What is the Celtic Cross Tarot Spread

The Celtic Cross is a big tarot card spread. It uses 10 cards and comes in many versions. Having so many cards, it is not a spread for the beginner. There is much to learn and practice before fully knowing the ins-and-outs of such a large spread.
Because there are so many different versions, the common problems people have with the Celtic Cross is remembering what each position means and what order to place the cards.
Bottom line, it really does not matter what order or what the meanings are just as long as you are consistent each time you use the spread.
So the main point here is to develop your own version and really know it before you do it. Have it become second nature where you do not have to think about where the cards go and what the positions mean.

The position 'Titles' are:

1- What Covers You
2- What Crosses You
S- What is Below You
N- What is Above You
W- What is Behind You
E- What is Ahead of You
7- Your Attitude
8- Your Environment
9- Your Hopes & Fears
10- The Outcome

There is an 'extra' card that can be used with this spread called the Significator. Before starting the reading, the student, or reader and client go through all the cards in the deck and find a card that the recipient of the reading can relate to and feels a connection with. Most often one will choose a court card or one of the 'People' cards of the Major Arcana. The Significator is then paced in the center of the table.

CENTER CARDS

The first card pulled from the shuffled deck is placed directly on top of the Significator, this is the 'Covers' card.
This card speaks directly about the situation or issue in question. It is the 'opening act' for the whole reading.
Card 2 is placed sideways on top of card 1 and the Significator. This is the 'Crosses' card and represents the things that are standing in the way or problems in the situation.

FOUR CROSS CARDS

The 'Below' card is placed below the first two cards in the 'south' position. The 'Above' card is placed above the first two cards in the 'north' position. The 'Behind' and the 'Ahead' cards are placed on the left and to the right of the center cards. You must decided by what card to what side is most logical to you.

What exact order you lay these cards out does not matter, just learn to do it the same each time. You can start at the bottom and go clockwise making a circular flow or you can start at the top, go to the bottom, then to the left then the right, making a crossing motion. Play around placing the cards in different order, direction, pattern and see what works best for you. Then memorize the order and the positions, this is your version of the Celtic Cross.

Position meanings of the four 'cross' cards  

• 'What is Below You' relates to the things in the past that have been building and have brought you to this point.

• 'What is Above You' relates to the things you want, your goal or aim in the situation.

• 'What is Behind You' relates to the things that have come and gone and are in the past and have no more influence upon the now.
• 'What is Ahead of You' relates to the things that are coming; the future.

COLUMN CARDS

• Your Attitude - represents your state of mind, your thoughts relative to the situation.
• Your Environment - represents your surroundings and what is happening. This can be events as well as people that affect the situation.
• Your Hopes & Fears - this is just as it sounds; the things you hope will happen and the things you worry about in the situation.
• The Outcome - represent the resolution of the situation, how things will unfold if the current direction continues.

These are the basics of this traditional spread.
With the many variations that are out there, you do not have to go with what you see here. Look at other versions, maybe there is a wording of a position that is easier and better for you.
One example is card 9, Hopes & Fears. The position is a little confusing for how can a card be both your hopes AND fears if the card that ends up in this position has nothing positive to give?

You are totally allowed to take a spread and 'make it your own'. Anything that helps you to KNOW the spread you are using, all the better.

Stay tuned for another page that will be a Sample Reading of the Celtic Cross