QUICK GUIDE

TO THE
NINE CARD
TABLEAU
MARÍA ALVIZ HERNANDO
 QUICK GUIDE
TO THE NINE CARD TABLEAU

The Nine Card Tableau has been my signature spread for years.
It is my go-to for its versatility. You can use it in all kinds of
questions -from the most simple, to complex situations- and you
will get clear, relevant and useful information every time.

This integral style of reading moves past card-by-card

interpretations and allows you to see your reading as a whole,
helping you connect the dots with ease, analyze and interpret
your reading cohesively, no matter the question or the cards on
the table.

If you have ever felt stuck as an “intermediate” reader, or

believe that you could be extracting more from you readings,
give this system of layered reading a chance to transform your
practice and never draw a blank again!

After you learn and apply this system, your readings will
transform and you will no longer scratch your head wondering
about the meaning of a card in a particular position in which it
doesn’t seem to make sense.

When you’re done reading this guide, you will be equiped with
resources to tackle any question from different angles, elaborate
a reading based on a few key points, and grow it into a detailed,
solid interpretation that gives your querents the clarity they’re
seeking.

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 BASIC LAYOUT

Begin by laying nine cards in three rows of three. The order isn't
relevant to the spread, so you can use your own. The numeric
order shown below is the one that I use (mostly out of habit)
because I like the central card to be the first that I draw -since as
we will see later, it's the position that shows the core of the
situation- and the card of the bottom right to be last that I draw -
as it is the strongest outcome position.

With that said, if you choose to do it in a different order, it will

not affect the reading, so go confidently in whatever way is the
most comfortable to you.

6 3 7
2 1 4
8 5 9

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 LAYERED READING

The key to reading tableau is layered reading. This means that

you don't read card-by-card and are done with them as you go
by. Instead, you pass through the cards multiple times,
extracting different information from each layer of meaning.

When you first look at the spread, look for patterns, directions,
colours, suits, and use that information to add to your
interpretation. In fact, interpretation is probably the last step!
There are a number of things that you want to go through first,
and that will serve as the foundation of your reading.

Your question is an integral part of your reading. It all comes

back to it. Are you asking an “if”? A “when”? A “how”? It matters!

Interpreting the same cards can give very different results

depending on the question that you’re asking. The same cards
will have different things to say if you are asking “Will I get the
job I interviewed for?” than if you’re asking “How can I ace the
interview tomorrow?”

Make sure that you’re driving your interpretation home by

sticking to your question and reading the cards accordingly.

Use every resource! What is on the table is just as important as

what is NOT on the table. Before jumping into interpretation,
scan the spread and consider whether the cards appear to
facilitate or oppose the matter that you’re asking about. Is there
a noticeable absence? No Cups in a love reading? Are you asking
about money but those pesky Pentacles are nowhere to be
found? That’s important information at your disposal!

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 KEY POSITIONS

The highlighted positions are the first that I look at for they are
the “spine” of the reading. Giving a look to this trio of cards
before anything else will give you powerful first impression about
what is the core of the matter, what is the energy around it like,
and where is it likely to go.

The card on the top left adds a nuance or "flavour" to the

reading, and it influences the rest of the spread.

The central card reveals the core of the situation, the meat,
what everything else revolves around.

The card on the bottom right is the strongest outcome card.

Take time to observe these three and let them be the

foundation upon which you build the rest of your reading.

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 TIMELINE

This spread comes with an incorporated timeline to help you

orient yourself and locate the developements showcased in the
reading. This timeline can be changed according to the needs of
your particular reading.

Always set the timeline for your reading prior to drawing your
cards. The timeline below is my standard, go-to version, but
there are other options, like starting from “Present” on top, and
letting the central and bottom row be “Near Future” and “Distant
Future”.

PAST / FOUNDATION

PRESENT / CURRENT EVENTS

FUTURE / OUTCOME

Each row gives you information pertaining to one moment in

time. You can read in a narrative way from top to bottom, or split
the rows.

Pay attention to the flow of the reading to get an idea about

timeframes, or whether the situation will develop smoothly or it
will be slow and full of obstacles. Do the cards support the
development of the subject or are they against it?

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 INFLUENCES

There are a plethora of reasons behind our actions, and

whether we like it or not, there are influences beyond our control
affecting the course of every action or situation.

The cards highlighted on top represent the influences that are

affecting the situation shown at the center. The cards
highlighted at the bottom, represent what is being influenced or
affected by the current situation.

EXERTING INFLUENCE OVER

BEING INFLUENCED BY

The two cards on top are usually matters beyond the querent's
control that are affecting the situation. There is more wiggle
room when it comes to the querent's ability to make changes in
the two cards at the bottom, yet it is important to take the
question and context into consideration to determine the
querent's ability to affect the circumstances.

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 KNIGHTING

Knighting cards is a way to link two cards together and

discover more about their association. It is very useful to find out
those connections that are not obvious at first glance, and often,
you will be able to extract more information about a card by
looking the card(s) that it knights.

How do you knight cards? Well, if you are familiar with the
game of chess and the L-shaped moves of the Knights you've
pretty much got it. If you are not, pick a card from the square,
and go two to the side and one down, or two down and one to
the side and ta-dah! You've got a pair of cards to work with.

See the example below.

Note: Except for the central card, all cards have at least two
knighting possibilities.

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The columns often offer information that supports your

reading, showing confirmation of what you are on about, or
letting you know more about what is going on in the backstage.

Sometimes, when there is a significator card (a card that

intentionally or not is assigned to represent the querent or
someone significant in the reading) you can use the columns to
get additional information about the individual's intentions and
motives in this configuration of cards.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Seek the information in the columns when you want to find

supporting evidence of the information that you are getting or
when you want to know more about the possible ramifications of
the situation that you are reading on.

Frequently, you will find that the story in the columns tends to
repeat the conclusions that you've drawn at first glance.

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 START READING!

Before you jump into interpreting the cards, take some time to
give a thorough look at your spread and consider following these
indications.

Decide upon a timeline before shuffling your cards. This way

you will eliminate the possibility of second-guessing your
cards and their disposition within the spread.

Give a first look at your spread. What are your main three
cards and how do they relate to the question?

Check out the suits that appear in the spread and think of
their elemental correspondence. How do they relate to the
situation or question? Is there any suit missing? How does
that absence affect the situation?

Check the flow of the reading. Do you have cards that go

harmonically together or are there disruptive cards? How
does that relate to the question asked?

How do the cards relate to the question? Do they favour it or

are they against it? Do they seem to relate to the question
asked, or do you struggle to see a connection?

Interpret in multiple layers until you are satisfied with the

information retrieved from the cards.

Remember to make a point about considering what’s absent as

much as what’s present. The cards on the table are there for a
reason, and when they’re not, it’s also for a reason!

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 SAMPLE READING

Is there a romantic future between our querent and Kyle?

Deck featured: Le Tarot de Marseille-Waite by Emmanuelle Iger and Alice Laverty

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 Here’s the interpretation:

At first glance, the main three cards are pointing to a casual

relationship. The 6 of Swords brings an evasive nuance to the
reading, as well as an indication that it will be a passing
connection. The 3 of Cups at the core speaks of a “carpe diem”
attitude towards the relationship. The 7 of cups as the outcome
suggests that no commitment will be made and things will be
left open ended in this connection.

Looking at the elemental disposition of the cards, the absence

of the element of Fire (Wands) is to be noted, bringing a sense of
stagnation to the reading. This is reinforced by the two passive
cards that appear as the foundation (2 of Swords and The
Hanged Man). Water appears in all three Major Arcana as the
corresponding element to The Hanged Man, The High Priestess
and Death, which are not too favourable to a romantic outcome,
this allows us to conclude that the emotional aspect is not
positively aspected.

Water is also present in the two cards of the suit of Cups that
appear in the spread (3 and 7 of Cups). However; These two cards
reinforce the idea of a temporary connection, not bringing
commitment or resolution to the equation, nor speaking of
intense, well grounded feelings of love.

Earth appears cornered, brought by the 8 and 10 of Pentacles,

the latter being cut by Death, which ends the possibility of a
stable relationship. Air shows up at the beginning of the spread
with the 6 of Swords, but doesn’t appear in present or future
placements. This suggests a lack of communication in the
relationship, as well as the absence of common goals.

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 If we now go to the main row of 6 of Swords - 2 of Swords - The
Hanged Man, it suggests that the relationship has not moved
forward in a while in terms of emotional development. It seemed
to be heading somewhere at the beginning with the 6 of Swords
but shortly after, each "partner" took a different direction, as can
be seen when the 2 of Swords knights the 10 of Pentacles on one
direction, pointing towards the search of a solid connection, and
to the 7 of Cups in the other, pointing to a casual connection,
which also has greater weight as an outcome card.

In the current moment, there's only one partner working on

this connection that is treated as casual by the other. By
knighting The High Priestess to the 6 of Swords and the 10 of
Pentacles it becomes apparent that the querent is hoping to
move the connection towards an official relationship, based on
the traction that it seemed to have in the past.

The directionality of the card, if we consider that The High

Priestess is facing the left, is an indicator that the querent is
longing for the early stages of this connection, yet is not satisfied
with what is currently happening.

Finally, Death blocks the possibility of a long lasting

relationship, as it was pointed out above, and the 7 of Cups
stands as the outcome, indicating that while the connection can
continue in a casual way, it is seen as one option among many,
and not something that will turn into a lasting, romantic
relationship.

If we check the columns, we can substantiate with the cards on

on the left (6 of Swords + 8 of Pentacles + 10 of Pentacles) that
the relationship began with some potential, what allows us to
confirm that the querent was right in their initial impression, yet
the situation turned in a different direction soon after.

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

All Rights Reserved
 FURTHER YOUR LEARNING

Moving from fixed positional spreads to a dynamic system such

as Tableau can be intimidating. There is so much to look for! I
promise you, though, that it is a bit like driving. At first you don’t
have enough hands and feet to do it all (at least if you drive stick,
as we do in Spain!) but soon, it becomes second nature!

If you decide to try and want to share in your social media, feel
free to tag me in your posts! You can find me as @thesibylstarot.

Consider taking your learning to the next level! I offer a variety

of courses on diverse Tarot subjects as well as the Oracle Belline,
and of course, you will now receive my weekly e-mails with all my
free content!

Check out my courses!

Tarot Tableau Techniques I

Tarot Tableau Techniques II
Ultimate Tableau
Tarot Court Cards
Exploring Sexuality Through Tarot

Other courses

MEET THE WORLD DIVINATION ASSOCIATION

Grow your divination skills with a worldwide community of

likeminded peers!

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

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 MARÍA
ALVIZ
HERNANDO
María's journey with tarot began when she bought a deck behind her parent's back circa 2006,
and she hasn't put it back ever since. What started as a hobby eventually turned into a passion
that became her full-time occupation in late 2015. At present, María is a reader, divination
teacher, and international speaker.

Her signature style, known as Tarot Tableau, blends traditional tarot and European cartomantic
techniques, resulting in a system that aims to make tarot effective, useful, and to the point. As a
reader, she combines a predictive approach with practical analysis, exploring the possibilities
available and offering actionable steps to deal with matters that are truly important to her
querents.

While tarot is her default medium of divination, she has also delved into other divinatory
systems to enhance her practice, with Lenormand and the Oracle Belline being two big favorites.

As one of the Directors of the World Divination Association and its Spanish-speaking branch,
WDA Hispana, María is dedicated to promoting the love for divination worldwide. Together, they
form a passionate and easy-going international community of diviners, providing high-quality,
accessible education in traditional divination systems and fostering a supportive and engaging
global network of like-minded peers.

Education is a cornerstone of Alviz's work, and she offers diverse online courses at the World
Divination Association, such as Tarot Tableau Techniques, Exploring Sexuality Through Tarot,
Tarot Death and Grief, and Oracle Belline, to name a few. She also enjoys cultivating closer
relationships with her one-on-one students through private mentoring lessons tailored to their
needs.

María has had the privilege of presenting at numerous online and in-person conferences,
including the World Divination Association Big Bang Conference, Lenormand Summit,
Divination Pride, Stockholm Tarot Conference, World Divination Association Virtual Conference,
and most recently, StaarCon 2023, where she will be presenting an intensive in 2024.

Beyond her undying love for tarot reading, María indulges in her other passions, including
history and antiques, especially the world of antique jewelry, literature, cross-stitching, travel,
and spoiling her bratty cats. She is based in Madrid and resides with her fabulous husband,
acting as the live-in servants of their five entitled kitties.

© María Alviz Hernando | The Sibyl's Tarot 2017 - 2023

All Rights Reserved