On Designing A New Spread

Here's another article of mine.


Throughout my time as a Tarot reader, I've run across questions where a general spread just isn't right for determining the answer. Beyond this, even for a general reading there is still so much more that you could include to give your reading more depth, both for yourself and the seekers that come to you for guidance. In these scenarios, it would be better to design a layout yourself. My first time I did this, it was for an empathic friend of mine with interest in learning Tarot. I ended up being glad that I had made the layout as it gave my own readings a whole new depth and dimension. Later, seekers had come to me with questions that I did not feel a general reading was suitable for. In these situations, I felt a need to create a new spread on the fly to be tailored to their question. As a Tarot reader, I've found the ability to do this to be an important tool in my inventory.

So how do you make a layout?

To aid my explanation, I'll use an example through it. The first thing you need is to determine the need for the layout. One of the most asked questions of a reader by a seeker is relationship related, so this shall serve as the need for my example. Next, you need to determine the content for the spread. Keep in mind that each position should have a specific reason for its place, beneficial to obtaining a look at what the cards have to say for the seeker's question. For my example, as a relationship spread, we should look at both parties involved, as well as the relationship as a whole.

Now, let's make a base in the spread for defining where the relationship stands, to be expanded upon later. First, as a relationship is usually between two people, we'll have a card to define each of them. Then, we need to define the state of the relationship. After that, we need a card each to define the seeker and their partner's views of the relationship.

With a base defined, we should then look at a give-and-take. So we should have a card for each person to determine what they bring to the relationship. Next, let's have a card for each for what they do not bring to the relationship, and a card for why.

Once we have this, we need to bring a close to our spread. So let's start by defining what each person needs to work on the most for the benefit of the relationship. Then close it by defining where the relationship is currently headed.

So our completed layout is now:
1) the seeker
2) seeker's partner
3) state of the relationship
4) how the seeker views the relationship
5) how the partner views the relationship
6) what the seeker brings to the relationship
7) what the partner brings to the relationship
8 ) what the seeker doesn't bring to the relationship
9) the reason for this
10) what the partner doesn't bring to the relationship
11) the reason for this
12) what the seeker needs to work on most
13) what the partner needs to work on most
14) where the relationship is currently headed

I hope this helps some of you. Feel free to use this layout, it is another original. If you have any questions or comments, post for discussion.