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This spread is good for general information and gives a fairly high amount of detail. It has ten cards. Many readers will
also provide the option of an eleventh card, one that specifically is for the querant.
I do not use this practice, as I have found that it is generally unnecessary. In the illustration below, you will see the
tarot spread with the cards positions numbered. Please, use this as a guide to help you understand the different positions
of the cards.
The Celtic Cross has two major parts. The first is the Cross. It consists of the Querant card and cards at positions
1 to 5. The Cross describes the present situation, past influences that supported the development of the current
setting, and the short term future. Past influences can reach back to childhood or even back into past lives.
The second part consists of the remaining four card positions. This is called the Stave. It describes the factors influencing
the long term outcome, indicates what fate will bring, and summarizes the entire reading with the long term outcome. The final
card, which indicates that outcome, can state something different from what the short term future card states. This is not
unusual or an indication of something problematic.
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| The Celtic Cross Spread |
The position indicated with the S is known as the Signifier, it is also known as the Querant. This card
indicates the person for whom I am reading. It describes them at the time of the reading as to their emotional, spiritual,
and mental state.
Card 1 is Current Situation or That Which Covers You. It describes the immediate influences and the environment
you are within at the time of the reading. These descriptions focus upon the emotional, spiritual, and social factors around
you. Very rarely do I have information pertaining to the physical setting you are in. This card is a snap shot of where you
are at the immediate time of the reading.
Card 2 is called by many readers That Which is Beneath You. This card indicates your deep past in relation
to the matter we are reading on. It can also show me information about your past lives, dependent upon what you are reading
and if the roots of the issue stretch back that far.
 Card 3 is known as That Which is Behind You. This card indicates a more recent past event that pertains to the
matter. Where as the first of the three past cards here will be indicating events that go many, many years into the past,
this card is focused with in the past two years at the latest. Usually, it indicates matters with in the past year to six
months. As with the card at position 2, this card can show people who are major players in these past events as well.
The level of detail available to me is generally dictated by the cards. As such, I may only be able to describe personality
traits and limited physical traits, such as hair or eye color.
The final past card is at position 4 and is known as That Which is Above You. It indicates your immediate past.
This card can be tied quite intimately with the card at position 1. I would estimate that in most of the readings that
I have done with this spread, it is the case that cards 1 and 4 are interlinked 75% of the time.
The card at position 5 is known as That Which is Before You. This card indicates the immediate future (up to
a year in advance) on the issue. This future card describes how things would stand if you do not take any action to change
the outcome of events, but continue in the current pattern of behavior and thought.
 Position 6 is known as Hopes and Fears. It, quite obviously, discusses your hopes and fears upon this matter.
It may sound like it is self-contradictory, but it really is not. With the Tarot, the cards can indicate a fairly wide range
of things with just one card via the subtle impressions that I receive from them.
Position 7 is called House and Home. This card discusses how the social environment surrounding you affects
the long term outcome. It does not strictly focus upon your home, but also work and friendships. At times, it can even indicate
how the physical environment you are operating in can influence the final outcome.
Position 8 is known as The Hand of God or Fate. This card does not indicate how the final
outcome is going to go. What this card indicates is how luck (serendipity, fate, God's will, what ever you choose to call
it) is going to influence the matter, not the outcome. It can show people who are coming into your life that will play
a major role in the forward progression of the matter. It can also be a card that gives advice on how to proceed. Of all the
cards in this spread, this one can be the most unexpected and interesting.
Card 9 is the Final Outcome. This card summarizes the entire reading and give you what the long term projection
is for your issue. It can be a very detailed card or it can be general. As I stated earlier, the degree of detail I receive
in my readings for you is dependent upon what the cards reveal. This outcome is not a fixed thing!
With all tarot readings, and any other form of oracle used, this shows the most likely outcome based upon past events. It
also shows but one possibility of many. We ultimately have control over our own destinies and need to remember this
when ever we receive a tarot reading.
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