The Love Triangle Spread
Difficulty: Complicated
Casually referred to as the Love Triangle, this spread can be used to determine the dynamics of the relationship between three people, regardless of whether romance is involved. This spread is arranged in the form of a hexagram, consisting of several large and small triangles. This tarot spread may seem somewhat complicated, but it is not entirely that difficult.
The first step is to interpret the card for each individual position in the spread. Generally, one might ask about a relationship they are involved in, but this does not have to be the case. Ordinarily, the reader's representative card is #1, their main person of interest is #2, and the other person would be #3.
The second step fills in the downward triangle and involves further examination of the individuals through their views of the other people. Each person has two more cards showing the way they see and relate to the other members of the triangle. For example, Card #6 indicates how Person #3 relates to Person #1, while Card #9 stands for Person #1's attitude toward Person #3.
The next step completes the upward triangle and the hexagram, focusing on cards #10–13. It also completes the many smaller triangles and hints at the potential for each relationship. The final card, #13 can be considered the significator of the reading, which suggests the overall potential for this three-way relationship.
Your Love Triangle Reading
| P#3 | 3to2 | 2+3 |
2to3 | P#2 | ||
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3to1 |  |
Overall |  |
2to1 |  |
| 1+3 |  |
1to3 |  |
1to2 |  |
1+2 |
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P#1 |  |
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1: Person #1
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.
2: Person #2
The Marseille version is filling in for this missing card. The King of Cups represents emotional mastery and wisdom. He is the embodiment of emotional intelligence and the ability to control one's feelings while offering support to others. This card symbolises leadership in emotional and spiritual matters.
Symbolism: The King sits on his throne holding his cup with dignity. His calm demeanour and thoughtful expression reflect his mastery over his emotions and ability to lead with compassion and understanding.
In Relationships: Emotional maturity and stability. The King of Cups signifies a steady, wise, and compassionate partner who provides guidance and balance.
In Work: Mastery in your profession, particularly in areas that require emotional intelligence or leadership. The King of Cups advises calm, measured decision-making and emotional resilience.
Spiritually: Mastery over your spiritual and emotional path. The King of Cups encourages you to use your wisdom and emotional balance to lead and guide others.
When ill-dignified: Emotional suppression, manipulation, or detachment. The King of Cups warns against becoming emotionally distant or using your emotional wisdom for control or selfish purposes.
3: Person #3
The Knight of Staves represents energy, action, and adventure. This card signifies someone who is driven, determined, and fearless in the pursuit of their goals.
Symbolism: The Knight riding a white horse, holding a staff, exudes power and motion. The horse's rearing pose conveys energy, while the knight's noble attire suggests refinement and authority. The background patterns reinforce the balance between dynamism and structure in his approach.
In Relationships: Boldness and action in your romantic life. The Knight of Staves signifies a passionate pursuit, whether the beginning of a thrilling romance or an energising reconnection.
In Work: Ambition, action, and boldness in your professional life. The Knight encourages you to take swift, passionate action towards your goals.
Spiritually: Rapid spiritual movement and growth. The Knight of Staves urges you to pursue your spiritual goals with energy, fearlessness, and determination.
When ill-dignified: Recklessness, impulsivity, or lack of thought. You may be moving too fast or charging ahead without considering the full implications of your actions.
4: Person #1's view of #2
The Hanged Man represents a moment of suspension, transformation, and the profound wisdom of surrender. It is the card of acceptance, urging one to release control and embrace a new perspective, even at the cost of discomfort.
Symbolism: The figure's suspended position signifies the state of hanging between worlds, a soul caught in the liminal space between the old and new. The calm expression of surrender contrasts with his precarious state, highlighting the necessity of letting go to gain understanding. The patterns of his tunic, combined with the golden glow, evoke a sacred pause in time, elevating this card to a spiritual level.
In Relationships: A time to step back and reassess your emotional life. Patience, understanding, and self-reflection are required. The card suggests moments of stillness can lead to profound growth in relationships.
In Work: Professional progress comes through rethinking old strategies. The Hanged Man indicates that a temporary pause or a shift in perspective can lead to breakthroughs.
Spiritually: The card speaks to spiritual enlightenment through sacrifice and release. You are called to surrender to the flow of life and gain higher wisdom.
When ill-dignified: Resistance to change, stagnation, and a refusal to let go. This warns against being trapped by fear or obstinance, preventing personal growth.
5: Person #2's view of #3
The King of Swords represents intellect, authority, and decision-making. This card signifies mastery of the mind, with the ability to use reason and logic to lead and protect. It highlights the power of wisdom, strategy, and clear judgement.
Symbolism: The King's confident posture and ornate throne signify his authority and mental mastery. The sharpness of the sword reflects his ability to lead with reason, while the metallic backdrop emphasises his regal nature.
In Relationships: Intellectual maturity and leadership. The King of Swords suggests a partner who leads with logic and fairness, maintaining emotional balance and clarity.
In Work: Mastery in your profession, especially in roles that require intellect, strategy, and leadership. This card encourages decisive and fair action.
Spiritually: Mastery over your mental and spiritual path. The King of Swords urges you to trust in your wisdom to guide others and yourself.
When ill-dignified: Rigidity, coldness, or controlling behaviour. The King of Swords warns against becoming too detached, manipulative, or authoritarian.
6: Person #3's view of #1
The Queen of Coins represents nurturing, abundance, and practical wisdom. She is a motherly figure who embodies warmth, security, and the ability to create a stable and prosperous environment for others. This card speaks to a balance of generosity, practicality, and a grounded approach to material wealth.
Symbolism: The Queen's regal yet nurturing posture, along with her detailed gown and the coin she holds, reflects her ability to create abundance through care, planning, and attention to detail. The golden tapestry symbolises wealth and elegance.
In Relationships: A loving, supportive partner who creates a warm, stable home. The Queen of Coins encourages a relationship rooted in care, nurturing, and shared prosperity.
In Work: A grounded, practical approach to career success. The Queen of Coins suggests using your skills to create financial security for yourself and others.
Spiritually: Spiritual abundance through nurturing practices. The Queen of Coins advises using your spiritual wisdom to care for yourself and others.
When ill-dignified: Over-protection, possessiveness, or neglecting your own needs for the sake of others. The Queen of Coins warns against being controlling or too focused on material wealth.
7: Person #2's view of #1
The Empress symbolises abundance, creativity, and nurturing energy. She represents the generative force of nature and the ability to create and sustain growth, both literally and figuratively.
Symbolism: The Empress's sceptre and crown symbolise her authority, while her shield connects her to the Visconti family lineage. The floral embroidery on her gown reflects her connection to nature and fertility. The golden background underscores her divine and regal status.
In Relationships: A time of emotional abundance and nurturing. The Empress signals love, harmony, and growth.
In Work: Creative projects flourish under the Empress's guidance. She encourages nurturing ideas and building strong foundations.
Spiritually: The Empress represents the divine feminine, inviting the seeker to embrace growth and connect with nature's rhythms.
When ill-dignified: Stagnation, overindulgence, or a smothering presence in relationships.
8: Person #3's view of #2
The Three of Coins symbolises collaboration, craftsmanship, and the value of teamwork. It represents working together to achieve a common goal, emphasising the importance of skill, effort, and recognition of individual contributions to a larger project.
Symbolism: The row of coins emphasises teamwork and synergy. The design suggests that when different talents and skills come together, they create something greater than the sum of their parts.
In Relationships: Collaboration and teamwork. The Three of Coins encourages building together, sharing responsibilities, and valuing each other's contributions.
In Work: A time to work with others towards a shared goal. The Three of Coins suggests that your efforts will be recognised, and teamwork leads to success.
Spiritually: Spiritual collaboration and mentorship. The Three of Coins may indicate working with others on a shared spiritual path, learning from collective wisdom.
When ill-dignified: Lack of cooperation, poor teamwork, or failure to appreciate the value of others' contributions. The Three of Coins warns against working in isolation or undervaluing collaboration.
9: Person #1's view of #3
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.
10: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #2
The Ace of Swords symbolises mental clarity, new ideas, and breakthrough moments. It represents the power of the mind to cut through confusion and offer insight, truth, and understanding. This card marks a moment of intellectual clarity, a new beginning for thought processes, and the potential to solve problems or resolve conflicts through logic and sharp perception.
Symbolism: The solitary sword represents a decisive force, a sharp intellect cutting through the fog. The flowery background highlights the clarity that accompanies the realisation or epiphany. This card invites you to embrace your mental power and use it.
In Relationships: A breakthrough in communication or understanding in your relationship. This could signify a moment of honesty or intellectual connection that clears misunderstandings.
In Work: The arrival of new opportunities for intellectual growth or clarity in your professional life. It's a time to make decisions based on logic and rational thinking.
Spiritually: Spiritual clarity or a new insight into your path. The Ace of Swords encourages you to seek the truth in your spiritual journey, embracing the power of clear thought and discernment.
When ill-dignified: Confusion, dishonesty, or unclear thinking. The Ace of Swords warns against impulsive decisions or misinterpretations.
11: Overall relationship between persons #2 and #3
The World represents completion, wholeness, and the harmonious integration of all aspects of life. It is the last card of the Major Arcana, signalling the end of one journey and the beginning of another.
Symbolism: The two ethereal figures holding the globe or portal represent the union of duality and the achievement of balance. The rolling plains and distant mountains beneath the golden sky symbolise the vast potential of the world, and the figures' gesture of offering suggests a celebration of accomplishment. The card evokes cosmic harmony, completion, and the endless cycles of existence.
In Relationships: The World signifies a complete and fulfilling relationship, one where both partners are in harmony and balanced with each other. It's a time of celebration and unity.
In Work: Completion of a major goal or project. The World indicates the successful culmination of efforts, with new horizons opening up in your professional life.
Spiritually: A time of wholeness. The World signifies a sense of fulfilment and oneness with the universe, representing the final stage of spiritual evolution.
When ill-dignified: Incompletion, being stuck, or an inability to move forward. This card warns of a lack of closure or an unfinished journey that hinders your growth.
12: Overall relationship between persons #1 and #3
The King of Staves represents authority, vision, and mastery. He is the embodiment of focused action, leadership, and the ability to direct energy towards a clear, long-term goal.
Symbolism: The King sits on his throne, holding his staff with dignity. His royal robes and crown symbolise his mastery and wisdom, while his composed expression suggests thoughtful decision-making. The repeating ornate pattern in the background reinforces the themes of structure, control, and power.
In Relationships: Leadership, vision, and maturity. The King of Staves represents a steady and visionary partner who provides guidance and stability.
In Work: Mastery of your craft and a clear vision for your future. The King encourages strategic leadership and long-term planning in your professional endeavours.
Spiritually: Mastery over your spiritual path. The King of Staves invites you to embody your inner wisdom and use it to lead others or further your own spiritual journey.
When ill-dignified: Dictatorship, narrow-mindedness, or rigid thinking. This card warns against becoming too controlling or focused only on your vision at the expense of others' needs.
13: Overall 3-way Relationship
The Seven of Swords represents secrecy, deception, and strategy. It speaks to situations where you may feel the need to be clever, sneaky, or evasive to get what you want. This card can indicate an act of stealth or even betrayal, but it also highlights the need for careful planning and discretion.
Symbolism: The unbalanced arrangement of the swords suggests movement, stealth, and uncertainty. The overlapping blades hint at hidden motives or the complexity of a situation that requires more than just straightforward action.
In Relationships: Hidden agendas or deception. The Seven of Swords advises caution, as someone may not be entirely honest with you or you may be hiding something.
In Work: Strategic planning or taking calculated risks. The Seven of Swords can suggest that you are working behind the scenes to achieve your goals, but caution is needed to avoid deceit.
Spiritually: Secrets or hidden truths within your spiritual path. This card encourages you to examine any areas where dishonesty or avoidance might be hindering your growth.
When ill-dignified: Betrayal, dishonesty, or evasion. The Seven of Swords warns against deceitful actions or neglecting the truth for personal gain.