7-card hexagram spread

poetess

This is one of my favourite spreads & almost as versatile as the Celtic Cross. I wondered if anyone else used it and if so what their interepretations / uses / etc were.

layout

- - - 2 - - -
- 7 - - - 3 -
- - - 1 - - -
- 6 - - - 4 -
- - - 5 - - -

The cards are laid out in the order above, 1 in the middle and 6 around it. They can then be read as a six-pointed star: cards 6, 4 and 2 make a triangle pointing up; cards 7, 3 and 5 make a triangle pointing down.

Summary
1 is the signifier, the querent in the situation
2, 6, and 4 work together as one set of forces in the situation (traditionally the "pro"s, or what works for that situation)
7, 3, and 5 work together as another set of forces in the situation (traditionally the "cons" or what works against that situation)

uses
It's a very flexible spread, which I've mostly used for
- daily readings
- snapshot of a situation
- advice
- feeling around an issue
- explanation of a difficult card in another reading (then I take the difficult card as 1 and lay another 6 cards around it)
- explanation of feelings

* * *

Originally I read the two triangles quite simply as pro/con, for/against, one option / opposite option. Now I'm starting to see more how they interact to paint a more complex picture, that it's not this or this but all of that in one situation (two sides of a coin, perhaps).

The layout is open to a lot of linkings between the cards. The main connections I make are...
- card 2 dominates the up triangle, card 5 the down triangle; usually read as "outcome/result" of the other two cards, but can also be cause of the other two, or simply presiding force
- card 2 can be read in contrast to card 5 (and v often contrasts strongly)
- the column 2-1-5 can present the main energies, with the remaining four cards giving extra info
- the side cards - take card 4, for example. It's read with its partner, card 6, and its dominant force, card 2. It can relate to the opposing triangle, vertically (contrast with card 3) or diagonally (contrast with card 7).
It's a tight network of relationships for a small number of cards. For the relationships between the side cards, I usually let the cards lead the way - so I might relate card 4 to card 3 or card 7, depending on what opposing / reinforcing forces I see in the card.

Does anyone else use this spread? What for, and what interpretations do you put on the positionings? How does it work for you?
 

jenessa

Thank you for posting this! I can see where this is a very/very versatile spread.

Among other things, I think it would be a good spread to use for a general reading ie. where the querent had no question.

I personally would not assign any positional meanings, but rather just read the triangles as paths, series of events, or whatever, as I tend to see the triangles as forces @ work in the querents life.

I also like to read in groups of 3's .. and this layout is essentially many groups of 3. Not to mention that this spread is really good for working with elemental dignities, given that each group of 3 can be broken down in terms of a principle surrounded by modifiers.

So yes when it comes to a general read this spread is perfect for looking @ the forces @ work in the querents life & where they may lead.

++ The traditional way of viewing the triangles as pro's & con's could also be used to try & answer yes no questions, in that you can gain enough info. from 7 cards to attempt to try & ascertain if something will or will not occur.

Once again, many thanx for sharing
REGARDS/jenessa
 

JonMAblaze

This is a great spread. It's not only versatile and informative for all kinds of Tarot reasons, but it provides a nice, kosher alternative to the Celtic Cross for those of us not of the cross-oriented persuasion. :p