The Clarity Tarot Spread

the clarity tarot spread
Life’s Journey often feels like trying to navigate a maze…

Over decades of Tarot practice and doing client readings, I have had a few staple Tarot spreads that I tend to fall back on but last year, I started realising that for 90% of the client readings I do (because they are question-based), one spread did the job better than any other – and with fewer cards! I call it The Clarity Tarot Spread aka The Only Tarot Spread You’ll Ever Need.

If you have to choose just one go-to spread, pick this one!

This spread is so damn good at providing clarity and direction that I honestly feel I’m not exaggerating when I claim that it’s the only spread you’ll ever need. It’s simple, concise, and yet manages to consider not only the issue and challenge that lies before you, along with action advice but also the above (spiritual lesson) and the hidden things (shadow aspect).

Of course, if your reading style is mainly predictive and you are more of a fortune-teller than a diviner, then this spread will never be one of your staple spreads. It also won’t work for say, a year ahead forecast and it may not be your best option when you need to make a choice between two options.

But if you read mainly for problem resolution, spiritual insight, and clarity about your best course of action, The Clarity Tarot Spread is da bomb!

HOW TO READ WITH THE CLARITY TAROT SPREAD

the clarity tarot spread

First, pull three cards to give you an overview of the situation-challenge-action advice. Add their numerical value and reduce (if need be) to a number between 1-22, relating to one of the Tarot Majors (22 = The Fool). This gives you the quint and shows you the overall spiritual theme/lesson with regard to your situation.

If you like to make a visual representation of the quint, you can remove the corresponding Major Arcana card from another deck and place it at the top of the spread.

Then you look at the bottom of the first deck for the shadow card and place it below the row of three cards you pulled for the situation-challenge-action advice. The shadow card shows us an aspect of self that you have repressed and tucked away in your unconscious mind. This card is not to be added in with the other three for the quint.

Look at all the cards to get a feel of the dominant Element and to see if there are any repetitive themes/numbers. Get a feel for how the energy of the sum of the cards before you meet the energy of the question you asked. Then break it down…

Personally, I recommend starting with the quint and then looking in turn at the issue/situation, main challenge and action advice. Bear in mind that the challenge often relates to the shadow card. We struggle most where we are still unconscious.

SAMPLE READING with The Clarity Tarot Spread

sample reading clarity tarot spread golden visconti

My question for the cards is: What do I need to know about starting on the 16:8 diet, especially with regards to my health?

Quint

The quint for this reading is The Tower, alerting me to the fact that I really do need to shift this weight or it will find a way of shifting itself through ill health. The Tower corresponds to Mars, the action planet, so in addition to changing my eating habits, I should try to move a bit (or rather a LOT!) more.

Situation / Issue

The situation is represented by the Taurean Knight of Pentacles. Oh yes, I’ve been positively Taurean in the way I’ve been eating through the winter months and it’s starting to show around the waistline. Me no likey. It’s that horrible feeling I get that there is something in the WAY when I bend down to tie my shoes. Not only is this annoying but belly fat is precisely the kind of fat we want to avoid if we wish to stay healthy.

Challenge

Then there is the challenge card, 2 of Wands (Mars in Aries). Martian energy from The Tower repeats here, so the need to DO something about the winter weight gain is clear.

Action Advice

Another 2 (2 of Pentacles/Jupiter in Capricorn) is in the action advice card. Two 2s tell me (again) that I need to attack the weight gain on two fronts: diet and exercise. It also tells me to be flexible in my approach. I don’t need to fixate on one type of diet, the important thing to do now is to change the things I know could potentially damage my health.

The shadow card is the 6 of Cups (Sun in Scorpio), showing me that the overeating that I seem to succumb to every year during the winter months has its root in how I feel. I’m not surprised because I’ve been aware of the SADS element for many years now. That is also a reason why I cut myself some slack. Come February and the light returning, I also seem to find a way of reining myself back in and shed the unwanted extra pounds.

Last year (in a personal XIII Death year), my method of choice was rather extreme with the 5:2 diet. While the need for drastic measures is indicated (as per The Tower), the two 2’s here also point to a need for keeping the balance and in a Temperance personal year, finding the Middle Way becomes more important. Perhaps nailing this will even help prevent my weight from fluctuating quite so much next winter… We shall see.

After doing this reading, I feel OK to go ahead with the 16:8 diet but I will focus more on my health and well-being than on rapid weight loss. I will also take some time to meditate on the emotional component.

Video Tutorial

love raven liora

Comments 10

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  1. I’m sure you’ll manage to shed the weight, though I wonder if it’s not just SADS. There’s a saying, “Fat bears, cold winter”, and this winter has been (and still is) cold! So, that’s one natural reason to pile on a few extra pounds 🙂

    As for the 16:8 diet, I’ve been doing time-restricted fasting for 7 weeks now, and am currently 1.5k UP on where I started. Admittedly, these have been very stressful times. I also worry that something about the fasting is pushing my buttons from when I had an eating disorder.

    Still, have you seen this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qlrB84xp5g The woman is a researcher on time-restricted eating, and discusses the many health benefits. However, she also says that current research shows only a half pound weight loss through it. That’s not half a pound a week, that’s half a pound long term! And I can really see why – it’s quite easy to get used to, and it’s also easy to eat enough calories in your eating window to keep up your weight. Unless you’re seriously obese and used to eating literally 24/7 to maintain your overweight.

    So, perhaps another reason for the Tower based on your question: you may be shocked by the ‘diet’ not being a weight loss method. On the other hand, if you use it as a way to change things up and be more mindful, then I’m sure you will see changes – that Two of Pents balance between the physical and the spiritual, perhaps…

    Best, Cx

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      Thanks for weighing in (haha!) on this, Chloe! No, I’m not shocked that fasting doesn’t work longer term… That’s not how I used it last year. I lost nearly two stone… it did the job! And I gained back less than 50% of the weight I lost so I’m still smaller than the same time last year. Yes, I can totally see how time-restricted diets can make you more obsessed with food. Really, common sense wins every time: portion control, ‘clean’ eating and plenty of movement… Either way, I don’t really stress about moderate weight gain any more. It’s not that much of an issue to me, thankfully. Life’s simply too short to stress about it. I love my body and I feel well… I’m just grateful to be alive!! Lots of Love, Lisa xx

      1. It’s funny, on the one hand I’m miffed as I started fasting to lose weight. On the other hand, it’s good to know that I’m doing something good for my body in other ways. And I saw myself on a video yesterday and thought, I still look fine. Plus, I’m really enjoying quite heavy weights workouts, and HIIT workouts, so I appreciate how strong and fit I am, even if I am a bit soft in places 😀 It will be interesting to read about your experiences with time-restricted eating… Love, Chloë x

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          Yes, muscle weighs more than flab! 🙂 I probably won’t be blogging about my wee weight loss project since it’s barely interesting even to me this time. x

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