coordination and a united aim. One has the impression that the stakes could form an upside-down five-pointed star.
11: Friends
The picture shows a closed eye. A lot is still taking place inwardly. The heart and water in a way are being crossed out. Emotions have to be left out for the moment.
The varying thoughts seem to influence one another. Both hands are open. Each thought is equally valuable at the moment.
12: Hopes and Fears
The two faces and the two cups seem together to form an entirety. The difference between them is shown, among other things, through the colours, which, in each case, mirror the opposite.
Two fish in the water also suggest dualism in the unity. In the same way, the heart at the top, made of two parts, becomes one at the bottom. The suggestion of an angel above the heads supports the same theme.
