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Dynamic Hexagramme Tarot Spread

For a translation of this page into Spanish by Flavio, see > hexagrama dinámico

Preamble ___________________________

There are numerous spreads in existence - hundreds, in fact - and Aeclectic's members alone have produced numerous that remain unpublished except online. A quick look on AT's Tarotforum reveals the rather incredible list of spreads.

What I tend to prefer, however, are spreads that allow a very open and actively dynamic interaction between the cards at hand. Of course, any spread may be used in that manner. Still, having in the past also used the I-Ching, I have always found one particular manner of looking at the hexagramme highly instructive, and decided to develop an equivalent spread using a similar methodology.

There is a sense in which the spread can therefore be seen to be influenced by the I-Ching, though in the sense I intend it, it is not related to it per se, but rather utilises an aspect of its hexagrammes: its 'dynamic' aspect, if I can call it that.

For those familiar with the I-Ching, I do not here propose any 'moving' lines. In fact, I do not propose any 'lines' at all, but rather simply six positions, from left to right. The similarity to the I-Ching will be obvious to those who use its 'invisible' trigrams.

The Spread ___________________________

The Reading ___________________________

Once the cards are layed six-in-a-line they may be read in the following manner

Opening Card

The opening card (card 1) gives what is present as an underlying impulse in the situation at hand, whether this be a relationship, a work situation, or whatever it is the reading is about.

It may also indicate what the reading is actually about in cases where either there is no specified question, or where the ensuing reading seems to address other than the supposed question.

Central cards (2, 3, 4, 5)

Cards 2 and 3 can first be looked at as part 'clarification' cards for card 1.

Then, the situation at hand is described as it manifests in ABC (cards 2, 3 and 4). This is basically a three card reading which may be show forth various pertinent aspects (financial, physical effort, psychological, etc).

The situation is of course never static, but in a permanent state of transformation. This is what DEF (cards 3, 4 and 5) now show as a 'new' three card reading.

The suggestion sees the sequence ABC transformed to DEF.

Closing card (6)

The Closing card (6) gives an indication for the manner in which the future pulls the situation into its sphere. Again, here, cards 4 and 5 can be looked at as clarification cards for the final or closing.

Wheels within wheels ___________________________

In a nutshell, the six-card spread has the dynamic virtue of the manner in which an I-Ching Hexagramme may be read. Here, what is the basic pattern are repeated 3-fold readings:

1. firstly as Opening → 2, 3, 4, 5 (as a group) → Closing;
2. secondly as the convergence of impulses from the past (1, 2, 3) meeting impulses from the future (4, 5, 6);
3. thirdly, as the manner in which the situation ABC is in the process of transformation to its new state DEF; and
4. finally (for now), the way in which this situation (ABC → DEF) has its two forces playing in from the opening and closing cards.

Some further remarks ___________________________

I personally do not advocate a strict position='specified meaning' type reading, so the above is to be read, if taken as intended (of course anyone adopting it will transform it to their own preferred style), as dynamic and very much influenced and re-worked according to the specific cards layed out, and as to whether or not other mitigating factors (such as the preponderance of a particular suit, or figures, or colour, etc) play into the layout.

Reading Examples on Aeclectic's TarotForum ___________________________

The following three spreads are provided with suggested interpretation on Aeclectic's TarotForum.net.

Please note that in each case, the first row displays images from Tarot.com (a site well worth a visit, by the way) of the Schaffhouse as published as 'Tarot Classic' by USGames. The second row shows the Schaffhouse cards as published by AG Müller in French. Both rows shown with reversals as drawn.

As a matter of interest, the deck I used for the readings is the one published by US Games with English modified titles - modified in the sense that it re-names, for example, 'Deniers' as Pentacles rather than 'Coins', and the Popess as 'High Priestess' (amongst other unwarranted alterations). The French-language deck also makes unwarranted alterations, including adding a name-panel to XIII (La Mort), and re-numbering from Roman additive to Roman subtractive form ('IIII' → 'IV').

On a side note, a fascinating difference between the two decks shows up in the last spread quite clearly: whereas each appears to draw from the same source for their line-work (though colouration is quite distinct), the Ace of Swords are left-to-right-inversals of each other. Here I personally consider the deck designer of the one published by US Games is more 'correct' in terms of its significance, in that it is the right hand holding aloft the sword, not the left as in the other deck. This left-to-right inversal is also evident in other cards in the deck, including the 6 Deniers also shown below.

KK's:

T's:

M's:

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