Three Card Spreads
Since we do a lot of parties and street fairs, I’ve had to develop a number of two and three card spreads to address different types of questions (and to keep it interesting for me as well – how many times in a row can you do the same spread?). As useful as ten (or more) cards can be in deeply examining a question or an issue with a client, the atmosphere at most parties and public events isn’t particularly conducive to intensive analysis of the client’s situation.
Probably the first three card spread most readers learn is the wonderfully useful Past-Present-Future layout. This spread can be applied to pretty much any type of question, and produces an easily understood reading.
There’s also the Situation-Action-New Situation layout, which is good for the “what if I quit my job and move to Morocco?” type of question.
When a client comes up with a relationship question, I like to use an overview spread:
1. Insight about querent 3. Insight about relationship 2. Insight about the other person
This covers relationships of all kinds – family, coworkers, neighbors – not just romantic relationships. It can also be used to examine the client’s relationship with an intangible, such as their career, or behavior, such as an addiction, to provide insight into their job search or their efforts towards healing and recovery.
If a person is looking for an answer to a “what do I do about X?” type of question, I use the following, which I learned from Mark McElroy:
2. Outcome if ignored 1. Suggested action 3. Outcome if taken
If a client wants to make changes, but doesn’t know what to do, the Tarot can also offer three possible courses of action – one for each card turned up.
What’s your favorite three card spread?