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 10 of Pentacles
Hidden Influences 5 of Swords		External Influences 3 of Wands
The Present Ace of Pentacles		Suggestion Knight of Wands
The Past 8 of Pentacles		The Outcome Ace of Wands

 

 

 

 

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

 

Ace of Pentacles

A fencing mask on a skeleton with a cadeceus over a black sun before fire. Refer to the symbolic meaning of each to find the answers you seek.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacle - This is the challenge.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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

 

3 of Wands

Two wands to keep them rowing in circles past death, one wand to put an end to it.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

Ace of Wands

A wand is a means to a magical end. If you don't like what you're seeing, use yours to change the channel.