| The Celtic Cross spread is one of the most popular Tarot spreads, providing varied insight into many aspects of a complex situation and your role in it. The William Blake Tarot explores the mystical vision and artistry of the renowned English painter and poet. Through rich interpretations focused on creative undertakings, it has long been the deck of choice for artists, writers, musicians, and thinkers. For more information about this deck, or to buy your own personal copy, go to www.blaketarot.com.
|
 | The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. Seven of Poetry (Boldness): "The times require that every one should speak out boldly: ...every man should do his duty, in Arts, as well as in Arms, or in the Senate". Standing up for yourself and your beliefs. Telling the truth despite everything. Tests of integrity, firmness, and commitment. Doing the right thing even though it hurts. Facing the envy or enmity of others. Proving yourself against rivals and competitors. Finding the courage to resist organized, institutional, or governmental oppression. In the creative process: Maintain your artistic tenacity and courage despite any criticism, disapproval, or influence of societal prejudices or market pressures. |
 | The card visible at the center of the cross represents the obstacle that stands in your way - it may even be something that sounds good but is not actually to your benefit. Eternity, when reversed: The intervention of transcendent forces in the everyday world. The great are brought low and the petty are elevated. Obsession with the passage of time and the immanence of death. Being overwhelmed by the repetition of evil and mediocrity, and withdrawing from the world. Cynicism and nihilism driven by regret over past mistakes. |
 | The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Seven of Painting (Patience): Waiting for the situation to develop or ripen. Awaiting the results of your efforts. Calling for material assistance or reinforcements. Experiencing tests and trials in the process of manifestation. Assessing your resources. In the creative process: Straining to speed things up only produces anxiety, so get a grip and wait for everything to unfold according to its own timing. |
 | The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Nine of Poetry (Powers), when reversed: Intoxication with expressive and imaginative powers. Feelings of invulnerability brought on by a vision of spiritual truth and love. Being unreasonably secure in your ability to achieve anything you can imagine. Tasks completed so swiftly that there is no time to change direction. In the creative process: At the peak of your creative powers, this is the time to drive for completion and fulfillment in your work. |
 | The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Ace of Poetry (Inspiration), when reversed: The madness of divine inspiration. The illusion of higher consciousness. Obsession with a personal vision of truth and beauty, leading to a sense of false ecstasy. Mistaking cynical seduction for creative expression. Delusion of being guided by a higher force. In the creative process: Being in contact with the purest and highest part of your being provides the impetus for fresh expressions in both art and life. |
 | The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Five of Music (Melancholy), when reversed: Denial. Failure to reach spiritual insights following a sad event. Inability to leave past failures behind. Buried hopes. Refusal to acknowledge mistakes. Letdown after intense effort. In the creative process: Convert the pain of disappointment or loss into artistic expression. Let go of something old or dead and move on to something new and alive. |
 | The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. Nine of Science (Despair): Experiencing mental anguish or self-pity. Grief. Depression. Insomnia. Escaping reality. Hiding from joy and innocence. Feeling isolated and alone. Self-cruelty. In the creative process: Your creativity is blocked by self-judgments and criticism. Forgive yourself and get back to the basics; recapture your innocence and rejoin the human family. |
 | The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Transformation, when reversed: Unwillingness to change old for new. Stagnation. Burning your bridges behind you. Facing the future unprepared. Failure to accept the inevitable. |
 | The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Seven of Science (Lamentation): Psychic energy restrained. Feeling burdened with heavy thoughts. Pushing yourself too hard. Wallowing over and refusing to accept the situation. Straining against something. In the creative process: When you are feeling stuck or blocked, push your imagination to find a way around the problem; rely on your energy and hard work. |
 | The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Man of Music: "Music as it exists in old tunes or melodies ... is Inspiration, and cannot be surpassed; it is perfect and eternal". Using emotional self-control. Experiencing a sense of self-integration and mastery. Feeling at the top of your form. Swaying others with your gift of expressiveness and fluency in the language of the unconscious. Ability to interpret dreams, oracles, and omens. Be cautious of a tendency to overestimate yourself. In the creative process: Dedicate your considerable powers to help others and for creating beauty in the world. |
