The Introspective Mandala Spread (9 Cards)

This spread is a combination of the Sacred Mandala spread at http://www.biddytarot.com and the Mandala spread at http://www.angelpaths.com as well as my own ideas thrown in for good measure. For instance, I changed the layout provided at angelpaths.com to better reflect their great information regarding how to study various cards along aside others. I also changed card 9 because I didn't want it to be basically a repeat of cards 2 and 3.

This spread is for personal insight and introspection.

Card 1 should be read:
--Against 2, 4, and 6 to give an overview of the way things actually are
--Against 3, 8 and 9 to assess potential
--Against cards 5 and 7 to reveal possible problems and areas which require further work.

1--------------------
----2-4---6---------(The way things actually are)
------ --5---7-------(Possible problems/issues to work on)
----3----------8-9--(Potential for growth)

1. The self.
You, in your current state and situation.

2. Needs and wants.
Your instinctual urges and basic needs.

3. Hopes and dreams
Aspirations that fill you with excitement and joy. Spiritual fulfillment.

4. Endeavours and achievements
Those endeavours you choose to pursue in the real world, such as a career, having home, your hobbies, your family and friends, and your general day-to-day life.

5. Dependencies and obsessions
Unhealthy patterns that impede your spiritual progress.

6. Strengths and positive traits
Your strong points and the best aspects of your character.

7. Faults and weaknesses.
Your shortcomings and faults. Those areas in your life which need improvement.

8. Self perception and self talk
A reflection of your own self-image and your opinion of yourself.

9. General attitude and outlook on life
Your opinion of your surroundings and others. What you project to others and its impact.

Hi Glass Owl,

I just came across your wonderful spread that's a synthesis of two other spreads. I love your positions, but the layout of the spread seems strange to me. Most of the mandalas I've seen are generally round/square and/or symmetrical, but this one isn't.

Glass Owl said:

Card 1 should be read:
--Against 2, 4, and 6 to give an overview of the way things actually are
--Against 3, 8 and 9 to assess potential
--Against cards 5 and 7 to reveal possible problems and areas which require further work.

Click to expand...

If I'm understanding this correctly, not only is each card to be read separately, but card 1 is also to be read in conjunction with each of the other cards. To facilitate that, shouldn't the other cards be grouped around card 1?

I've played with a couple different layouts and ended up with one similar to the original one from the angelpath website, but with the cards laid out in a different order:

......5.......
...6.....7...
4.....1.....9
...2.....8...
......3.......

This layout still ends up with your groupings of:
the way things actually are (cards 2, 4 and 6)
possible problems/issues to work on (card 5 and 7)
potential for growth (cards 3, 8 and 9)

It also lends itself to additional groupings for further study:
419 - effect of endeavors/achievements and general attitude on the Self
513 - effect of hopes/dreams and dependencies/obsessions on the Self
618 - effect of strength/positive traits and self-perception/self-talk on the Self
217 - effect of needs/wants and faults/weaknesses on the Self
26 - how needs/wants and strengths/positive traits interact
78 - how faults/weaknesses and self-perception/self-talk interact
67 - how strengths/positive traits and faults/weaknesses interact
28 - how needs/wants and self-perception/self-talk interact

And if one really wants to go wild, there's always 465, 579, 389, 423, 642, 657, 798, and 832 to investigate!

I love the spread and hope to use it soon.

Rodney