Major Arcana Sample Reading
The Celtic Cross is one of the most well known and used layouts in Tarot. But, it isn't always easy to make the connections from one card to the next. Here is a sample reading using the Celtic Cross and just the Major Arcana cards. Watch the connections and the easy flow the reading takes as it progresses forward. I don't read reversed meanings so all my cards will be placed in an upright position.
The client shuffles the cards and then places them in three piles. You, the reader, pick up the piles in what ever order you feel is right on an intuitive level. You now have one pile of cards in front of you.
Taking the cards from the top of the deck, place them face up in the Celtic Cross positions. One card in the middle with one card crossing it. Then place a card under the two in the middle, a card to the left, a card above, a card to the right, and then four cards in a row to the right of the others starting at the bottom and working upwards.
You now have your cards in Celtic Cross formation.. so let's read them!
The first card is the Hanged Man. This indicates to me that the client is confused about something. But, she is not anxious. It is more like she is content to just hang in there and wait for the solution to come to her. To find out the source of her confusion, we look to the card crossing the Hanged Man.
The opposition card is the Empress. I feel intuitively that this client is debating the pros and cons of motherhood. She is weighing the pros and cons about whether or not this would be a good time to become pregnant.
The card below these is the past card. This card is the Tower. I feel that perhaps the client has had a difficult past, full of relationships and plans that fell apart. Although she feels secure in her life at the present, there is that underlying feeling that things just might not work out. And, if that happens, does she really want to bring a child into the equation?
The card to the left is the Emperor. I feel intuitively that this is the client's husband. I feel that he is ready and willing to explore the possibility of fatherhood, and that he is a strong and capable man who would indeed be a very good father. He isn't pressuring my client into getting pregnant, but he would not be adverse to that happening at all.
The card above, indicating the near future, is the Chariot. There would appear to be concern about careers. Both the client and her husband are in good, solid and well paying lines of business. They are at the peak of their careers, but also getting older. And, having a baby at this point would mean sacrificing a lot of time and energy into something other than their careers.
The card on the left, the next step to be taken, is Temperance. This could work out well. But, juggling family and careers would take a lot of patience and understanding on both my client and her husband's part. They do have a very solid relationship and they are willing to compromise.
The first card in the row to the right is the Wheel of Fortune. This is how the client perceives herself and the situation. She feels that she is ready for motherhood, and that at almost 32 years old, her biological clock is ticking. She wants this to happen, but she has to set aside her old fears of things falling apart in order to be comfortable becoming a mother.
The next card is how friends and family perceive her and the situation. The card is the World. They feel that having a child would be a wonderful thing for this couple. They watch how both my client and her husband dote on the nieces and nephews and they know that both of them really love children.
The next card is the change card. And, it is the Star. The only thing keeping my client from her dream of motherhood are her own fears based on her past. Perhaps it is time for her to get some counseling so that she can better understand why she feels the way that she does. Once her mind is at ease and she has made peace with her past, the way is open and clear for her to pursue pregnancy and motherhood.
The last card is the Sun. This is a remarkable outcome card!! And, in retrospect and based on my intuition, I feel that I should ask the client if she might already be pregnant.
A strange look crosses her face as she places a hand on her stomach and says:
"Well, that would explain a lot of what is happening to me lately!"
Congratulations were definitely in order...
The client shuffles the cards and then places them in three piles. You, the reader, pick up the piles in what ever order you feel is right on an intuitive level. You now have one pile of cards in front of you.
Taking the cards from the top of the deck, place them face up in the Celtic Cross positions. One card in the middle with one card crossing it. Then place a card under the two in the middle, a card to the left, a card above, a card to the right, and then four cards in a row to the right of the others starting at the bottom and working upwards.
You now have your cards in Celtic Cross formation.. so let's read them!
The first card is the Hanged Man. This indicates to me that the client is confused about something. But, she is not anxious. It is more like she is content to just hang in there and wait for the solution to come to her. To find out the source of her confusion, we look to the card crossing the Hanged Man.
The opposition card is the Empress. I feel intuitively that this client is debating the pros and cons of motherhood. She is weighing the pros and cons about whether or not this would be a good time to become pregnant.
The card below these is the past card. This card is the Tower. I feel that perhaps the client has had a difficult past, full of relationships and plans that fell apart. Although she feels secure in her life at the present, there is that underlying feeling that things just might not work out. And, if that happens, does she really want to bring a child into the equation?
The card to the left is the Emperor. I feel intuitively that this is the client's husband. I feel that he is ready and willing to explore the possibility of fatherhood, and that he is a strong and capable man who would indeed be a very good father. He isn't pressuring my client into getting pregnant, but he would not be adverse to that happening at all.
The card above, indicating the near future, is the Chariot. There would appear to be concern about careers. Both the client and her husband are in good, solid and well paying lines of business. They are at the peak of their careers, but also getting older. And, having a baby at this point would mean sacrificing a lot of time and energy into something other than their careers.
The card on the left, the next step to be taken, is Temperance. This could work out well. But, juggling family and careers would take a lot of patience and understanding on both my client and her husband's part. They do have a very solid relationship and they are willing to compromise.
The first card in the row to the right is the Wheel of Fortune. This is how the client perceives herself and the situation. She feels that she is ready for motherhood, and that at almost 32 years old, her biological clock is ticking. She wants this to happen, but she has to set aside her old fears of things falling apart in order to be comfortable becoming a mother.
The next card is how friends and family perceive her and the situation. The card is the World. They feel that having a child would be a wonderful thing for this couple. They watch how both my client and her husband dote on the nieces and nephews and they know that both of them really love children.
The next card is the change card. And, it is the Star. The only thing keeping my client from her dream of motherhood are her own fears based on her past. Perhaps it is time for her to get some counseling so that she can better understand why she feels the way that she does. Once her mind is at ease and she has made peace with her past, the way is open and clear for her to pursue pregnancy and motherhood.
The last card is the Sun. This is a remarkable outcome card!! And, in retrospect and based on my intuition, I feel that I should ask the client if she might already be pregnant.
A strange look crosses her face as she places a hand on her stomach and says:
"Well, that would explain a lot of what is happening to me lately!"
Congratulations were definitely in order...
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