Celtic Cross Spread
Difficulty: Average
This is probably the most well-known tarot spread. A good, basic spread for beginners to practise with, the Celtic Cross is useful for questions of all types. In this spread, it can be helpful to notice the relationships between the pairings of cards #5 & #9, #1 & #2, #3 & #4, and #6 & #10.
- The significator epitomizes what the reading deals with, the initial situation.
- An added impulse that compounds the significator, which may be either complimentary or contradictory.
- This is what is consciously known (thoughts).
- Unconscious driving forces that may not be known fully (emotions).
- The immediate past regarding the current situation.
- The first future card indicates the immediate future.
- This card represents the reader and their attitude towards cards #1 and #2.
- The external influences, the places and people which influence the topic.
- This tarot card suggests expectations; what is secretly hoped for or feared.
- The second future card reveals the long-term outcome.
Your Celtic Cross Reading
The Crown |
The Outcome Six of Coins
External Forces  Five of Cups
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The Recent Past X – The Wheel of Fortune |
The Crossing Card
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The Future King of Cups (Lost card, substituted here) |
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The Significator represents what the main theme of the reading deals with, the initial situation.
XX – Judgement
Judgement is the call for awakening, renewal, and reckoning. It signals a time of reckoning with the past, a moment of judgement that clears the way for a fresh start and new direction.
Symbolism: The angel blowing the trumpet signals a divine call to action, summoning figures from their tombs to rise and transform. The symmetrical composition emphasises the balance between life and death, while the golden glow underscores the sacred nature of the awakening. The figures' age gap represents a new life, renewed through divine grace.
In Relationships: Judgement invites you to release past hurts and transform your relationships. It calls for honesty, introspection, and a fresh start in emotional matters.
In Work: A moment of reckoning, where past actions may come to light. This card suggests an opportunity for reinvention, a chance to leave behind outdated modes of working and embrace new ways.
Spiritually: Judgement calls for spiritual awakening and enlightenment. It asks you to evaluate your choices and rise to your higher calling.
When ill-dignified: Denial, resistance to transformation, or an inability to face the truth. This may indicate emotional or spiritual stagnation, or the refusal to heed the call of renewal.
The Crossing Card denotes an added impulse that compounds the initial card, whether complimentary or contradictory.
Knight of Swords
The Knight of Swords represents action, determination, and intellectual pursuit. This card signifies a person driven by mental clarity and purpose. The Knight of Swords charges forward with a clear objective, often at breakneck speed.
Symbolism: The charging horse and dynamic posture emphasise forward motion and energy. The detailed armour reflects the Knight's preparedness, while the ornate background suggests formality and purpose.
In Relationships: Quick action or intense passion. The Knight of Swords suggests taking decisive steps or charging ahead confidently, but it may also warn against rushing into things.
In Work: A period of fast-paced action or a challenge that requires quick thinking and decisiveness. This card represents the need to act swiftly in your career.
Spiritually: A time of mental clarity and forward motion in your spiritual journey. The Knight of Swords calls you to act on your insights and take bold steps towards spiritual growth.
When ill-dignified: Impulsiveness, recklessness, or aggressive behaviour. The Knight of Swords warns against rushing forward without considering the consequences.
The Crown stands for what the asker is aware of consciously.
XVIII – The Moon
The Moon is the card of intuition, illusion, and the subconscious. It calls attention to hidden truths, dreams, and the mysterious undercurrents that govern one's emotional landscape.
Symbolism: The barefoot woman holding a crescent moon reflects the card's connection to the primal, intuitive side of the psyche. Her gaze towards the sky suggests an awareness of the mysteries beyond the surface of reality. The wild, untamed landscape beneath her speaks to the untapped and often misunderstood forces of the unconscious mind. The golden background heightens the mystical quality, suggesting the moonlight reveals hidden paths.
In Relationships: The Moon indicates that not everything is as it seems in your romantic life. Trust your intuition, but also be cautious of illusions or deceptions.
In Work: Hidden factors or unclear circumstances may influence your professional life. The Moon calls for careful introspection and a deeper understanding of the forces at play.
Spiritually: This card calls for exploring the subconscious and trusting your intuitive wisdom. There may be deep truths that need to be uncovered.
When ill-dignified: Confusion, illusion, or deception. This warns of misunderstandings or hidden motives that could lead to emotional instability or false perceptions.
Foundation card reveals unconscious driving forces that the querent may not be aware of.
Ace of Coins
The Ace of Coins symbolises new beginnings, prosperity, and material abundance. It represents the potential for success and growth, especially in financial or practical matters. This card speaks to opportunities that can lead to long-term stability and tangible rewards, laying the foundation for prosperity.
Symbolism: The coin represents a seed of potential, offering the promise of wealth, success, or material security. The subtle background allows the coin's design to take centre stage, highlighting the auspicious nature of this opportunity.
In Relationships: New beginnings or opportunities to build a secure and prosperous relationship. The Ace of Coins invites you to invest in a long-term, stable partnership.
In Work: A new opportunity for financial gain or career advancement. This is a time to focus on practical steps towards building a secure foundation.
Spiritually: A time to focus on manifesting your material and spiritual desires. The Ace of Coins calls for alignment between your physical and spiritual goals.
When ill-dignified: Missed opportunities, poor financial decisions, or a lack of effort to build towards long-term goals.
The Recent Past represents past events and concerns.
X – The Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune signifies cycles, fate, and the ever-changing nature of life. It reminds us of the importance of adaptability and acceptance in the face of change.
Symbolism: Figures ascending and descending on the wheel represent the ups and downs of life. The patterns add richness to the composition, while the golden background underscores the divine and inevitable nature of change.
In Relationships: A turning point in relationships, whether for better or worse. The Wheel reminds us to embrace change.
In Work: Unexpected opportunities or setbacks. It advises adaptability and resilience in navigating shifting circumstances.
Spiritually: The Wheel teaches surrender to the cycles of life and faith in the greater plan of the universe.
When ill-dignified: Resistance to change, bad luck, or repeating cycles. It warns against clinging to the past or fearing the future.
The Future depicts that which lies ahead.
Knight of Swords
The Knight of Swords represents action, determination, and intellectual pursuit. This card signifies a person driven by mental clarity and purpose. The Knight of Swords charges forward with a clear objective, often at breakneck speed.
Symbolism: The charging horse and dynamic posture emphasise forward motion and energy. The detailed armour reflects the Knight's preparedness, while the ornate background suggests formality and purpose.
In Relationships: Quick action or intense passion. The Knight of Swords suggests taking decisive steps or charging ahead confidently, but it may also warn against rushing into things.
In Work: A period of fast-paced action or a challenge that requires quick thinking and decisiveness. This card represents the need to act swiftly in your career.
Spiritually: A time of mental clarity and forward motion in your spiritual journey. The Knight of Swords calls you to act on your insights and take bold steps towards spiritual growth.
When ill-dignified: Impulsiveness, recklessness, or aggressive behaviour. The Knight of Swords warns against rushing forward without considering the consequences.
The Querent represents the asker and their attitude towards the subject of the reading.
Seven of Staves
The Seven of Staves represents defence, resistance, and standing your ground. It symbolises the courage to protect what you've built and assert your position, even in the face of opposition.
Symbolism: The seven staves arranged in a symmetrical pattern suggest a challenge to your stability or position, yet they also indicate the strength and resilience required to protect it. The uneven arrangement reflects the dynamic energy of struggle and resistance. The pale tan background continues the theme of elemental energy, grounding the conflict within a broader context.
In Relationships: A time to defend your boundaries or assert your position. This card may indicate a need to stand firm in your values or beliefs, especially if they are being challenged.
In Work: A period of resistance in your professional life, where you must protect your ideas, position, or accomplishments from competition or opposition.
Spiritually: The Seven of Staves represents spiritual defence, a time to stand firm in your beliefs and spiritual practices. It invites you to protect your inner peace from outside forces.
When ill-dignified: Over-defensiveness, stubbornness, or aggression. This may indicate that you are unnecessarily guarding yourself from challenges or are too resistant to change.
External Forces represents the influence of others in your life as well as trends in your relationships with others.
Five of Cups
The Five of Cups represents loss, grief, and emotional setbacks. It reflects mourning or disappointment where the focus is on what has been lost rather than what remains. This card is about emotional recovery and learning to move forward from past hurt.
Symbolism: The five chalices, with one on its side, suggest an imbalance or disruption in your emotional life. The card highlights the contrast between the four cups still standing and the spilled one, reminding you that in loss there is still something to salvage or learn from. The detailing of the cups reinforces the depth of emotional investment.
In Relationships: Emotional pain due to loss or disappointment. This card encourages processing grief and finding hope in what remains.
In Work: Setbacks or disappointment in your professional life. The Five of Cups reminds you to focus on the lessons learned and not just the losses incurred.
Spiritually: A time of mourning or spiritual disillusionment. This card invites you to heal from old wounds and rebuild your spiritual connection.
When ill-dignified: Despair, regret, or an inability to move past emotional pain. The Five of Cups warns against dwelling on the past and losing sight of new opportunities.
Hopes and Fears shows the expectations you have concerning the outcome of your question.
Knight of Cups
The Knight of Cups represents emotional pursuit, idealism, and romanticism. It speaks to the pursuit of dreams, following one's heart, and embarking on emotional quests with passion and dedication.
Symbolism: The knight on horseback, holding a cup, exudes an energy of romantic idealism and emotional drive. The pale horse's steady gait and the knight's confident posture suggest a balance between passion and grace.
In Relationships: Pursuing romance with enthusiasm and idealism. The Knight of Cups suggests a time of emotional pursuit, whether the beginning of a romance or a passionate phase in an existing relationship.
In Work: A pursuit of creative or emotional fulfilment. This card represents following your heart and idealism in professional endeavours.
Spiritually: The quest for spiritual or emotional fulfilment. The Knight of Cups invites you to pursue your highest ideals and trust your intuition on your spiritual journey.
When ill-dignified: Impulsiveness, emotional highs and lows, or unrealistic expectations. The Knight of Cups warns against becoming too idealistic or pursuing unrealistic goals without grounding.
The Outcome of your question. Interpret this card in the context of the entire reading and as an indicator of the path you are currently on, but not necessarily bound to.
Six of Coins
The Six of Coins represents generosity, charity, and balance in giving and receiving. It speaks to the flow of wealth, where resources are shared. This card emphasises the importance of fair exchange and the joy of helping others.
Symbolism: The even arrangement of the six coins suggests balance and fairness. The vertical alignment represents the flow of giving and receiving, highlighting harmony in financial or material exchanges.
In Relationships: A balanced relationship where both partners give and receive equally. The Six of Coins encourages acts of kindness, generosity, and mutual support.
In Work: Financial generosity or fair exchanges at work. This card suggests that assisting others can bring abundance and harmony into your career.
Spiritually: The spiritual law of giving and receiving. The Six of Coins encourages you to give freely, knowing that your actions will come back to you in time.
When ill-dignified: Imbalance in giving or receiving, manipulation, or exploitation. The Six of Coins warns against selfishness or using generosity to manipulate others.