The Complete Guide to Tarot Spreads: The Grand Cross Method

The Grand Cross spread is a simple, engaging method of Tarot divination. It blends traditional card selection with a playful bit of number addition. The spread uses five cards—sometimes just four—to clearly show the obstacles, support, and likely outcome related to the question at hand.

I. When to Use This Spread

Questions about love, friendship, academics, and career

II. Layout

• First, shuffle as usual. Then hold the deck in your left hand and fan it out. After cutting the deck, the end held in your left hand should be the side that faces down.
• Next, ask the querent to choose any card from the fan and place it at position “1” as shown.
• Repeat three more times, placing cards at positions “2,” “3,” and “4” in order.
• Gather the remaining cards and turn them face up from left to right. Set them aside without changing their order, as we will need them later.
• Reveal the cards in positions “1” to “4” and add up the numbers on these cards. If the total is less than or equal to 22, find the card among the remaining cards that corresponds to that number and place it at position “5” without changing its orientation.
• If the total exceeds 22, add the digits together to get a new number, then select the corresponding card based on this new number.
• If the new number matches any of the four revealed cards, do not draw a fifth card; instead, keep the original four cards and begin the interpretation.

III. Card Position Meanings

• Positions “1” and “2” represent external people or events that can influence the situation. Depending on the cards, they may be obstacles or sources of support.
• “3” symbolizes the cause of the issue.
• “4” indicates the primary solution to the problem.
• “5” represents the ultimate outcome. If the fifth card matches one of the first four, the outcome is the meaning of that card, and its orientation will match as well.