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:
- The Past: Past events affecting the question.
- The Present: The current state or approaching influence.
- Hidden Influences: Things the reader may not be aware of (or barely be aware of).
- Obstacles: This is the challenge: obstacles may be avoided or may have to be dealt with.
- External Influences: Attitudes and thoughts regarding people around the reader.
- Suggestions: Recommended course of action.
- Outcome: The result of following the suggestions.
Your Horse Shoe Reading
Obstacle![]() The Moon |
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Hidden Influences![]() 6 of Swords |
External Influences![]() 5 of Cups |
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The Present![]() 10 of Pentacles |
Suggestion![]() The Empress |
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The Past![]() Death |
The Outcome![]() The Lovers |
The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.
Death
The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.
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.
Hidden Influences - Things that you may not be aware of, or barely be aware of.
6 of Swords
Something has to make the rain come down. It got up there but once there's enough of it, it falls back to Earth. It's not enough just to let it happen, if you want to understand you have to observe.
Obstacle - This is the challenge.
The Moon
Tranquillity, calm, beauty, and for some reason I never understood, lobster. Don't ask me, blame antiquity.
External Influences - Attitudes about this situation from people around the querent.
5 of Cups
The problem with a hand of glory is that wax melts and glory fades.
Suggestion - The recommended course of action.
The Empress
Regime change in action, it happens more in the sewers than the senates. One goes out, another comes in.
The Outcome - What will happen if the suggestion is followed.
The Lovers
9:00 – Card 6
Male, Air, Sagittarius.
Ceration is the alchemical act of adding a liquid to the substance while heated, yielding a softer substance with a wax-like texture. Not to be confused with alchemical union, but an important step toward it.