WRITING IN THE SAND SPREAD

 

For bygone eras, chapters of our lives that once were and are no longer. What you write today can be erased tomorrow, even if moments are fleeting they can still leave lasting impressions. This is a spread for use with cards or any other divination.

WRITING IN THE SAND
♡What did I take away from this chapter in my life?
♡Did I gain experience I was supposed to?
♡How should I remember it?
♡How my life will change now that this chapter is over?
♡What will be some short term improvements?
♡What will be some long term improvements?

THE PAULINA TAROT

 

DECK REVIEW

THE SPIDER AND THE FLY SPREAD

PREDATORY RELATIONSHIPS:
I based a spread on situations that can happen with toxic relationships when one person decides to take advantage of another. It is the very first spread that I have devised myself, and as such I want to share it with the world as a tool for self-empowerment. Some relationships have been based off second agendas and hidden intentions without the victim knowing of such. Sticky situations can have us feeling trapped, as if we don’t have choices or room to move. I hope this spread will shed some insight on this type of situation. I have named it The Spider and the Fly Spread.



Imagine a spider stalking around its silky net, hungry and in search of a victim to feed off of. It takes the time to weave the net into a trap to befall an unsuspecting passerby. The plan is etched and the trap is barely noticeable, so it’s only a matter of time and waiting until somebody gets caught in it. The unsuspecting fly is on its way to spiritual growth and development, when suddenly it finds itself in a hostile situation. It struggles and perhaps breaks some of the links on the web, but the spider has been expecting it all this time. The spider stealthily moves over to embrace the fly, and then spins a silky cocoon around the fly so that it won’t be able to leave. Defeated, the fly waits for the spider to decide its fate. From then on, it dies in rapture or by the kiss of the spider.

Another idea can be of an unwilling commitment, binding or contract. While involuntarily, it may keep us as prisoners to a specific circumstance. Care should be taken — if possible — to avoid it at all costs. Sometimes we can't identify secret agendas when we're interacting with new people, sometimes a friend you've known for years suddenly seems different, sometimes you just open your eyes to the truth. Entertained with the idea of relating this to the tarot, I have designed my very first spread. It will clarify messy or otherwise predatory situations we are known to get ourselves into.

SPREAD DIAGRAM:


SPREAD EXPLAINED:
♡ Predator's Signifier. Who is the spider?
♡ Victim's Signifier. Who is the fly?
♡ When the Plans Hatched. When did the spider weave the web?
♡ How it Affects the Fly. How did the fly get caught in the web?
♡ What the Plan is. What is the spider planning for the fly?
♡ How to Escape it. How can the fly escape the web?
♡ Predator Outcome. Outcome for the spider.
♡ Victim's Outcome. Outcome for the fly.CAUGHT IN A STICKY SITUATION?
Predators are beautiful by nature, it's that dark allure that they possess that can lure us in. They pack secret agendas, whether on purpose or not. It's part of their psychological buildup and their physical needs. It takes skills and expertise over those skills to fool the opponent or victim, and some people are naturally equipped to carry these actions out. It all ties into the rudimentary drives within all of us to survive in one way or another... and I love it. The way this works is fascinating to me on many levels, but it's always something to admire from afar. This blog post doesn't advocate taking advantage of others in any way.



Spiders as a symbol can be a predatory situation you find yourself in but are unaware of at first; just as a fly as it wanders into the web. Suddenly finding itself in a bad place and struggling to break free from the trap that was laid down for it. The spider then comes out to spin a cocoon around the fly, leaving it for when it's hungry later. The stress and struggle of being caught in a web alone is enough to test you.

However, being on the losing side of this chain is difficult. There are possible exits from situations like these that we may not notice on our way down. These doors to opportunities are fleeting and can easily pass under the radar if we're not looking in the right places. How do we avoid falling prey to these situations? I hope this spread serves as a tool for you to overcome a dark obstacle in your life. A little extra insight doesn't hurt in identifying the problem. React on time; don't let others take advantage of you!

Photos compliments of some gothic blogs. I can't seem to find the artists to credit!
♡♡

BASIC SPREAD

LEARNING TAROT SPREADS:
We all have a spread that we start off with when we learn the tarot. Some choose to keep a tarot diary specifically for spreads, which is their main reference whenever they have a question geared towards a very specific niche. It helps to have them glossed out by topic in the case that you're on the go and you need a quick when-and-how. Mine are added as I find them, but some people like to keep them in categories: Romance, Friendships, Careers, Financial, Education, Family, Decisions, etc. Sometimes it helps you stay organized unless you have a good memory, and you can recall generally where you left each spread. That's my case!

I love simply looking at the structure of spreads. Sometimes all you need is the correct positioning of cards to watch their story come alive. The spreads are very indicative of the style of the reader. While I tend to read my cards sequentially in a horizontal manner, I do know of a few readers that prefer to read with vertical columns. They claim it makes more sense to them. To me, having the cards side by side rather than one over the other helps me to get a panoramic scope of the situation. When placed horizontally, cards interact with one another directly. When placed vertically, the dialogue is cut up into scenes. I don't see interaction between the cards, just one leading to another without a link. Again, it depends on the style and preference of the tarot reader!

It isn't necessary to learn spreads by heart before using them. You learn by doing it. After using the same spread for a number of times, you will become familiar with the value of each position a card lands in. You will also learn how to string together the meanings of the cards according to the nearby cards as opposed to those that are furthest from the starting point. Before you know it, you will be reading narratives that correspond to your life, or the life of the sitter. In time you will most likely be designing your own spreads. Make sure to tailor them specifically to your needs, or the needs of the question. Sometimes it's okay to pull freely here and there, but other times you will need a structure for your reading. This is what tarot spreads are meant for!

THE BASIC TAROT SPREAD:
The most popular spread is the one with three cards. The very first one sets the stage for the situation, then the following sets the mood. The final one states how it's going to go. It's simple and straightforward, which will provide the desired answer without giving you too much to think about. This spread isn't meant for meditation or groundbreaking epiphanies; it simply exists to point you in the direction you want to go — or warns you not to go. It's really very useful — I prefer it over a daily draw!

Past – Present – Future

Adding two more cards, you get five. These two cards will explain how you got from the initial situation to where you are now, and finally how you get to where you want to go. It adds some depth to the reading, and possibly some clues to achieving what you want. Usually I draw them after I draw the first three. Usually, I will cut the deck into three and turn each card over accordingly. If I want more cards, I pull them out from underneath each card. In the cases that I just want two, I pull one from under the past for No. 4, and one from under the future for No. 5. They're meant for clarity.

Past – What Happens from the Past to the Present – Present – What Happens from the Present to the Future – Future

Transformed! Now you get more details! The one that I learned from my friends Niki and Tori is a four card spread, as illustrated above. I used this one for the longest time when I was studying the tarot. This basic spread actually made me give up the three card spread! It goes as follows:

You now – Emotional – Mental – Future

It basically connects your emotions and mental state of mind from now to a week or so. It’s a quick reading, and as you string the cards together, you get the answer to your question. I’ve always loved how direct it is! It's also a good way to assess your progress, especially if you journal about your learning process actively. At least that's how I learned. Usually when you're starting out in tarot, you pick the spread that you're most comfortable with, and you go from there. Along the way you may adopt another spread or modify the one that you begin with to suit your needs. I eventually went from 4 cards to 21. That's a lot of cards!

The four card spread is based off the present as it moves towards the future. The past is disregarded although in many situations it helps the reader — sometimes the querent — to understand where it all comes from. Sometimes it helps to see what is going on to fully understand it. There is no rodeo or room to change things around.

Give it a shot, share your results!
♡♡