Minimal Amount of Spreads...

I have been thinking about this for awhile now.. and my thoughts just keep going round in circles..

How many spreads are really necessary for one to learn? Do I need to have a huge amount of varying spreads? Could I only learn two and use those and just be okay with that? (both as an amateur reader or a pro)

I have 26 spreads copied out. I have tried each one at least once. So far, my most versatile and favourite is a simple Horseshoe spread. All the rest of my spreads are more designed for a specific topic or question. I find myself starting to get annoyed with all of them. All these fancy spreads, I think, actually detract me from my reading. I spend more time trying to grasp the position and how it works with the next position then I am with my cards speaking from each position!

I am, granted, a bit of a minimalist. I like things to be simple, so that I can reach deeply into a focal point instead of being distracted. I realize that this is rather a subjective and individual style/taste subject. However I hope by reading what others think of this, I can find my bearings.

So.. how many spreads do you use. How many do you feel are necessary? Do you prefer subject or question specific ones, or generals? If you go to or read pro, what do you think is expected from your sitters (or you the sitter?)

Hooked

I personally feel it's best you master (i use this term loosely) about 3 basic spreads that you are most comfortable with and that can be used in multiple situations and can be versatile and adjusted accordingly.

I started out using the Celtic Cross spread almost exclusively, as it was the only one that I seemed to have more or less understood and could creatively work around it accordingly. Same way, I say use the spread you're most comfortable with exclusively for sometime and get a good hang of it. Then move onto using other basic multipurpose spreads (like 3 card past present future for example). Start with small basic spreads and practice them over and over.

However, do realize that at the end of the day, it's not the number of spreads you know that matter, it's how well you're able to understand and utilize them. I still use the Celtic Cross spread in about 90% of my readings, and it works like a charm because of all the practice I did with it and learning to adapt it to almost each and every situation.

Hope this was helpful

Love and Blessings

Ive been thinking about this too of late. I have all these spreads written out in my moleskin tarot journal and find that I use so few of them. Even though I wrote them out thinking, "Ooo, mustn´t forget that one; looks good". And they ARE good when I do them.

But Im not a professional and if Im thinking of the same horseshoe spread (7 card?) as you are referring to Hooked, it works when dealing with any subject under any circumstances. But, as I say, Im not a professional and I just read for myself and friends (when pressured ).

Im finding more and more that when reading for myself, I find that shuffling the deck, thinking of my question, then cutting the deck, then asking a follow up question whilst shuffling, then cutting again, works very very well. I call it my card conversation spread. Works a treat.

But in answer to your question, Hooked, one thorough spread is enough. Surely.

I use 3 or 4.

That's it.

Concentrating on the cards, and their message eleminates the need for such silliness as the Peacock of Happiness spread.

Learn to listen to the space between the cards, and the need for the spread o' the day vanishes...

I make them up the day I am doing the reading - unless they are set for me as part of the exercise............

Though I do sometimes use past - present - future..... if that counts as a spread

Le Fanu said:

Im finding more and more that when reading for myself, I find that shuffling the deck, thinking of my question, then cutting the deck, then asking a follow up question whilst shuffling, then cutting again, works very very well. I call it my card conversation spread. Works a treat.

Click to expand...

Interesting to hear you say this. Being relatively new to this and a complete newcomer to reading for others, I was eagerly searching for just the "right" spread for a given situation. Now I find that many readers, if they are not died in the wool celtic cross users, take the much more simple approach you have described above. I was listening to a Tarot Connection podcast with James Wells this week and he says anything more than 5 cards is too big & he personally does not use celtic cross, tree of life or any of the more familiar spreads.

It seems to me that if you can successfully dialogue with the cards as described above, how much simpler life would be.

I only use a few spreads.
I also have a lot of spreads copied down but most of them I never use, I tell myself maybe I can use them for inspiration for new spreads but I hardly ever look at them.
I sometimes design a spread for the occasion, and sometimes I just lay down a small row of cards without positions and I go from there.

Years ago I got the book Designing Your Own Tarot Spreads (Teresa Michelsen) and that was really helpful for me then. She explained that you can get the best answers if you ask what you really want to know - and often that means not using a ready made spread. It helped me get more freedom with my cards - by pointing out the obvious really

I tried using specific spreads for awhile, but found I prefer drawing 2 or 3 cards per question. It seems to give me just enough insight, yet not too much it is overwhelming to me.

Occasionally I do past-present-future.

What did you think of EE's 3-card expandable spread? It's really the only spread I like to use. I much prefer it over any kind of set position meanings. After EE, I can't read the cards separately anymore! And really never have with the Marseille.

Thank you, everyone, for answering.

I am talking about the 7 card horseshoe.

The space between them eh? That sounds interesting.. I might have to do a bit of experimenting with that!

I use EE's methods, but find that the three card System he uses just doesn't give me enough information. So I use his method but with a spread.. LOL

Okay, so I'm going to stick with my Horseshoe then! My COS can be my flavour of the week, but all other readings get the same layout! I feel so much better now. This was really bothering me and wanted to know how others have dealt with it and what works for them!

Hooked