What is Tarot Spreads?

Tarot cards, as the name suggests, is the pack of playing cards which was used for playing different card games in olden days. But today, tarots are used for predicting the past, present and future of the individual. Tarot cards do not predict the future exactly, but instead they interpret the possibilities of the events taking place in the future. There are different tarot spreads used by tarot readers to gain extra information from tarot cards. Every position in the spread is assigned to health, love, past, future, work, etc. The only problem with this is that it can be complex to correlate the semantics of the position with the tarot card and its divinatory meaning.

As you become familiar with the tarot deck, it will be easier to decipher the tarot meanings. Same is the case with tarot spreads. There are hundreds of tarot spreads used for special purposes. For the beginner, it is important to first know the types of spread and how they function.

What is Tarot Spread?

A tarot spread is the configuration of cards laid in the pre-specified geometric pattern. Every position of the card in the pattern has specific meaning. When tarot cards are put together in the tarot spread, the meanings of the tarot cards can be used to form a story. Thus, the pattern of the spread provides the framework for tarot reading. Tarot reader uses placement of the cards or position of the card with identified theme.

The tarot spreads have variety of implications depending on the question asked or issue explored. Some tarot spreads relay information in general way while some are designed to convey information in specific way. The tarot meanings also vary complexity from simple one card spread to complex spreads involving all 78 cards. The choice of the spread to be used depends on the reader and the type of question to be answered.

Currently the most famous tarot spreads used are

• The Ellipse Spread
• Celtic Cross Spread
• Five Card Spread
• The Mirror Spread
• The Relationship Spread
• The Mandala Spread
• Tree of Life Spread
• Horoscope Spread

Choosing the types of spreads depends on the question asked by the questioner and how deep and exact answer is required for the question.