Tarot Cards: The Celtic Cross Tarot Spread

The Celtic Cross Spread of the Tarot is probably the most common of the Tarot spreads. It uses ten cards, five laid out in a cross pattern, and four placed vertically beside that cross. Most Tarot readers are familiar with this spread.

Preparing to Lay Out the Celtic Cross Spread

Most readers will choose to lay out a spread, any spread, on a black cloth. This is usually the same cloth the cards are wrapped in when stored, as most readers will take great care with their cards. The ritual of unwrapping of the cards and the spreading of the cloth helps to focus the mind.

The individual should focus very clearly on the question or situation in question, even if the situation is vague and unformed. Once this is firmly in the mind of the individual, he or she shuffles the cards, both the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana together. It is impossible to say exactly how long the cards need to be shuffled. It is better to say that the individual should shuffle these cards until he or she feels that they have been shuffled sufficiently.

At this point, the cards, all seventy-eight of them, should be spread in a fan-shape, face down. The individual may then pick a total of ten cards, which are positioned in the order they are chosen in the Celtic Cross Spread.

The Positions of the Celtic Card Spread

Each of the ten positions of the Celtic Cross spread have traditional names that help to understand what each position means. In addition, each placement relates to a particular area of life, and also has an influence on the entire reading. The positions and their meanings are as follows.

1. "Significator" – This card reflects the situation that the individual finds himself in at the present moment.
2. Crossing Card – This position reflects what is causing conflict and obstruction in the immediate present. It is the card which ‘crosses’ the individual, but this doesn’t necessarily make it negative. It simply is.
3. Crowning Card – This card describes the atmosphere and situation that hangs over the immediate present. It is the reflection of what is on the surface, and immediately apparent in the individual’s life.
4. Base of the Matter – This describes what is really behind the situation in question. It represents that which is often hidden from even the individual. It is often a surprise, for this card reflects the very root of the psyche, that part which is not normally accessible to the conscious mind. Sometimes this card will reflect the subconscious motivations of the individual, and it often will contradict the rest of the spread.
5. Past Influences – This position reflects the part of the situation that is now passing out of the individual’s life. It was once important, but has since lost its potency. It is something that the individual must let go, for the future cannot fully develop without releasing the past.
6. Future Influences – This card describes the situation that is about the manifest in the individual’s life. It is not a long-term card, but rather describes the immediate future.
7. Present Situation – This position is an extension of the Significator card. It describes the state of affairs in which the individual will soon find himself. It usually refers to a set of attitudes or inner qualities, and often represents those things that need to be developed.
8. Opinions of Others: This describes the way others close to the situation — usually friends or family — view the state of affairs. This card can help predict what the likely response of these people might be to the particular situation. It can also reveal the kind of face the individual has been projecting regarding this matter, and that perhaps this might be changeable.
9. Hopes and Fears – The ninth card in the spread, this card reflects the hopes and fears of the individual. These can both be expressed by one card, as all cards in the Tarot have a double face.
10. Final Outcome – Though nothing is absolutely final, this card describes how the situation may resolve itself. Remember, that Tarot generally apply to a period of six months, so it may not reflect a truly ‘final’ resolution.

The Celtic Cross Spread is widely used and regarded as highly useful. It can apply to many complex situations, and offers a total of ten positions. These allow the individual to gain a fairly comprehensive view of the situation.