JC
I have a fairly simple, yet wonderfully revealing Tree of Life spread that I have used for years. This spread is great for getting a deep understanding about what makes someone tick. I don't use it often because, frankly, it is exhausting to do since it is so intimate.
This is the spread I use when someone wants to really delve into their true nature. I've also used it for people who wanted to know if they possibly had a past life (even though I'm not sure I believe in past lives, but hey, I'm willing to read about just about anything!). And with my regular clients, I will also occasionally use this spread to gain insight into someone else in their lives (GASP! Someone call the ethics police!)
I follow the traditional Kabbalistic Tree of Life layout as follows:
-----1-----
--3-----2--
--5-----4--
-----6-----
--8-----7--
-----9-----
----10----
Each position corresponds with each of the sefirot on the tree. Each has a corresponding body part which helps define the underlying trait being described. They work out as follows:
1. Keter / Crown (Head): This is where the energy from the universe enters the body and where we begin to process that energy, hence this card talks about how we receive things in our life and react to them.
2. Chochma / Intuition (Right Temple): This is the "right brain" card... intuition, emotion, metaphysics, spirituality...
3. Binah / Logic (Left Temple): The "left brain" card... logic, rationality, practical nature...
4. Chesed / Talent (Right Shoulder): Natural abilities and talents... what comes easy... common sense
5. Gevurah / Skill (Left Shoulder): Learned skills.... capacity for learning... survival skills
6. Tiferet / Heart: This is the heart card.... how one handles their emotions from a purely "feeling" place.
7. Netzach / Direction (Right Hip): How we choose our path... where destiny seems to want to take us...
8. Hod / Drive (Left Hip): What propels us.... the energy we put into things
9. Yesod / Urges (Groin and Solar Plexus): sexuality, sensuality, urges, and our how we deal with them...
10. Malchut / Grounding (Feet): What grounds us.... what is our basic nature....
I like this spread because it really doesn't take any memorization once you make the associations with the body parts.... the "right brain / left brain" thing really helps me make those associations...
The right side is the Pillar of Mercy and the left is the Pillar of Severity for those who like to think of things that way... however, just keeping the references simple like this still makes for a very intense reading.... I don't dare start a reading with this spread unless I have at least an hour (preferably longer) to spend on it....