Melanchollic's "Simple Cross" Spread

Example #1

Here's Example 1 again using all four cards.

Question - "What will happen with Elizabeth and me?"


....................XVIII.................
....................Water...............
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
XIIII Air....OOOOOOO....Earth VI
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
.....................Fire................
.......................X.................




Card #1 = Temperance XIIII (Air), well dignified in Air. Card #2 = The Lovers VI (Air) ill dignified in Earth. Card #3 = The Moon (Water), well dignified in Water. Card #4 = WoF (Air), moderately dignified in Fire.

Interpretation - As before, the querent is Temperance, well dignified. He is so taken with Elizabeth, that he will 'temper' his other needs. He will happily make sacrifices for her, patiently wait for her, etc.. She is the Lovers, ill dignified. Elizabeth is not interested (poor dignity) because she is out enjoying herself (the Lovers VI). We add to this Card XVIII - The Moon in the "heaven spot". She brings an unseen influence of changeability and fickleness to the situation. The card is well dignified so this energy supports the querent. He will soon forget her! Why? Card #4 shows us the WoF moderately dignified. Fate rolls in our man's favor. An opportunity will come of this. I'd say he'll meet someone new very soon, and his desires for Elizabeth will quickly wane, like the moon...

Example #2

Here is Example 2 again using all four cards:

Question - "Will Ron Weasley pass his 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' exam at Hogwart's?


......................III.................
....................Water...............
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
Fool Air......OOOOOOO....Earth XVII
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
.....................Fire................
.....................VIII.................



Card #1 = The Fool (Water), slightly ill in Air. Card #2 = The Star (Earth), well dignified in Earth. Card #3 = The Empress (Water), well dignified in Water. Card #4 = Justice (Earth), slighty ill in Fire.

Interpretation - Ron is the Fool, slightly ill dignified. The exam is the Star (Air), well dignified in Air. Prof. Snape is hopeful of Ron's future and feeling generous toward the lad, and will probably go easy on him. So far, a maybe. Card #3 showers the situation with soft, mothering lunar energy. This supports Prof. Snapes generous leanings with non-judgemental energy. I'd say Ron will pass, but on the generosity of the professor. Card #4 is Justice, slighty ill dignified. Though Ron will be passed by the professor's generosity, in the long run, he will have to face up. In a future course, his lack of mastery will surly hurt him (when Dame Justice flexes her earthy saturnine muscle and reestablishes the balance of boundaries).

Example #3

Here is Example 3 again using all four cards:


Question - "Will Obama become President?"


......................XX.................
......................Air...............
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
XI Fire.......OOOOOOO....Water III
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
....................Earth................
....................XVIII.................


Card #1 = Strength (Fire), well dignified in Fire. Card #2 = The Empress (Water), well dignified in Water. Card#3 = Judgement (Air), well dignified in Air. Card #4 = The Moon (Water), slightly dignified in Earth.

Interpretation - Again, this is 'yes'. Obama has the Fortitude to win! The 'voters' are the Empress, well dignified. She can represent the feminine perspective of open-mindedness, acceptance, attention to trends and fashions, and a highly developed social conscience. Card #3, Judgement shows an unseen influence for 'renewal' or 'rebirth'. Certainly Obama would represent a rebirth of the Presidency, setting a precedent for a non-white President. The long term effects are shown by The Moon. This card shows some lack of consistency (waxing and waning). The card is moderately dignified, so it may suggest that Mr. Obama will have only moderate success as a President, and there will be some ups and downs. (BTW, these are only 'sample' readings, and do not reflect my political views, nor are intended to influence yours!)

Methods for Synthesis Part 1 - Calculating Overall Dignity

It is always prudent to get an 'overview' of any situation - a frame in which the specifics may be viewed correctly.

Here is one method for rendering judgement on the overall dignity of a given figure (how the energy will effect the querent). Later, I'll show how I calculate the overall temperament of a given figure (how the energy is moving). Both methods are very simple to calculate, but very useful in judgement. I'll use the previous examples.

Calculating Overall Dignity

Simple add the values of Cards #1, #2, and #4.
Card #3 is always +2 (well dignified), and is excluded since the divine transcends the plane of human calculation.

This will give us a scale of +6 through -6. I divide them like this:

+6
+5 Very Good
+4
+3 Good
+2
+1
.0 Average
-1
-2
-3 Bad
-4
-5 Very Bad
-6



Example 1 - "What will happen with Elizabeth and me?"


....................XVIII.................
....................Water...............
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
XIIII Air....OOOOOOO....Earth VI
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
.....................Fire................
.......................X.................




Card #1 = Temperance XIIII (Air in Air) +2
Card #2 = The Lovers VI (Air in Earth) -2
Card #3 = The Moon (Water in Water) +2
Card #4 = WoF (Air in Fire) +1

Excluding the 'divine card' (#3), we simply add the values:

2 - 2 + 1 = 1.

So we get a +1, Average.




Example 2 - "Will Ron Weasley pass his 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' exam at Hogwart's?


......................III.................
....................Water...............
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
Fool Air......OOOOOOO....Earth XVII
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
.....................Fire................
.....................VIII.................



Card #1 = The Fool (Water in Air) -1
Card #2 = The Star (Earth in Earth) +2
Card #3 = The Empress (Water in Water) +2
Card #4 = Justice (Earth in Fire) -1

Again, excluding the 'divine card' (#3), we add the values:

1 - 2 - 1 = 0

Average.




Example 3 - "Will Obama become President?"


......................XX.................
......................Air...............
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
XI Fire.......OOOOOOO....Water III
.......................O..................
.......................O..................
....................Earth................
....................XVIII.................


Card #1 = Strength (Fire in Fire) +2
Card #2 = The Empress (Water in Water) +2
Card #3 = Judgement (Air in Air) +2
Card #4 = The Moon (Water in Earth) +1

Excluding the 'divine card' (#3), let's add the values:

2 + 2 + 1 = 3

+3, Good.

Bump!

This is an excellent spread, and one I think any Tarot reader will find useful. I've printed out this thread and am practising with it to make sure I understand. You've explained it so well I don't have any questions right now, but I just want to say how much I appreciate you taking the time to post this wonderful spread. Thanks!

Xarokys said:

This is an excellent spread, and one I think any Tarot reader will find useful. I've printed out this thread and am practising with it to make sure I understand. You've explained it so well I don't have any questions right now, but I just want to say how much I appreciate you taking the time to post this wonderful spread. Thanks!

Click to expand...

I'm very happy you've found it useful Xarokys.

I've been meaning to continue on, "fleshing out" more of the details and a few specific applications (personality profiling, timing, weather, etc.).

Melanchollic said:

Here is one method for rendering judgement on the overall dignity of a given figure (how the energy will effect the querent). Later, I'll show how I calculate the overall temperament of a given figure (how the energy is moving). Both methods are very simple to calculate, but very useful in judgement. I'll use the previous examples.

Click to expand...

Hi Reece -- Well, absolutely lovely.
Did I miss the "overall temperament" thingie?

As you know, I use the Camoin Method, but even M. Camoin espouses the use of any other method to provide additional clarity.

Truly, YOU are the first one to finally elucidate the Tirage en Croix to me as so much more than a 1,2,3,4 à la Celtic Cross method.

A Thousand Thank You's.

I had to bump this thread, as well. I'm in the process of printing this all out, and am very enthusiastic about trying this spread! Given how remarkable your astrological spread is, I have high hopes for this one, too.

I tried this spread with your approach and I love it! i have been thinking a lot about elemental dignities this last while - confusion! This spread however is so elegant, it really gives me the structure I feel I need.

Question: Why is it that you assign an element seated its own dignity the highest (+2) dignity, rather than that of its "friendly" element such as Air+Fire (+1)?

I am still learning about dignities, so I had the impression that an element "doubled" with itself was in some ways an overflow or imbalance, too much fire being explosive etc...

Intuitively your way does make sense though, as it gives the element in its own position in the cycle the highest dignity...

[EDIT] Almost forgot, would you attempt read the elemental dignity of the cards in relation to each other, as an additional layer? If so how? (I was immediately tempted to do so, but worried it would muddy the elegance of this spread)

Thanks again!
QJ

Mel, first I have to thank you for working so diligently to explain the esoteric meanings and workings of the commonly mundane Tirage en Croix type spreads. I have seen few readers that actually bother to work their cross out to imply that the divine is well dignified, and hence work through the meanings of the other cards from there. It is a great system and spread, and the level of detail that is added when working through dualities is amazingly easy to understand in this form.

Now I pose one question:
What if indeed the unseen (divine) forces are not dignified?
This could be, exemplary, a group of spirits doing harm.

While I do think the answer would come through in the spread with the divine dignified (as the true divine/universe always is), when one considers the card as 'hidden influences', the influence itself could be other than divine.
I know this is a limb, but just wondering if you have pondered this as well?

You are a very learned person, in very broad subjects; possessive of qualities which I am fond. I am exuberantly happy that you are doing this study for the forum, and hope to hear more soon!