Simple Cross

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The Simple Cross – a basic 5-card tarot spread.

  • The seeker or the situation is in the middle, and is shown in the present state.
  • The bottom card is the background or the reason for the current state,
  • The card on the left is influences from the past,
  • The card above shows the current influences, focus, or aspirations/speculations and
  • The card to the right shows the future or the outcome.

5 card cross tarot spread

Story Prompt for a Work of Fiction:
Simple Cross Practice Reading 1

Reading:  This is the story of a powerful business woman (The Earth), she is successful and has worked hard(10 of Wands).  She earned everything she has (Justice).  Now it is time for her to step away and get new perspective (Hanged Man.)   She will find the love she seeks (The Lovers.)

This was a very obvious sappy romance story arc.

The heroine might possibly decide to get away to the ocean, to take some time to herself, away from work and end up with the surf instructor. you know, the annoying one who insists on teaching her how to surf, despite her protests to be left alone.

Practice Reading 2 - Simple Cross

Second Fiction Prompt Reading:

Character Motivation:

So many cups!  All 5 cards! This is a real emotional journey!

Reading: The Heroine is in current state of emotional crossroads (2 of cups). She had a great love and a rich emotional life of friends and fun (3 of cups.) And then he died, and she became despondent (4 of cups) and  she spent so much time feeling sorry for her loss that she failed to see opportunities around her (5 of cups.)  She will persevere and find that there is a multitude of love out there for her, if she takes the time to look ( 7 of cups.)

I had a conversation with a member of the Tarot Readers Academy Facebook group about the types of spreads to plot a story arc.  She said she lays the cards in a straight line to give the story order, and I suggested that we might use that model and also lay cards below (to give the underlying reason) or cards above (to show the motivations) for characters or events.  Perhaps each position of the line could be a step along the Hero’s Journey or whichever Story Arc is being used.

Cards used:

Gilded Tarot

I have now done my first free tarot reading for a stranger, curious? check it out!