Tarot Cards: The Three-Card Tarot Spread

The Three-Card Spread of the Tarot is the most popular of all Tarot spreads. The beauty of this spread is its simplicity and versatility. Though typically used to reveal the past, present, and future of a situation, it can be employed to answer any number of questions.

Preparing to Lay Out the Three-Card Spread

A deck of Tarot cards should be treated with care. It is generally a good idea to keep your Tarot cards wrapped in a black cloth when not in use. When preparing to read the cards, regardless of the spread used, this cloth can be set down to protect the cards from dirt and debris.

The Major Arcana and Minor Arcana should be shuffled together. While some Tarot readers have a particular method of shuffling, the manner in which the cards are shuffled is unimportant. It is best to say that the cards should be shuffled as you see fit.

Once shuffled, all seventy-eight cards should be spread face-down in a fan-shape. Three cards should be selected and placed face-up on the black cloth. These are the three cards which will be read for the Three-Card Spread.

Reading the Three-Card Spread

The positions of the Three-Card Tarot Spread are simple enough. Three cards are placed beside each other and read left to right. Though usually these cards are considered to represent the past, present, and future, there are numerous other interpretations. You can change the context of the reading with your own creativity.

The positions of the Three-Card Spread are:

1. Past: This card typically represents the influences that are losing their potency in regards to the current situation. This card can also represent the background of the situation. In other interpretations, it can be considered to be the card that relates to the mind and thought.
2. Present: The card in this position reveals the state of the present situation. This card often describes the root of the problem that is being faced. In other interpretations, it can also be the card that is connected to the body and physical influences.
3. Future: Though this card is typically seen as predicting the future, it can also offer advice on how to best deal with the situation at hand. In other interpretations, it is sometimes considered to be the spiritual card of the Three-Card Spread, and can be seen as relating to the spiritual part of the problem.

The Three-Card Spread is common among most Tarot readers, both new and experienced. Its simplicity and versatility make it a reliable option for many different types of questions.

Tarot Cards: The Spreads of the Tarot

The process of selecting a small number of Tarot cards and laying them out to be interpreted is called laying out a spread. How many are selected is dependent upon the spread used. Generally, between three and twelve cards are used. However, some spreads require a great many more, and the 1-Card Spread requires only one.

Why Are Tarot Spreads Used?

The idea behind using spreads when reading Tarot cards is the deck, both Major Arcana and Minor Arcana, contain pictorial representations of the entirety of life’s journey. The Tarot addresses all aspects of life – the emotional, intellectual, passionate, spiritual, and material.

By selecting a set number of cards, the individual is symbolically reflecting a certain part of that journey, the part that is most applicable to the present moment. The immediate situation, its origins, and its most probably outcome will be shown in just a few cards. The entire deck laid out in a complex spread would simply confuse the issue.

The Different Spreads of Tarot Cards

Over the centuries, many different Tarot spreads have emerged. Some are a complex use of twenty cards, others use less than five. There is no "right" or "wrong" when it comes to determining which spread should be used during a Tarot card reading.

Many Tarot card readers have a favorite spread. This is the spread that they will use most often, as long as it’s appropriate to the question that has been asked. However, most readers also use alternate spreads, and these are used whenever their favorite spread is not appropriate. It can be said that, for the most part, a reader will determine which spread should be used by examining the information that is being sought.

For example, if one were to ask “What will today be like?” a complex spread is hardly necessary. The individual is seeking information regarding a single day, with no particular situation in mind, so the 1-Card Spread is likely all that is required.

On the other hand, if one were to seek advice regarding a complicated and emotional divorce, then a spread such as the Celtic Cross Spread, or perhaps even the Astrological Spread, would be more appropriate. Both of these spreads have many cards involved, and can give a more comprehensive overview of the situation, in addition to offering some potential advice.

Some of the spreads used in interpreting the Tarot are:

• Celtic Cross Spread
• Magic Cross Spread
• Astrological Spread
• Star Spread
• One-Card Spread
• Three-Card Spread
• Horseshoe Spread
• Mirror Spread
• Tetractys Spread
• Healing Spread

The capabilities of the Tarot hinge greatly on the particular spread being used and the relationship the individual has developed with the cards. The spread selection is said to be the result of both personal preference and the nature of the answers that are sought.

Tarot Cards: What They Can and Cannot Do

Tarot has been used for many different purposes. Over the years, many different ideas have emerged concerning what the Tarot can and cannot do.

Can Tarot Cards Predict the Future?

Tarot cards do not predict the future, at least not in the classic sense. The only way the Tarot can predict the future is to give a ‘most likely’ response. However, the act of knowing about a thing often changes that thing. Once a ‘most likely’ future is known, especially if it is a negative one, it is highly possible that this event has already been altered.

Occasionally, someone will attempt to use the Tarot to predict the future. These attempts may use the Minor Arcana, the Major Arcana, or both. However, since Tarot do not predict the future, the only answer they really give is the most probable outcome based on the present situation.

What the Tarot Can Do

Tarot cards are a tool that can be consulted when the situation warrants it. They are best used to reveal the qualities of a specific moment when the individual has a particular problem or situation in mind. Tarot cards, when used in a spread, can give deeper meaning to events already in motion, and outline possible outcomes of these events.

Instead of predicting the future, the Tarot reveals the moment. Every choice that is made affects the future. Every moment is a consequence of the decisions that have been made in the past. Therefore, the future will spring from the present moment and the choices that are made. It is in the making of these choices that the Tarot has its most effective use.

The Tarot can give hints and suggestions as to how to cope with the moment, in an attempt to shape the future. It is important to remember that the Tarot reflects the inner thoughts and feelings of the individual. It is for this reason that the individual reading the cards must have a clear and focused mind, thinking only of the situation at hand.

Tarot cards are also a tool by which the elements of a situation can be revealed. They can show an individual how they got where they are, and perhaps even a possible way out of the present situation. Typically, Tarot cards tend to express a time period of around six months, so they do often give valuable advice for solutions to current problems.

What the Tarot Cannot Do

Tarot cards cannot predict the future, no matter what anyone claims. They do not give a concrete account of fixed events that have yet to happen, or reveal anyone’s fate or destiny. The Tarot cannot help someone pass an exam or get a promotion at work.

The Tarot cannot and do not guarantee any outcome or situation. It would be folly to think that they will. They are a divinatory tool, and a powerful one, but they should not and cannot be the only tool that an individual uses in determining the nature of a situation or how to react to it.

The Tarot does not control anyone’s destiny. Each individual makes their own fate, though most people do not realize this. ‘Fate’ is really a subconscious thing, and the Tarot helps each person connect to that subconscious.

Tarot cards are an elusive and mysterious thing. They can be used as a guide, but absolutely should not be relied upon when planning one's future. It is also important to remember that Tarot cards are only a valid divinatory tool if they are properly cared for.

Tarot Cards: Creating a Relationship with the Cards

Tarot should be taken seriously, because to Tarot readers and enthusiasts, they are not a toy or game. They are not ‘supernatural,’ but are sacred images designed to connect with the innermost patterns of human thought and emotion. As such, it's said they and their spreads merit a certain amount of respect.

The Importance of Attitude Toward the Tarot

Tarot cards are a part of the symbolic world, so any individual who wishes to read the Tarot, including you, must develop a respect for the archetypal symbols that they embody. This attitude of respect does not just appear out of nowhere, and it cannot be willed into existence. It must instead be cultivated over time.

The intelligent Tarot card reader strives to develop a sort of relationship with their cards. They realize that the Tarot are not simply amusing pieces of paper with pretty little drawings, and so they are unlikely to let them grow dusty and ragged from neglect or misuse. They are respected for their abilities, and are treated as a valuable tool.

The Proper Storage of Tarot Cards

Since most Tarot readers have a great deal of respect for their cards, they tend to take special care of them. In general, it is best to wrap a deck of Tarot cards in a special cloth. For those new to using Tarot cards, the cloth helps to develop a relationship with the cards.

Traditionally, Tarot cards are kept wrapped in black silk. The idea here is that black is a neutral color, and so can ‘neutralize’ any energies — positive or negative — that may come into contact with the cards. Whether or not this is true is a matter of some debate.

Regardless of the truth of this ‘black silk’ tradition, it is important to develop a ritual of sorts when it comes to the storage of Tarot cards. The unwrapping and wrapping of the cards before and after a reading in their own special cloth can become a point of concentration. This ritual helps to cement a relationship with the cards.

There are those who store the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana of the Tarot separately. While this is certainly an option, it is hardly necessary. The cards are generally read together in a spread, and so there is no harm in storing them together.

Where the cards are stored when wrapped in their special cloth is a little less important. It should be a place that is free of direct light, to prevent fading. Also, somewhere overly damp will cause damage to the cards and their images. However, the back of a dark drawer just won’t do. They must be treated with respect, and the place where they rest when not in use should reflect that.

The proper attitude and treatment of the Tarot is a symbol of the unique and valued place the cards hold. It also reinforces the importance of their images.