The Celtic Cross Spread

Before starting a reading, I like to say a short prayer. You can use whatever words you wish to align yourself with the energy of the cards and any spirits you want to call in, but opening to channels beyond your ego is helpful.

My prayer is, “I ask all spirits, guides, and beloveds on his side and on the other side to be with me so that I can see, hear and feel all that I need to see, feel, and hear for my highest good and the highest good of all other beings.”

The next step is to shuffle the cards until sufficiently mixed. Then cut the deck into three stacks of whatever size feels right and recombine the stacks into one pile in any order.

The Celtic Cross consists of ten cards. The first is the Significator, placed in the table’s center. I interpret the Significator as the essence of the Querent’s soul. This is the clear energy that the Querent came in with at birth before any conditioning, wounding, or shaping by the environment. It is the energy most aligned with Spirit and the soul’s purpose.

The next card is placed on top and at right angles to the Significator. It is the Card that Covers. I see this card as the clothes the soul wears out in the world. The energies of this card could be an enhancement of the soul’s energy, an obstacle, a complement, or a combination of all three.

Directly below these cards is the card representing What Belongs to the Querent and Can’t Be Taken Away. Regardless of the external situation, this energy will always be a part of the Querent. Usually, this is a positive energy that needs to be remembered and nurtured. Sometimes it is part of the Querent’s personality that requires attention.

The card above the Significator is the Current Situation. Often this card clarifies the situation that the Querent is asking about.

The cards to the left and right of the Significator are related and represent the energies the Querent is Moving Away from and Moving Toward. This does not always mean that one is losing the energy that one is moving from but only that it is no longer the focus of attention.

The next four cards are stacked from bottom to top to the right and slightly below the Significator. The bottom card is How the Querent Sees Themselves. This card often confirms that the Querent sees themselves clearly or points to blind spots.

The next card represents the energies of the Environment. This is the only card that is not directly about the Querent but gives guidance about energies that might be coming, both positive and negative, so that the Querent is prepared.

The third card is called Hopes and Fears, and I often think of it as where obstacles or ambivalence prevent the fulfillment of one’s wishes. This card indicates that what one longs for the most is also what one most fears. This card often shows where healing needs to happen by shifting beliefs and letting go of old stories. It indicates where work needs to be done.

The last card indicates the Final Outcome.

An interesting experiment might be to choose a single card and, while looking at it, make up a story about a message from each position. Undoubtedly, you will find that the meaning shifts depending on the position. Don’t worry about matching what you see with what anyone else says is correct. Just look and listen.