Celtic Cross doesn't anyone use it?

I am puzzled since coming back to this site, no one seems to be using the Celtic Cross, which I feel delivers good information in its format style. Are the modern authors of tarot decks leading new readers to use other styles? Just curious?

The ol' Celtic Cross is a staple, so popular and ubiquitous that there is not very much left to say about it, really. I think many Tarot authors assume you will be familiar with it somehow, so there is no need to dwell on it.

I started out using it exclusively, and even now I use it for people who hare having their cards read for the first time, as it does give a good bird's-eye view of a situation. Like all positional spreads, it can be somewhat limiting, so I don't use it for myself, or for more specific questions. It is, however, a good enough spread nonetheless. It is one of two I know by heart, although right now I'm making my first serious steps into astrology in order to carry out the Opening of the Key.

My opinion: I still like this spread for some issues. Mostly for issues with a lot of baggage around them. That is, issues being influenced by the past, by others and etc. I agree, it can give a very rounded picture and can be useful. I would say I use it at least once a month.

My guesses: it is a big spread and rather daunting for newer users. In many situations several of the positions will be irrelevant and a tighter more focused spread might be more to the point.

There does seem to be a tendency to just lay down a few cards and watch them interact or use them in a story-telling way. Maybe it is just my experience in Your Readings but this also tends confuse especially newer readers because there is no structure and the reading can ramble, leading nowhere in particular.

3 to 6 card readings, if thoughtfully structured, can be a lot more to the point than the Celtic Cross. Think of the smaller readings as a fast trip on the expressway and the CC as a ramble down a country lane.

The Celtic Cross is alive and well but on hiatus; it is not the most ideal spread for every situation. It takes a lot of cards and a lot of time - something most people do not seem to have any longer.

The Celtic Cross is my favorite spread; it is the first spread I learned and I use it at some point nearly every time I read, for myself and clients. Over the years, I have modified a couple of the positions to suit my needs. It is great for showing all the energies that are affecting a situation (and often significant influences of which the client is unaware).

However, due to the number of cards, it is naturally more complex than a typical three card reading, and I feel that if a reader is going to be able to use it well and not take forever to complete the reading, they need to practice it a lot and use it frequently so they don't get bogged down in "Now what was that position again?" or in delving too deeply into every card.

For me, having used it for years, a CC reading for a client that answers their question in depth will usually take no more than 10 minutes, and usually 5.

I use it when reading for others, but when on line I dont have the time to go through a large spreads. The problem here is that you have readers who are just starting out doing complex readings when they havent studied the cards, and then they keep adding clarifers which muddies the water even more. The celtic cross is a wonderful spread with many nuisances, it is one of the few that I use.

when I first started learning tarot, you were forced to learn and do the CC over and over. It's difficult when you first get into tarot and you see people posting in your readings struggling with the cards all the time here.

I think it's fallen out of favour and fashion currently. Some people love it and some people hate it. If I am going to use 10+ cards in a spread it's still one of my fave spreads for in depth readings. But I mostly use other spreads or 3 cards with no positions a lot!

I see it as a positive thing, people do other spreads and make their own, much more these days

I'm 'bored' of the cc now - and I've never really seen much useful in the crown and below positions (and variations) other than filler cards - they don't seem to add anything of particular value for me and I find that very annoying.

Finding that custom spreads are easy to come up with and work better in most cases when tailored to the question or even just non-positional spreads are less restricting than cc.

I have on occasion returned to cc for general enquiries but more and more am looking for alternatives.

The positions I like best in the cc are the outside influences, the obstacle and the advice card.

yes for the Celtic Cross!

i use it often, i really appreciate it as a way of getting a general energetic picture of what is happening with the person, before getting into specific issues that they want to explore.

Mystic Zyl said:

I am puzzled since coming back to this site, no one seems to be using the Celtic Cross, which I feel delivers good information in its format style. Are the modern authors of tarot decks leading new readers to use other styles? Just curious?

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I rarely do, but mostly because it's so many cards, and I am more into the more direct, simple thing, but like some are saying, you can get a lot of information out of it. I am usually confused though with the cards 3-6 some people have the positions of those card laid out differently and labelled differently so it makes me wonder if I am reading the cards right :/