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 The Theocrat
Hidden Influences Ace of Wands		External Influences Page of Pentacles
The Present The Empress		Suggestion 10 of Pentacles
The Past The Sun		The Outcome 9 of Swords

 

 

 

 

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

 

The Sun

Damn bright thing always vomiting heat and blinding light onto the populous. The artist of this deck isn't a fan.

 

 

 

 

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

 

The Empress

Regime change in action, it happens more in the sewers than the senates. One goes out, another comes in.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Ace of Wands

A wand is a means to a magical end. If you don't like what you're seeing, use yours to change the channel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacle - This is the challenge.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Page of Pentacles

An homage to Arthur Edward Waite, Aleister Crowley and George Sprague, the three revolutionary authors of Tarot systems that inspired this deck. Also, a very bad pun, apologies.

Life demands study, not worship. Study your problems, don't just pray for them to go away.

 

 

 

 

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

 

10 of Pentacles

The tree of life doesn't play out flawlessly like it does in the diagrams. It's actually far more distorted than that. Don't mistake the map for the territory and follow books blindly.

 

 

 

 

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

 

9 of Swords

Drawn on July 4th to the sound of fireworks. Weapons and explosives are now components of ritual as often as components of battle. I suppose they always were.