| 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 Renaissance Tarot is a modern deck, with symbolism drawn from the heroic age and rendered in renaissance style. This deck is an excellent choice for exploring questions of passion, mastery, and the inner workings of human reason. If you would like your own copy of the Renaissance Tarot, you can buy it now! |
 | The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. Four of Coins (Power): Lustful or greedy pursuit of someone or something. Irrational action. Unreasonable desire for wealth. |
 | 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. Five of Swords (Defeat), when reversed: Entering new experiences after persuasion or seduction. Undertaking new adventures. |
 | The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Four of Swords (Truce), when reversed: Cautious recommencement of activity. |
 | The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Ten of Cups (Satiety): The union of love and the soul. Happiness in love. Balance in friendship. Joyful equanimity in oneself. |
 | The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. The High Priestess: The abstract, spiritual and intellectual face of the anima, which is the feminine nature of the soul. Primordial feminine wisdom. The cyclic and balancing forces of nature. The ancient underground tradition of healing arts, magic, and spiritual mystery. |
 | The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Two of Coins (Change), when reversed: Admirable flexibility. Agility. Expertise. |
 | The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. Ace of Staves: Creativity. Change. Success in new undertakings. "A breath of fresh air." "New blood." The sanguine temperament of the Ace promotes experiment, reform and appreciation of beauty, both of people and of nature. |
 | The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. The Magician: Mastery of words and of matter. Eloquence, including eloquent silence and Hermetic wisdom. Mediator, messenger, and communicator. The Magician may be a sage or just a quick talker. He is a master-manipulator of the material world, but the miracles he effects may be true physical and metaphysical transformation of mere illusion and technical tricks. With Hermes, one never knows; he is the god of orators and liars, merchants and thieves, trickery and arcane science. |
 | The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. The Tower, when reversed: Disaster avoided. Dramatic rescue. False alarm. |
 | The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Page of Coins, when reversed: An unrealistic deluded state of mind. Rationalizations. Pseudoscience. |
