Comic Strip Spread

 

 

Difficulty: Easy

Note: This spread works best with decks like the Diary of a Broken Soul or Surrealist Tarot because they display scenes rather than pips and do not use reversals.

The Comic Strip Spread is a simple nine-card chronological spread that looks like a page of a comic book. This method should be used to get a glimpse of the future as it would pan out naturally. It may be insightful to use this spread in coordination with biorhythms. The spread is easy to read as a storyboard, just like a comic strip.

The main subject is apparent in the first card, while the story plays out through the following tarot cards.

It is important to pay particular attention to the cards and the relationships with their neighbours. Notice which directions the cards are facing, and how they interact.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Comic Strip Reading

Knight of Swords	King of Coins	XV – The Devil (Lost card, substituted here)
Four of Coins	Eight of Swords	Four of Cups
Three of Cups	Seven of Staves	XIX – The Sun

 

 

 

 

Card 1: 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.

 

 

 

 

Card 2: King of Coins

The King of Coins signifies mastery of wealth, business, and material resources. He is a figure of authority and stability, using his intelligence and experience to build lasting wealth. This card speaks to leadership, responsibility, and achieving long-term financial success.

Symbolism: The King's commanding posture and golden robes reflect his mastery and authority in the material world. The coin he holds symbolises his wealth, and the background design speaks to the regal nature of his position.

In Relationships: A stable partner focused on creating long-term prosperity for their family. The King of Coins encourages a mature, responsible approach to relationships.

In Work: Mastery in your career or business, especially in financial management. The King of Coins represents achieving a position of leadership or success through wisdom and effort.

Spiritually: Mastery over your material world and the wisdom to balance it with your spiritual life. The King of Coins suggests stability and prosperity grounded in wisdom.

When ill-dignified: Materialism, greed, or a desire for control. The King of Coins warns against focusing only on wealth at the expense of relationships or spiritual growth.

 

 

 

 

Card 3: XV – The Devil (Lost card, substituted here)

This card no longer exists, so the Marseille version is filling in. The Devil represents bondage, temptation, and the shadow self. It highlights the chains we impose upon ourselves through fear, obsession, or indulgence, urging us to confront these darker aspects to reclaim our freedom.

Symbolism: The Devil embodies primal instincts and the seduction of material or carnal desires. The chained figures symbolise voluntary entrapment, their loose bindings reminding us of the ability to escape our vices. The pedestal signifies false power, while the scene hints at the potential for redemption through self-awareness.

In Relationships: The Devil warns of unhealthy attachments, jealousy, or manipulative relationships. It challenges you to examine whether passion has turned into obsession.

In Work: This card can signify being trapped in a toxic work environment, greed, or overreliance on material success. It urges you to reflect on what fulfils you.

Spiritually: The Devil calls for self-awareness and shadow work. Confronting your inner fears or desires will lead to personal liberation.

When ill-dignified: When reversed or ill-dignified, the Devil signifies breaking free from constraints, overcoming addiction, or realising what binds you.

 

 

 

 

Card 4: Four of Coins

The Four of Coins represents stability, security, and holding onto material wealth. It suggests a need for caution and conservatism, especially with finances or possessions. This card speaks to the desire for safety and control but warns against becoming too rigid or possessive.

Symbolism: The symmetrical arrangement of the four coins creates a sense of groundedness and stability. Their equal spacing emphasises the need for balance and security in your material life.

In Relationships: A need for security or stability. The Four of Coins may suggest that you are holding onto someone or something too tightly, creating a sense of possessiveness.

In Work: Focusing on building and preserving financial stability. This card suggests a cautious approach but warns against being too conservative or resistant to change.

Spiritually: A focus on building material security at the cost of spiritual growth. The Four of Coins encourages you to be mindful of becoming too attached to the material world.

When ill-dignified: Greed, possessiveness, or excessive control. The Four of Coins warns against hoarding or becoming attached to material things at the expense of personal growth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Card 5: Eight of Swords

The Eight of Swords represents restriction, feeling trapped, and mental entanglement. It suggests a period of limitation or confusion, where you may feel stuck or constrained by your circumstances or thoughts. This card points to the mental barriers you may have created for yourself.

Symbolism: The interwoven swords evoke a sense of entrapment or restriction, highlighting how mental or emotional limitations can keep you bound. The design suggests the situation may be self-imposed, and the way forward is through clarity of thought.

In Relationships: Feeling trapped or restricted. The Eight of Swords suggests you may feel mentally or emotionally stuck, but the path to freedom lies in confronting your fears or limiting beliefs.

In Work: Mental or professional restrictions that prevent progress. This card encourages you to evaluate the factors keeping you stuck and break free from limiting patterns.

Spiritually: Spiritual imprisonment or being trapped in limiting beliefs. The Eight of Swords calls for introspection to uncover ways you might be blocking your own spiritual growth.

When ill-dignified: Overthinking, fear, or paralysis. The Eight of Swords warns against remaining in situations where you are not truly trapped but are instead allowing yourself to feel helpless.

 

 

 

 

Card 6: Four of Cups

The Four of Cups speaks of refined introspection, indulgence, and the ennui that follows excess. Here, we see the weight of luxury—the satiety that dulls desire. It is the pause after fulfilment: the moment abundance becomes a gilded cage.

Symbolism: Four golden chalices evoke noble refinement and privilege, yet they are static, their contents untouched. The rich ornamentation surrounding them suggests a world of opulence, but one where satisfaction remains elusive. The card carries the energy of those who have tasted life's finest pleasures and now wonder—what next?

In Relationships: A moment of emotional detachment, not from lack, but from overindulgence. The heart, accustomed to grandeur, may grow numb to love's simpler joys. This card asks: Are you dismissing true connection because it does not dazzle?

In Work: A sign that your position may be comfortable—even prestigious—but lacking in passion. Material success alone does not sustain the spirit, and this card invites you to seek deeper fulfilment beyond the mere trappings of status.

Spiritually: A period of contemplation, but not of deprivation—rather, the quiet reflection that comes when one has everything except a sense of purpose. The Four of Cups calls for reawakening to life's meaning beyond luxury and routine.

When ill-dignified: Dissatisfaction amid excess. A refusal to engage with new opportunities, dismissing them as beneath you. Beware emotional torpor—even the most lavish court can become a prison if one ceases to dream. This is not the stagnation of the ordinary, but of those who have had their fill of the extraordinary and now seek something more.

 

 

 

 

Card 7: Three of Cups

The Three of Cups represents celebration, community, and joyful reunions. It speaks to the power of friendship, collaboration, and shared experiences. This card is often associated with a time of happiness and gathering, where emotional connections are strengthened.

Symbolism: The three chalices arranged with one on its side symbolise unity, community, and the strength of mutual support. The simple yet elegant design reflects harmony and shared joy among individuals. The card highlights the importance of celebration and connection in your emotional life.

In Relationships: Joyful celebrations, whether a reunion, an engagement, or sharing happy moments with a partner. It's a card of communal happiness and togetherness.

In Work: Successful collaborations or team efforts that lead to achievement. This card can also suggest celebrating your professional accomplishments with others.

Spiritually: A sense of spiritual community and shared experiences. The Three of Cups invites you to celebrate your spiritual growth with others and honour the joy of collective connection.

When ill-dignified: Overindulgence, exclusion from a group, or conflicts within a community. This card may warn against neglecting your emotional connections or becoming too focused on external celebrations.

 

 

 

 

Card 8: 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.

 

 

 

 

Card 9: XIX – The Sun

The Sun represents vitality, clarity, and joyful achievement. It signifies success, enlightenment, and the unyielding energy of optimism and truth.

Symbolism: The child holding the radiant red head is a symbol of pure, untainted joy and triumph. The energetic movement of the figure contrasts with the calm, golden background, reflecting the vitality and dynamic energy of the Sun. This is a card of achievement, where obstacles are overcome through innocence, optimism, and a radiant spirit.

In Relationships: The Sun brings clarity and happiness. It suggests a time of positivity, joy, and mutual growth, where the light of truth shines on all interactions.

In Work: Success and fulfilment are on the horizon. The Sun encourages you to take confident action and bask in the warmth of your accomplishments.

Spiritually: Enlightenment and clarity. The Sun symbolises spiritual illumination, urging you to embrace your true self and the divine light within you.

When ill-dignified: Overconfidence, arrogance, or an inability to see things clearly. The Sun reversed may signal excess or an inflated ego, blinding one to the truth.