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 Moon
Hidden Influences The Tower		External Influences 4 of Pentacles
The Present The Beast		Suggestion The Norn
The Past The Emperor		The Outcome 5 of Wands

 

 

 

 

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

 

The Emperor

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

 

 

 

 

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

4 of Pentacles

It doesn't always come out the way you wanted. That doesn't mean you can't still enjoy it.

 

 

 

 

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

 

The Norn

2:00 – Card 10

AKA The Wheel of Fortune in traditional Tarot. Female, Air, Gemini.

Symbolic of fate, and what is fate but change? Everything changes in time; change is the only constant. What one cannot control one must predict, and act in accordance with. Opposition to the inevitable yields only pain.

 

 

 

 

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

 

5 of Wands

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