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 8 of Pentacles
Hidden Influences Fortitude		External Influences Queen of Wands
The Present The Beast		Suggestion 5 of Cups
The Past The Slave		The Outcome The Emperor

 

 

 

 

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

 

The Slave

7:00 – Card 3

AKA The Chariot in traditional Tarot. Female, Water, Aquarius.

To be used, controlled, or even simply employed. It's hard to work for the will of another, especially when the other is undeserving of their power over you. At the same time, the effort makes one strong.

 

 

 

 

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

 

The Beast

3:00 – Card 7

AKA Judgement or The Angel in traditional Tarot. Female, Air, Aries.

Birth, gain and success. To eat the apple and learn mastery of life and death. To nurse and grow strong. To win. These are all steps toward the goal but not the goal itself, to mistake the method for the achievement will leave one halfway there.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Fortitude

Bravery and strength can get one killed, but they're still pretty badass. Don't fear what you needn't fear, but don't get carried away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacle - This is the challenge.

 

8 of Pentacles

Things grow from other dead things. Don't overlook them for their dark origins, and don't dismiss the dead as a total erasure of what was.

 

 

 

 

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

 

Queen of Wands

An homage to H.R. Giger's Alien Hieroglyphs and an insult to perspective. A wand that does nothing more than sap the life from you and squirt it down the drain.

 

 

 

 

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

 

5 of Cups

The problem with a hand of glory is that wax melts and glory fades.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Emperor

In this case King Sargon of Akkad. A great ruler in his own time rarely even makes the history books in ours.