Every Tarot Reader Should Try The Downward Pyramid Spread
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If you want to bring some Big Witch Energy into your life, look no further than your nearest tarot deck.
Whether you’ve had a reading before or you’re a total newbie, experts say tarot is for anyone and everyone. And you don’t have to be psychic to tap into the magic it holds, according to Anastacia Anastascio, a tarot reader and spiritual coach based in Los Angeles who teaches people tarot online through her Tarot Alchemy Academy. That said, don’t be surprised if you find yourself feeling some serious That’s So Raven powers when you start dabbling with tarot card spreads.
What is tarot, exactly?
“Tarot was born when people from many cultures came together to draw pictures, which synthesized the spiritual knowledge from many mystery traditions,” says Emily Ridout, an astrologer, tarot card reader, numerologist, and yoga teacher based in Oregon.
These pictures are depicted in deck of 78 cards, split into two sections: the major and minor arcana. The major arcana, which has 22 cards, deals with major life events and often refers to an overarching theme in your life, whether that's love, work, family, or anything else you’re wondering about. If you’ve seen a tarot card printed on a t-shirt, it was probably one of the major arcana, like The World, The Devil, or The Lovers, says Inbaal Honigman, a celebrity psychic, numerologist, and tarot card reader based in London, UK.
The 56 cards of the minor arcana are split into suits, not unlike traditional playing cards. This portion of the deck tends to deal in smaller day-to-day trials and tribulations of the human experience. The minor arcana has four suits: cups, wands, swords, and pentacles.
Each suit has a card labeled one to 10 and four court cards (king, queen, knight, and page).
What are some good tarot spreads for beginners?
“A tarot spread is an intentional layout of the cards where each placement represents an answer to a question,” says Anastascio. “We can use spreads if we are trying to get insight into a situation, or are making a decision and feel overwhelmed.”
Ahead, here are 14 tarot spreads perfect for newbies and pros alike, according to professional readers.
1. One-Card Tarot Spread
Anastascio recommends beginners start with something simple, and it doesn’t get simpler than this spread. To try it for yourself, all you have to do is ask your deck a question and pull out a card.
After you've seen and looked up the interpretation for the card, taking a moment to journal on the interpretation is highly encouraged (as it always is with tarot). If you're totally new to the tarot, Anastascio recommends making this part of your morning routine to spiritually supercharge your day.
2. Yes And No Tarot Spread
Although yes or no questions usually aren't encouraged with tarot, this "effective, useful" spread is an exception, says Honigman.
To do this spread, ask the deck about the outcome of something, like “Should I quit my job?” Then, pull two cards and lay them side by side. The card on the left represents yes, and the card on the right represents no.
3. Three-Card Tarot Spread
“This is the best spread,” Anastascio says. The card placements here represent the past, present, and future. Perhaps you’re curious about the status of your relationship with a special someone, or you’re wondering if you should follow your dream of becoming a fashion photographer.
Take your deck and pull three tarot cards in a horizontal line. The card on the left represents the past, the one in the middle symbolizes the present, and the third card is the future.
4. Five-Card Tarot Spread
A five-card spread is great for those looking to dig a little deeper, says Anstascio. For this spread, pull five cards clockwise. The first card represents your current situation, and the second represents your response to it. The third card (which would be 12 o’clock on your tarot clock circle) represents what is holding you back. The fourth card shows what you can do to change the situation, and the fifth card reveals the outcome if you make that change.
5. Mind, Body, and Spirit Spread
Tarot involves pulling energy from external sources. But the mind, body, and spirit spread is useful for beginners because it places focus on the reader instead, explains Erin River Sunday, a tarot card reader and co-host of the Kiss My Astral podcast. This is a three-card spread, meaning you’ll be drawing three cards that represent the aforementioned points: your mind, body, and spirit.
The first card symbolizes the mind, or what’s currently buzzing around in your thoughts. The second card, or the body card, represents "what’s currently happening in your body, or how you might be feeling physically," says Sunday. Finally, the spirit card will provide a message from your higher self. “This can also be [considered] guardian angel advice,” adds Sunday.
6. Celtic Cross Spread
Behold, the bread and butter of tarot spreads. If you’ve had your cards read by a professional reader before, they were probably using this spread, says Anastascio. And for good reason: This spread delves deep into a situation and can provide considerable insight into whatever problem is at hand, she says. Here's how to try it for yourself:
Place card one in the center of this tarot spread, representing the situation and the issue.
Set card two horizontally on top of the first card. It represents the challenge or blockage.
Place card three above card one. It represents the past affecting the issue.
Put card four below card one. It represents the future of the issue.
Position card five to the left of card one. It shows what’s on the conscious mind.
Card six goes beside card one, and it shows unconscious thought.
Place card seven to the right of the cross. It represents how you view yourself.
Card eight goes above card seven. It gives you a glimpse into how others see you.
Put card nine above card eight. This card represents your hopes, dreams, and fears around the situation.
Card 10 (the last one!) goes above card nine and reveals the outcome.
7. Seven-Card Horseshoe Spread
Anastascio recommends this spread for anyone looking for an alternative to the Celtic Cross (or perhaps just a second opinion!). To set up this spread, pick seven cards and place them in a horseshoe. The first card is placed in the upper left-hand corner and the seventh in the top right-hand corner, and then fill in the figure. This spread is also pretty universal and can be applied to most situations, says Anastascio.
Card one deals with the past and anything that may affect your question.
Card two represents the present and your current feelings around the question.
Card three reveals any hidden influences that are making their way into the problem.
Card four shows any obstacles standing in the way of reaching peace, or a resolution, for the problem at hand.
Card five represents the environment surrounding your question. This can include other people’s feelings about it, your physical environment, or behavior surrounding the situation.
Card six shows what can be done to resolve the problem.
Card seven shows the final outcome, or what will happen if you follow the advice from card six.
8. Yin-Yang Duality Spread
A simple two-card spread, the Yin-Yang duality spread brings attention to the symmetry between the internal and external realms. Think of this as two sides of a situation. “I always encourage beginners to pull two cards at once because they’re in conversation with each other,” explains Sunday. These cards assert the receiving and giving energies of your current situation. Essentially, the first card you pull represents Yin, or the unseen side of your question. The second card, or the Yang, shows you the visible side of it.
“This spread can reflect the dueling energies of a situation and help you to understand two perspectives at once,” Sunday adds.
9. 10-Card Relationship Spread
Those looking for advice in the love department can turn to this fun 10-card spread, says Honigman. The structure of this one is simple: You pull five cards horizontally for the person in front of you (or, if reading for yourself, you). A line of five cards goes beneath the first set, and represents the other person involved.
This grid then reveals a timeline of the relationship:
The first column of the cards shows the beginning of the relationship from each person’s perspective.
The second shows how things have been in the past.
The third set of cards represents how things are going for this couple right now.
The fourth column reveals the future.
The fifth pair of cards shows the ultimate outcome.
“It’s a broad enough spread that you can use it for pretty much anyone,” whether that's a spouse or a crush, says Honigman. Also worth noting: This is a great spread for someone going through a breakup and wondering if their lover will return to them, she adds.
10. Compatibility H Tarot Spread
This spread can be used for any two people, which makes it super fun, says Honigman. (It is also super handy for any of you wondering if you're Harry Styles’ soulmate!)
First, pull two pillars of three cards from your deck. Then, place a card horizontally between card two and card five, forming the H. The left side represents one person, while the right side represents the second person. The card between them reveals what keeps the pair together.
This tarot spread aligns with the chakras, Honigman says. Cards one and four represent the mind, or the crown chakra, Cards two and five show the heart chakra, and Cards three and six represent sexual compatibility or the root chakra.
This is a great spread to do before you get married, so you are reminded of what keeps you and boo together! (And perhaps it'll provide some vow inspo?)
11. 15-Card General Tarot Spread
This spread is great for those beginning to dabble in tarot because it leaves a lot of room for interpretation, says Honigman. To complete this spread, pull three lines of five cards and stack them on top of each other.
The spread is generally meant to represent the arc of your life, with the first line representing your past or childhood, the second row revealing the here and now, and the third row showing the future. The placements of the cards are up to the reader in this one, says Honigman.
“This is one of my favorites because it’s a very unorganized and general spread,” Honigman says, adding that she’ll pull this one and spend an hour looking for the relationships between the cards. “It’s a map of your life.”
12. Downward Pyramid
Ridout’s favorite spread is the downward pyramid. She uses six cards, but says you can make it bigger or smaller if you’d like. Here's how to try this tarot spread:
Pull three cards and place them in a row. This first row represents the circumstance right now. “Pay close attention to the cards,” Ridout says. “Even if a character in a card is looking in a particular direction.”
Pull two more cards and place them beneath the existing row. Now, this second row represents what is surrounding the current problem or any problems that may arise.
Pull one last card and place it at the bottom. The final card shows the outcome.
13. Cardinal Directions
To complete this spread, pull four cards in a circle, says Ridout. Each card represents an area of your life. The card on the right represents your relationship, while the left one shows how you are experiencing yourself or how well you know yourself. The top card shows your career or public identity, and the bottom card represents your root or home life.
14. Sun, Moon, and Rising Spread
Astrologers and tarot card readers are cut from the same cloth in that they both pull from the mystical energy of the universe. Fusing the two together, the Sun, Moon, and rising spread is great to tap into your zodiac and get a deeper, personalized reading based on what’s going on in your astrological chart right now. For this spread, you’ll have to know your Sun, Moon, and rising signs as you’ll be pulling three cards that will call to your big three.
The first card will be your Sun sign. “The sun card represents your outward energy, or how you’re currently shining,” says Sunday. The second speaks to your Moon sign, focusing on the hidden parts of yourself, aka any emotional conflicts you're navigating. “And the rising is how other people are experiencing you currently,” says Sunday.
What should I ask as I'm pulling tarot cards?
Anastascio and Ridout both recommend keeping your question to the tarot open-ended and not a straight-up yes or no question (unless you're doing a yes or no spread, of course).
“Instead of asking ‘Does Tommy like me?,’ ask ‘What do I need to know about Tommy?’” Anastascio advises. This leaves the beginner (or, as I prefer, baby witch) more room to get insight into the situation.
Can you read your own tarot cards?
Totally. In fact, Anastascio recommends beginners start by reading themselves (after all, who do you know better than yourself?).
But Honigman cautions that you might be biased about your own life, so when doing a self-reading, be sure to stay as nonpartisan as possible. It may be helpful to visualize you helping some other totally unrelated person while doing the reading.
How do I pull a card?
Rely on your intuition for this, says Anastacio. If it feels good to bust out some fancy card shuffling technique you learned at summer camp when you were 12, do that. If you are looking for something simpler, lay the cards out in a horseshoe and pick whichever one you feel drawn to, she suggests. You can find interpretations for each card online, or snag yourself a copy of The Tarot Bible, which Anastascio calls “the holy grail.”
The Tarot Bible: The Definitive Guide to the Cards and Spreads
amazon.com
$14.99
Do I need to do anything before I use my tarot deck?
Before you pull tarot cards, take a deep breath, suggests Sunday—centering yourself is essential to getting the most out of your tarot readings. Basically, you want to clear out your environment and invite positive energy.
Then, you “clear” or “cleanse” a tarot deck the same way you might a room, says Ridout. So, if you put crystals around and light palo santo often at home, those are great ways to interact with your deck. But even if you don’t have these things on hand, maintain stillness while shuffling and drawing your cards, adds Sunday.
Anastascio recommends knocking on the deck three times (yes, just like you would knock on a door) and placing selenite crystals on top of it. You can also just play with and look at the cards... in fact, that's encouraged!
It’s okay if it takes a while to memorize the energy of the cards and the spreads you use. Reading tarot cards accurately takes lots of practice! Divination is all about turning inward and calling in your deep intuition. “Trust yourself to make the right selection, and continue to trust yourself and the handy guidebook as you learn to interpret them,” explains Sunday.
Meet the Experts:
Anastacia Anastascio is a tarot reader and spiritual coach based in Los Angeles, who teaches people tarot online through her Tarot Alchemy Academy. Inbaal Honigman is a celebrity psychic, numerologist, and tarot card reader based in London, UK. Emily Ridout is an astrologer, tarot card reader, numerologist, and yoga teacher based in Oregon. Erin River Sunday is a tarot reader and co-host of the Kiss My Astral podcast.
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