The Celtic Cross is probably one of the most well known and used tarot card spreads. The spread is attributed to A.E. Waite from his 'The Pictoral Key to the Tarot' (1911), however there is a theory by author Marcus Katz, put forward in an edition of the Tarosophist Magazine, that the spread has earlier origins and is not Celtic. Whatever its origins it is very popular and one you are bound to come across when exploring Tarot. So what is the order of layout and position meanings in the spread?
In my own journey so far I've come across a number of variations concerning the position meanings, and order of layout. First of all, if you haven't seen it before, the image below shows how the spread according to A.E. Waite is laid out:
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| Image ©Herkimer Blue |
There are countless diagrams of the Celtic Spread on the internet. Not all of them show this order of laying out the cards (or exactly the same position meanings), and for myself I've found I don't particularly like this order. I've modified it so that cards 3 and 4 are laid down in position 6 and 5 shown above, respectively, and my cards 5 and 6 are put in positions 4 and 5, respectively. I personally don't think it matters if you deviate from the traditional diagram shown above. Whatever you feel comfortable doing should work fine as long as you are clear what each position represents for you.
In A.E. Waite's description of the spread he suggests selecting a card that best represents the querent or matter being read for (The Significator) and placing it face up. Then shuffle the deck and lay the card out in the spread shown. I have omitted this from the diagram above, but this Significator card would go underneath card 1.
An important part of my own reading process is clearly having in mind what the position of the cards should mean before shuffling and laying them down. I do this regardless of the spread, and I tend to lean more towards having a clear definition than a vague one. I find having a good idea of the range or nuances of possible meanings really useful for focusing on the question and being able to interpret the reading.
I've seen a few Celtic Cross spreads being used by other readers with some variations of the position meanings, not necessarily according to Waite's outline. Again, I personally don't think it matters a great deal what you determine each position signifies, as long as you are clear about it in your mind before you start the reading.
In trying to get a better handle and more depth on what some of these positions can mean I have recently discovered a great range of insights, related meanings, additional meanings, and thus a clearer ways of looking at these. So let's take a look at each of the card positions. I've couched these in terms of a reading for a person, but this spread can be used for readings on a subject or circumstance, not necessarily just for an individual.
1. What covers the querent/matter
Traditional Meaning: The influence affecting the person or the matter at hand (the crux of the issue if you like)
Expanded/Additional Meanings: Umm..nothing to add to yet...
2. What Crosses the querent
Traditional Meaning: The nature of any obstacles.
Expanded/Additional Meanings: Challenges, obstacles, causes of resistance, causes of tension or conflict (a positive card here could cause this tension), issues or perceptions to overcome.
3. What crowns the querent
Traditional Meaning: The aim or ideal of the querent, or the best that can be expected in the matter, but which has not yet come to pass.
Expanded/Additional Meanings: Querent's conscious perspective, attitude or beliefs, conscious influences, assumptions, illusions, delusions, outcome the querent would like to see happen, goal.
4. What is beneath the querent
Traditional Meaning: Root of the matter.
Expanded/Additional Meanings: Querent's subconscious thoughts or feelings regarding the matter, underlying influences, hidden influences, needs/desires, unrecognised motivations or goals.
5. What is behind the querent
Traditional Meaning: The influence that has passed or is passing away.
Additional/Nuanced Meanings: Past influences, past actions that have let to the current situation, foundation of the current matter, fading concerns, former focus, a person who has gone away, something resolved or completed, unnecessary thoughts or feelings.
6. What is before the querent
Traditional Meaning: An approaching influence (near future).
Expanded/Additional Meanings: Short term future, something gaining importance, a person coming into the querent's life, developing factors coming into focus, and unrealized quality or ability, and uncompleted task or goal.
7. The Significator
Traditional Meaning: The position or attitude in the circumstances of the querent him/herself or the matter being asked about.
Expanded/Additional Meanings: The querent as they are, querent's temperament or disposition, how they present themselves to others, their self-image, belief/assumptions about themselves, how the querent is responding to the issues, what the querent wishes to be.
8. Querent's house
Traditional Meaning: The querent's environment and influences from it on the matter, position in life.
Expanded/Additional Meanings: General atmosphere, context or sphere the querent has to operate in, how others see the querent, what they want from him/her, what impression the querent gives to others or their effect on others, outside factors the querent encounters.
9. Hopes/Fears
Traditional Meaning: The querent's hopes and fears in the matter.
Expanded/Additional Meanings: What the querent may be avoiding, overlooking, secretly desiring, what they need to learn, guidance or warning.
10. What will come
Traditional Meaning: the outcome as a result of the influences shown in the other cards in the spread.
Expanded/Additional Meanings: The most likely result, lessons learned, how the environment will change, how the querent may succeed/fail, what they may have to do, approaches they may need to take, how others may be affected, querent's ability, or qualities they will realise or understanding they will gain, possible strong negative reaction to the situation.
I've found these very helpful in my readings, and I hope this has been helpful to you too. If you have any additional insights to these that you find useful in your own readings I'd love to hear about them. Just reply in the comments below.
Some of this information in this post was found and adapted from the following helpful resources:
Celtic Cross Spread Learn the Rider Waite Tarot (YouTube)
The Pictoral Key to The Tarot, by A.E. Waite, Section 7
Tarosophist Magazine (Free Edition)
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