Can anyone help me understand how to read this spread it’s called Devil at the Crossroads
spread
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Wow! That’s quite a spread!
Does the book say what each card position means?
What book did you find it in?
It looks like something I’d be interested in trying. Thank you for the question.
Bing search couldn’t find anything. Maybe Google can?
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Hey Keela!
I hope you don’t mind, but I moved your post to the proper category. I also sent you a PM - just in case!
As for the tarot spread, it’s hard to tell what each position means without having more information. Do you happen to have the name of the book? Or any details in the book that would be helpful?
I’ve been trying, but I can’t find it, either.
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I have never seen that spread before, but looks quite intriguing. I’m curious as well as to what each card represents, and what book that is in.
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I was able to find the spread with the help of some other people I know. It’s from Forbidden Mysteries of Faery Witchcraft by Storm Faerywolf. It’s quite a long spread, but it’s a method for looking at different aspects of the shadow to find where you might need to do some work. I’m sure there is some context missing, but here’s the explanation of the spread from the book. For anyone interested, it’s Chapter Six.
click here to see the whole spread
We see here that each of the elements/directions is also broken into a trinity. This trinity can be viewed on multiple levels or “stations,” each identified with one of the three worlds of Celtic folklore and corresponding to a component of the human soul structure and complete with an Elemental ruler.
The first station is the middleworld. Here are issues concerning the talker. These are issues with communication, with ego, and with mental clarity. This is how we move and exist in the world in terms of our interactions with others. We are consciously aware of these issues, though they may have a depth to them that we fail to fully realize. The Guardian Beasts rule this station, providing us specific keys that we may engage in order help address the particular imbalance. For example, an indication of an imbalance in this station in the element of fire tells us that the ego suffers an imbalance that the Lion can help address. To me this sounds like an inflated ego, possibly some anger issues as well. Candle work would be advised here. An imbalance in talker with water, however, indicates that the issue might be not having enough of a personal will, taking on the identity of the group, losing yourself, etc. Here the Serpent is aligned toward helping bring balance, perhaps through trance work and cleansing. Air speaks of communication issues as well as those of clear sight. The Eagle is helpful in being able to see things from a higher perspective so we can “take it all in.” Earth imbalances here would be those of physical health, likely addressing health concerns that have been present for some time. The Bull can help us to garner the strength we need to push through our obstacles. Complexes expressed through aether invite us to connect to the Divine Twins of above and/or below; the Azure Dove and the Scarlet Serpent. Are we expansive or contractive? If our imbalances are above, how might we be losing the “big picture”? How are we failing to be inclusive of diversity? If below, maybe we need to pay closer attention to the little details? How are your basic needs being met? Where is your passion?
The second station is the underworld and corresponds to the fetch. This is the Shadow in the classical sense. These are issues of deep-seated emotion, shame, anger, etc. and likely ones that we are not aware that we possess. These are deep in the subconscious and provide our own personal keys into the underworld. This is ruled by the Wells of Creation, whose raw power might be particularly helpful in transforming blocks in this area. Each of the Wells/Goddesses can tell us of some quality that we may need to cultivate in order to bring balance to the situation. Arida is freshness … new beginnings. Tana brings energy, passion, and transformation. Tiamat reminds us to go deep, to look beneath the surface of what we know we feel, and face our abyss. Verr-Avna teaches us patience as well as the processes of crystallization and manifestation. Quakoralina is the light of our divine consciousness, expansion, and transcendence. Sugma’ad is about going deep into the primal, the darkness within. The Nameless Name is the wild card that brings it all together and reveals the central theme that unifies everything in the spread.
The third and final station is the overworld. This corresponds to the holy daemon. These are issues with our spirituality, our magic. We can become addicted to our spirituality and then disconnect from our mundane lives. Conversely, we could be disconnected from our own daemon, so wrapped up in the unimportant details and dramas of life that we fail to make genuine connections to those around us. The Watchers are aligned to this station, giving us insight as, how to address a particular imbalance by utilizing the power with which they are traditionally associated. (See Appendix I.)
With this spread we are given not only the knowledge of where in our soulstructure and elemental makeup our shadow or demon is manifesting, but also a means of addressing it, for the associated elemental rulers can provide us the means of transformation.
Open the Way and shuffle the cards. “Tune in” to your shadow using whatever methods you feel are appropriate. Arrange the cards according to the following figure.
Any negative cards are revealing the presence of an imbalance. If at any point we place the Devil card, we will immediately place the next card on top of it and continue dealing the spread as given. Doing so we have marked the presence and location of our demon.
North/Earth
- Middleworld. Talker. Black Bull. Structure. Money.
- Underworld. Fetch. Verr-Avna. Stability. Health. Physicality. Manifestation.
- Overworld. Daemon. Black Mother. Silence. Listening. Wisdom.
East/Air
- Middleworld. Talker. Golden Eagle. Communication. Perception.
- Underworld. Fetch. Arida. Resonance. New beginnings. Fresh start.
- Overworld. Daemon. Star Finder. Mental clarity. Knowledge.
South/Fire
- Middleworld. Talker. Red Lion. Ego. Potency of action.
- Underworld. Fetch. Tana. Anger. Strength. Transformation.
- Overworld. Daemon. Shining Flame. Will. Truth.
West/Water
- Middleworld. Talker. Blue Serpent. Worldly passions. Adaptability.
- Underworld. Fetch. Tiamat. Fluidity. Going deep below the surface. Astral
travel.- Overworld. Daemon. Water Maker. Compassion. Love.
Above/Aether
- Middleworld. Talker. Azure Dove (Divine Twin). Awareness.
- Underworld. Fetch. Quakoralina. Radiance. Expansion. Light.
- Overworld. Daemon. Heaven Shiner. Transcendent consciousness.
Below/Aether
- Middleworld. Talker. Scarlet Serpent (Divine Twin). Awareness.
- Underworld. Fetch. Sugma’ad. Radiance. Contraction. Darkness.
- Overworld. Daemon. Fire-in-the-Earth. Embodied consciousness.
Center/Aether
Here we may also read whatever positive cards may arise as our strengths and allies. If the Devil card appears here in any of the three cards then the demon revealed here may be an actual Demon. Pay particular attention to card 20, which is the central issue. A Devil card there is particularly concerning.
Middleworld. Talker. This is the center of your talker; what you normally think of as being “you.” Whatever card is here (positive or negative) is a message for you in relation to the rest of the spread. How are you embodying/holding your power?
Underworld. Fetch. The Nameless Name. This is “deep fetch” and the central issue of the reading/spread. What are you hiding? What is empowering you or holding you back?
Overworld. Daemon. Guardian of the Gates. This is you aligned, and in the center of your Witch power.
It is likely that this spread will give you much to consider. Treat a session with it as you would a meditation. Contemplate the associations and connections and record your findings in your journal.
If the Devil card does not appear in your spread then you do not have a demon, and instead will focus on your lesser complexes, which are represented by whatever negative cards do appear. If you do receive the Devil, then you may wish to repeat this spread later, both to check in on your progress in transforming it and as a means to see if there are any others present, since this reading can only pinpoint one at a time.
Based on what I found in the book (and I haven’t read the book, just this section) – it looks like this spread is used to find your “inner demons” so you can work through them. You pull the cards for each spot in the spread, but you only focus on the “negative” ones because that’s where the work needs to happen.
I don’t fully understand the middle, under, and overworld sections, but I’m sure that’s probably because I haven’t read the entire book. Did you do the reading yourself? If you pulled cards, that could help us help you figure out how to put the reading together.
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Ok, so basically, cards 1-3 are North, 4-6 are East, 7-9 are South, 10-12 are West, 13-15 are Aether Above, 16-18 are Below Aether, and 19-21 are Center Aether. Each are explained in @MeganB 's excellent post, above- each bullet point mentioned is a card. My cards are packed, so I cannot give a visual. The “Talker” is what expresses itself in your life, “Fetch” is the underlying causes, and “Daemon” is the guide to making things work more smoothly.
I agree with @MeganB in that the negative ones are the ones to work with. The rest can be considered confirmation that they are working well for you at the time of the reading. Keep up the good work! The ultimate goal seems to be finding balance in all areas of life.
This is a great spread @keela! Thank you for sharing it. Did we help you understand a bit? If not, please ask for more details!
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