| 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 Benedetti Tarot is a highly stylized deck painted on gold leaf. 7 years in the making, the images were inspired by the Visconti Tarot, the earliest Tarot deck still in existence. The Benedetti Tarot is the favorite deck of those who seek simplicity and elegance in their lives. |
 | The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. The Moon, when reversed: Clarity, control and peace in troublesome times. Increased psychic abilities. Temptations, small problems and minor setbacks overcome. The dawning of a new day. |
 | 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. The Hermit, when reversed: Detachment based on fear, irresponsibility or naiveté. Self-imposed isolation from friends and loved ones. Listening to the wrong advice or ignoring good counsel. Concealment, disguise, and unreasoned caution. |
 | The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Five of Pentacles (Worry): Hard times brought on by addiction, wasteful spending, ill health, or an outside event. Rejection, loneliness, and the need for comfort. May suggest unemployment, a catastrophe in personal finance, or a turn for the worse in business. |
 | The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. The Devil, when reversed: Resistance of temptation. Freedom from bondage. The pursuit of higher goals despite the influence of luxury and pleasure. Release from obsession with money and power. Liberation from fear, weakness and indecision through communion with higher powers or the inner voice. |
 | The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Six of Swords (Science): Trusting in intelligence and intuition and setting off into the unknown. Leaving an untenable situation and charting a new course. Passage from difficulty and progress towards a solution. The road to recovery. Travel and exploration. |
 | The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. The World: Completeness and intricacy of design. A great work. Achievement, reward, and well-earned recognition. A time of success, prosperity, security and joy. May also indicate travel or a change in residence. |
 | The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. The Emperor: Worldly authority and power. Social mastery and oratory. One who is intelligent, experienced, confident and reasonable. A patriarch or primary male influence. The motive force of politics and society. The ability to fulfill plans and use mental control over the emotions. |
 | The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Queen of Wands, when reversed: The dark essence of fire behaving as water, such as steam: The natural embodiment of passion and sensuality, who will do anything to the be the center of attention. A seducer who calculatingly dons the guise of what others desire. A cocky and domineering person, who pushes anyone or anything aside to get what she wants. One who is vengeful and quick to take offense without good cause. May indicate infidelity and contempt for a relationship. |
 | The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. King of Swords: The essence of air, such as a clear blue sky: A mature leader of unwavering ethics and indisputable authority. An incorruptible judge, whose devotion to the law cannot be swayed by emotion or material concerns. Perfect clarity of thought, directness of action, and eloquence of speech. One who, like a great general, inspires not love or devotion, but absolute trust and loyalty. |
 | The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. The High Priestess, when reversed: Being confused and led astray from the true path. Spiritual deception. Overzealous and shallow-minded pursuit of the esoteric. Insecurity, conceit and self-destructiveness. The forces of nature unleashed. |
