Tarot Card Layouts

"There are many methods for predicting the future. For example, you can read the horoscopes, tea leaves, tarot cards or crystal balls. Collectively, these methods are known as 'nutty methods.' Or you can put well researched facts into sophisticated computer models, more commonly referred to as a complete waste of time."

American cartoonist and creator of Dilbert, Scott Adams may ridicule prophecy seekers and the many methods they try out but the fact remains that there are very few people amongst us who do not read their horoscope in the morning paper or are not intrigued by a gypsy woman offering to read your palm. You may forget the prediction a few hours later but at that instant you will want to know what your future has in store for you. If you are fascinated by predictions about the future, then one of the most common ways to predict is reading tarot cards. Interpreting these layouts and deciphering their assigned meaning is a divination method that can be traced back to the 14th century but the country of origin is shrouded in mystery.

Generally a tarot card deck has 78 cards; 22 of these cards are the Major Arcana and 14 cards are classified as the Minor Arcana. Tarot cards have images and symbols and have elements assigned to them as well. According to the layouts which can be interpreted using a book with the meanings or using the reader's intuition, one's future can be predicted. Traditionally the symbols used for understanding the meaning of tarot cards can be linked to the age of renaissance and therefore, to Europe.

Most people turn to tarot cards to understand the events in their life. Tarot enthusiasts swear by the control that they gain over problems in their relationships, work, health, family etc. from tarot readings. While you can learn to read tarot cards, there are some people who have an innate talent for reading tarot cards. Even if you do know how to interpret cards it is advisable to not read them for yourself as the interpretation may be subjective. When you are reading different tarot cards and their layouts, it may be a good idea to keep the following tips in mind.

• While reading tarot cards it is important that the place of work is quiet and there is no sort of disturbance.
• The room in which the tarot card reading takes place should not be very bright and should be curtained so that it is dim.
• While shuffling the cards, you need to concentrate completely. The tarot card reader needs to focus on the cards and the question that needs to be answered.
• One of the most important things to remember is to never cross your legs or arms. This is required of everyone present in the room.
• The deck of tarot cards needs to be always cut by the person who is asking the question with his or her left hand.
• After reading the tarot cards, collect the set of cards and place it a corner that is dark and silent. It is important that the tarot cards are always handled by the reader of the cards as there is an energy association.

Tarot Cards, Layouts and Meanings

There are many different layouts which tarot card readers use to predict the future of the person consulting them. Six of these simple layouts and the meanings associated with these spreads are discussed below.

Celtic Cross Spread
The Celtic Cross tarot card layout is widely regarded as one of the easiest tarot spreads for beginners to learn. It is also quite a detailed spread. The spread is arranged with nine or ten cards depending on the preference of the reader. The placement of the cards is such that cad number 1 is placed in the center with card number 2 placed horizontally, on top of it. Card number 3 is placed to the right of card number one and card number 4 is placed below it. Card number 5 is placed parallel to card number 4 and card number 6 is placed to the left of card number 1. Card numbers 7, 8, 9, and 10 are placed parallel to the column created by card numbers 1, 3, and 5, with ten at the top and card number 7 at the bottom.

Card number 1 represents the present. Card number 2 is representative of the present obstacle that the person asking the question is trying to overcome. Card number 3 symbolizes the past and the foundation for the question being asked. Card number 4 is indicative of recent events that have a direct connection to the question. Card number 5 represents what may be the best solution to the question asked. Card number 6 represents the immediate future and card number 7 is representative of what the consultant's emotions are about the situation at hand. Card number 8 indicates what external factors influence the situation and card number 9 is representative of the hopes and fears pertaining to the situation. Card number 10 is representative of the outcome that you can expect.

Ellipse Spread
If you want to know what the outcome of a project that you are involved in will be, then one of the best layout to consult is the ellipse spread. The cards are spread out in such a manner that they resemble the alphabet V, starting with card number 1 at one end, card number 4 in the center, and card number 7 at the other end. Card number one is representative of your past, card number 2 indicates the present, and card number 3 represents the future. Reading tarot cards numbers 4, 5, 6 and 7 will give you an indication of what solution you have at your disposal, what harm you can come to, what are the hopes and fears associated and what is the outcome of the problem.

Five Card Spread
Another popular tarot card layout is the five card spread. As the name suggest there are only five cards used in this layout with the spread being similar to the Celtic cross spread without the parallel column of four cards. Card number one indicates the present and the question being asked. Card number two is representative of the past and the influence it has on the question being put forward. Card three indicates the future of the consultant and card number 4 points out the reason behind the question. Card number five gives a semblance of a solution by providing a potential within the question. Most tarot card readers resort to this layout when the consultant is trying to decide on how to go about a situation.

Mandala Spread
This spread is one of the layouts that helps answer questions about one's spirituality. It is indicative of one's strengths and weaknesses that helps or hampers your spiritual growth. In order to make sense of this spread one needs to read card number 1 in view of cards 2, 4 and 6 to understand what the situation and then read card number 1 in combination with cards 3, 8 and nine to understand the future. Then reading card number 1 in view of cards 5 and 7 will help you assess what are the potential problems in your path.

The cards are laid out to resemble a diamond with card number 9 at the top, card numbers 8 and 2 making up the next row, cards 7, 1, and 3 making up the center row, followed by a row made up of cards 6 and 4 and then card number 5 at the bottom of the diamond. Card 1 is indicative of what the consultant is like, card 2 is representative of one's ambitions, card number 3 showcases one's ideals, card 5 outlines one's achievements, card 5 portrays ones dependencies, card 6 is representative of the positives of a person, card 7 indicates one's faults and weakness, card 8 is representative of what the consultant thinks of oneself and card 9 indicates one's desires.

Mirror Spread
This layout helps assess relationships in the life of the person who is consulting the reader. The spread as the name suggests is symmetrical with one half of the complete layout mirroring the other half. The layout has eight cards with two columns of three cards each and two cards, one at the top and one at the bottom, between the two columns. Cards 1 and 8 are the two cards at the top and bottom of the layout, the column on the left has the cards 2, 4, and 6, and the column on the right has the cards 3, 5, and 7. Card number one is indicative of the person asking the question, card 2 represents the other person in the relationship, card 3 indicates how the querent views themselves, card 4 indicates what the person means to you and card 5 represents what you mean to the person. Card six symbolizes the hurdles in the relationship, card 7 are the strengths of the relationship and card 8 indicates what the relationship's outcome will be.

Relationship Spread
Tarot cards and their meanings in this layout are indicative of the consultant's relationship with people in his life. The spread is such that the first row is made of the cards 9 and 10. After which lies the card number 6 which is placed in the center of the two cards placed earlier. Then there is a row of five cards made of cards 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 placed in that order. The last row is again made of two cards, 8 and 7; the placement of the cards will be the same as cards 9 and 10.

Card number 1 indicates the distant past while card number 2 represents events that have happened recently. Cards 3 and 4 are representative of the consultant's present and the influences on his future respectively. Card 5 indicates the influences that the consultant has no control over. Card number six signifies how the seeker sees the situation, card number 7 symbolizes those energies that are helping the situation and card number 8 indicates the hurdles in the querent's path. Card number nine is representative of the hopes and fears that the consultant feels and card number ten represents the outcome to be expected.

Tarot cards interpretations are subjective and may differ depending on the reader deciphers the cards. Also tarot card layouts differ as the number of cards to be used in the layout may also be at times a personal choice. Mastering the art of reading tarot cards takes time and effort and it is important that if you want to indulge in this science of divination, you learn from someone who is well versed this art of making predictions.