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The Celtic Cross


The Celtic Cross is probably the oldest and most popular pattern for reading the tarot. It has survived so long because the layout of the cards is simple, but powerful. A strong energy has built up around this spread due to its use by so many people over the years. You can think of the Celtic Cross as divided into two sections: the Circle/Cross (six cards) on the left, and the Staff (four cards) on the right. The Circle/Cross simulates the Celtic cross found throughout Ireland. This cross has a circle linking the four perpendicular spokes. The circle and cross symbolize the joining of spirit and matter and the unity of all events in time.

The feminine energy of the circular section works in unison with the masculine energy of the Staff section. These two parts of the Celtic Cross mirror the dual nature of manifested reality - the polarities that abound in the human psyche.

The Circle/Cross section is made up of two crosses - a central one (two cards) nested within a larger cross (six cards). The smaller cross represents the heart of the matter - what is most central to you at the time of the reading. It is the hub around which the wheel of your life is turning.

The larger cross consists of two lines that overlay the minicross. The horizontal line (H) shows time moving from your past on the left into your future on the right. The vertical line (V) is your consciousness moving from your unconscious on the bottom to your conscious mind on the top. Together these six cards give you a snapshot of your inner and outer environment at the time of a reading.

The cards of the Staff section comment on your life and lie outside of the immediate situation. Here, your Inner Guide helps you understand what is shown in the Circle/Cross section. You receive guidance about yourself and others, your life lessons and your future direction.

There are a number of versions of the Celtic Cross. The differences are usually in cards 3-4-5-6. I use a circular placement to emphasize how the unconscious and the past (Cards 3 and 4) lead to the conscious and future (Cards 5 and 6). I have also added some meanings to Card 9. This position traditionally means "hopes and fears," but I also use it as a lesson or guidance card. It is always possible to adapt a spread to your own needs as long as you decide on any changes before you do a reading.



The heart of the Matter

This first card allows you to go beyond your question. It tells you what you are experiencing in regard to the question. The vibrations surrounding the condition are revealed in this first card. If a Court Card turns up here, it indicates that another person is involved in your query.









The World

Major Arcana - Heart of the Deck
Each of these suits represents some universal aspect of human experience.


A major element of happiness is wholeness - the sense that everything is working together in harmony. Not in a static way, but with dynamic balance. Involvement is also important. To be happy, we must feel connected - engaged with what is around us. There is also accomplishment - knowing that we have goals and are moving toward them successfully. When all these elements come together, we feel fulfilled and blessed.

The World represents these moments and all that goes into them. In readings, it is a very positive sign that you are in a position to realise your heart's desire. What that is for you depends on the situation, but it will always feel great. Remember, though, that Card 21 is a symbol of active contribution and service. To hold the World in our hands, we must give of ourselves to it. That is the source of true happiness.

 

This is what crosses you for good or bad.

Whatever this card represents can be determined in the light of the remaining spread. Whether it is favorable or unfavorable depends upon the card itself and your question. For example, if the question has to do with the success of a new business enterprise, and the Ace of Wands turns up in this second placement, we can assume that it crosses the first card favorably. However, it is always better to scrutinize the entire spread carefully before offering an interpretation.



Justice

Major Arcana - Heart of the Deck
Each of these suits represents some universal aspect of human experience.


On Card 11 we see the familiar figure of Justice. She has the scales of equality and impartial judgement in one hand, and the sword of decision in the other. In the tarot, Justice represents the understanding that life is ultimately fair and just. Even though the vagaries of day-to-day life tend to make us doubt this fact, Justice reminds us that there is divine balance. Notice the similarity between the Emperor and Justice. Both cards stand for universal order; the Emperor in its underlying structure, Justice, in the action of karma - cause and effect.

There is a serious feel to Card 11 - the tone of the courtroom. This card refers to legal matters of all kinds, but is not restricted to them. The courts are where judgements are made and decisions rendered. Our legal system is the official arena in which we explore the principles of Justice - fairness, impartiality and the quest for truth.

In readings, Justice often appears when you are concerned with doing what is right or making sure you receive your due. This card can also appear when you are feeling the impact of a past mistake or good deed. The cause you set in motion at one time is now returning to you as an effect.

Sometimes Justice is a signal to do what needs to be done. A time comes when responsibilities must be accepted, and accounts settled. The past will continue to haunt you if you do not recognise your mistakes and make amends for them. You will need to weigh matters carefully and perhaps make important decisions about your future course.

 

This is the basis of the situation.
This card reveals the real origin of your question. The written query usually does not indicate the whole situation, so you should pay special attention to this card. If, for example, a woman asks whether a certain man will contact her, you may find that the third card reveals a quarrel in your past or a long journey of separation.
There could be many reasons for your question, and this card will tend to reveal them to you if you are perceptive and intuitive. The third card will help you considerably in your overall divination.



3 of Pentacles

This suit usually represents financial matters, or anything in a material sense.

Key Words: teamwork, planning, competence, groups

This card represents a task-oriented team - people who are working co-operatively toward a common goal. There are few jobs that can be accomplished alone. We need the help of others to achieve our goals. Sometimes the Three of Pentacles is a sign that you will be more productive if you work with others. You don't have to do it all by yourself.

This card can also show a need for planning and preparation. Now is not the time to rush into something or begin a project with only a vague idea of what it's about. You need to think everything through, go over all the possibilities and make sure you work out the details. Do your homework, and your undertaking will flourish.

Another feature of the Three of Pentacles is competence - the ability to get the job done. How rare this is nowadays! This card tells you that you have the skills and knowledge you need. You can attract capable people and create a successful environment. Know that the situation is (or will be) in good hands, but be sure to concentrate on excellence in your work. Be proud of what you do and how you do it. Then you will accomplish your "impossible" mission.



This is behind you, or in the process of leaving.

From this card you can see the immediate background of psychic vibrations experienced by you. Depending on your attitude, the condition indicated may still be with you. If this condition is an undesirable one, a word of encouragement to you may help to dispel the situation, for the fourth card indicates that it is in the process of leaving or clearing up. If the card is favorable, the remaining cards will indicate this



4 of Swords

This suit generally represents anything forceful -- arguments, going after something, etc.

Key Words: peace - stillness

In readings, the Four of Swords is often a sign that you need to slow down and get some rest. If you are recovering from an illness, allow yourself quiet time to heal. Even if you feel completely healthy, you are risking getting sick if you don't take a break.

The Four of Swords also represents taking the time to think things over without hurry. It is important to step back and gain perspective. This is especially true when you are facing an ordeal or big event. You need quiet preparation time to gather your strength and centre your energy. Picture an Olympic diver on the high board. She doesn't climb the ladder and then dash out. She stops, motionless as she readies herself for the burst of activity to come. This is the only way to bring the best to our endeavours.

Sometimes the Four of Swords implies that you are or could be shifting focus from the external to the internal. When we are silent, we can more easily go within. The knight in the picture appears to be praying or meditating deeply. Actually, he appears to be dead! For those who are addicted to activity, rest and quiet can seem like death, but that is certainly not the case. Stillness holds its own rewards, but they must be recognised and sought.

 

This is what crowns you and could come into being.

The fifth card relates to situations not yet materialized and so is extremely helpful in advising you. With this card you can see a possible and often probable course of future events.









6 of Cups

This suit is usually associated with emotions and matters of the heart.

Key Words: children - memories - child-like - innocence - forgiveness - kindness

The Six of Cups is a card of simple goodness. It encourages you to be kind, generous and forgiving.

The Six of Cups also represents innocence - a word with many shades of meaning. You can be innocent in the strictly legal sense of lack of guilt. You can be innocent of the truth - unaware of some secret. You can be lacking in deceit or corruption - innocent of ulterior motive. Finally, you can be virtuous or chaste. These are all possibilities that can apply to the Six of Cups, depending on the situation.

Notice that the two figures on the Six of Cups appear to be children. Often this card represents a baby or young child. In a larger sense, it embraces all of childhood and the feelings we associate with youth (ideally!) - being carefree, playful, secure and loved. Children are our treasure, and the sweetness of the Six of Cups is a quality to be treasured as well.

 

This is before you.

In the process of interpreting this card, you should consider the tenth and final card also. These two cards have a positive relationship and are connected in the final interpretation: one leads to the other, and both deal with a future situation that is taking shape as a result of past and present circumstances.







Page of Wands

This suit is generally associated with spirituality and personal growth.

Key Words: messenger -good news - chance - romance - intimacy

Type of Person:: Sagittarius - young male or female - indication of good news

The Page of Wands is a messenger bringing you opportunities for passion. He delivers real chances to experience creativity, courage, charm and inspiration - the wonders of the Wands suit. In readings, this Page suggests that an opening may appear that excites you, feeds your talents, or dares you to be great. When you see such a chance, act on it!

The Page of Wands can also stand for a child or young-at-heart adult whose interactions with you involve independence, high energy, risky behaviour, or shared enthusiasms. Sometimes the Page of Wands implies that your entire situation is suffused with the spirit of excitement and adventure. At such times, feel free to express your individuality and power with light-hearted abandon.



This represents your own negative feelings
.
I have known students to be very confused about this card. What happens if a positive, promising card turns up in this position? It simply means that you have a negative attitude towards this situation and cannot appreciate or accept the beneficial circumstances indicated.
It can be of great assistance to you when reading this card; it can offer guidance and often relieve you of your anxieties regarding the situation, so that you can come to accept whatever benefits are in store. Also, together with the third card, this seventh card can help you to see deeply into the true emotions surrounding your original question.


The Sun

Major Arcana - Heart of the Deck
Each of these suits represents some universal aspect of human experience.


Brilliant. Radiant. Sparkling. So many of our words reflect (!) the power and glory of light. When we turn on the light in a room, we illuminate it so that all the dark corners are visible. When we turn on the light in our minds, we are enlightened. We see clearly and understand the truth. Both within and without, the energy of light expands our limits and makes us shine.

Throughout history, people have honoured the Sun as the source of light and warmth. In the myths of many cultures, the Sun is a prominent god - full of vigour and courage. He is the vital energy centre that makes life on earth possible. In the tarot the Sun also symbolises vitality and splendour. The Sun is definitely not a meek and retiring card.

In readings, you will understand Card 19 if you imagine yourself to be a Sun God. How do you think and feel? You have total confidence in yourself. You are not cocky, but profoundly sure of your power. You have unlimited energy and glow with health. You have a greatness about you and stand out brilliantly. Finally, you see and understand all that is happening within your sphere. When you see this card, know that you will be successful at all you undertake. Now is the time to let your light shine.

 

This represents the feelings of others around you.

If you have asked a question involving another person, this card will help you to see the other person's point of view. However, if the question relates only to your activities, the eighth card provides insight into how other people feel regarding you and this situation.











The Star

Major Arcana - Heart of the Deck
Each of these suits represents some universal aspect of human experience.


People have always looked to the stars as a source of inspiration and hope. There is something about their twinkling light that draws us out of ourselves and up into a higher plane. When we turn our eyes heavenward, we no longer feel the distress of earth. The Star reminds me of the clear, high voice of a soprano. There is something otherworldly about it. All the harshness and density of everyday life has been refined away leaving only the purest essence. After being exposed to the Star, we feel uplifted and blessed.

In readings, the Star is most welcome when grief and despair have overwhelmed us. In our darkest moments, we need to know that there is hope,that there is light at the end of the tunnel. The Star is the opposite of the Devil who strips us of our faith in the future. Card 17 holds out the promise that we can eventually find peace of mind. The Star also reminds us to open our heart and release our fears and doubt. If you have been holding back in any way, now is the time to give generously.

It is important to remember that the Star is inspiring, but it is not a card of practical solutions or final answers. Truly without hope we can accomplish nothing, but hope is only a beginning. When you see Card 17, know that you are on the right track. Your goals and your aspirations are blessed, but to realise them, you must take positive action. Use the light of the Star to guide you in your efforts.

 

This represents your own positive feelings.

Often a person thinks one thing, but through fear or inhibition says another. The ninth card will help you determine how you really feel about the matter in question. If you are apprehensive, it can guide you toward the solution to your dilemma through the wisdom of the Tarot











The High Priestess

Major Arcana - Heart of the Deck
Each of these suits represents some universal aspect of human experience.


The High Priestess is the feminine principle that balances the masculine force of the Magician. The feminine archetype in the tarot is split between the High Priestess and the Empress. The High Priestess is the mysterious unknown that women often represent, especially in cultures that focus on the tangible and known. The Empress represents woman's role as the crucible of life.

In readings, the High Priestess poses a challenge to you to go deeper - to look beyond the obvious, surface situation to what is hidden and obscure. She also asks you to recall the vastness of your potential and to remember the unlimited possibilities you hold within yourself. The High Priestess can represent a time of waiting and allowing. It is not always necessary to act to achieve your goals. Sometimes they can be realised through a stillness that gives desire a chance to flower within the fullness of time.


 

The outcome
.
The tenth and final card indicates the outcome of the situation. Its interpretation depends upon the people and circumstances involved in your question and upon the nine preceding cards. All the other cards lead up to this card and must be read accordingly. You must first arrive at a conclusion, based on the totality of these factors and your own intuition, then you must decide what action to take, based on your thorough understanding of the spread in relation to your question.



8 of Pentacles

This suit usually represents financial matters, or anything in a material sense.

Key Words: detail, work, diligence, focus, effort, productive

The Eight of Pentacles represents moments when you must give 110%. Just buckle down and do it. Fortunately, this kind of work is invigorating and leads to superb results. The labour of the Eight of Pentacles is deeply satisfying and .

The Eight of Pentacles can also symbolise the impulse to learn - to broaden horizons (to use an old-fashioned term). Sometimes we need to develop new skills. We do research, dig out facts or search for expertise. The man on the Eight of Pentacles seeks external knowledge - the how and why of the material world.

This card can also show the need for meticulous attention. People who are painstaking are often dismissed as nit-pickers, but their extra effort ensures everything is as it should be. It's a matter of caring - taking the time to check the little details. Now is not the time to be slipshod or casual. Look for errors, and tie up loose ends. The key to success is an extraordinary effort. Whatever your task, the Eight of Pentacles tells you to give it your all in every way.