Five-Card Cross Spread: a complete method for beginners

What is the cross spread for?

The three-card spread tells a short story. The cross spread, by contrast, looks at a situation from five angles: the centre (the heart of the matter), what surrounds it, what supports it and what emerges from it. It suits a specific situation you want to clarify: a project, a hesitation, a change of pace.

There are many versions of the cross, with different position names depending on the author. There is no single correct version: here is a simple layout that you can adapt. The cross remains a support for reflection and predicts nothing.

The five positions

Place card 1 in the centre, then card 2 above it, card 3 below, card 4 on the left and card 5 on the right. Turn them over in order, one at a time.

The reading step by step

1. Prepare the space: a clear table, your phone out of reach, your notebook at hand (see preparing your deck).
2. Phrase the subject as an open sentence: “What can I understand about my work situation at the moment?”
3. Shuffle while thinking about this subject, then spread or cut the deck.
4. Draw five cards and lay them face down in a cross, without turning them over.
5. Turn card 1 over and look at it for a minute before reading anything.
6. Continue with the others in order. For each one, note three words about what you see.
7. Sum up: look for what repeats (colours, figures, symbols, numbers), what opposes, and what complements.
8. Finish with a sentence: “What I take away is…” Then write it in your notebook.

Example of a reading

Subject: “Should I resume my evening classes?” Cards drawn, in order: Strength (1, the heart), The Star (2, what supports me), The Hanged Man (3, what holds me back), The Chariot (4, where I come from), Temperance (5, what I can try).

One possible reading: the heart of the matter is gentle perseverance (Strength); what supports me is hope and the wish to picture myself moving forward (The Star); what holds me back may be a period of waiting or doubt, a suspension (The Hanged Man); where I come from is a period of momentum and effort (The Chariot); what I can try is to find a balanced rhythm, in small steps (Temperance). This reading predicts nothing. It offers a thread of reflection, which you are free to pick up or leave.

The cards speak to each other: three reading tips

• Look at the directions. Figures turned towards the centre or towards the outside of the cross give an impression of movement: withdrawal or opening.
• Count the Major Arcana. Many Major Arcana may suggest an underlying issue; many Minor Arcana, a more everyday subject. This is a reading convention, not a rule.
• Note the repetitions. A symbol (a sword, a cup, a path) that returns in several cards deserves attention.

Common mistakes

• Wanting to “interpret everything” from the first card instead of reading the whole spread.
• Asking a question about another person (“What does she think of me?”): cards do not know other people's thoughts.
• Removing a card because you dislike it. Keep it and ask yourself why it bothers you.
• Forgetting to write things down: without a notebook, you mix up the memories of several readings.

Variations and exercise

You can add a sixth card, placed apart, as a “summary advice” card. You can also use an oracle rather than a tarot: its more direct messages make the reading easier. To progress, do one cross spread a week for a month, on different subjects, then reread your notes: you will see which positions speak to you most.

Exercise: reread your spread a week later and note what proved accurate, what did not, and what has changed in the way you see the situation.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Step-by-step tutorials.