| 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 images of the Minchiate Tarot are drawn from a rare surviving 18th century deck of 97 cards - 19 more than the traditional Tarot. It is considered by many to be the single most powerful divination tool on the web, providing deep insight, rich in ancient symbolism, to any question you may pose. If you would like your own copy of the Minchiate Tarot, you can buy it now!
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 | The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. King of Swords, when reversed: The dark essence of air, such as a gray sky: A mature leader of unyielding ethics and absolute authority. An incorruptible judge, whose devotion to the letter of the law cannot be swayed by emotion, mercy, or exigent circumstances. Perfect clarity of thought, excessive use of force, and mastery of language as a tool for deception. One who, like a great tyrant, inspires not love or devotion, but fear, respect, and obedience. |
 | 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. Seven of Wands (Valor): Standing courageously for your beliefs in the face of adversity. Fear of failure overcome by the will to succeed. Great obstacles met with heroism and determination. Inner strength brought to bear at a critical moment. |
 | The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Hope: Refusal to surrender to the inevitable. Unwavering courage in the face of overwhelming odds. The will to create a miracle if one is not forthcoming. An unprecedented turn of good fortune. |
 | The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. The Fool: Fearlessness, imagination, open-mindedness, and an adventurous spirit. Freedom from cares and worries. Ideas, thoughts, and impulses coming from a completely unexpected place. Nonchalance at the threshold of gaining all or losing all. Extravagance and intoxication with life. The pure and undifferentiated power of creation itself, where ultimate knowledge and oblivion are unified. |
 | The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Ace of Cups: The seed of a new relationship or spiritual journey - perhaps as yet unseen. An opportunity for joy, contentment, fertility, or enlightenment. Coming to understand the emotional needs of those around you. May represent an unexpected message, a chance meeting, or the start of a friendship or romance. |
 | The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Fire: Boundless creative energy waiting to be unleashed. A burst of passion and vitality that can be harnessed to reshape the future and achieve your desires. Swift movement and decisive action. |
 | The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. Eight of Coins (Prudence): Dedicating yourself fully to a task. Learning a new craft or skill. Applying painstaking attention to detail. Industriousness and the efficient completion of tasks. Sticking with a project long enough to see it through. |
 | The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Air, when reversed: Blindness to the concerns of the real world. Losing yourself in idle theorizing divorced from fact. Inability to recognize the circumstances, emotions, and motivations of others as real and important factors in a decision. The effortless application of excessive and inappropriate force to a situation. |
 | The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Nine of Wands (Strength): A pause in the current struggle to ready oneself. Preparation to meet the final conclusive onslaught. Forces assembled in anticipation of trials and tribulations. The steeling of the will to stand or fall. A line drawn in the sand. |
 | The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Faith: Acting with certainty and confidence. Unfaltering loyalty and resolve. Diverse efforts brought to a single focus. Remaining true to your beliefs, even in the face of setbacks and crushing opposition. |
