Horse Shoe Spread

 

 

Difficulty: Easy

The Horse Shoe is a classic tarot spread. It is more advanced than the three-card reading, yet simpler than most other spreads. It is a versatile method that can be used for most queries, though there are other spreads which would go into more depth. Like the simple Past, Present, and Future spread, it contains these cards in positions #1, #2, and #7, but also has four other tarot cards that help the reader understand how to deal with the future better. The cards are to be read as follows:

1. The Past: Past events affecting the question.
2. The Present: The current state or approaching influence.
3. Hidden Influences: Things the reader may not be aware of (or barely be aware of).
4. Obstacles: This is the challenge: obstacles may be avoided or may have to be dealt with.
5. External Influences: Attitudes and thoughts regarding people around the reader.
6. Suggestions: Recommended course of action.
7. Outcome: The result of following the suggestions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Horse Shoe Reading

	Obstacle 3 of Swords
Hidden Influences Page of Pentacles		External Influences 10 of Wands
The Present 4 of Cups		Suggestion 6 of Pentacles
The Past 7 of Swords		The Outcome The Moon

 

 

 

 

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

 

7 of Swords

A man in the act of carrying away five swords rapidly; the two others of the card remain stuck in the ground. A camp is close at hand.

Divinatory Meaning:

Design, attempt, wish, hope, confidence; also quarrelling, a plan that may fail, annoyance. The design is uncertain in its import, because the significations are widely at variance with each other.

 

 

 

 

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

 

4 of Cups

A young man is seated under a tree and contemplates three cups set on the grass before him; an arm issuing from a cloud offers him another cup. His expression notwithstanding is one of discontent with his environment.

Reversed Meaning:

Novelty, presage, new instruction, new relations.

 

 

 

 

Hidden Influences - Things that you may not be aware of, or barely be aware of.

 

Page of Pentacles

A youthful figure, looking intently at the pentacle which hovers over his raised hands. He moves slowly, insensible of that which is about him.

Divinatory Meaning:

Application, study, scholarship, reflection another reading says news, messages and the bringer thereof; also rule, management.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacle - This is the challenge.

 

3 of Swords

Three swords piercing a heart; cloud and rain behind.

Reversed Meaning:

Mental alienation, error, loss, distraction, disorder, confusion.

 

 

 

 

External Influences - Attitudes about this situation from people around the querent.

 

10 of Wands

A man oppressed by the weight of the ten staves which he is carrying.

Divinatory Meaning:

A card of many significances, and some of the readings cannot be harmonised. I set aside that which connects it with honour and good faith. The chief meaning is oppression simply, but it is also fortune, gain, any kind of success, and then it is the oppression of these things. It is also a card of false-seeming, disguise, perfidy. The place which the figure is approaching may suffer from the rods that he carries. Success is stultified if the Nine of Swords follows, and if it is a question of a lawsuit, there will be certain loss.

 

 

 

 

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

 

6 of Pentacles

A person in the guise of a merchant weighs money in a pair of scales and distributes it to the needy and distressed. It is a testimony to his own success in life, as well as to his goodness of heart.

Divinatory Meaning:

Presents, gifts, gratification another account says attention, vigilance now is the accepted time, present prosperity, etc.

 

 

 

 

The Outcome - What will happen if the suggestion is followed.

 

The Moon

The distinction between this card and some of the conventional types is that the moon is increasing on what is called the side of mercy, to the right of the observer. It has sixteen chief and sixteen secondary rays. The card represents life of the imagination apart from life of the spirit. The path between the towers is the issue into the unknown. The dog and wolf are the fears of the natural mind in the presence of that place of exit, when there is only reflected light to guide it.

The last reference is a key to another form of symbolism. The intellectual light is a reflection and beyond it is the unknown mystery which it cannot shew forth. It illuminates our animal nature, types of which are represented below – the dog, the wolf and that which comes up out of the deeps, the nameless and hideous tendency which is lower than the savage beast. It strives to attain manifestation, symbolised by crawling from the abyss of water to the land, but as a rule it sinks back whence it came. The face of the mind directs a calm gaze upon the unrest below; the dew of thought falls; the message is: Peace, be still; and it may be that there shall come a calm upon the animal nature, while the abyss beneath shall cease from giving up a form.

Reversed Meaning:

Instability, inconstancy, silence, lesser degrees of deception and error.