| 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. Ace of Staves: Creativity. Change. Success in new undertakings. "A breath of fresh air." "New blood." The sanguine temperament of the Ace promotes experiment, reform and appreciation of beauty, both of people and of nature. |
 | 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. Knight of Coins, when reversed: Small-mindedness. Insistence on the concrete. Lack of conviction in important matters. Lack of frankness in matters of the heart. |
 | The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. The Star, when reversed: Fleeting peace. Melancholy. Pensiveness. |
 | The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Three of Swords (Sorrow): Conflict of two mighty forces for the possession or mastery of something or someone. A dangerous triangle. |
 | The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Two of Cups (Love): The flower of first love, of love at first sight. The bond between two people, invisible but formidable. |
 | The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Two of Swords (Peace), when reversed: False friendship. Misunderstanding or duplicity, particularly between mentor and student. |
 | The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. Five of Cups (Disappointment), when reversed: New friends and renewal of old friendships. |
 | The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Four of Staves (Completion): Calm, pleasurable and perhaps amorous interlude. A playful balance of opposites, like the exchange made by Herakles and Queen Omphale. |
 | The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Five of Coins (Worry): Impoverishment and barrenness. Yearning for one absent. |
 | The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Ace of Swords, when reversed: The brutal aspect of power. Violence. Consuming heat. |
