How many spreads?

Hayyot

Greetings everyone.
I`m a Tarot fan still getting familiar with the cards, but the only spread I do so far is the common 3 card spread.
However, in time, my goal is to read for others as well.
Here comes the question: how many spreads you think one should know, when reading for other people?
Thank you.
 

Nemia

I have collected over the years a repertoire of spreads from books and websites, but I use mostly the same seven, eight spreads that I like. And nowadays, I simply make up my own spreads for the questions I have.

First get to know the cards in small spreads, then start experimenting with spreads, would be my basic advice - of course, nothing speaks against experimenting with spreads before you know the cards, if you don't find it confusing.

I'm also one of those who like to work with small spreads. I found that 4 card spreads are my favorites (I have an affinity to the number 4). I prefer to squeeze everything I can from 4 cards instead of pulling more and more clarification cards - which only muddle things for me.

But that's a very personal decision and may also change over time.

I don't think there are any rules. Just take it step by step. Far as I know, there is no minimum required number of spreads you have to know to read the cards successfully for yourself or others.
 

Barleywine

Most of the time, just one. For general "life-reading" requests with no specific question, I use the "Swiss Army Knife" of spreads, the Celtic Cross. It fits comfortably into a 30-minute face-to-face reading session and is excellent for situational awareness and developmental insights. I have a couple of dozen question-specic spreads that I created over the years in the following areas, but only a handful of them get much use: Decision-Making, Problem-Solving, Relationships, Work and Business, Life-Reading, Health and Happiness, Miscellaneous, and my own enhanced version of the Celtic Cross. I prefer larger spreads that are focused on situations, circumstances, actions and events rather than on psychological perspectives, but can easily adapt to the nature of the question.
 

Hayyot

Thank you very much for your answers :)
 

Tanga

There are only 3 spreads that I remember - the Celtic Cross, which I had drummed into my head as a beginner,
A 5 card circle spread, and a 7/8 card Hexagram spread. (I like 5 because it's the number of the 5 elements in a Pentacle and symbolic for a Wiccan - and 7 is a special number for me).

I end up sticking to the familiar if I'm reading face-to-face, unless I'm reading for a fellow Tarot enthusiast and can say "let me just check in my file what spread I could use for your question"... ;)

Only recently (this is after years!) someone asked me a question and I thought - I'll just make-up a spread for that... I considered this a milestone for myself. :)

I've a small collection of other favourite spreads (collected mostly from AT, some from books) and I'd be delighted if I eventually had these automatically at my fingertips too. Lol.

Over time you'll find out what you like that works for you.
 

Barleywine

I had an idea the other day, for those spreads I don't have thoroughly memorized. When I read face-to-face, I often flash a print-out of the spread I'll be using at my sitter to give them the idea that there's a "method to my madness." I'm thinking I might get a small easel to display the spread during the reading, allegedly so the sitter can follow along, but really so I can use it as a "cheat sheet." I'll just pretend it's part of the "theater of tarot," like candles, incense and crystals. Not sure if this will be workable, but it's a thought.
 

Francesca

I use the Celtic Cross--a version I developed over the years-- a 7-card rainbow spread, and a 5-card horseshoe spread. And of course 3 cards now and a gain.

For the Rainbow and the Horseshoe I keep the meanings of the positions loose. I like to see an overarching story or progression in a spread before I start to get into the details.
 

Tanga

I had an idea the other day, for those spreads I don't have thoroughly memorized. When I read face-to-face, I often flash a print-out of the spread I'll be using at my sitter to give them the idea that there's a "method to my madness." I'm thinking I might get a small easel to display the spread during the reading, allegedly so the sitter can follow along, but really so I can use it as a "cheat sheet." I'll just pretend it's part of the "theater of tarot," like candles, incense and crystals. Not sure if this will be workable, but it's a thought.

Hmmmmm... :lightbulb:
I'm running with that thought Barleywine... :)

I have an A5 sized file with spreads and stuff in it. Perhaps re-ordering so my "favourite spreads" are
one per page...to be removed like a flash sheet as you suggest.
 

nisaba

Greetings everyone.
I`m a Tarot fan still getting familiar with the cards, but the only spread I do so far is the common 3 card spread.
However, in time, my goal is to read for others as well.
Here comes the question: how many spreads you think one should know, when reading for other people?
Thank you.

You need a good general spread that will pull out specific information on all different areas of their life separately.

You need a good spread which will tell them what they need to focus on / work on right now.

But most of all, you need to be able to tailor-make unique spreads quickly for unique situations. :) That is the skill that has helped me the most over the years.
 

Barleywine

Personally, I would never think of springing an untested (or at least insufficiently considered) spread on paying customers who are sitting there all too ready to scratch their heads in puzzlement. I can't be going through herky-jerky revisionism in the middle of trying to craft a seamless narrative; it just doesn't seem "professional."

"I think this position means this. Oh wait, maybe it really means that, or it might mean something else entirely."

I go through enough of this second-guessing when matching card meanings to well-established spread positions to think that cutting both of them loose from their moorings is a good idea.