Horse Shoe Spread

Horse Shoe Spread #1

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 Chariot
Hidden Influences Adjustment		External Influences The Tower
The Present The Fool		Suggestion The Hanged Man
The Past The Star		The Outcome The Priestess

The Past represents past events that are affecting the question.

The Star

Aquarius

Use all thine energy to rule thy thought: burn up thy thought as the Phoenix.

Hope, unexpected help, clearness of vision, realisation of possibilities, spiritual insight, with bad aspects, error of judgment, dreaminess, disappointment.

The Present represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.

The Fool

Air

In spiritual matters, the Fool means idea, thought, spirituality, that which endeavours to transcend earth.

In material matters, it may, if badly dignified, mean folly, eccentricity, or even mania.

But the essential of this card is that it represents an original, subtle, sudden impulse or impact, coming from a completely strange quarter.

All such impulses are right, if rightly received; and the good or ill interpretation of the card depends entirely on the right attitude of the Querent.

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

Adjustment

Libra

Balance against each thought its exact opposite. For the Marriage of these is the Annihilation of Illusion.

Justice, or rather justesse, the act of adjustment, suspension of all action pending decision; in material matters, may refer to law suits or prosecutions. Socially, marriage or marriage agreements; politically, treaties.

Obstacle - This is the challenge.

The Chariot

Cancer

The Issue of the Vulture, Two-in-One, conveyed; this is the Chariot of Power. TRINC: the last oracle.

Triumph, victory, hope, memory, digestion, violence in maintaining traditional ideas, the 'die-hard', ruthlessness, lust of destruction, obedience, faithfulness, authority under authority.

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

The Tower

Mars

Break down the fortress of thine Individual Self, that thy Truth may spring free from the ruins.

Quarrel, combat, danger, ruin, destruction of plans, sudden death, escape from prison.

Suggestion - The recommended course of action.

The Hanged Man

Water

Let not the waters whereon thou journeyest wet thee. And, being come to shore, plant thou the Vine and rejoice without shame.

Enforced sacrifice, punishment, loss, fatal or voluntary, suffering, defeat, failure, death.

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

The Priestess

The Moon

Purity is to live only to the Highest; and the Highest is All; be thou as Artemis to Pan. Read thou in the Book of the Law, and break through the veil of the Virgin.

Pure, exalted and gracious influence enters the matter. Hence, change, alternation, increase and decrease, fluctuation. There is, however, a liability to be led away by enthusiasm; one may become 'moon-struck' unless careful balance is maintained.