The Rose - a relationship spread

I'd love to get some help with this spread I've been working on, I tend to get tangled up in it every time I try it. So if anyone could point out any flaws or things that needs changing I'd be grateful, also, if you want to point out it's a hopeless case and I should give it up please feel free to do so...

------1a-1b------
----3a--4--3b----
--5a--1---2--5b--
----4a--3--4b----
------2a-2b------

Left side(a) represents the woman or the dealer, Right side(b) the man or the person that isn't dealing the cards. This is supposed to be a intrument to help you work through difficulties in relationships so I suppose it would be beneficial if both persons sat down and did it together, in that case whoever deals the cards first do the left side and the other the right.

Left & Right sides:
1. Concious motives to the relationship.
2. Subconcious motives.
3. Emotions regarding the relationship.
4. Emotional Baggage (from previous relationships and life in general).
5. Things that needs to be worked through.

Middle (the meeting between the two):
1. The past and/or the present.
2. The future, outlooks, tendencies.
3. Problem, things to be worked through together, negative patterns.
4. A thing that creates harmoni, advice of some sort.

This isn't meant to be simply for lovers but is to be used in any kind of relationships (friendships, parent-child, siblings...).

I hope you like it!

I did a test run on this one, because you're asking some really good questions here that are on my mind right now regarding what the future relationship between me and my soon-to-be ex-husband will look like, and how we got here.

I used the Lover's Path Tarot to read it, and the result was pretty devastatingly accurate and made me aware of something I hadn't consciously realized (in his 'emotional baggage' position, it showed the Princess of Coins - that is, the younger version of my significator, the Queen of Cups, which showed up in his 'conscious motivations' position - which, for this reading I took to mean motivation for ending the relationship. Meanwhile, his significator showed up in my 'emotions regarding the relationship' position. It accurately indicated that the past of the relationship was full of conflict and arguments (5 of Arrows) and sole Major Arcana card was XIII: Transformation (Death), in my conscious motivation for ending the relationship. Pretty much everything else was speaking directly to the financial and material concerns of the situation, with a lot of sadness and betrayal mixed in.

And that's exactly where we really are. The only change I would have wanted is to have one final card in the very center to deal with longterm outlook - where it goes from here once all this has been sorted out. I tried that, got a 4 of Coins, indicating material stability and that's about as good a result as I can expect for us after the divorce is finalized.

Other than that one change, I wouldn't touch it - you're right, there are a lot of ways to get lost in it, comparing the his/her aspects as well as reading each side separately, but those complexities are a good thing. I wouldn't use this to handle simple relationship questions, but for complex ones I think it will work out very well. I'll be adding this to my notes. Thanks!

Thanks for the response! I agree, a "outlook" card would fit right in there, however, those are always the scariest of cards...

Order for cards?

Thank you for this spread ver much. I'll be trying it today. But I don't understand in order to put the cards.

You go from 1a to 5a (left side) first and then from 1b to 5b, then you do the middle (1-4) and the extra card in the middle (if you want it) goes last.

Very nice spread, aibhlin and thanks for clarifying it a bit. I also was wondering in what order to start

I'd also appreciate if a kind of outcome would be possible to add.

I just threw this spread for a friend (I did add an outcome card which was absolutely perfect--it was The Lovers!) and I've got to tell you, this one is terrific!

No sugar coating--it warned of infidelity, which she admitted afterward was true, and of other baggage, likewise true.

I'm sold on this one and have already copied it for my notebook.

Thank you, aibhlin!

catlin said:

Very nice spread, aibhlin and thanks for clarifying it a bit. I also was wondering in what order to start

I'd also appreciate if a kind of outcome would be possible to add.

Click to expand...

I'd use the outcome card in the middle as le fey suggested. I created this spread as a way to work through problems ina relationship, and to understand them (among other things...) and in those sittuations I personally feel it's better to focus on where you are, your problems and how to work through them and not as much on how it will turn out. Because, if you think it's going down hill you're more likely to just give up and if you think it's going to go swell you're more likely to relax and not work as hard, in both cases you loose a chance to grow as a person. Though I realise this view is strongly based on my own personal experience of difficult and straining relationships.

I added it to my jornal and color coded it!!!

This sounds like a great spread to try! I'll do it now!

I'm relatively new at making/using new spreads, but I was thinking. Having both peoples feelings in the same spread, wouldn't it be slightly inaccurate if you can only use the cards once? What if the people feel the same way? Just a thought. Maybe shuffle the deck and place the left, and make a note of the cards, then reshuffle for the right side, then place the middle. Just to make sure both sides are accurate. :3