Horse Shoe Layout
Difficulty: Easy
The Horse Shoe is an old classic tarot layout. It is more advanced than the 3-rune reading, yet simpler than most other layouts. It is a versatile method that can be used for most queries, though there are other layouts which would go into more depth. Like the simple Past, Present, and Future layout, it contains these runes in positions 1, 2, and 7, but also has 4 other runes that help the reader understand how to deal with the Future better. The runes are to be read as follows:
- The Past: This rune represents past events that are affecting the question.
- The Present: This rune represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.
- Hidden Influences: Things that you may not be aware of, or barely be aware of.
- Obstacles: This is the challenge. Obstacles might be avoided, or you may have to deal with them.
- External Influences: Attitudes and thoughts about this situation from people around the querent.
- Suggestions: Recommended course of action.
- The Final Outcome: This rune represents what would happen if the suggestion is followed.
Your Horse Shoe Reading
Obstacle  Tiwaz |
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Hidden Influences  Wunjo |
External Influences  Fehu |
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The Present  Gebo |
Suggestion  Dagaz |
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The Past  Laguz |
The Outcome  Mannaz |
The Past Card represents past events that are affecting the question.
Laguz
Laguz is related with water and the sea. Flow, a fertility source, the healing cycle of constant change renewal. This is a strong feminine rune of intuition that also relates to fertility.
Heightened imagination and psychic abilities. Dreams, fantasies, mysteries, the unknown, the occult. A breakthrough in awareness. Success in travel or acquisition, but presenting the possibility of loss.
Ill-dignification suggests you're taking things too hard. Prevent your emotions from running wild. This indicates of a period of confusion. Lack of creativity and feelings of being in a rut may lead to bad decisions and poor judgement. Circumstances may be beyond your control, so the trick is to adapt. Terror, circular logic, avoidance, cowardice, madness, obsession, despair, perversity, sickness, depression.
The Present Card represents the current state or immediately approaching influence.
Gebo
Gifts, in the spirit of both giving and receiving. Gebo is one of the runes of love, relating to partnerships and generosity. Matters related to exchanges. This rune can suggest an important favor and self-sacrifice as a reward in itself.
Ill-dignification can mean selfishness, loneliness, desperation, over-sacrifice, or bribery.
Hidden Influences - Things that you may not be aware of, or barely be aware of.
Wunjo
An omen of prosperity on the horizon. Projects relating to creativity, art, or intuition are favored by this rune. A sign of comfort, pleasure, comradery, joy, and harmony.
Glory, ecstasy, and spiritual frenzy. If controlled, success and general increase of one's personal stock. If unloosed, over-enthusiastic zeal can lead to maniacal raving, going berzerk. Don't blow your top.
Obstacle - This is the challenge.
Tiwaz
Tiwaz is the warrior rune, and also one of the runes of love. It is concerned with self-knowledge, self-actualization, leadership, authority, rationality, honor, justice, and self-sacrifice. Opportunities should be seized. Success is indicated by this rune, particularly in competitive and legal matters.
Ill-dignification can mean writer's block, creative slump, over-analysis, over-sacrifice, injustice, imbalance. Conflict, strife, and losing in competitive matters. A lack of passion, miscommunication, even a separation. The male in a relationship may be involved for superficial reasons.
External Influences - Attitudes about this situation from people around the querent.
Fehu
Fehu is one of three mother stones. This rune deals with earning success in matters of material gain or the increase of knowledge. It reveals a impending influence of prosperity, abundance, fullness, and happiness. It can indicate climbing the social ladder. Other key words are: vitality, energy, power, mojo, foresight, fertility, creativity, motion.
Suggestion - The recommended course of action.
Dagaz
This is the rune of the day, daylight, and summer time. This rune heralds new perspective and new opportunity. Breakthrough in awareness, an awakening. Achievement of spiritual equilibrium by coming to the place where opposites meet.
A prosperous time to plan out or embark upon a new project. You recognize the power that is in your own hands. Ambitions and ideals run high. Smart work pays off. Self-reliance, independence, security, and self-assuredness.
Ill-dignification can mean coming to the end of the road, reaching the maximum limit, coming full circle, blindness, confusion, and despair.
The Outcome - What will happen if the suggestion is followed.
Mannaz
Mankind, the Self; the individual or the human race. Your attitude toward others and their attitudes towards you. Friends and enemies, social order. This is the rune of help. Intelligence, forethought, creative ability, divine awareness.
Ill-dignification suggests a problem with authority, or possibly a conflict with people of a different culture. Mortality, blindness, self-deception, manipulation, cunning, slyness. A warning to be more careful of people, to pay closer attention to their motives. This rune may indicate a period of depression and suggests waiting or seeking consultation before making any important decisions.
