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 10 of Swords
Hidden Influences The Theocrat		External Influences 4 of Wands
The Present Knight of Wands		Suggestion 9 of Cups
The Past 8 of Wands		The Outcome 9 of Pentacles

 

 

 

 

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

 

8 of Wands

The means by which you arrive are not necessarily the means by which you'll stay.

 

 

 

 

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

 

Knight of Wands

Read 'The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quixote of La Mancha', preferably the edition with illustrations by Gustav Dore. At the very least see the play 'Man of La Mancha'.

Mock what lunatics you may, but at some point you've been the fool too, and fools, whatever else they are, are also the best dreamers.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Theocrat

1:00 – Card 8

AKA The Hierophant in traditional Tarot. Male, Fire, Taurus.

The master, the controller, the employer. To force one's will upon others and make them work for your own benefits. Not always a cruel thing if it's done right. But it's so rarely done right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacle - This is the challenge.

 

10 of Swords

Classic iconography. Classic significance: Absolute destruction.

 

 

 

 

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

 

4 of Wands

If you lost the means to do what you will, try retracing your steps. You had them before, you should be able to find them again. Unless they fell into the sewer, that would totally suck.

 

 

 

 

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

 

9 of Cups

A whole lot of cargo looks minimal when it's loaded onto a gigantic ship. This applies to more than one might expect.

 

 

 

 

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

 

9 of Pentacles

Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Da-Dling! Dzugdzugdzug.

Realistically, profit isn't hanging in the sky to be taken. If you take it, you're taking it from somebody. And you don't just get to smoosh them.