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 Ace of Swords
Hidden Influences 8 of Wands		External Influences The Hermit
The Present King of Wands		Suggestion The Tower
The Past 5 of Swords		The Outcome The Swamp

 

 

 

 

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.

 

King of Wands

Money is the king of all motivators. There is nothing in this world enough money can't buy. The people who tell you otherwise clearly don't have enough of it.

 

 

 

 

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

 

8 of Wands

The means by which you arrive are not necessarily the means by which you'll stay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obstacle - This is the challenge.

 

Ace of Swords

'At the east of the garden of Eden he placed the Angel and a flaming sword that turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life'. –Genesis 3:24

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Hermit

4:00 – Card 5

Male, Air, Virgo.

A card of loneliness, disconnection and solitude. Also, a card of hope – If you have half of something it means the other half is out there somewhere. It may be far away, you may have to wade through the nastiest slums to find it, but when you do it's brilliant.

 

 

 

 

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

 

The Tower

10:00 – Card 4

Male, Earth, Libra.

Failure and Loss. Defeat and ruin. The higher it's built, the harder it falls and the more it crushes when it does. That doesn't necessarily mean it wasn't worth building. Defeat can be accepted and the ruins left behind in favour of greener pastures, or one can start to rebuild. The latter is more difficult, but often more rewarding.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Swamp

8:00 – Card 1

AKA Temperance in the traditional Tarot. Male, Earth, Scorpio.

Stagnation, nothing moves, nothing changes. Barriers block every effort to improve or change, not that rock has anywhere to go. The elements and life move around it, grow from it, decay upon it, but it goes nowhere.