Making your own tarot spreads?

Question

Do you have any suggestions for making a personalized spread that works? Please include things like designing the pattern for laying out the cards and figuring out the meanings...

...Or you could direct me to a website...

...Or you could give me the name of a book (with author)...

You could even do all three (which would be an automatic best answer)!

Thanks!

Thanks for your concern Babs, but I'm gonna stick to tarot cards.

I use The Celtic Dragon Tarot and I want to make a daily spread.

I don't want your spreads. I want to make my own. Read the question!

Answer 1

Pick a pattern/spread theme that appeals to you. This is actually pretty darn important. For example, I know from your questions on here that your magic is tied in with dragons; you could perhaps create a dragon spread, with cards designated as the head, the wings, the body, the tail, etc. where each part of the body has a specific meaning. (I use a Celtic cross when I read for others, but I devised a spread based on the chaos star some years ago that I use for myself.)

Designate the meanings before you ever lay a card down--I'd actually suggest sketching out a "map". Decide what you want from it--if it's a simple spread, with, say, five or fewer cards, I'd keep it all simple--this card represents where I am right now, this card represents today, etc. Larger spreads, which I prefer greatly (but take more time to piece together) should include things like unconscious influences and influences that you can't see, but are still present.

Answer 2

If you are using Tarot cards as an oracle, you may be more inclined to need spreads, standard or your own.. But if using Tarot Cards as a tool for Psychic Ability you would be less likely to hold to any hard and fast spreads. I’m a profession psychic and use Tarot Cards in a random way. In 25 years of professional readings I’ve never used a spread or used any ‘meanings’ of tarot cards from any books.

So if you want to develop ‘Psychic Ability’ throw the books away, don’t stress about spreads, and let the images inspire you.

I believe we are all psychic, but for the majority the gift or the belief has been long knocked out of them. Educated out is another way of looking at it. Many professional psychics have grown up in a psychic friendly environment. Perhaps a grand-parent or parent with the knowledge has helped bring the extra sense out in the open and encouraged its use. But there are as many practicing psychics who have not had the benefit of caring psychic guidance and who have still managed to develop and hone this natural extra sense. The Psychic Sense.

To tap in to it more you can go to my free develop-psychic-ability page here: http://www.psychic-junkie.com/develop-psychic-ability.html

But on the other hand, if you want to use the Tarot as an oracle, a form of divination that needs no real ‘psychic ability’, then find some spreads you like if you prefer.

Here is a free download demo for a great Tarot program. To keep the size of the demo manageable it contains the Rider/Waite deck, the actual program will have 10 complete decks. This Demo version of Tarot is a full working copy for 30 days. So you get 30 days to study meanings and spreads! http://www.free-tarot-download-demo.wotsnext.com

Answer 3

There are a few basic principles to designing your own tarot spreads. First you must decide what it is you want to know. Then you can begin to think about what the layout should look like, and finally you can determine the meanings that you will assign to specific positions.

Here is a helpful link that can give you much information in
designing your own tarot spreads:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art41962.asp

Also I would recommend this book, "Designing Your Own Tarot Spreads", (Special Topics in Tarot) (Paperback)
By Teresa Michelsen
Book - Published by Llewellyn

Hope this helps. Goodluck!

Answer 4

The Complete book of Tarot spreads, Evelin Burger & Johannes Fiebig
This has a ton of spreads....AS for designing your own, It's really a matter of personal choice....

What is the system of symbolism you use, and then from that deseign a spread....Astrology, asian, there are so many symbol systems out there, I would just be talking about what something means to me...and if you are designing a personal spread, it would have more to do with what things mean to YOU.

Hail Eris! All Hail Discordia!

Answer 5

22 steps of life put in order from bottem to top.

The frist one would be age one
the second one would be age two
and so on and so forth...to the age of 22
spread the tarot card in a fan from left to right
take tim to pic the cards

It worked for me

Answer 6

Well, as long as whatever pattern you choose is consistent and present in your mind while you shuffle and lay them out, it will work.

I presume one position would be something like "What's going to happen today?", and other positions would reveal things related to that, the people, causes, or elements involved.

Does that help?

Answer 7

Don't worry about the evil one. Good can't exist without evil to compare it to.

Answer 8

Stay away from tarot cards. You open the door for the evil one and it takes a miracle to extricate you from it's hold. I speak from experience.