Three Card Tarot Spreads

Three Card Tarot Spreads © Aeclectic Tarot – www.aeclectic.
net
Table of Contents
Kno w Thy self Spread, by Glass Owl........................................................................ ..3
Predic t a Person’s Reac tio n Spread, by Metafizzy pop..................................................3
The Stress Spread, by Astraea Aurora.....................................................................4
Spiritual Path Spread, by Bodhran...........................................................................4
C elestial Spread, by Eowy n......................................... ........................................5
The Hermit Spread, by Glass Owl..........................................................................6
The Baba Yaga Spread, by Nisaba.........................................................................6
Odd Lov e Spread, by Eowy n....................................................................................7
Past Life Spread, by D anc ing Bear.........................................................................7
D aily Spread to Learn Tarot, by shesawolf...............................................................8
Simple Three C ard Spread, by Rolando....................................................................8
Impending Marriage Spread, by Bodhran................................................................9
Wash It Right Outta My Hair, by Glass Owl.............................................................9
True Intentions Spread, by Apollonia......................................................................10
Tell Me Something Spread, by zac hlost...................................................................10
Head, Heart , Hands Spread, by Bodhran.............................................................. .11
D on’t W rite In Starlight Spread, by Eowy n............................................................. ..11
New D ec k Spread, by Tor......................................................................................12
The Statistic ian’s Spread, by ec laasse..................... ...... ...... ...... ..... ...... ...... ..... . .12
List of Common Three Card Spreads……………...............................................................13
Resource Guide……………………………………………………………................................................14
Three Card Tarot Spreads was written by members of the Aeclectic Tarot Forum (www.tarotforum.net) and edited by Alissa Hall
(www.alissahall.com). Published by Aeclectic Tarot (www.aeclectic.net). Cover photo by Nicolette Neish (www.nicoletteneish.com),
picturing “The Creative Fire Tarot.”
Three Card Tarot Spreads © Aeclectic Tarot. All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-9871104-5-9
This book is for personal, non-commercial use only. No part of this book may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any form without
written permission from the publisher and individual works’ original authors.
Three Card Tarot Spreads © Aeclectic Tarot – www.aeclectic.net

Aeclectic Tarot Three Card Spreads eBook
Know Thyself Spread

by Glass Owl
1 - Who I am
2 - What I do not know about

myself that I should
3 - What I can do to get more in

touch with the real me
“The phrase ‘Know thyself’ is steeped in history, however, it was its appearance in the
movie The Matrix that inspired this spread’s creation.” - Glass Owl
Predict a Person’s Reaction Spread

by Metafizzypop
1 - What they’ll feel
2 - What they’ll think
3 - What they’ll do
“Did you borrow your best friend’s cashmere

sweater, and then burn a great big cigarette
hole in it by accident? Here’s a spread to use
before you give the sweater back.”
- Metafizzypop

3
The Stress Spread

by Astraea Aurora
1 - What causes me the most stress at the

present time
2 - How do I usually handle it, how do I cope
with stress
3 - How can I actively release stress now,

how can I balance the stress and relax
“The Stress Spread is able to get to the source of your stress, no matter in
which area it manifests itself. When you use it, try to take a couple of minutes
just for yourself and your reading. The time in which you do the reading can be
your first step to relaxation and de-stressing.” - Astraea Aurora
Spiritual Path Spread

by Bodhran
1 - What will this path offer me (gift)
2 - What will this path require of me (challenge)
3 - How will this path change me (possible

outcome)
4
Celestial Spread by Eowyn
New Moon Spread: To use between waning crescent and

waxing crescent, especially during New Moon.
1 - What lies in your dark depths, what is unseen,
what we stumble against in the dark nights
2 - What will begin to show, what will arise
3 - What will illuminate the dark path, the key in the

night
Full Moon Spread: To use during waxing, gibbous or

during Full Moon.
1 - What can be seen with clarity, so bright that it can
even blind you
2 - What gets completed, what closes a cycle
3 - What begins to fade away, to darken, to abandon

you, or, what needs to be
Sleeping Sun Spread: A spread for wishes and dreams.
1 - For dreams I hold in my life: Current dreams that occupy the day time,
that you ponder in mind and heart, perceived as long term goals
2 - For wishes I hold in my night: Current desires, intimacy aspects,
sudden interests and passion
0 - Sleeping Sun (base card of the deck, or shadow card): How you are
standing right now in relation to your dreams, desires and wishes
“These spreads can be used

separately and they can also
be used together, during one
lunar month, for greater
understanding in how they
interrelate.” - Eowyn
5
The Hermit Spread by Glass Owl
Take your deck to a quiet place, free of turmoil and imagine yourself walking the
path of the Hermit. Leisurely shuffle your deck, taking as much time as you need,
until you feel that it is time to stop.
Turn over your deck and fan it, looking for the Hermit. When you find him, pull
the Hermit out along with the cards on either side of him. These are the cards that
his lantern is casting its light upon. If the Hermit happens to be at one of the ends
of the deck, view the cards as being in a circle and use the card at the opposite
end of the deck to flank his other side.
1 - Left: What you hear as the Hermit,

what the voices tell you in solitude
2 - Middle: You, the Hermit, during a time

of reflection and solitude
3 - Right: What you receive as the Hermit,

what counsels and comforts you in
solitude
The Baba Yaga Spread

by Nisaba
1 - What are you running from
2 - What is it you seek
3 - What are you willing to risk
“This spread is very good for introspective self-examination. It allows you to

develop a new perspective on your shadow-self, on your unconscious motivations,
fears and desires. This spread really is not about prediction, or about reading for
others - it is very close-up and intimate.” - Nisaba
6
Odd Love Spread

by Eowyn
1 - Why I’m lonely

2 - What kind of lover should I focus on
looking for
3 - Where will we meet
Past Life Spread

by Dancing Bear
1 - Who was this querent in a past

life that reflects this one
2 - What was the occupation of

this person
3 - What were the dynamics of the

querent’s relationships
“There is no specific layout, just pull 3 cards and place

them where it feels right. You may draw a fourth card to
ask how this person died. Or, you may ask about the
surrounding environment, which is helpful to indicate the
era this person lived. It’s all up to you and your individual
needs.” - Dancing Bear
7
Daily Spread to Learn Tarot

by shesawolf
Divide the deck into Majors, Minors, and Court cards, and
shuffle each stack separately before drawing a single card.
1 - Major: Represents a lesson or situation for the day; helps

to deepen one’s understanding of each Major by relating
one to daily life
2 - Court: Represents someone you’ll come in contact with, or

something to learn about yourself, or someone else, that
day; assists in learning how to associate the Court cards
with people and personalities
3 - Minor: Represents obstacles or advice for the day; helps
one to learn how the Minors can be associated to everyday
and/or mundane circumstances
Simple Three Card Spread

by Rolando
1 - What you are dealing with right now;
this position represents what is
manifesting at the moment
2 - What you need to leave behind; this
position represents what needs to be
let go of
3 - What you need to look forwards;
this position represents what needs
to be embraced
“In life we face situations as well as people who affect us in every part
of our lives, such as love and work, or mental and physical. This simple
spread is for simple issues that a person is facing and can’t break free
from, or feels as if there is no solution. So, in the long run, the issues
won’t develop into something bigger.” - Rolando

8
Impending Marriage Spread

by Bodhran
1- What the querent brings to the marriage
2 - What the partner brings to the marriage
3 - Gift, or challenge, created by their union
Wash It Right Outta My Hair Spread
by Glass Owl
1 - The Dirt: What’s in your hair that you need to wash out
2 - The Soap & Water: This will be helpful in loosening up the

dirt and removing it
3 - The Drain: What you will gain from letting the dirt go
“Use this cleansing spread when you feel the need to

wash something out of your hair, and your life. For the
first card position you may use a significator or let the
Tarot decide for you by drawing a card.” - Glass Owl

9
True Intentions Spread

by Apollonia
1 - What face is this person showing

to me, or to the world, in this matter
2 - What is in her/his heart
3 - Why is s/he acting this way
“The True Intentions spread illuminates the difference, if any, between a person’s outer
facade and their actual feelings in a given situation. The spread gives a glimpse into the
person’s true motives, which can help in gaining a better understanding of the person and
how their hidden intentions might affect the situation.” - Apollonia
Tell Me Something Spread
by zachlost
1 - Tell me something I know about <name>;

allows you to focus on what you already know to
draw your mind into an alignment of thoughts
2 - Tell me something I don’t know about <name>;

this should compliment the previous card, or
scream out like an alarm
3 - Tell me something I can help <name> with; I like this

question because it relates back to the person and
addresses a facet of their lives I could contribute to
10
Head, Heart, Hands Spread
by Bodhran
1 - What do I need to know today
2 - What do I need to embrace today
3 - What do I need to do today
Don’t Write In Starlight Spread
by Eowyn
Inspired by Ronnie James Dio’s song, “Don’t talk to strangers,” this spread works in
the following way: Under a starred sky, write down the 3 words that represent the
kind of relationship you want to have. Begin with the sentence, “I’m going to have a
relationship of (your 3 words that better describe your wish).”
Once you are done, pull a card for each word, interpreting the possibilities (pros and
cons) of making your wish come true.
11
New Deck Spread by Tor
1 - What will you give me
2 - What do you want in return
3 - What kind of relationship will we have
The Statistician’s Spread

by eclaasse
When statisticians try to understand

a problem, one step is to collect
descriptive data. Sometimes this
will be done as a pilot study,
sometimes through reading
previous literature, and sometimes
it's the specialist's “best guess.”
The two main descriptors of data used are a

measure of central tendency (usually the average)
and a measure of spread (the variance, or standard
deviation). From those two summaries one may
continue the decision-making process.
1 - The Average: If this situation were to play out over and over, where would the
outcomes tend towards; what can we expect “normal” to be, this is
perhaps the ideal outcome
2 - The Spread: How much variability or deviation is within this problem; what
influences the outcome to deviate from the average
3 - The Decision: What steps should be taken; this may be an advice card, or
contain any other pertinent information that assists in the decision-making
process
12
List of Common Three Card Spreads
Past - Present - Future

Timeline readings are useful for exploring the progression of an issue, or to gain a general outlook
Situation - Advice - Outcome
This spread can be used on any topic (love, career, conflict) that you desire
“Three card spreads are
His side - Her side - The Truth extremely universal, and
commonly traded
This old adage can help you gain a better perspective on the matter
amongst the Tarot
community. Here is a list
Option 1 - Option 2 - Advice
of ‘classic’ three card
Gain clarity on two choices in your life and an advice card to help you choose
spreads that can be used
with any layout you
What is Known - What is Unknown - What Needs to be Known desire.” - Alissa
Gives the querent a chance to prepare themselves for the unexpected
Love & Relationship - Career & Finance - Spiritual Path

Great catch-all spread, perfect for gaining a general outlook on current circumstances
Mind - Body - Spirit

See how you’re travelling in all three areas of your life, and the correlations between
Yes - No - Maybe (Or, Yes - Maybe - No)

Some prefer the neutral “Maybe” card to be placed at the center to balance the polarities
Good - Bad - Ugly

A tongue-in-cheek spread that uses humor to help us face something that we prefer not to
Get Ready - Get Set - Go! (Or, On Your Mark - Get set - Go!)
Useful for the preparation, development and launch of a new project, relationship or business venture
Positive - Neutral - Negative

This spread is great for helping identify the pros and cons of a situation
Now - Next - Later

An alternative timeline reading that provides a better look ahead
Red Light - Yellow Light - Green Light

A warning, a caution, and a confirmation for any issue or situation, including relationships
Id - Ego - Superego
Freudian theory identifies your irresponsible and overly-responsible choices, and the balance found between
13
Resource Guide
Recommended Tarot Decks
Suggested tarot decks to use with your three card spreads.
Gilded Tarot
See cards and read reviews at Aeclectic Tarot, and buy at Amazon.com.
Golden Tarot
Hanson-Roberts Tarot
Rider-Waite Tarot
Useful eBooks from Aeclectic Tarot

Tarot Spreads
More than 40 unique and original tarot spreads and layouts.
Tarot Reversals
Expand your readings with all the reversed card meanings.
Feedback
Did you like this eBook? Is there anything else you would have found useful or would have
liked included? Send us your feedback.
14

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Three Card Tarot Spreads © Aeclectic Tarot – www.aeclectic.

Predic t a Person’s Reac tio n Spread, by Metafizzy pop..................................................3

The Stress Spread, by Astraea Aurora.....................................................................4

Spiritual Path Spread, by Bodhran...........................................................................4

C elestial Spread, by Eowy n......................................... ........................................5

The Hermit Spread, by Glass Owl..........................................................................6

The Baba Yaga Spread, by Nisaba.........................................................................6

Odd Lov e Spread, by Eowy n....................................................................................7

Past Life Spread, by D anc ing Bear.........................................................................7

D aily Spread to Learn Tarot, by shesawolf...............................................................8

Simple Three C ard Spread, by Rolando....................................................................8

Impending Marriage Spread, by Bodhran................................................................9

Wash It Right Outta My Hair, by Glass Owl.............................................................9

True Intentions Spread, by Apollonia......................................................................10

Tell Me Something Spread, by zac hlost...................................................................10

Head, Heart , Hands Spread, by Bodhran.............................................................. .11

D on’t W rite In Starlight Spread, by Eowy n............................................................. ..11

New D ec k Spread, by Tor......................................................................................12

List of Common Three Card Spreads……………...............................................................13

Three Card Tarot Spreads © Aeclectic Tarot – www.aeclectic.net

Know Thyself Spread

2 - What I do not know about

3 - What I can do to get more in

Predict a Person’s Reaction Spread

1 - What they’ll feel

2 - What they’ll think

“Did you borrow your best friend’s cashmere

Three Card Tarot Spreads © Aeclectic Tarot – www.aeclectic.net

The Stress Spread

1 - What causes me the most stress at the

3 - How can I actively release stress now,

Spiritual Path Spread

1 - What will this path offer me (gift)

2 - What will this path require of me (challenge)

3 - How will this path change me (possible

Three Card Tarot Spreads © Aeclectic Tarot – www.aeclectic.net

Celestial Spread by Eowyn

New Moon Spread: To use between waning crescent and

3 - What will illuminate the dark path, the key in the

Full Moon Spread: To use during waxing, gibbous or

3 - What begins to fade away, to darken, to abandon

Sleeping Sun Spread: A spread for wishes and dreams.

“These spreads can be used

Three Card Tarot Spreads © Aeclectic Tarot – www.aeclectic.net

The Hermit Spread by Glass Owl

1 - Left: What you hear as the Hermit,

2 - Middle: You, the Hermit, during a time

3 - Right: What you receive as the Hermit,

The Baba Yaga Spread

1 - What are you running from

2 - What is it you seek

3 - What are you willing to risk

“This spread is very good for introspective self-examination. It allows you to

Three Card Tarot Spreads © Aeclectic Tarot – www.aeclectic.net

Odd Love Spread

1 - Why I’m lonely

Past Life Spread

1 - Who was this querent in a past

2 - What was the occupation of

3 - What were the dynamics of the

“There is no specific layout, just pull 3 cards and place

Three Card Tarot Spreads © Aeclectic Tarot – www.aeclectic.net