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 The Emperor
Hidden Influences 8 of Wands		External Influences 9 of Cups
The Present The Tower		Suggestion 5 of Wands
The Past 5 of Cups		The Outcome The Theocrat

 

 

 

 

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

 

5 of Cups

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

 

 

 

 

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

The Emperor

In this case King Sargon of Akkad. A great ruler in his own time rarely even makes the history books in ours.

 

 

 

 

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

 

9 of Cups

A whole lot of cargo looks minimal when it's loaded onto a gigantic ship. This applies to more than one might expect.

 

 

 

 

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

 

5 of Wands

The means may be grotesque, but if they get you what you want you'd do well to use them.

 

 

 

 

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

 

The Theocrat

1:00 – Card 8

AKA The Hierophant in traditional Tarot. Male, Fire, Taurus.

The master, the controller, the employer. To force one's will upon others and make them work for your own benefits. Not always a cruel thing if it's done right. But it's so rarely done right.