I discovered a wonderful spread, while reading posts on the Art of Cartomancy forum. Kapherus learned to read cards when he was a child, from his grandmother. She used to read professionally, if I remember right. He shared the spread for use with playing cards, but it works amazingly for tarot and also lenormand (what I’ve tried so far!)
It’s called the Pyramid Spread, but it’s different from others I’ve seen. His grandmother would use the entire deck of playing cards! but it works very well abbreviated too.
You start with placing a card at the apex. Then 2 cards beneath it, they are read as describing the card on top. Then you would place 3 cards below the 2. The first 2 cards would be read as a descriptor of the first card above, and then the middle and last card would be read together as a descriptor of the second card….and on and on.
Let me show by example, it’s not hard (only in trying to explain!)
Here is my reading using Tarot:
The first card, is the High Priestess. Something is about to be revealed to me. The next 2 cards tell me what about.
5 of Swords and the World: There is going to be a completion to the dispute that we have been engaged in.
Now, under the 5 of Swords are 2 cards: Knight of Wands & Knight of Cups – around this dispute,there is movement towards an offer.
Under the World card are 2 cards: Knight of Cups & the Sun – This completion comes with an offer that is positive and successful.
Now we continue down to the next row.
First, is the Knight of Wands; under that are 2 cards: King of Pentacles & 8 of Cups – as this motion forward is happening, the man represented by the King of Pentacles is leaving the situation.
Next is the Knight of Cups, under that are 2 cards: 8 of Cups and 9 of Wands– with this offer/proposal, we are very close to being able to end this dispute and walk away…the battle is almost over.
Next is the Sun, and under it are 2 cards: 9 of Wands & Justice – Success and happiness come as a legal issue is almost complete; or alternatively said, legal and fair dealings are almost finished, which brings joy and success…
You could continue on, getting more and more detail, but that seemed a logical place for me to stop.
You can then go on to read the left diagonal of the pyramid as the past, and the right diagonal of the pyramid as the future. Had I done another row, I could have also used the middle vertical row to represent the Present. I could still read the the apex and the middle card as the Present: High Priestess & Knight of Cups – there is an offer/proposal from the woman I know of as the High Priestess; or an offer is about to be become known…
In the past are these cards: High Priestess-5 of Swords-Knight of Wands– Kings of Pentacles .
One thing this said to me was that behind the scenes, the King was stirring up alot of trouble and strife. The High Priestess, ironically comes up also to represent the woman in the dispute, so this also describes her having quite a few active arguements with the King of Pentacles! (that’s probably why he’s seen leaving)
In the future are these cards: High Priestess – World – Sun – Justice a definite successful ending to the legal dealings, where we feel on top.
Try out this spread! I think it would probably work for just about any card system, and it just flows..telling a story!
I think it’s going to become my favorite spread! lol
The Card Lover 