The Love Triangle Spread
Difficulty: Complicated
Casually referred to as the Love Triangle, this spread can be used to determine the dynamics of the relationship between three people, regardless of whether romance is involved. This spread is arranged in the form of a hexagram, consisting of several large and small triangles. This tarot spread may seem somewhat complicated, but it is not entirely that difficult.
The first step is to interpret the card for each individual position in the spread. Generally, one might ask about a relationship they are involved in, but this does not have to be the case. Ordinarily, the reader's representative card is #1, their main person of interest is #2, and the other person would be #3.
The second step fills in the downward triangle and involves further examination of the individuals through their views of the other people. Each person has two more cards showing the way they see and relate to the other members of the triangle. For example, Card #6 indicates how Person #3 relates to Person #1, while Card #9 stands for Person #1's attitude toward Person #3.
The next step completes the upward triangle and the hexagram, focusing on cards #10–13. It also completes the many smaller triangles and hints at the potential for each relationship. The final card, #13 can be considered the significator of the reading, which suggests the overall potential for this three-way relationship.
Your Love Triangle Reading
P#3 | 3to2 | 2+3![]() |
2to3 | P#2 | ||
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3to1 | ![]() |
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2to1 | ![]() |
1+3 | ![]() |
1to3 | ![]() |
1to2 | ![]() |
1+2 |
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P#1 | ![]() |
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1: Person #1
Fire
Final decision in respect of the past, new current in respect of the future; always represents the taking of a definite step.
2: Person #2
Water
Enforced sacrifice, punishment, loss, fatal or voluntary, suffering, defeat, failure, death.
3: Person #3
Mars
Quarrel, combat, danger, ruin, destruction of plans, sudden death, escape from prison.
4: Person #1's view of #2
Pisces
Illusion, deception, bewilderment, hysteria, even madness, dreaminess, falsehood, error, crisis, 'the darkest hour before the dawn', the brink of important change.
5: Person #2's view of #3
Scorpio
Transformation, change, voluntary or involuntary, in either case logical development of existing conditions, yet perhaps sudden and unexpected. Apparent death or destruction, but such interpretation is illusion.
6: Person #3's view of #1
The Sun
Glory, gain, riches, triumph, pleasure, frankness, truth, shame-lessness, arrogance, vanity, manifestation, recovery from sickness, but sometimes sudden death.
7: Person #2's view of #1
Leo
Courage, strength, energy and action, une grande passion; resort to magick, the use of magical power.
8: Person #3's view of #2
The Moon
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.
9: Person #1's view of #3
Taurus
Stubborn strength, toil, endurance, placidity, manifestation, explanation, teaching, goodness of heart, help from superiors, patience, organisation, peace.
10: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #2
Virgo
Illumination from within, secret impulse from within; practical plans derived accordingly. Retirement from participation in current events.
11: Overall relationship between persons #2 and #3
Aquarius
Hope, unexpected help, clearness of vision, realisation of possibilities, spiritual insight, with bad aspects, error of judgment, dreaminess, disappointment.
12: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #3
Earth
The matter of the question itself, synthesis, the end of the matter, may mean delay, opposition, obstinacy, inertia, patience, perseverance, persistent stubbornness in difficulty. The crystallisation of the whole matter involved.
13: Overall 3-way Relationship
Cancer
Triumph, victory, hope, memory, digestion, violence in maintaining traditional ideas, the 'die-hard', ruthlessness, lust of destruction, obedience, faithfulness, authority under authority.