Tarotap

Tarot card spreads & layouts

Tarot spreads

22 tarot spreads, from one card to thirteen, with the beginner's set first. Each layout shows where every card goes and what its position means, and you can save any spread as an image.

A beginner's guide

What is a tarot spread?

A tarot spread is the pattern you lay the cards in. Each position in the pattern asks one fixed question, such as "what is in the past" or "what blocks me", and the card that lands there answers it. The spread is what turns a pile of cards into a reading: the same card means something different in the Past position than it does in the Advice position.

Spreads run from one card to ten or more. More cards do not make a reading more accurate. They give the question more angles, and each angle is one more card to interpret. Beginners read best with one to three cards, which is where the list below starts.

Tarot spreads for beginners: one card, then three, then five

These seven spreads are the ones that come up again and again in tarot books and forums, ordered from the one you can read on day one to the one you grow into. Every spread is drawn on this page with its positions numbered. Each entry says what the spread is for, how to read it, and shows a short example with real cards.

  1. 1

    One-card daily draw

    1 cardEasy

    One card, one question, or no question at all: "what should I pay attention to today?" It is the fastest way to learn the cards, because you meet one a day and watch how it plays out.

    Position 1 is the whole reading. Read the card's core meaning first, then ask how it could show up in the next 24 hours.

    ExampleYou draw the Eight of Pentacles. The card is about steady, careful work. For a day, that reads as: finish the task you have been avoiding, and do it properly rather than fast.

    Draw today's card
  2. 2

    Three-card spread: past, present, future

    3 cardsEasy

    The three card tarot spread everyone learns first. It follows one situation along a timeline, which is why it suits questions like "where is this heading?" and "how did I end up here?"

    Card 1 is what led here, card 2 is where things stand, card 3 is where they are heading if nothing changes. Read them as one sentence, not three separate verdicts.

    ExamplePast: Five of Pentacles. Present: Temperance. Future: Six of Wands. A hard stretch, now being balanced out, heading toward a result you can be proud of. The story is recovery.

    See the Time Flow spread
  3. 3

    Three-card spread: cause, situation, result

    3 cardsEasy

    The same three cards with a different job. Instead of time, it asks why: what caused this, what it looks like now, and what it leads to. Use it when the question starts with "why does this keep happening?"

    Card 1 is the cause, usually something older than the situation itself. Card 2 is the situation. Card 3 is the result that cause produces if it is left alone.

    ExampleCause: Four of Cups. Situation: Two of Swords. Result: Eight of Swords. Boredom turned into indecision, and indecision is turning into feeling trapped. The fix is in card 1, not card 3.

    See the Holy Triangle spread
  4. 4

    Four-card spread for when you feel stuck

    4 cardsEasy

    For the question "what do I do about this?" when nothing is moving. The spread splits a problem into the problem itself, what blocks you, what would solve it, and what you already have to work with.

    Card 1 names the real issue, which is often not the one you asked about. Card 2 is the obstacle, card 3 the solution, card 4 your resources. Read 2 against 3: the solution should answer the obstacle.

    ExampleIssue: The Hermit. Obstacle: Seven of Cups. Solution: Knight of Swords. Resources: Queen of Pentacles. You have withdrawn and are weighing too many options; the answer is a quick, decisive move, and you have the practical steadiness to back it up.

    See the Core Issue spread
  5. 5

    Five-card spread: situation, direction, obstacle, outcome, advice

    5 cardsMedium

    The first spread that gives you advice as its own card. Use it for a question you have been turning over for a while and want a full answer to.

    Cards 1 and 2 are where you are and where it is going. Card 3 is what stands in the way, card 4 the likely result. Card 5, the advice, is read last and against card 3: it tells you how to get past the obstacle.

    ExampleSituation: Three of Pentacles. Direction: The Chariot. Obstacle: Nine of Swords. Outcome: Ten of Pentacles. Advice: The Star. A collaborative project with real momentum, held back only by worry; the result is solid if you let the anxiety go and trust the plan.

    See the Development spread
  6. 6

    Two-choices spread

    5 cardsMedium

    For a decision between two paths. One card for where you stand, then two cards for each option so you compare like with like: short term against short term, long term against long term.

    Card 1 is you, now. Cards 2 and 3 are the short-term and long-term result of choice A; cards 4 and 5 the same for choice B. Compare the pairs, not the single cards.

    ExampleNow: Two of Pentacles. Choice A: Eight of Wands then Four of Pentacles. Choice B: Page of Cups then Ten of Cups. Option A moves fast but settles into holding on; option B starts small and grows into something fuller.

    Two options tarot spread
  7. 7

    Celtic Cross: when you are ready for ten cards

    10 cardsAdvanced

    The best known tarot spread and the one every list includes. It is not a beginner spread. Ten positions cover the situation, its cause, past, future, your mind, your surroundings, your hopes and the outcome. Learn the three and five card spreads first; the Celtic Cross is those spreads stacked together.

    Six cards form a cross that describes the situation; four cards in a line beside it describe you and where things are heading. The full guide walks through all ten positions and how they pair up.

    ExampleToo long for one paragraph. The Celtic Cross guide includes a complete worked reading with all ten cards.

    Celtic Cross tarot spread guide

Which tarot spread should I use?

Match the spread to the shape of the question, not to how important the question feels. A yes or no question needs one card however big the decision is; a relationship needs a spread with a position for the other person.

Your questionCardsSpread
Should I, yes or no?1Yes or no tarot
What should I focus on today?1Daily tarot card
Where is this situation heading?3Past, present, future
Why does this keep happening?3Cause, situation, result
I am stuck. What do I do?4Core Issue spread
A or B?5Two options tarot spread
A, B or C?7Three options tarot spread
How does this person feel about me?6Love Aspect spread
Will I get the job?5Job Interview spread
I need the whole picture.10Celtic Cross
What will the next twelve months bring?13Year ahead tarot spread

How to read a tarot spread

Start with the positions, not the cards. Before you look at what you drew, say out loud what each position asks. Then read each card as an answer to that question only. The Tower in the Past position is something that already fell apart; the Tower in the Advice position is telling you to let something fall.

Next, read neighbours together. In a three card spread the middle card is the bridge: does the Present grow out of the Past, or break from it? In the five card spread the Advice card is always read against the Obstacle. The positions decide which cards to compare, and the comparison is where the reading comes from.

Beginners do not need reversed cards. Read everything upright until the upright meanings come to you without a book, then add reversals one spread at a time. A reversed card is not the opposite of its upright meaning; it is the same energy blocked, delayed or turned inward.

If you have never shuffled and laid out a spread, the shuffling guide covers the practical side, and you can draw cards online without a deck.

One card tarot spreads

A single card for a single question. The fastest reading there is.

Daily tarot cardOne card for today, upright or reversed, with what it means for your day.Yes or no tarotOne card for a quick yes or no answer.

3 card tarot spreads

Three card spreads are the best tarot spreads for beginners: simple to lay out and easy to read as one story.

Time Flow Spread

3 cards · General

The classic three card tarot spread: past, present, future. Read the cards as one arc, from what the past carried into today to where today is heading.

  1. 1Past
  2. 2Present
  3. 3Future
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Holy Triangle Spread

3 cards · General

A cause and effect layout. Start from the cause at the bottom, then follow it up to where things stand now and what that leads to.

  1. 1Past Cause
  2. 2Current Situation
  3. 3Future Result
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Yes or no tarot spread, three cardsThree cards when you want the reasons behind the answer.Monthly tarot spreadThree cards for the early, middle, and late part of the month.

4 card tarot spread

One card more than the basic three, used here to separate the problem from its fix.

Core Issue Spread

4 cards · General

The top card names the real problem. The row beneath shows what blocks you, what solves it, and what you already have to work with.

  1. 1Core of the Issue
  2. 2Obstacles or Weaknesses
  3. 3Solutions
  4. 4Resources or Strengths
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5 card tarot spreads

Five cards leave room for an obstacle and a piece of advice, or for two paths side by side.

Development Spread

5 cards · General

A five card tarot spread for guidance. Read where you are and where it is going first, then set the obstacle against the advice card.

  1. 1Current Situation
  2. 2Future Development
  3. 3Obstacles
  4. 4Final Result
  5. 5Advice
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Two Choices Spread

5 cards · Decision

Card one is where you stand. Then compare the two paths side by side: short term against short term, long term against long term.

  1. 1Current Situation
  2. 2Short-term Impact of Choice A
  3. 3Long-term Impact of Choice A
  4. 4Short-term Impact of Choice B
  5. 5Long-term Impact of Choice B
Save imageTwo options tarot spread

Job Interview Spread

5 cards · Career

A career tarot spread that follows the interview in order: your mindset, your preparation, the interview itself, what the interviewer wants, and the result.

  1. 1Your Mindset and Thoughts
  2. 2Pre-interview Considerations
  3. 3Interview Situation
  4. 4Interviewer Requirements
  5. 5Final Result
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Wealth Tree Spread

5 cards · Career

A money and career layout. Read it from the roots up: your foundation, what feeds growth, what blocks or threatens it, and how high it can go.

  1. 1Growth Foundation
  2. 2Supporting Energy
  3. 3Obstacles
  4. 4Potential Risks
  5. 5Ultimate Height
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Soulmate Spread

5 cards · Love

Five questions in order, from who suits you to what you need to change and what to trust.

  1. 1Type of My True Partner
  2. 2Has My Soulmate Entered My Life?
  3. 3Will There Be Difficulties?
  4. 4What Changes Are Needed?
  5. 5What Should I Believe In?
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Seasonal SpreadFive cards for the three months ahead. Open only around each solstice and equinox.

6 card tarot spreads

Six cards suit two-sided questions, which is why most love and relationship tarot spreads live here.

Love Aspect Spread

6 cards · Love

A relationship tarot spread. Compare your attitude with their feelings first, then read where the relationship is going and the advice.

  1. 1Current Relationship Status
  2. 2Your Attitude
  3. 3Their Feelings Towards You
  4. 4Future Relationship Development
  5. 5Situation to Understand
  6. 6Advice
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Spiritual Connection Spread

6 cards · Love

The cards come in pairs, yours and theirs. Read each pair together.

  1. 1Your Thoughts About Them
  2. 2Their Thoughts About You
  3. 3Your View on the Current Relationship
  4. 4Their View on the Current Relationship
  5. 5Your Expectations for the Future Relationship
  6. 6Their Expectations for the Future Relationship
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Future Partner Spread

6 cards · Love

A love tarot spread for someone you have not met yet: who they are, when and how you meet, and what could get in the way.

  1. 1Characteristics of Future Love
  2. 2Time When Love Will Appear
  3. 3Obstacles in the Relationship
  4. 4Interaction Mode
  5. 5How to Meet Them
  6. 6Guidance Card
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Future Development Spread

6 cards · General

A six card tarot spread for the future. The first card is your starting point, the middle cards each cover one area of life, and the last shows where it all lands.

  1. 1Current Situation
  2. 2Love Development
  3. 3Work/Study Development
  4. 4Wealth Development
  5. 5Achievements
  6. 6Final Result
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7 card tarot spreads

Two seven card layouts: the horseshoe follows one situation from the past to the outcome, and the three options spread weighs three choices side by side.

Three options tarot spreadWhere you stand now, then the short-term and long-term result of each of three choices.Horseshoe tarot spreadSeven cards in a U shape, read from the past to the outcome, with hidden influences, you, others and advice in between.

9 card tarot spread

A long relationship layout for a situation with history on both sides.

Lovers Reconciliation Spread

9 cards · Love

It starts with your shared past, sets your side against theirs, then weighs what helps, what hinders, and the likely result.

  1. 1Your Past Together
  2. 2Your Current Situation
  3. 3Their Current Situation
  4. 4Your Thoughts on Reconciliation
  5. 5Their Thoughts on Reconciliation
  6. 6What's Hindering You
  7. 7What's Helping You
  8. 8Unknown Factors
  9. 9Result
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10 card tarot spread: the Celtic Cross

The classic full-picture tarot layout for complex questions and major decisions.

Celtic Cross Spread

10 cards · Decision

The best known ten card tarot spread. The six-card cross describes the situation, and the four-card staff beside it shows where things are heading.

  1. 1Current Situation
  2. 2Current Obstacles
  3. 3Your Ideals or Goals
  4. 4Root Cause
  5. 5Recent Past
  6. 6Near Future
  7. 7Your State of Mind
  8. 8Environmental Factors
  9. 9Hopes and Fears
  10. 10Final Outcome
Save imageCeltic Cross tarot spread guide

13 card tarot spread

A year ahead tarot spread: one card for the year and one for each month.

Year ahead tarot spreadOne card for the year as a whole and one for each of the next 12 months.

Tarot spreads by topic

The same spreads, grouped by the question you are asking.

Tarot spreads for guidance

Time Flow Spread3 cardsDevelopment Spread5 cardsFuture Development Spread6 cardsHoly Triangle Spread3 cardsCore Issue Spread4 cards

Love and relationship tarot spreads

Love Aspect Spread6 cardsSpiritual Connection Spread6 cardsFuture Partner Spread6 cardsSoulmate Spread5 cardsLovers Reconciliation Spread9 cards
Love tarot reading

Career and money tarot spreads

Job Interview Spread5 cardsWealth Tree Spread5 cards

Tarot spreads for decisions

Two Choices Spread5 cardsCeltic Cross Spread10 cards
Yes or no tarot

How to choose a tarot spread

01

Start from the question

A question about one person belongs in a relationship spread. A choice between paths belongs in a decision spread. If it fits neither, use a general one.

02

Match the size to the stakes

Three cards are enough for a simple question. Save the nine and ten card spreads for situations with many moving parts.

03

Learn one spread well

Reading the same layout many times teaches you how its positions talk to each other. That matters more than knowing many layouts.

Tarot spread questions

What is a tarot spread?

A tarot spread, also called a tarot layout, is the pattern you place the cards in. Each position has a fixed meaning, such as the past, an obstacle, or advice, and that meaning shapes how you read the card that lands there.

What is the best tarot spread for beginners?

A three-card spread. Past, present, and future is the easiest to read because the positions form one simple story.

How many cards should a tarot spread have?

As few as the question needs. One card answers a yes or no, three cover most everyday questions, and five to ten suit a relationship, a career move, or a major decision.

Which tarot spread is best for love?

For a relationship you are in, use a spread that shows both sides, such as the six-card Love Aspect spread. For someone you have not met yet, use the Future Partner or Soulmate spread.

Do beginners need to read reversed cards?

No. Read every card upright until you know the 78 upright meanings without looking them up. Reversals add a second layer to every card, which doubles what a beginner has to hold in their head. When you do add them, start with a one card daily draw so you meet one reversal at a time.

Is the Celtic Cross too hard for beginners?

It is harder than it looks. Ten positions means ten meanings to hold at once, plus the pairs between them. Most readers who teach recommend one, three and five card spreads first. When the five card spread feels easy, the Celtic Cross guide takes you through all ten positions with a worked example.

What is a good three card spread for guidance?

Past, present, future is the standard because the three positions form one story. If you want direct guidance rather than a timeline, use cause, situation, result and read the first card as the thing to change. For a question with an obstacle in it, the four card Core Issue spread adds a solution position.