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 King of Pentacles
Hidden Influences 2 of Pentacles		External Influences 3 of Swords
The Present 9 of Swords		Suggestion 8 of Swords
The Past The Beast		The Outcome The Slave

 

 

 

 

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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

 

2 of Pentacles

Some cultures to this day place coins upon the eyes of the dead to pay the ferryman who will take them to the land of the dead. I'm guessing one eyed individuals travel at half fare and the blind go for free.

In reality, you can't take a cent with you. Spend it while you're alive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacle - This is the challenge.

 

King of Pentacles

A portrait of Anton LaVey, (1930–1997), founder of the Church of Satan and author of The Satanic Bible. Anyone else would be Blasphemy.

You choose who you look up to. If you look up to a musician who does every drug in the book and dies at 25 your results may vary, from admiring the lives of men and women who have changed the world, lived happy and died old.

 

 

 

 

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

 

3 of Swords

The Vikings were once the most feared force on the northern seas, now they are remembered by statues, Swedish death metal, and Antonio Banderas movies. Do what you will to ensure your name, but once you're gone you have no control over what will become of it.

 

 

 

 

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

 

8 of Swords

Why in Pulp Fiction did he go with a Samurai Sword? He had a damn Chainsaw! Half the swords in pawn shops are cheap crap that'll break if you try to use it, chainsaws are dangerous, vicious weapons. It would have been way wiser and way cooler if he went with the Chainsaw. Way cooler.

That aside: It's about sacrifice. Nothing's free and nothing ventured means nothing gained.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.