Tarot Decks and Divination by Kiran Atma

Building Resilience with Tarot

It is a broad subject and not one unique to tarot to develop personal resilience and crisis management techniques, but the seekers who are most likely to consult a tarot practitioner are usually those who are in a state of crisis, although personal. Any steps that you, the practitioner, may take to guide a seeker to develop resilience should be taken, but be fully aware that, particularly if you are not one, you do not assume the position of a licensed counselor. Your job is to remind the seeker of the wisdom and insights that the tarot archetypes can bring in crisis management.

It is said that the key to crisis management is resilience.

Resilient individuals have seven attributes in common:

Optimism: Resilient people display a positive mindset and a positive outlook.
Focus: They concentrate on the baby steps towards their goals and can plot a path map from vision to target.
Trust: They believe in themselves and their own abilities.
Expression: Resilient people have the ability to express their thoughts.
Humor: Even in the midst of disaster, they are able to smile, laugh, and find humor. They should laugh at themselves and the situation they are in.
Relations: They encourage good social connections and, when in need, they reach out to them.
Dedication. They will find time to take care of themselves no matter how busy they are, i.e. eating well, exercising regularly, upholding their moral or religious traditions, etc.

Our suffering and hardship reveals that the status quo solution is ineffective when crisis hits our lives and other elements need to be implemented or strengthened. Sometimes, a reading of tarot will enable us to illuminate which of the seven components is missing or poor. It is possible to perceive the crisis as 20 percent materiality and 80 percent perception. Thus, it is more than half the fight to control the view of the situation.

Applying tarot analytics through the framework of the above seven characteristics can help a Seeker with the process of diagnosing a crisis and identifying what needs to be done, and even formulating contingency plans. Follow-up tarot readings can then be used to help the Seeker monitor his or her progress of actions. By scheduling follow-up tarot readings about the crisis, the Seeker is effectively assuring that he or she will maintain the momentum and focus to drive out of the crisis.

Using tarot analytics will assist a seeker with the process of diagnosing a crisis and determining what needs to be done and even formulating contingency plans within the context of the above seven features. In order to help the Seeker track his or her progress in acts, follow-up tarot readings can then be used. The Seeker effectively guarantees that he or she can retain the momentum and concentration to step out of the crisis by arranging follow-up tarot readings about the crisis.

The Seven Resilience Features

Optimism

Although the Death Card does not seem to suggest hope initially, it does. Death is a difficult time of change, but everything will be fine until the transition or transformation is completed. The Seeker should also be reminded to be hopeful when the Death Card appears, as resilience is constructed from a positive outlook and eyes on the bright sunrise ahead.

As a root cause of the problem, the Star card in reverse shows pessimism in the Seeker, so when it emerges, inform the Seeker that he or she must reflect the characteristics of The Star upright, and be more confident and positive in his or her own outlook. A delay in progress can be demonstrated by the Sun card in reverse, so the Seeker is advised to stay persistent and remain constructive because it requires the stamina of that optimistic energy before the Seeker can achieve his or her goals.

Esteem and Confidence

A vital component of resilience is trust. While optimism is a faith in the good to come from the cosmos to the Seeker, trust is the trust of the Seeker in him or herself. The certainty of one's own abilities is confidence. It is what makes it possible for us to imagine our success and then truly execute towards that success.

It may be an indicator that the seeker wants to build his or her trust or needs to recover empowerment if the Magician card appears in reverse. The upright Emperor would imply a great deal of faith, legitimacy, and empowerment, but the Seeker's possible characteristics that need to become kinetic can be hinted at in reverse. The Card for Power is self-explanatory. The theme of trust is often shared by The Queen of Swords, upright or reversed.

Humor

In the midst of an otherwise dire, horrific circumstance, resilient individuals are able to look at themselves and to laugh. Healing is laughter. Cards such as The Fool or the Page of Wands carry light humor into our lives, and these cards suggest the glimmer of light within the Seeker that must now shine out when they appear surrounded by more serious cards. They may be a reminder to the Seeker when The Fool or the Page of Wands appear in reverse, to call back his or her childhood essence, to see the world again with humor.

Although a card about childhood and nostalgia is more popular, the Six of Cups may also suggest humor and sentimentality. If it happens, putting a smile on his or her face is a reminder to the Seeker. The Seven of Swords is also about comedy, about an individual with unusual mannerisms, to some degree. The Seven of Swords has a jester aspect that reminds us to stay light on our feet, no matter the circumstances.

EXPRESSIÓN

It is essential for resilience to have an outlet for communicating pain and, for many, crucial for preserving one's health. Typical artist cards like the Three of Pentacles and Eight of Pentacles will also show avenues for expression, though more important to craft as a career rather than mere expression.

The Cup suit is the human speech suit, and the suit's court cards remind us to be articulate. For seekers who need to express themselves, individuals who have been bottling their emotions, a Cups court card also appears in reverse and takes on a figurative sense. In order to get the pain out of their systems, such seekers should thus be encouraged to use channels of speech.

When a Seeker is going through a crisis and asks for a reading from a tarot practitioner, the practitioner should take the opportunity to remind the Seeker of the meaning of speech. Expressing one's suffering through the arts helps with coping immensely. Sometimes when the query is about how the Seeker can cope with emotional distress, the spread will include several Cups cards, showing the need for speech.

FOCUS

If The Chariot appears in reverse in a reading, it could mean that a lack of attention is one of the reasons for the troubles of the Seeker. The character and desires of the Seeker are scattered in so many directions and he or she must channel them in a concentrated way to achieve the target. The two yang aces, the Ace of Wands and the Ace of Swords, also denote concentration, so they indicate a seeker who does not exercise his or her will and determination enough when they appear in reverse. Another card about concentration is the Eight of Wands. It can demonstrate that emphasis is a key point for the Seeker, upright. Inversely, it may reveal that the Seeker is too passive and needs to be guided more.

Cards that denote focus in a reading urge the Seeker to be persistent and to push forward with baby steps. They can indicate stagnation as the main culprit and thus, by identifying what Seeker is not doing correctly, can help the Seeker move forward.

CONNEXTIONS

For crisis management, a good human support network is important. Our pain intensifies because we are alone with our pain and we have no other warm energy around us to help absorb any of our negativity. It is critical to be around stronger, more optimistic auras if the personal aura is weak, to borrow the power of another for a while, before we are able to produce our own.

A seeker may always be in trouble, but will not tell anyone about the troubles in his or her life. As a result, the pain alone is dealt with by the Seeker and the isolation has simply intensified the trouble. Cards may appear in these cases that encourage the seeker to reach out and get help or support from loved ones.

Friendship or link is indicated by the Two Cups. Although it normally denotes a romance with a strong base of friendship, the sense of a best friend or confidante, a single other peer who is there for us, may also be taken on. The Two of Cups is about our soul mate interacting with him. In a group of mates, sometimes of the same gender, The Three of Cups indicates friendship or relation. Most notably, for female seekers, it signifies sisterhood and female companionship. The Six of Cups is about our past interactions. The Ten of Cups indicates relations between families. It of remind the Seeker of his or her strong family support and the importance of reaching out in the time of need for the Seeker now.

It is about belonging to other social groups in The Six of Pentacles. Philanthropy is not always regarded as a social connection, but a successful way to mitigate these issues is through charity work when one is lonely or troubled. You bring goodness into your life by being a benefactor. The Six of Pentacles could also mean that a seeker considers voluntary work or supports a private mission or philanthropy. Our association with society can be indicated by the Six of Pentacles. The Ten of Pentacles is about communicating for mutual benefit with family or forming family alliances.

OF DEVOTION

Under the component "devotion," we have synthesized many principles of crisis management. Studies have shown that resilient people who effectively maneuver through crises have trust. That might be a religious or moral faith, or it might be faith in their ability to survive through the darkness. This is different from faith, which is a conviction that the seeker will achieve what he or she wants to accomplish. Faith is a trust that the Seeker has in his own greater intent.

Devotion to personal health and wellbeing is a secondary aspect to devotion. As faith creates a natural desire to treat the body as a temple and care for it, we have related health and well-being to faith. So, for instance, the seeker should take better care of his or her body and mind when the Temperance card appears in reverse, or the Four of Swords, or the Five of Pentacles. The Hierophant may indicate the need for religious or moral confidence, and temperance may indicate personal equilibrium, the need to observe healthy personal habits to restore body temperance. To pay more attention to his or her wellbeing and well-being, The Four of Swords is also a red flag to the Seeker.

The Analytical Method of Reading Resilience

While the traditional approach to a reading is card-by-card analysis and assessment of the landscape of a tarot spread, when there is a particular need for crisis management or the practitioner intuits that a Seeker is in urgent need of building greater resilience, the practitioner may prefer a more oriented approach that will lead the Seeker to an affirmative action plan.

A spread's Resilience Reading Strategy bounces around between the cards. The practitioner begins by resolving the pain or stress that is at the heart of the Seeker's condition instead of beginning with the first card put down in a spread and interpreting the cards in the order of their location.

When a Seeker arrives with a specific reading request or query to a tarot practitioner, the Seeker deals with a particular pain. First, fix the pain. Identify why and how that scenario brings discomfort, tension, irritation, anger, or restlessness into the life of the Seeker after listening to the Seeker's question. For cards that display the pain, scan the entire spread and begin the analysis there.

Cowardice and pessimism are the natural answer to pain. If there was neither apprehension nor pessimism, then the seeker would not seek the assistance of the tarot practitioner. Check the cards again, searching for indicators of what the fears of the Seeker are and places of adverse outlook or behavior this time. Pinpoint the Seeker to those places.

Next is the cross-examination we will refer to. Point out the vulnerabilities of the Seeker's fears and pessimism in the negative statements made. For instance, the Eight of Swords: because of the blindfolds, the Seeker may feel trapped, but she is not actually stuck. The way out is there. Remind the Seeker of her resourcefulness and ingenuity. She'll be able to cut loose by herself. If it appears to be the Five of Cups, point out the remaining two intact cups in the life of the Seeker and work with her to decide what those two cups symbolize.

Reconcile between the positive and the negative. Lead the Seeker to an internal compromise spot. Help the seeker create resilience by addressing the seven resilience characteristics: (1) confidence, (2) trust, (3) humor, (4) speech, (5) attention, (6) relations, and (7) devotion. After you have understood the worries and pessimism of the Seeker, next find out which of the seven features will better assist the Seeker to combat the negativity.

Does the seeker need more trust? To notice what the Seeker's personal strengths are, check the cards and remind the Seeker of these personal strengths. Do those cards suggest that there is a lack of emphasis for the Seeker? Will she want to do way too much at once? Remind her to offer prioritization. Is it appropriate for the Seeker to reach deep inside and resurrect her faith? Undeniably, faith is strong and inspiring. Maybe ask the seeker about her faith and recommend a more focused interaction with her practices of faith.

Scan the cards to form affirmations once again. "For example, if the Six of Wands appears, tell the Seeker, "When all this initial but required suffering is over, you will succeed and be victorious." If the card is not as directly positive, such as the Eight of Swords, say, "You will find your imaginative solution to this dilemma. Right now, you are going to get out of this rut you're in.

If the card is the Ten of Swords, claim, "You will rise again, because there is gold on your horizon." There is a positive opportunity offered to the Seeker in any negative or aggressive situation. To help guide the seeker to see the bright possibilities, the practitioner should use the tarot. Then present the Seeker with these hopeful possibilities as positive statements.

With an action plan, end the reading. The cards may show the next steps the applicant should take to resolve the problem. In order to define the three main powers or energies that the Seeker should concentrate on honing to overcome fears and pessimism, the practitioner may also undertake the Triquetra Outcome Management spread. It was also possible to draw an Adjustment Card.

A Variety of Tarot Spreads for a Variety of Purposes

The methods of reading per say are only a perspective represented by a few spreads such as those set out below. The best solution is not provided by them alone. For example, the Celtic Cross technique has many variants and meanings, and the better-known forms are worth attempting.

In a spread arranged in multiple ways, each reader will bring cards down in their own unique and personal way. Depending on whether it faces the tarot practitioner or the seeker, whether a card should be read as upright or as reversed often varies from practitioner to practitioner.

Which way is up, which way is down, what is left and what is right are based on what you’re used to as the professional and the relation you have made with your cards. You may read the cards as they face you, so the tarot deck being used will be attuned to you, the practitioner, am the medium for the Seeker. The cards are thus read in front of you, the practitioner.

However, for the benefit of their clients, many professional tarot readers will set the cards down facing the client and then read accordingly. That will certainly take some practice for a beginner reader.

What you ought to do is get into a consistent routine and attune your deck to your habits. That is how you establish your own spreads.

Often, the spreads are only there as recommendation points. Please research and find other spreads as guidelines for personal clarity in your readings, and then always continue to explore and practice new spreads that may enhance the quality of your readings.

You can devise spreads with arrangements that function best for you through practice, experience, and some intuition.

Please scroll below and select an elementary spread of your choice to learn more:

Seven Chakras Spread

Six Controversies Spread

Essential Key Spread

Fixed Term Analysis Spread

Alternate Three Card Draw

Three Card Draw

Two Card Draw

One Card Draw

Seven Chakras Tarot Spread

For general life reads, the Seven Chakras spread is ideally adapted. To answer particular questions, it is not customized. If the seeker has no particular query in mind and is merely searching for an overarching "big picture" interpretation of his or her life, then instead of the V Formation or Horseshoe, this seven-card spread fits well.

In line with Hindu philosophical philosophy, the distribution is partially based on the seven chakras.3 Although the seven chakras are physically portrayed in a vertical arrangement, it is perhaps simpler to present the cards in a horizontal spread.

Card 1 refers to the Root chakra which signifies the existence of the Seeker's stability. This is a card for the base. This is what the Seeker is rooted in. Use the card here to gauge the leadership and fighting abilities of the Seeker, personal sense of safety or security, sense of belonging, and general energy and stamina.

The Sacral chakra coincides with Card 2. Card 2 demonstrates the mental plane of the Seeker, imagination, some creative endeavors. Here, the practitioner may also look at the expectations and concerns of the Seeker. Sex and sexuality are both linked to the Sacral chakra.

Card 3 coincides with the Solar Plexus, which is used to reflect the career concerns of the Seeker. Card 3 will help the therapist get a sense of the degree of success and determination of the seeker. In his or her profession, the Solar Plexus chakra refers to the ego, personal strength, the wheel of energy, and how much desire the Seeker possesses for success.

Card 4 refers to the Heart and suggests devotion and families, while the Seeker's sympathy towards mankind, sense of charity and benevolence may also be spoken more broadly. In essence, Card 4 provides a sense of how kind the Seeker is, and it will help a therapist assess the attitude of the Seeker to love and relationships in that way.

The Throat chakra corresponds to Card 5, and denotes speech, culture, and connectivity. Here, the practitioner may get a sense of the experience and education of the Seeker, how the Seeker expresses his or her thoughts, and how the Seeker interacts with the world generally. This card location is the relation of the Seeker to others and how that relationship is conveyed or transmitted by the Seeker. This card also denotes the role of the seeker in society.

Card 6 coincides with the Third Eye, which reflects spirituality and faith problems. Card 6 will include a sense of how the Seeker thinks: the clarity of mind, insights, wisdom, justification, and imagination of the Seeker.

Card 7 is the chakra of the Crown, which states the karma of the Seeker. This is about a higher consciousness being reached. Will the Seeker have to solve an unfinished business? What is the most likely future result for the seeker? Card 7 solves these concerns and helps the seeker to learn about his or her life from a higher plane of thought. The Crown chakra provides a sense of how the Seeker, greater divinity, or the principle of God, is related to God. This is the card that denotes the larger self of the Seeker. Card 7 shows the Seeker in its best possible manifestation in practical operation.

Six Controversies Tarot Spread or The Six Points Tarot Spread

The number six holds deep spiritual significance for many religious faiths and represents the bridge between the higher realm and the lower realm of the universal consciousness. The number six is also associated with choices and the need to find balance between give and take, and yin and yang. It encompasses the theory of binary forces of life and also trinities. Mathematically, the number six is a perfect number and also a harmonic divisor. In this spread, it is used to extrapolate the six points or six controversies of a specific issue that the Seeker is concerned about.

By “controversy,” what I mean here is a point of tension that obstructs the Seeker from the desired outcome. Thus, the six controversies are an answer key for the Seeker that represent why there is flux in a specific area of the Seeker’s life. Thus, this spread is used for specific inquiries. It is less suitable for general inquiries. That said, if a Seeker is feeling lost, aimless, or stuck in life, this spread may help to pinpoint the six roadblocks that the Seeker needs to clear immediately to advance forward.

I use the names “Six Points” and “Six Controversies” interchangeably. Sometimes I’ll refer to the spread as “Six Points” when I want to take a gentler approach with a Seeker. However, I feel the name “Six Controversies” is a more accurate descriptive of how this spread functions. They represent points of contention or strife in the Seeker’s situation, or conflicts: the Seeker’s conflict with him- or herself, the Seeker’s conflict with another person, or the Seeker’s conflict with his or her community or environment. They are the six knots that the Seeker must loosen to move forward.

Unlike other spreads, where each card position has an assigned meaning, the Six Points Spread should be read cohesively and intuitively. The six cards collaborate with one another to express a narrative. Although there may be only six cards here, the spread is deceptive in its appearance of simplicity. This is a more advanced spread that should be attempted only after mastering the other foundational spreads.

Dyadic Cross Tarot Spread

For any general or unique queries, the Dyadic Cross is a multipurpose and intuitive spread.

Experienced tarot practitioners will remember that it is literally the cross section of the standard Celtic Cross ten-card spread.

As shown in the illustration, the spread is one cross inside a larger cross.

It is one of the simplest spreads on which to recall the definitions of the position.

For the Seeker, the smaller cross with two cards at the middle is the current moment: what the present state of mind of the Seeker is and what instantly enters the path of the Seeker.

Then the bigger four-card cross reflects the linear chronology of the past to the possible future outcome and the vertical cross-section of the life of the Seeker at the moment: the aspirations, speculations, worries of the Seeker, what comprises the portion of his or her life that is not yet part of the truth and base of the Seeker; what is latent in the unconscious that plays a role in the present. Intuitively, the actual position of the card is precisely what the card means according to the position of the signifier.

It uses a card of importance, which is put down first.

Then Card 1 is put on top of the signifier, as shown in the diagram above.

Card 1 illustrates the Seeker's current factors and state of mind.

This illustrates the essence of the matter. This card is a nutshell description of the most important energies around the topic in a single investigation.

Card 2 crosses the track of the Seeker.

It may raise obstacles or hurdles that the seeker may encounter, or what the seeker may expect in the near future to cross his or her way. Visually, when it passes the signifier, Card 2 tends to be in the way of the Seeker. This visual representation is representative of the interaction of the energies of Card 2 with Card 1 and the signifier.

Card 3 reflects the base of the matter at hand, or the origin of the Seeker.

It illustrates what is at the bottom of the dilemma, the incentive, and the backstory. If Cards 1 and 2 are the "what," so Card 3 is the "why." Card 3 also illustrates implicit forces and elements of the unconscious of the Seeker that affect the present and actual path taken by the Seeker.

The past forces or past energies that are now current and still affect the matter at hand are represented in Card 4.

Card 5 constitutes the Seeker's hopes or speculations.

The potential possible outcome may also be portrayed, which could arise if the candidate decides not to stay the course. Card 5 illustrates what is now in the world of thought, what has not materialized yet could theoretically materialize into the truth of the Seeker. Hopes, worries, and what-ifs could be suggested by the card.

Card 6 is what is most likely to happen if the seeker continues on the current course.

Card 6 is for the near future and the situation's most likely result. It is directly connected with Card 4, the history, and karmically connected with it. Interpret Cards 4 and 6 linearly as related, and Cards 3 and 5 synchronously as related.

The Dyadic Cross is one of the easiest and most powerful and complete spreads that can be studied by new practitioners.

If you had to learn just one spread, it should be the Dyadic Cross.

~Kiran Atma

You may also want to check out a few more spreads I often use.

Fixed-Term Analysis Tarot Spread

From time to time a Seeker will want to know general information for a fixed term of time, such as what is to come in the coming month, the coming three months, or the coming year. The Fixed Term spread helps to answer such inquiries. When shuffling, both the practitioner and the applicant should reflect on the investigation at hand, precisely the span of time the seeker is talking for. The cards will be coded by the purpose and focus to respond to the given period of time.

Set out the spread as noted in the above diagram in the numerical order. Card 1 reflects an analytical dilemma, or matter of the mind, that within the given period would be most urgent. Card 2 is a question of the spirit, something that the seeker can evoke an emotional response. Card 3 reflects matters of the human body, which may include job issues, social events, or an individual incident to take place during the specified period.

Card 4 signifies the prior influences in which the seeker approaches the given term, the history that will still be significant throughout the given term. Card 5 illustrates the Seeker leaving the given term and what continuing problems will remain past the defined term to which the Seeker must pay heed.

Essential Keys Tarot Spread

When to Use The Essential Keys Spread?

If I find myself in a party environment where many people order tarot readings one after the other, I would go for the spread of the Vital or Essential Keys, which is just five cards, and instead of addressing a single query, it gives a holistic snapshot of the character and life trajectory of the Seeker.

Through the distribution of the Essential Keys, I can touch on the main points that the Seeker wants to hear about where he or she is right now and I can do that in about five to ten minutes, most importantly.

A card with a Signifier is optional. What to enquire when using a Signifier:

Miss the signifier if time is of the essence. If there is time for the signifier, for the Seeker's sign, chat about the personality correspondences.

For starters, whether the Seeker is a Libra and therefore an Air sign, give a few key highlights about the inherent characteristics of the Seeker as an Air sign, e.g., born warriors or soldiers, sometimes engaged in dissent, vulnerable to sudden bursts of attention or interest in something, and then they lose the focus and become distracted; they are society's thinkers and philosophers.

On awareness and facts, they excel. With the gift of words, they're also excellent communicators or orators.

Be careful to alert the Seeker that those inherent traits may have altered nurture, the environment, and the choices the Seeker has made.

How to read the Essential Keys Spread:

1. Card 1 illustrates the present character or current condition of the Seeker.

2. This card tells you who the Seeker is, the Self. Where the Seeker comes from, and the past that always has an impact on the present, is Card 2.

Place Card 3 slightly above and to the right of Card 1, then cross it with Card 4, unlike a three-card past, current, future arrangement.

3. Card 3 demonstrates the capabilities of the Seeker. This is what the Seeker is good at, e.g., business ability, skills, intrinsic gifts, learned expertise, insights that place the Seeker for success, etc.

4. Card 4 crosses Card 3 and reflects the passions, interests, loves, of the Seeker.

Note if the two cards drawn respectively for Cards 3 and 4 appear to compliment or contradict each other.

In unity, are they aligned?

Or is there a conflict between the strengths of the seeker and the passions of the seeker?

This cross of cards will indicate whether the Seeker is satisfied or whether the Seeker secretly desires to try a greater endeavor, but has so far been hesitant to be proactive about it.

5. Card 5 illustrates the most likely conclusion depending on the current life trajectory of the Seeker. The card indicates where the seeker is heading.

In conclusion, I will note some patterns, repetitions, or dominant elements and give the Seeker some insight into their context.

Notice, however, that the spread of the Essential Keys is broad and will most likely only disclose the Seeker's most specific and general knowledge.

Therefore, I reserve it for gatherings, meetings with friends or relatives, conventions, or fairs where a number of individuals are waiting to read their tarot cards.

Instead of digging deeper into each card's intricacies, I'm just going to touch on the keywords.

When using the Essential Keys spread, I don't take individual queries. I let the Seekers know that there will be a general reading to come, and we will follow where the cards will lead.

The Simple Cross Tarot Spread

For five-card spreads, the standard approach to drawing the cards should be implemented after shuffling. As for the four-card spread, if used, the signifier card should first be put on the stack, then Card 1 should be placed on top of it.

The spread of the Simple Cross is a flexible and easy-to-read spread that will be important for practitioners, especially novices. Start by putting Card 1 over the card with the signifier. Card 1 reflects the current situation, or the "heart of the matter." Card 2 reflects the origins or foundations that might contain memories or occurrences of the past. Card 3 illustrates effects from the past on the new situation. The speculative card, reflecting ambitions, expectations, or higher topics that need to be considered, is Card 4. The most possible potential result is depicted by Card 5.

Combination Tarot Spreads

It is possible to synthesize two or more spreads from this section into combination spreads. The four-card spread and the three-card spread will, for instance, be mixed. Beginning such a reading with the First Operation would be the best practice. An summary reading of the Seeker's inquiry (general or specific) may be analyzed via the four-card spread after the First Operation. Then return to the outcome of the First Operation and conduct a three-card spread to classify the current, previous, and prospective future forces that in the particular problem divined from the First Operation would be most important to the Seeker.

Four-Card Tarot Spread

The four-card spread is based on the three-card spread, with an extra card helping to round out the Card 1. signs. Between Cards 1 and 2, a cross is created, which helps to define the crux of the matter at hand.

For the four-card spread, the conventional approach to drawing the cards should be followed after shuffling. Both general and individual questions can be answered by four-card spreads. If the practitioner wishes to use the Seeker's signifier cards, first put the signifier card on the table and then place Card 1 directly on top of it.

On top of the signifier, Card 1 goes. Card 1 indicates the present situation, or the "heart of the matter." Card 2 is the difficulty or obstacle to be met, or as a result of Card 1, it can mean what is directly ahead. Card 3 illustrates effects from the past on the new situation. The most probable potential result, or the "answer" card, is card 4.

Alternative Three-Card Tarot Spread

The First Operation will use an alternate three-card spread to not only define the subtopic that the Seeker wants to concentrate on within an investigation, but will also use the First Operation to draw the first card.

The cards accompanying the signifier are taken as a pile and put at the bottom of the pile in the hand when the signifier is found via the First Operation. Then the topmost card should be the signifier card.

The card that comes behind the signifier card directly following the signifier is drawn out as Card 1. The thesis of the answer to the Seeker's question is represented as that card. Set the signifier and Card 1 down, and face-down should be put on the remaining deck.

Fan out the cards and have the Seeker pick two more cards for you. Card 2 becomes the first card removed from the fan; Card 3 becomes the second card drawn. On the right side of Card 1, they are put such that there is now a row of cards: the signifier, and Cards 1, 2, and 3. Although the thesis was Card 1, Cards 2 and 3 are the argument, the most important success indicators, or the energies surrounding the condition of the Seeker that will most likely influence the future.

Expanding on the Three-Card Spread

The simple three-card layout is well adapted for extending into several card spreads that for the first three cards would have greater information. A seeker may ask follow-up questions on those three cards after drawing the three cards and interpreting the spread, or inquire about information. Subsequent cards are drawn and put below and above the card on which the current additional card is being created. For example, for the "past" place card, a seeker has a follow-up query about the reading given.

If the practitioner wants to answer the follow-up question, he or she will draw and put an additional card below the "past" location card and interpret it accordingly. For either of the three cards, current, former, and possible future respectively, the practice can be carried out.

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