Flavor of the Month Spread

Barleywine

Today, while talking to csdude about his monthly romantic outlook card augmented by weekly 3-card draws, I decided to come up with something similar for taking an advance look at the "tone" or "flavor" of the upcoming month. Here's how it would work (use reversals or not as you choose):

On the last day of the current month, draw a single card for the overall "tone" of the next month. Place this card to the left.

Draw three cards for the first full week of the upcoming month. Place this line to the right and above the "tone" card.

Repeat this for each full week of the month, placing each line under the previous one until all weeks are covered.

Look at the elemental dignities for the center card in each three-card line to see if it is strengthend or weakened by the adjacent cards. This card shows the "tone" for its respective week.

Compare each of these center cards to the monthly "tone" card to see if it is supportive or contrary in nature. This will show how well that week will be aligned with the monthly outlook.

If you choose, read each three-card line as a weekly narrative to see if it furthers or resists the purpose of the monthly "tone" card.

Derive a quintessence card for each three-card line, including the monthly "tone" card as part of the calculation for each line. In the attached example, I included court cards and subtracted reversed card values.

Read the quint card for each week in connection with the weekly "tone" card to see what it has to say about that week. It will be reinforcing, neutral or diminishing in relation to the weekly "tone."

Create a Grand Quintessence card for the spread by adding together the weekly quint card values.

Read this card in connection with the monthly "tone" card to see what it has to say about the month overall. It will be reinforcing, neutral or diminishing in relation to the monthly "tone."

Consider whether to go back to bed and stay there for the rest of the month! :laugh: For me, Death is probably an appropriate Grand Quint for September since we are expecting anywhere from one to three deaths in the immediate future (three elderly and infirm parents in their 90s). The second week of September looks like a tough one; maybe that 4 of Wands reversed is the customary post-funeral "celebration of life" get-together.

As seen here, you should use two decks, a draw deck that you reconstitute and reshuffle for each weekly draw, and a layout deck with which to create the spread. You may need two or more of the latter depending on how many times a given card shows up in the weekly lines.
 

Attachments

  • Flavor of the Month.pdf
    410.4 KB · Views: 355

Barleywine

I finally had a chance to flesh this spread out with some more precise guidance. Thanks again to csdude for inspiring me to create this.
 

Attachments

  • Flavor of the Month Spread Complete.pdf
    40.6 KB · Views: 375