| 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 images of the Minchiate Tarot are drawn from a rare surviving 18th century deck of 97 cards - 19 more than the traditional Tarot. It is considered by many to be the single most powerful divination tool on the web, providing deep insight, rich in ancient symbolism, to any question you may pose. If you would like your own copy of the Minchiate Tarot, you can buy it now!
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 | The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. The Eastern Emperor: Faith in tradition and the old school. A justified and ancient source of power. Being supportive, sympathetic and loyal. Receiving instructions, learning, guidance or inspiration. The ability to hear a higher or inner voice. May also indicate a religious ritual, such as a marriage or an initiation. |
 | 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. Four of Swords (Truce), when reversed: Restlessness and mental disharmony. Deserting a struggle in progress. A temporary retreat from stress that turns into a permanent rout. A lack of vigilance that could lead to disaster. |
 | The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Three of Coins (Works): The commencement of business, commercial transactions, or employment. The constructive use of creative talents, and the expression of artistry in workmanship. Skill and labor turned to the crafting of things of value. Using the conventional as a medium for expressing the exceptional, in order to build something of great renown and glory. |
 | The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. The Chariot, when reversed: Ineffective use of force. Might turned against the weak or the righteous. Senseless violence and warmongering. Lack of discipline and poor direction fan the flames of a situation already out of control. Advance without consideration of the consequences for others. |
 | The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Ace of Wands, when reversed: The seed of a new crisis - perhaps as yet unseen. The start of an explosive situation threatening to consume all who get too close. The herald of birth, invention, or upheaval. An innate and primal force unleashed. May suggest a surge of vitality, creativity, or fertility that can set dangerous events in motion. |
 | The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Page of Cups: The essence of water behaving as earth, such as a wellspring: An unexpected new relationship that is playful and spontaneous. A romantic soul who embraces compassion and imagination with childlike joy. Gentle reflections on love, spirituality, and the importance of personal relationships in business and material affairs. May herald the birth of a child. |
 | The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. King of Coins, when reversed: The dark essence of earth behaving as air, such as a diamond: An unyielding businessman, with a gift for identifying weakness and exploiting it for personal gain. One well informed about material affairs, but ignorant of larger, more pressing issues. A blind devotee of business as usual, unconcerned with the unintended results, and contemptuous of new ideas. A person full of greed and avarice, easily corrupted by luxury or the temptations of the flesh. |
 | The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Faith, when reversed: Using your beliefs as an excuse for your ignorance or persecution others. Committing dishonorable acts in the name of duty, loyalty, or faith. Vainly seeking the false romance of martyrdom. Abdicating your responsibilities in the material world to a higher power. |
 | The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Capricorn, when reversed: Inaction resulting from pessimism and undue caution. A miserly and petty approach to the accumulation of material wealth. Lack of self-esteem. |
 | The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Aquarius, when reversed: An intractable and contrary eccentric, driven by destructive perversity. Detachment and lack of sympathy. Contempt for the emotional needs of others. |
