By Luna Ravenwood · Updated August 3, 2026
Divination and Dreams Guide
Quick Answer
A tarot spread is a structured layout of cards where each position carries a defined meaning. The right spread brings focus to your question, choose by topic (relationship, career, shadow work) and by depth (3-card for quick clarity, 10-card Celtic Cross or Tree of Life for full-spectrum readings).
Key Takeaways
- Each of the 15 spreads has a defined tradition, a question type it serves best, and a crystal companion.
- Three-card and five-card spreads are best for clarifying daily questions; 7-13 card spreads are for deeper, less-frequent work.
- Major Arcana count and elemental dignities (Fire/Water/Air/Earth) are read across the whole spread for deeper interpretation.
- All spreads are free to read on this site. Premium versions include AI-deepened interpretations and printable PDFs.
Start here
Beginner Spreads
Quick, focused spreads for regular practice. Good for daily questions and tune-up readings.
Go a little deeper
Intermediate Spreads
Medium-depth layouts (4-7 cards) for specific life questions, relationship, career, manifestation, the year ahead.
The Year Ahead Spread12 cards · ~30 min · Clear Quartz. Twelve cards, one for each month of the coming year. The Year Ahead spread maps the archetypal current of each month so you can plan, prepare, and stay attuned to the season ahead.Relationship Spread5 cards · ~20 min · Rose Quartz. Five cards mapping the past, present, and future of a relationship, plus what each person brings into it. Use it for romantic, platonic, familial, or professional connections.Career Decision Spread (A vs B)6 cards · ~20 min · Citrine. Six cards comparing Option A and Option B side by side, outcomes, hidden costs, what each path asks of you. Use it for any either-or decision where both choices feel possible.Seven-Chakra Spread7 cards · ~25 min · Selenite. Seven cards, one for each chakra from root to crown. The Chakra Spread reveals which energy center is flowing, which is blocked, and what each is asking from you right now.Manifestation Spread5 cards · ~20 min · Citrine. Five cards mapping the energetic path of what you're manifesting, your intention, the obstacle, the action, the support, and the form it will take.Spiritual Path Spread4 cards · ~15 min · Amethyst. Four cards naming your current stage, the practice that wants to deepen, the inner teacher to listen for, and the next initiation.Inner Child Spread4 cards · ~20 min · Rose Quartz. Four cards listening to the part of you that has always been a child, what they need, what they're holding, and how to meet them.
For the long work
Advanced Spreads
Deeper, less-frequent readings for major life questions, shadow work, ancestral lineage, and year-long forecasts.
The Tree of Life Spread10 cards · ~45 min · Amethyst. The Tree of Life is a ten-card Kabbalistic layout mapping each card onto one of the ten Sephiroth, the spheres of divine emanation. Use it when you want a full-spectrum reading of self, soul, and circumstance.Past Life Spread5 cards · ~30 min · Black Obsidian. Five cards exploring a past-life narrative, identity, theme, ending, current carryover, and healing path. Use as a reflection tool, not a literal past-life recall.Shadow Work Spread5 cards · ~30 min · Smoky Quartz. Five cards for the Jungian shadow, what you reject, what it protects, where it shows up, and the gift inside. Use when you're ready to look at what you've been avoiding.Twin Flame Spread7 cards · ~30 min · Rose Quartz. Seven cards exploring an intense mirror-connection, your role, their role, the lessons, the obstacles, and the union potential. Read with care: 'twin flame' is a useful frame, not a guaranteed destiny.Wheel of the Year Spread8 cards · ~40 min · Moonstone. Eight cards, one for each sabbat (Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Mabon). Read your year through the wheel of seasons.Ancestral Lineage Spread5 cards · ~30 min · Smoky Quartz. Five cards reading the inheritance you carry, what your lineage gave you, what they couldn't, and how to be a good ancestor to those after you.Birthday Year Spread (13-card)13 cards · ~45 min · Moonstone. Thirteen cards: one for each month of your personal year plus a center 'theme card' that names the year's overall current. Use on your birthday for maximum potency.
Free Guide
Luna's free guide to reading a spread
Position before card, three spreads and what each is actually for, what to do when the cards are unclear, and the honesty protocol for reading your own.
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