Collection of some Halloween themed spreads

Glass Owl

Here are some Halloween themed spreads (or ones that work well with darker themed decks) that I have in saved in my Tarot Spread binder.

Please feel free to add your own favorites to this thread. Please keep in mind that when sharing spreads be sure to include the spread's title, author of the spread, and a link back to where you found the spread. Thank you.

Halloween Spread by Tracy Hite, ATA Treasurer, Networks Manager

"I knew early on that I wanted the layout to look like a Jack-o-lantern, and finally settled on a trick or treat theme. I wanted the "eyes" to be the tricks, thus using the cards to open my eyes and expose the tricks. That left the Jack-o-lantern's mouth for the treat cards."

(Cards 3 and 4 are at angles and the card 5 is turned sideways to create the mouth.)

--1-2--
3-----4
---5---

"The last question (the horizontal card at the bottom of the mouth) is where a jack-o-lantern's candle shines brightest. If you use reversals, you'll need to decide for yourself how to tell if that card is upright or not. One way would be to read it whichever way it's drawn; I chose to read it as upright regardless of how it landed in the spread."

1. How am I tricking others?
2. How am I tricking myself?
3. How can I treat others better?
4. How can I treat myself better?
5. How can I shine?


Morgana's Trick or Treat Spread

......5......
..3......4..
......2.....
......1.....

1. What do you want in your Halloween bag? (what is your goal?)
2. What costume are you wearing? (what role are you playing as you work toward that goal?)
3. Tricks (what is in your control - what 'tricks' can you do to work toward your goal?)
4. Treats (what isn't in your control - what 'treats' come to you without your effort?)
5. What do you take home? (what comes to you from this experience?)


"By the Light of the Moon" (A Halloween/Samhain) Spread by Wisp Wings

Shuffle and cut the cards as desired. Before laying out the spread, state aloud: "By the light of the moon on this hallowed night we seek these answers......."

*********3*****
*******2*******
*********1*****

(The spread should be half-moon shaped.)

1. "What tricks do you excel in? These are your talents you have or are able to develope in your life." (See this as "Strengths")
2. "What treats or gifts are you to receive? Perhaps this is a gift you have in your life that you need to harvest, instead of allowing to lay at waste in the field." (See this as Gift)
3. From the spirit world, what advice shall this realm impart to you. (Spirit Advice card)


The Haunted House Spread by Metafizzypop
The layout of cards is supposed to be shaped like a house.

--------7--------
----5-------6-----
3---------------4
1-------8-------2

1 - The Skeletons in the Closet - The secrets you keep from others.
2 - The Rats in the Basement - The secrets you keep from yourself.
3 - The Black Cat in the Parlour - What makes your claws come out?
4 - The Jack O Lantern in the Kitchen - What, or who, would you like to take a knife to and carve up?
5 - The Ghost in the Bedroom - What, or who, haunts your mind and thoughts?
6 - The Spider in the Bathroom - What totally creeps you out.
7 - The Bats in the Attic - What drives you to the brink of madness.
8 - The Front Door - The way out of all this insanity ......... or maybe, the way in.


Halloween P-P-F Spread Posted by le fey

"I used a cute variant of the past/present/future 3 card spread last year to good effect. I *think* it's from the Halloween Tarot actually. This is a paraphrase because I don't recall the exact wording."

1 Past - the Ghosts that haunt you from the past.
2 Present - the Goblins that spook you in the present
3 Future - the Pumpkins that are your future harvest.


Trick or Treat Spread by Aulruna

1. Costume: What you're wearing for the party - the situation.
2. Trick: The shadow/the unexpected
3. Treat: The positive side/opportunities
4. The Candy Bag: What you can take home - the outcome.


The Magic Cauldron Spread by Sammie
I originally found this spread at mydivination.com and I posted here at AT but I later discovered that the author is Sammie, who posted in this thread.

--2--
4---3
--1--

1. What is in the pot? Current situation or problem
2. What stirs the pot? What influences, agitates or stirs the situation
3. What needs to be added? What can be done to enhance the situation or solve the problem
4. What comes out of the pot? How the situation or problem will work out


Haunted Castle Spread by Sasha Graham

1. What sort of adventures should I embrace?
2. What authority issues do I struggle against?
3. What ghosts am I haunted by?
4. What is to be discovered in my darkness?
5. What lessons lie within my castle?
6. What is worth dusting off and resurrecting in my life?


Halloween Spread by Yvonne Rathbone

04------------07-10---
05-01/02-03-08-11-13
06------------09-12----

(Card 2 overlaps Card 1.)

1. The Skeleton. The bare bones of the situation
2. The Mummy. What covers the bare bones
3. Your Costume. Your mask, who you are in this situation
4. The Ghost. Something your past that is unresolved and impacts the situation
5. The Devil. Something bedeviling to you
6. The Vampire. Something that feeds you or feeds on you
7. The Jack O Lantern. Something that lights your way
8. The Black Cat. Something that will cross your path for good or not, what kind of luck you have
9. The Witch. How you can use your own magic
10. The Bat. The broader view or something you can not see
11. Frankenstein. What you are creating
12. The Werewolf. How the situation will change you
13. Your Candybag. The mix of goodies and duds that you will take home when all is done

Vampire Cross Spread by JudyZ

--4--
3-1-5
--2--

1. Around you is your coffin: what protects you.
2. Below is the ground: the foundation.
3. Behind you is your humanity: what you gave up to become what you are now.
4. Above you is the moon: what lights you way.
5. In front of you is the sun: the challenge you need to keep in mind.

I also adapted JudyZ's spread to fit the mythology of the tv show, Moonlight and here was the result: The Mick St. John's Vampire Cross Spread by Glass Owl

--4--
3-1-5
--2--

1. The Freezer
How/where you retreat from the world
What cools you down
What protects you

2. The Blood
What feeds you
What warms you up
What gives you strength to go on

3. Your Humanity
What is in the past
What you have lost or given up
What you miss or regret

4. Moonlight
What lights your way
What inspires you
What fills you with hope

5. Sunlight
Weakness I need to acknowledge to move forward
Obstacles I need to work through
Challenges that are on the horizon


The Dark Realm of Yourself Spread by WolfyJames

"I wanted to make a dark spread that would fit with the macabre world of the Gothic Tarot by Vargo. Here it is. It can be done with any dark deck you have. I guess this spread could be adapted to fit any unique and atmospheric decks."

7******9******8

5******1******6

3******2******4

1 - Your Dark Soul Card - the card that represents the querent in this dark realm.
2 - Why you are here? - the reason why the querent is in this dark realm.
3 - What have you learned? - so far, in this journey of the soul, what lessons you have learned from this place.
4 - What do you still have to learn? - the lessons you still have to learn from this dark realm.
5 - What are you hiding from the others? - the aspects of yourself that you don't show to the others.
6 - What is hidden from you? - the aspects of yourself that you're not aware of; can be external from the querent.
7 - Your Dark Guardian - everyone has a guardian, and this card is the querent's dark guardian; this card somehow represent inner aspects of the querent, for sometimes the guardians went through similar issues of the querent, so they're there to teach to the querent the lessons they've learned.
8 - How does your Dark Guardian helps you? - this is the tip given by the Dark Guardian to the querent on how to deal with these issues; the Dark Guardian shows here how he/she helps the querent.
9 - How to see, and to get to, the light? - This is the ultimate advice of the reading.


Season of the Witch Spread by Shade

Spread is shaped like a witch's hat
_____1
____2_3
___4_5_6

1. The Witch Herself - Significator - sets the tone for the reading, the special powers the querent has and their ability to transform energy
2. The Cauldron - something percolating in your life - the matter of the reading
3. The Spellbook - the plan, where things are currently headed
4. The Black Cat - forces that are here to assist you
5. The Skull - a message from your ancestors, advice form those who know best
6. The Broom - what you need to take your plans further

The Spell - in a recent workshop with Nattacia Zeviar I was inspired by the way she assigned herself a task based on her readings. I think of it as Homework. The spell cast by the reading is the way I can improve my life through action.
 

minrice

Thanks for posting that Glass Owl! I'll have to try the Jack o' lantern spread, it looks like fun. I have done the Haunted House spread several times, and it can be quite revealing! I recommend it, it's a favorite of mine, even if it is so seasonal ;)
 

gillian

The haunted house spread drew me immediately! I can't wait to try it out! Thank you!
All the best wishes
Gillian xoxo
 

Shade

Ooooh a lovely compilation! Thank you for putting these in one place.
 

seasidelady

Thanks from me too - I look forward to trying them out.
 

Mellaenn

Oh, wow, nifty! I just got out my Bohemian Gothic to play with; I'll hafta try one of these!

ETA - wow, I just used my Bohemian Gothic to do the Haunted Castle spread - it was perfect!
 

Glass Owl

Here are a few more spreads that I think would be great for Halloween or used with the *darker* decks that some of seem to be drawn to using at this time of year.

The Dark Self Spread (Extended Version 1) by Eleven

This purpose of this spread is to reveal the Darker Side of ourselves in the hope of understanding the hidden aspects, recognize its source, and find a conclusion. It can be used with Tarot and/or Oracle.

************2***********
************************
******4***********5*****
************************
************7***********
******1***********3*****
************************
************6***********

********BASE CARD********

1. Darkest Hidden Aspect - Single point of Darkness within.

2. Source of Darkness - where does the darkness come from - how did it manifest. Where does it hide.

3. Face of Darkness - How can you recognize the Darkness within. How does the darkness reveal itself. How does it impact on your life.

4. Feeding the Darkness - How are you 'Feeding the Demons' - What are you doing that keeps the Darkness alive within.

5. The Lightside of Darkness - what is the positive aspect of this side. How does it benefit your life. The necessary aspects.

6. Culling the Darkness - Lesson Realization -Restoring the balance, Harmonizing.

7. The Key of Release - The first step to releasing the Self from the Darkness. Meditation and Action.


Secret Fear Spread (author unknown)
1. What is your secret fear
2. How does it affect you psychologically
3. How does it affect you practically
4. What you should do to mentally to counter it
5. What you should do in practical terms to counter it
6. If advice is follwed, what the outcome will be

Vampire Spread (author unknown)
1. What is draining my energy?
2. Why am I vulnerable to this?
3. What effect is this having on me?
4. What should I do to avoid this from happening? (How do I improve the situation?)
5. Advice about the situation


Hidden Sorrow Spread by augursWell

This has to be used carefully as it has to do with subconscious, buried, or hidden aspects of the querent's past, thus the name "Hidden Sorrows". A question is not necessarily needed as it may be something that you, or the querent, tend to avoid anyway and may not be aware of.

****3****
1*2*5*6*7
****4****

[1] What is your Regret, your Loss -- what or who did it involve.
[2] What was the Mistake you made.
[3] How do you Positively deal with this in current day-to-day life.
[4] How do you Negatively deal with this in current day-to-day life.
[5] How does this mistake/loss/regret Manifest in current day-to-day life.
[6] Who or what is really Responsible for this.
[7] How do you Move Forward from this.


The "Why Me?" Spread by Gryphflame (with some additions by Wisp Wings)

***1***
*2***3*
4**5**6

1- ASSESSMENT... The true nature of the event. This may reach deeper than how you currently see the problem.
2- ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS... What forces, people or events lead to this event occurring? In other words, "Why me?, Why this?, Why now?!"
3- IMPACT... How will it affect the future?
4- MINIMIZING INJURY.... How can I repair damages and negativity of this event?
5- PREVENTION... How can I prevent it from reoccurring or negatively influencing the future?
6- HEALING... How can I heal, learn and grow from this experience?


Buckland Seven Star

----7-1---
--6-----2--
---5---3---
-----4------

1. The inner you, without any masks you may wear
2. Your higher self
3. Secret desires and needs
4. Regrets for missed opportunities
5. The possible future


Damned...
from the book Complete Book of Tarot Spreads by Evelin Burger and Johannes Fiebig.

--5--6--
3------4
--1--2--

1. This scares me
2. This fascinates me.
3. This is what I can do without.
4. I have some catching up to do here.
5. This is what I refuse.
6. This is what I will get used to.


Harsh Truths Spread by Luminessence

1*3*2
4*6*5

1. What you want to see/believe
2. What you don't want to see/believe
3. What is true
4. What you want to happen
5. What you don't want to happen
6. What will happen

If the spread shows an outcome that you don't like, or an attitude that you'd like to change, you can draw an additional card asking how you can change that attitude or outcome. You can do this for as many positions in the spread as you'd like.


Distorting the Truth by vernissage

.........1..2
...........4.........12
.......9..3..10
11....5..6..7....8


Card 4 should be overlapping cards 1, 2 and 3 like so:

+-----+ +-----+
|...1...| |...2...|
|..+--------+..|
+--|.... 4....|--+
.. .+--------+
..... |...3...|
......+-----+

Card 1. What do I think the situation is?
Card 2. How do I feel about the situation?
Card 3. What is actually the situation?

Card 4. How are my fears/anxieties manipulating my view of the situation?
Cards 5-7. What are these base fears/anxieties?
Card 8. How should I deal with or resolve these base fears/anxieties?

Card 9. What am I not seeing? What am I accidentally overlooking?
Card 10. What am I having trouble accepting or admiting to? What am I denying, even unknowingly?

Card 11. Where can I find peace? Which thoughts, places, people or things should I focus on to stay harmonized?

Card 12. How should I deal with or resolve this situation?
 

Glass Owl

Eowyn's "Sleeping Sun" Spread, for wishes and dreams

(inspired by the song "Sleeping Sun" by Nighwish)

**1**3**2**

1: For dreams I hold my life. Current dreams that occupy the day time, that you ponder in mind and heart, that are perceived as long term goals.

2: For wishes I behold my night. Current desires, intimacy aspects, sudden interests and passion.

3: Sleeping Sun. Base card of the deck or shadow card. How are you standing right now in relation to your dreams, desires and wishes.
 

IheartTarot

All Hallows Tarot Trick or Treat Spread (by RTH=Chronata)

[I hope it is ok to post this spread here, it is copyright Robyn Tisch-Hollister from the pdf LWB for the All Hallows Tarot that is free to download from the Tarot Connection website www.tarotconnection.net.]

1......4
2......3
....5

"Shuffle the cards, and in your mind, focus on a glowing jack o lantern, carved with a toothy grin. When you can fully picture this image in your head, smell the pumpkin flesh, hear the crackling flame of the candle inside it, then you are ready to begin...Cut the deck once.

Take the BOTTOM two cards of the deck and place them, one under the other in positions 1 and 2.

Take the next two cards from the TOP of the deck and place them next to the others, one on top of the other, in positions 3, and 4.

Now, fan out the rest of the deck, and choose one more card, and place it under the rest. The left side positions 1, 2 represent the TRICK, and the right side, positions 3, 4, 5 represent the TREAT.

The top row represents sights, the next row, sounds, and the bottom card is the soul card.

Position 1 Trick of the Eye: This card represents illusions that may be confusing you, or warnings of things to look for in the near future that may not be what they appear to be.
Position 4 Treat for the Eyes: This card represents something new that appears before your eyes, and brings you pleasure. A visual treat, or a happy distraction from your daily worries.
Position 2 Trick of the Ear: This card represents rumors, messages, arguments, noise and miscommunications that could cause anxiety. It can be a warning to not believe everything you hear, or to warn you of what you need to be aware of in what you say to others.
Position 3 Treat for the Ears: This card is communications, messages, music and words of love and hope. A message you need to hear.
Position 5 Treat for your Soul: This last card is a gift from the Universe to you. It may show you your future path, or what you can do to bring joy and soul happiness to yourself and others."
 

Glass Owl

Pandora MoonRaven's The Raven -Nevermore Spread

OK Since Halloween is coming up I wanted to make a spread based on The Raven, my hands down favorite poem! This is about finding the dark side and your fears basically is what I was going for. Let me know what you think, I apologize if anyone already thought of this. Just some fun for Halloween! The cards are supposed to shape a beak. :eek:)

1************************
******2******************
**************3**********
8**********************4*
***************5*********
*******6*****************
7************************

1. Beloved Lenore – How the Past is effecting you now
2. Rapping Tapping on he Chamber door – What you need to pay attention to
3. The Stately Raven – Your Deepest Fear(s)
4. Bust of Pallas – The foundation of your fears
5. Home by Horror Haunted – Why you hold onto your fears
6. Ominous Bird of Yore – What do you choose to see
7. The Shadows on the Floor – What you refuse to see
8. Quoth the Raven, Nevermore – How the fears will affect your life if you don’t confront them.


Know Thy Self" Spread (3 Cards) - Inspired by The Matrix

--3--
1---2

1. Who am I?
2. What do I not know about myself that I should?
3. What I can I do to get more in touch with the real me?

Gothic Epitaph Spread by mercenary30

---1---
2-----3
4-----5

Here lies (position one, the deceased self)
He/She was (position two) and (position three, definitive traits of the deceased.)
Was known for (position four, self explanatory?)
Died from (position five, also self explanatory?)

P1 – The deceased
P2 – Definitive trait #1
P3 – Definitive trait #2
P4 – Was known for
P5 – Died from


The Shadow Side Spread by Ocean Bliss

This spread is pretty good for exploring your shadow side and traits that you believe are not so desirable.

**4*****1**
***5***2***
****6*3****
*****7*****
*8*9*10*11*

1. What you consider your best trait.
2. What you like to show to others.
3. What people like about you.
4. What you consider your worst trait.
5. What you hide from others.
6. What people dislike about you.
7. Your shadow self.
8. What you can learn from your shadow self.
9. How you can benefit from your shadow self
10. How to use your dark or hidden side.
11. How you can use your light or obvious side.

When doing this spread I found it doesn't point out your most positive and negative traits, just the ones that you think are positive and negative. When reading the cards for this spread it is worth looking at both their positive and negative meanings. The people angle can also point out where you think these biases come from.