| The Celtic Cross spread is one of the most popular Tarot spreads, providing varied insight into many aspects of a complex situation and your role in it. The William Blake Tarot explores the mystical vision and artistry of the renowned English painter and poet. Through rich interpretations focused on creative undertakings, it has long been the deck of choice for artists, writers, musicians, and thinkers. For more information about this deck, or to buy your own personal copy, go to www.blaketarot.com.
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 | The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. Four of Painting (Means): Material prosperity and contentment. Creative achievements using material resources. Consolidation of personnel and materials. Bringing about order and structure. Emphasis on controlling, dominating, or monopolizing. Protecting and maintaining. In the creative process: Before reaching out for creative inspiration, prepare the groundwork: by appropriately allocating your resources and assigning creative tasks. |
 | The card visible at the center of the cross represents the obstacle that stands in your way - it may even be something that sounds good but is not actually to your benefit. Four of Music (Musing): "And I wrote my happy songs / Every child may joy to hear". Being at peace with yourself. Taking the time to reminisce and let your mind wander. Relief from emotional stress. Combining business with pleasure. Focus on playful communication. Mulling things over. Relaxed and slow pace. In the creative process: Relax into playfulness, whimsically experiment with improvisation or reminiscence about past experiences. Such meditations alleviate stress and refresh the imagination. Make space for the gifts of spirit to move through you. |
 | The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Liberty, when reversed: Restriction of personal freedom. A call to action goes unheard. Failure to reach a deeper level of awareness or sense of spiritual self. Failure to effect a basic change of state. Refusal to make an important decision or judgment, perhaps one long delayed. Being bound by limiting circumstances. |
 | The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Angel of Music, when reversed: Restrained surge of passionate emotion. Lack of compassion. Inability to rise above a mundane or materialistic milieu. An unexpected lack of emotion. Withheld personal transformation. Undeveloped aesthetic sensibility. Misunderstanding of public needs or the mass media. In the creative process: An inrush of excitement or appearance of a new factor offers alternative possibilities for your work. |
 | The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Five of Painting (Hardship): Tangible difficulties, insecurity, or financial worries. Possible material losses, pain, or illness. Accusations and criticism, or blame from others. Exclusion. Suffering. Issues of support, loyalty, or companionship in hard times. In the creative process: Realize that the problems you are trying to solve may put you at odds with others who do not recognize your value. Be ready to grapple with personal blocks and fears, and to hear more from your inner voice than reasons why things won't work. |
 | The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Man of Painting: Getting on top of practical aspects of the situation. Taking a pragmatic outlook at what needs to be done. Using calm and caution in a highly charged situation. Taking a conservative yet colorful and personal approach. Total concentration on the task at hand. Bathing in the light of life. Not holding back from direct experience. In the creative process: Test and refine your ideas or product to see if it works as planned; be practical yet innovative. |
 | The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. Child of Science, when reversed: Formulating unnecessarily complicated plans or stratagems. Questioning everything. Assuming that your outlook is representative of everyone else's. Trusting your intuitions in the face of the facts. Relying on rules of thumb when deeper insight is needed. Refusing to do background research and lay a foundation for your insights. Focusing on impersonal principles in personal matters. Being cool, aloof, or shy. In the creative process: Doing feasibility studies or reorganizing your approach is favored now. Be curious and question everything. |
 | The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Ace of Painting (Generation): A tangible impetus to creative action. Generating new forms. Putting your plan into action. New projects and works. A provocative opening. Powerful elements of sensuality and sexuality coming into play. Focus on fertility and virility. In the creative process: This is when you tap into the elemental and generative forces of life, using your inner vision to create new and exciting forms with which to work. |
 | The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Innocence, when reversed: Misinterpreting something old and conventional as something new and unique. Failure to trust your instincts. A foolhardy venture, or confrontation for which you are unprepared. |
 | The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Angel of Poetry, when reversed: Burst of imagination that requires action. Feeling torn apart by creative fire. Profound inner realization that cannot be dealt with. Being drawn by the Spirit away from Reality. Madness brought on by creative forces unbound. In the creative process: Imaginative insights are transforming your work, making it into a receptacle of divine truth and spiritual artistry. |
