A plea for sanity: beginners, DON'T use the Celtic Cross!

Thirteen

Warning: The following is a personal bias diatribe :)

I've long had a beef about this--the little white books that come with tarot decks all emphasize one spread: the Celtic Cross.

The problem? This is a VERY HARD spread. It has weird designations, like "This crosses you" and two "outcomes" as well as a "near future," some times a "basis" or "Above/below" (what the heck does this mean?) and ten cards (a lot for a beginner!). Very vague, very complicated, very confusing. Even the layout (why the cross in the middle then a line to the side? Do you read the two parts together or seperately?).

So, I've decided to throw out a plea for sanity here. Please, beginners ESPECIALLY, ignore that little white book! Don't start with this spread! Check out other tarot books or go to the Tarot Basics forum where you'll find 4 spreads, all of them EASIER to read than the Celtic Cross. From the basic three-card spread on up to the calender spread. Easier and, with the exception of the last, containing less cards.

I'm not saying you should never use the Celtic Cross, but I've always felt that starting with it is like being tossed, not into the deep end, but into shark infested waters :) A few people love it, but all too many end up discouraged, scared, confused and with egos torn to shreds. Start in the warm, friendly shallows with the bright tropical fish and then, as you quickly become a confident swimmer, you can venture into those deep dark waters.

Trust me, you'll find Tarot easier to read, feel more confident, and things will more readily fall into place when you finally come back to the Celtic Cross if you start with other spreads.

Getting down off the soapbox now. Thanks for listening ;)
 

sif

Hi Thirteen,

I recently gave up using the Celtic Cross for myself because it was just too difficult; the categories sound gigantic ie "THIS IS THE ROOT OF THE SITUATION" and "THESE ARE YOUR DREAMS AND FEARS" (insert mwahahaha) and with only one card to read them with! However, this seems to be the most prevalent spread on the forum-I once did a cross *just* to get help on a situation from the forum, not necessarily for my own studies. (One always needs a second opinion.)

On the other hand, it seems much easier to do for other people, but I guess this is always true. Anyway, I'm glad to hear that somebody's said this! The more I was reading, the more I realised it really was a more difficult spread and had wondered if I were the only idiot out there. Okay I'm done now. *huge smile*

PS: Thirteen, I love your tarot basics. Thx so much for spending the time on them.
 

MeeWah

Elsewhere on the forums, I stated the Celtic Cross gives a lot of information. More is not always better. Depending on the purpose of the throw, sometimes 10 cards is too cumbersome. All that information can be *too much*; obscures the focus or the clarity.
It is excellent for a general overview type reading, however.
Less cards such as 1, 3, 5 & 7-card spreads are very user-friendly, tend to hone in on the matter without excess ado. Also a good means of acclimating to larger spreads.
 

Thirteen

A plea for sanity: beginners, DON&#39 use the Celtic Cross!

Hey, Sif!

the categories sound gigantic ie "THIS IS THE ROOT OF THE SITUATION" and "THESE ARE YOUR DREAMS AND FEARS" (insert mwahahaha) and with only one card to read them with!

Yeah, and the even bigger problem is that they're often not the same. I mean, everyone uses this spread but they have to tell us what each card means every time because there's no universal meanings! Sometimes the cards above/below are "This is above you! This is below you!" (thunder, lightening, sound effects) and sometimes they're "This is the near future, this is the root of your question." And other times something else. Very frustrating.

However, this seems to be the most prevalent spread on the forum

Which is one of the reasons I got on the soapbox :) People learn tarot almost always on their own with just that little white booklet. So, no surprise, the first and/or only spread they learn is the Celtic Cross. Whether they like it or not doesn't matter. Even after they're no longer beginners, it's the one they're most familiar with, so they continue using it.

I have this suspicion that there are some beginners who don't know that there ARE other spreads outside of the Celtic Cross and the three card spread :) But even if they do, like perpetuates like. They come here, see everyone doing the CC, assume that's the one they ought to use if they're going to post, and so they do. As you, yourself did "*just* to get help on a situation from the forum."

It's a vicious circle.

The more I was reading, the more I realised it really was a more difficult spread and had wondered if I were the only idiot out there.

The final reason I went out on a limb and posted this. I suspect that the CC spread makes a lot of folk feel a little stupid, and they blame themselfs instead of the spread. Blame the spread. It really, really is a difficult spread, and it can really discourage a reader. Fact is, it discouraged me. It wasn't until I saw a reader doing a Zodiac spread that I earnestly got into the tarot. THAT was a spread that looked like great fun :)

Thirteen, I love your tarot basics.

Thank you!
 

divinerguy

The Celtic is pretty long. I use two shorter spreads.

I call the first one, "The Snapshot." Its essentially a shorter version of the CC, but with a spin or two. Hereit is:

Card 1 refers to your conscious and subconscious emotional state.
Card 2 refers to matters of the heart and the higher emotions.
Card 3 refers to base emotions, such as fear, lust, anger, etc.
Card 4 refers to vocations, avocations and pastimes.
Card 5 refers to money, material issues and the mundane.
Card 6 refers to where you've been.
Card 7 refers to where you're going.

Since 90% of the people out there want romance readings, I do a six card relationship spread. Here it is:

Cards 1 and 2 - about the querent.
Cards 3 and 4 - about the love interest.
Cards 5 and 6 - about a possible union.

I do two cards each, because I think it gives me more depth, and a better ability to put the cards into context.

Gary
 

blue

Thirteen;

I had a graphic example of just what you're talking about a few nights ago.

Like a lot of people I use the celtic cross a lot. Not because I have any special love for it, but out of habit. It probably dates back to the little white books.

A very strange and disturbing event happened to a co-worker a few days ago. When I got home I did a reading on the situation using the C.C. It made no sense (I mean NO sense) whatsoever. I finally gave up and pulled single cards for individual questions. The answers were stunning! I remember wondering why I don't do that sort of thing more often.

We really are creatures of habit!
 

Michelle

Hi Thirteen,
I am SO happy that you posted this !! As a Tarot beginner I felt (almost) guilty for disliking the CC. After all....it seems to be THE spread to use. I have had readings where the reader used 3 cards in each position -needless to say, just seeing this was overwhelmoing for a newbie.

I'm sure that eventually I'll get the hang ot it - for now my motto will be "Keep it simple."

You can get on your soapbox anytime - it's always a learning experience for me !

Love and Light,
Michelle
 

wigwag

Sorry to throw a spanner in the works but I do LIKE the Celtic Cross. (I do use other spreads as well for specific questions).. There are a lot of versions and all sound very grand and mystical but they should be easy to use in a modern tarot reading. As for why the Cross and line this is supposed to represent the religious Cross and Staff.

Anyway for what its worth. If any of you want to perservere with it this is my version, I find it works well for me.

1. What is around YOU at the moment.
2. (under 1.) What is helping you at the moment.
3. (Down to the left) What is behind (or what prompted) the reading/question.
4. (left of 1.) the recent past influences.
5. (above 1.) what you hope will happen/what you want.
6. (right of 1.) near future influences or happenings.

Then on the staff.
7. What is worrying you.
8. Effect of others on you or you on them
9. What lesson you need to learn.
10. Outcome.

Hope that helps any of you that want to have another go at the CC spread.
 

Thirteen

A plea for sanity: beginners, DON&#39 use the Celtic Cross!

Wigwag--it's not that I want to label CC an evil spread out to rule the world. All I want to do is:

1) Let beginners know that it's not the best spread to learn with--and it isn't. No matter how much you or anyone else likes it, it's a fairly complicated spread. Some few beginners take to it, but for most it's very difficult. And the ONLY reason that beginners start with it is because it's in the damn booklet! Not Fair! You don't teach a kid the alphabet then hand them War & Peace!

2) I simply want to see a few other spreads used on this forum. CC is treated like the be-all and end-all. And that's not right. Tarot is filled with rich and exciting spreads for all kinds of purposes--why not relationship spreads for relationship questions, for example? Why always and only CC?

More spreads would also give folk the opportunity to find one that's right for them. I use the Astrology spread. I've talked to people who don't like that one, but it's perfect for me. I feel that there are likely other readers in the same situation--they keep doing CC, but it's not *THEIR* spread. The more and different spreads they see, the more likely they'll find the one that is right for them.
 

MeeWah

Personally, I am partial to the Celtic Cross as it works extremely well for me & is my old "reliable". I like it for the precision of information when details are wanted/needed.
It is excellent for a general reading or for an overview of the prevailing aspects in the life due to the areas it covers. It has a complexity that does not lend itself to all purposes, which is why a smaller spread may be more appropriate.
I have used just the cross portion with success; also an expanded version of 15 cards.
Experimenting with different spreads or devising one's own spread(s) are recommended as a means of determining what style of spread would work best. They are also a good exercise in learning how card positions can relate to each other.
For those who are beginning an acquaintance with Tarot, 10 cards can be overwhelming to assimilate; sometimes it is for the more experienced, too.