-- card: 13289 from stack: in -- bmap block id: 13456 -- flags: 6000 -- background id: 3553 -- name: "Sample Reading" -- part 1 (field) -- low flags: 01 -- high flags: 0007 -- rect: left=17 top=67 right=293 bottom=490 -- title width / last selected line: 0 -- icon id / first selected line: 0 / 0 -- text alignment: 0 -- font id: 3 -- text size: 12 -- style flags: 0 -- line height: 16 -- part name: Text -- part 2 (field) -- low flags: 80 -- high flags: 0001 -- rect: left=293 top=49 right=66 bottom=498 -- title width / last selected line: 0 -- icon id / first selected line: 0 / 0 -- text alignment: 0 -- font id: 3 -- text size: 12 -- style flags: 0 -- line height: 16 -- part name: Next Card -- part 3 (field) -- low flags: 80 -- high flags: 0001 -- rect: left=8 top=49 right=66 bottom=213 -- title width / last selected line: 0 -- icon id / first selected line: 0 / 0 -- text alignment: 0 -- font id: 3 -- text size: 12 -- style flags: 0 -- line height: 16 -- part name: Previous Card -- part 4 (button) -- low flags: 00 -- high flags: A003 -- rect: left=216 top=304 right=326 bottom=301 -- title width / last selected line: 0 -- icon id / first selected line: 0 / 0 -- text alignment: 1 -- font id: 0 -- text size: 12 -- style flags: 0 -- line height: 16 -- part name: See Picture ----- HyperTalk script ----- on mouseUp global whichOne if whichOne = "See Text" then hide cd picture show cd field "Text" set name of me to "See Picture" put empty into whichOne else hide cd field "Text" show cd picture set name of me to "See Text" put "See Text" into whichOne end if end mouseUp -- part contents for card part 1 ----- text ----- Sample Reading This sample reading uses the traditional spread called "The Celtic Cross". Its name is derived from its shape. It uses ten cards drawn from the deck. When we shuffle the cards, we use all 78 cards of the deck (both Major and Minor Arcana). To see the Celtic Cross layout, click the "See Picture" button below. You may wish to refer to the picture several times while reading this card. I have gone through my deck and separated it into each of the four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles) plus a stack which is only Major Arcana (they do not belong to any suit). I have ordered each pile and made sure I have all my cards. Handling them this way instills my vibes in the cards, plus it tells my mind that we are about to do Tarot. While I am ordering the cards, my mind gets a quick "review" of all the cards. It also gives me a few minutes to relax, tune in, and admire the deck's artistry and color. I will now formulate a specific question. It is, "Should I concentrate more of my energies into teaching and spreading information about Tarot at this time?". This question could be anything - about relationships & romance, money, career, personal development - anything. I have chosen this question for this sample spread. I shuffle the cards thoroughly, thinking of my question. I don't have to keep repeating the question mindlessly, I can think about related things. I can visualize myself teaching a Tarot class and ask in my mind "Should I do this now?" But my mind stays on the topic & question at hand during the shuffling. This is essential for a good reading. Once I feel that the question has been "shuffled into the deck", I cut the deck into three stacks of cards, moving from right to left. I will draw cards from the top of the right-most pile, and lay them out according to the diagram (See Picture). I deal cards one through six face-up. Cards seven through ten I leave face down, to be turned over as I interpret the reading. "Card One - This covers the matter", I say. I place the card on the table. It is the Queen of Cups. "Card Two - This represents the forces crossing the matter at this time." The Six of Cups. "Card Three - This is the base of the matter." The Eight of Cups. "Card Four - This is the recent past concerning the matter." The Eight of Pentacles, reversed (upside down). "Card Five - This influences the matter and could come into being." The Eight of Swords, reversed. "Card Six - This is the near future concerning the matter." The Page of Swords, reversed. "Card Seven - This is my attitude toward the matter." Leave face down. "Card Eight - This is other people's feelings toward the matter." "Card Nine - These are my hopes or fears in the matter." "Card Ten - This is the outcome of the situation." All the previous four cards were left face down. Remember, ritual and respect is very important. Your mind must take this seriously to perform, and the left-brain must reject the task. Let's now interpret the cards. First, there are many Cups and Swords in the spread. Cups relate to Love & happiness, while swords are the suit for Struggle and animosity. Right off, I see the situation is covered and based in love - love of Tarot, love of people who could be helped by it. Pentacles, the suit of money matters, lies in the recent past. A Page, bearer of a message, lies in the near future. Let's go through one card at a time. Queen of Cups covers the matter. Usually, Court Cards (that's Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings) represent real people. You can recognize the people through the description of traits. We all have bits and pieces of all Court Cards in us, and at times the characteristics of one will stand out. In this case, The Queen of cups respresents me. This is common, and, in fact, some people choose a Court Card that represents the person asking the question before laying out the spread. They use this pre-chosen card for card one, and sometimes call it the "Significantor" card. How does it represent me? The Queen of Cups is "sensitive, and relies on her intuitive ability rather than common sense." She is decribed with light brown hair and hazel or blue eyes, which I fit. If the card is not the same sex as you, it is no big deal. The card represents forces and energies within you, and physical sex doesn't have much bearing on that. Back to the traits: in this matter, I am definitely relying on my intuition - common sense says don't bother teaching Tarot: people are funny about it. Next: Six of Cups is forces crossing. It lies sideways over card one. Now, all other positions in this spread can be right-side-up or upside-down (called reversed), but not this card. Since it lies sideways, the forces crossing could be either the right-side-up interpretation of the card or the reversed interpretation. The cards genuinely mean something else upside-down - it isn't as simple as saying that the card means "just the opposite" reversed as it does upright. The Six of Cups means something from the past will bring happiness. Meaning that my work on Tarot in the past may bring me some happiness. Reversed, this card means that someone else may receive recognition that I feel I should have. Hmmm, meaning perhaps that if I don't get in gear and start moving ahead, someone else will implement my ideas first - and be credited with them. This card is telling me what is at stake here: Happiness is crossing your path - you could grab it. Other's are also crossing - if you don't handle things, other's will get the benefits. Card three, the Base of the Matter, is the Eight of Cups. It shows a need to find deeper meaning in life, to try something new - a need for spiritual fulfillment. An urge to look for new alternatives. Since this is the Base of the Matter, this shows the forces that brought this matter to bear. The reasons I got into Tarot were these shown. After programming 50 to 70 hours a week, I was finding a lack of fulfillment. Programming (my job as well as past hobby) is fun, it fullfills, but not every nook. I was left seeking spiritual things - trying to find a deeper meaning in life than just day-in, day-out programming and surface events. This makes me think about why I got into Tarot, and why I would be compelled to help others learn Tarot as well. I now remember that I do Tarot for good and important reasons. And I think it is just as important to continue. Card Four: The recent past. It is the Eight of Pentacles, reversed. This indicates an unguided ambition in the project. A near-sighted hustle, with too much concern about ego, image, and such. The reversed eight shows that I have been seeking quick results and shortcuts rather than spending the time and energy needed to properly execute the project. This relates to the fact that I had the attitude of simply starting a class without much preparation. "Just show up and see what happens, I want to get a class going NOW". Obviously, this is far too hastey, and extensive preparation is needed in order to conduct the class properly. I will keep this in mind and change my strategy for offering a class. (This is common sense, but I wasn't paying much attention to common sense... I'm sure glad I can look to Tarot for reminders and hints!) Card Six: The Near Future - which is the Page of Swords, reversed. Pages are the bearer of messages, many times representing a young person. Reversed, this one indicates a young person being unpredictable. "Be prepared for the unexpected, look further into the situation to fully understand" I will have to do that. Will there be a young person in my life that will throw a monkey-wrench into my plans? I should watch for a change. At this moment, I do not know what this card could represent. One day soon, however, it will click, and I will say, "Aha! That's what that card meant!" Not much help for telling the future, eh? Well, until then, I can keep things clear for an unexpected event. With that state of mind, I can deal with it much more effectively. Card Seven: my attitude on the situation. I turn the card over and see the Five of Pentacles, which is a suprise to me. Fives represent struggle and strife, the picture on this card is a pretty vivid example of that. The card means that it is "time to review what is happening in your life and what you want. You may feel like throwing in the towel, but you could be on the verge of accomplishment." The people shown on the card probably feel like throwing in the towel, let me tell you. Yes, the Tarot teaching project is a long road. I do feel like it is time to review what I want and the direction of my life. I have been doing this the past few weeks, coming up with new goals. I do feel as if there is just too much work involved in preparing for teaching the classes, and that I should just quit and not teach. I do feel as though I might accomplish what I want if I just keep in there a little longer. Nicely accurate. "But," you may say, "you already KNEW your attitude about the matter!" Yes, but now I have thought about it and clarified it. I turn over card eight (other people's feeling's and views of the matter) and find the Ace of Cups, reversed. This could represent the feelings of any person close to me in my life or any person having a strong bearing on the situation. This card represents a need for a change and new goals. Also, "egotistical and self-centered". A need for balance, "get out of the rut", disgruntled. Yes, I think this would represent my girlfriend's feelings about me, who hears me complain about my job and sees me working long hours and not attaining the goals I have often told her about. I am always working for me and my things, I don't spend enough time with other people (especially her!) and sharing things with them. This is how she feels about the matter. Card nine is The Ace of Pentacles, and it represents my hopes or fears in this matter. Since it is a good card, it represents my hopes this time. This card represents the start of new propserity and successful ventures. Good foundations should bring the best results (hmmmm, that goes along with card four, huh?). Yes, these are definitely my hopes in the matter. Card ten: The Outcome. I turn it over and see the King of Swords. This is not necessarily the final, final outcome, just the next significant ending event or plateau of the matter - since there is no final event in life, just more levels and changes. Cycles and circles, you know. Recalling that Court Cards usually represent people, this is a mature man with dark hair and eyes. He is a man with authority - perhaps with government or associated with the law. "You will find this man to be most reliable, take his advice," and "He is cautious and thinks before committing himself." This man is the one that decides, somehow, whether I will spend more time on Tarot - he may command the unexpected event of which the Page will bring me news. He may present me with a project that precludes my time for now, or he may request that I begin teaching. Either way, when the Outcome card is a Court Card, it means that the outcome depends on this person. So, whether I concentrate on preparing for teaching or not, this man will influence whether I teach or not. I have not yet met this man, and I will keep a sharp eye out for him. At this point, since I have no real conclusion, I could do another Celtic Cross, using card ten (King of Swords, in this case) as the first card in the spread. I would then have more information about the situation surrounding this man and what he is likely to do. There are alsos several techniques for expounding detail about any card in the spread by using three cards from the second pile I created after shuffling. However, this shall serve as a brief example of what the Celtic Cross spread is and how it functions. You can see how it clarifies and identifies aspects of the matter. The longer you spend analyzing a spread, the progressively more detail and depth is revealed. This was a real quickie, but hopefully enough to show you how one works. This is the longest card in the stack - you have done well to have read it all! Thank you, and I wish you the best on whatever path is yours! -- part contents for card part 2 ----- text ----- Table Of Contents -- part contents for card part 3 ----- text ----- "Sample Meanings"