The Very Best* Beginners Spread

Maelin

I confess I am a fan of the celtic cross, and have been for close to 25 years ( ouch) I return to it again and again, as it seems to me so flexible. A couple of years ago, in one of the Llewelyn Tarot anniual readers, there was an article about rethinking the cc ( I'd credit the author, but have loaned the book and so cannot recall...) In any case he, like Holmes and Raveswing, put together some three card spreads within the CC, and also looked at is as a central issue, the first two cards crossed, surrounded by 4 cards showing an environment of influences, and creating two 3 card spreads. He then linked this to the four cards on the staff, first for the issue,( cards 1 &2) then for the environment, (3,4,5 & 6) then for the horizontal three card - the tangible outcome, and then the vertical three card, the spiritual outcome - read this way, the ol' cc has about 8 other spreads within it - which makes it a fabulous spread for a long evening with a bottle of wine, rambly conversation and insight, and pretty useless for a quick check on the karmic weather as you rush for the door - so... back to 3 cards ( oh rats I wanted to be the disagree-er) Some nice chances for combos, and some choices if one card draws a blank.

My personal fave 3 card is the central cc cross with an outcome: The first card, the situation, then a crossing card, the competing influence, and a third, either outcome or advice, depending upon how in control I'm feeling - and hey, if I've got more time, those can be the first two and the 10th card of the cc...
 

6 Haunted Days

Glad to see this old thread dragged up! I also started with the Celtic....throwing dozens of spreads daily...so fascinated and "infatuated" with the images and mystery. But with the CC I had such a hard time in the early years. Too too much going on...overwhelming. I can't recall where I got a 3 card spread idea, but that simple change in my discipline, practice, learning and reading made the cards and images blossom and open up for me! I used many variations of 3 or 5 card spreads for dailys and readings and after a time the Celtic or larger spreads weren't overwhelming anymore, I could form the cards into a story without getting a headache, or giving up.

I really think if I had continued with the CC, I would have burnt out on Tarot and lost a lot of interest.

No disagreement here, I am a diehard fan and believer in their greatness!

On a side note James Ricklef's book Tarot Tells The Tale: Explore Three Card Readings Through Familiar Stories is an awesome book devoted the wonderful qualities of 3 card spreads....one of the most fun and useful books out there on Tarot imo...a great learning experience.