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 2 of Wands
Hidden Influences 10 of Pentacles		External Influences 8 of Cups
The Present 5 of Cups		Suggestion Knight of Wands
The Past 7 of Swords		The Outcome The Chamber

 

 

 

 

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

 

7 of Swords

An Homage to Kurosawa. Seven swords belonging to seven Samurai.

In a realistic movie, even masters can die, and life has a tendency to move like the most implausible plot.

 

 

 

 

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

 

5 of Cups

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

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacle - This is the challenge.

 

2 of Wands

This artist loves Thai food. Tom Yum soup and fried rice mostly. To be honest though I'm very poor at chopsticks.

 

 

 

 

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

 

8 of Cups

D cups in this case. Don't be ashamed to enjoy your vices, and never regret the sins you enjoy.

 

 

 

 

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Chamber

AKA The World in traditional Tarot.

The walls and windows are all bricked up, there appears to be no way out, but you got in somehow, so there must be a way. Have you tried looking behind you? Even if you're trapped forever (As you are in this world) there's likely something fun do while you're here.