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 Cups
Hidden Influences 6 of Cups		External Influences 2 of Cups
The Present Knight of Pentacles		Suggestion The Emperor
The Past 5 of Swords		The Outcome 10 of Swords

 

 

 

 

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

 

5 of Swords

An homage to Bosch and Bruegel, and a card symbolic of victory to the well-armed and pain to the unprepared or unwilling to defend.

 

 

 

 

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

 

Knight of Pentacles

Stone is hard and sand is soft, yet one can erode the other in time and fundamentally, both are the exact same thing. Odd that the smaller of the two can destroy the larger and make it more like itself. Also note the Wolfs angle rune.

 

 

 

 

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

 

6 of Cups

I have no clue what I was thinking on this one. No clue, but if this card comes into play, remember to watch the horizon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacle - This is the challenge.

 

3 of Cups

Based on Canova's Three Graces. And don't say there's nothing to do in the Doldrums. Time spent doing nothing isn't wasted if it was enjoyed, only if it was miserable boredom.

 

 

 

 

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

 

2 of Cups

And two for my homies. Never forget past orthodoxies, past people or past events. Those who don't know their history aren't doomed to repeat it, they're doomed to fail history class and look like idiots. One feels no shame in repeating something they never saw in the first place, but stupidity is the greatest sin.

 

 

 

 

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

 

The Emperor

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

 

 

 

 

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

 

10 of Swords

Classic iconography. Classic significance: Absolute destruction.