TAROT SPREADS
A spread is the shape a reading takes — the number of cards, where they sit, and what each position means. From a single-card yes/no pull to the ten-card Celtic Cross, here are the six spreads worth learning, each with full position meanings, when to use, and an example reading.
The classic ten-card spread for any complex question
The fast, flexible spread for any question
One card, one question, one clean answer
Seven cards for situation, obstacles, and likely outcome
Seven cards for both people, the bond, and where it is going
Five cards for current work, hidden talent, obstacle, advice, and direction
Past · Present · Future with an AI-led interpretation, free to try.
Start with the three-card spread. It teaches you how to read cards in relation to each other (a beginning, middle, and end) without the overwhelm of a ten-card layout. Once three cards feel natural, step up to the horseshoe or Celtic Cross.
The Celtic Cross is the most-taught and most-used spread in modern western tarot. It is a ten-card layout (cross + staff) that maps a situation in depth, popularised by A.E. Waite's 1910 Pictorial Key to the Tarot.
The single-card yes/no pull is purpose-built for binary questions — one card, one verdict. Every card in the deck has a built-in yes/no leaning (Sun = strong yes, Tower = strong no, Two of Swords = "it depends"). If the answer is "it depends," step up to a three-card spread to see why.
The Relationship Spread (7 cards) is purpose-built — it reads both people, the bond, what is working, what is not, and finishes with concrete advice. For a quick relationship check-in, a three-card spread (you / them / the bond) is enough.
It depends on the question. One card for a clean yes/no, three for a story arc, five for a focused situational read (like career), seven for depth without ritual, ten for a full Celtic Cross. Pick the smallest spread that fits the question — bigger spreads are not better, they are slower.