| The Celtic Cross spread is one of the most popular Tarot spreads, providing varied insight into many aspects of a complex situation and your role in it. The Renaissance Tarot is a modern deck, with symbolism drawn from the heroic age and rendered in renaissance style. This deck is an excellent choice for exploring questions of passion, mastery, and the inner workings of human reason. If you would like your own copy of the Renaissance Tarot, you can buy it now! |
 | The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. Wheel of Fortune, when reversed: Inauspicious atmosphere. Strange omens. Dark auguries. |
 | The card visible at the center of the cross represents the obstacle that stands in your way - it may even be something that sounds good but is not actually to your benefit. Three of Staves (Virtue), when reversed: Dishonesty and conflict in affairs. |
 | The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Six of Swords (Science), when reversed: A bluff. Deceptive show of force. A desperate attempt to impress. |
 | The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Six of Coins (Success), when reversed: Refusal to help others. Pomposity. Stinginess. |
 | The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Strength: Strength and fortitude. Moral resolve. Triumph over base instincts. Mens sana in corpore sana (Sound mind in a sound body). |
 | The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Five of Swords (Defeat), when reversed: Entering new experiences after persuasion or seduction. Undertaking new adventures. |
 | The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. The Empress, when reversed: Stifling domesticity. Bourgeois limitations. High-handed matriarchy. Junoesque jealousy. |
 | The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Eight of Staves (Swiftness): An explosion of movement and activity. A dramatic event. An unusual manifestation. |
 | The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. The Lovers: Romantic passion. Amorous attachment. The stages of love: discovery, attraction, pursuit, flirtation, courtship and consummation. The gifts of Aphrodite: beauty, youth, dalliance and delight. |
 | The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Ten of Staves (Oppression), when reversed: Avoidance of pain and absence of pleasure. Obscurity and domesticity. |
