| 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. Woman of Poetry: "To go forth to the Great Harvest & Vintage of the Nations". Radiating confidence, pride, and self-assurance. Being unafraid to promote yourself or reach for what you really want. Being generous and open-hearted, but also dramatic and assertive. Wanting to inspire others. Creative self-fulfillment. Gathering a rich harvest from the situation. Expressing intuitive knowledge and leadership. Mastery of expression. In the creative process: With complete confidence in your expressive abilities, you serve as a guiding light to inspire growth and confidence in others. |
 | 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. Knowledge, when reversed: An important, possibly moral choice that you refuse to face. Uncomfortable insight into a relationship or one's own involvement in a relationship. Inability to integrate all levels of consciousness within oneself. Denial of intimacy and open communications. |
 | The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Man of Painting, when reversed: The need to dominate the situation. Allowing theory to get in the way of pragmatics. Intoxication with a highly charged situation. Taking a dogmatic and self-indulgent approach. Obsessive focus on the task at hand. Bathing in the spotlight. 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 bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. Reason, when reversed: Naked rationalism is in the driver's seat. Being out of touch with your heart and inner voice. Feeling bound by rules without context. Finding oneself trapped in a hierarchy, whether at the top or the bottom. Reliance on the patriarchal or traditional approach in the face of changing times or contexts. Fathering issues. Watch for ironies, as the emperor has no clothes. |
 | The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. Two of Painting (Balance): A choice regarding something tangible or physical. Body-awareness is a key factor; hang in there. Balance as a dynamic force. Using interaction and negotiation to keep energy flowing. Stretching your abilities to bridge a gap or to reconcile differences. In the creative process: A breach in the project requires inner strength and timely decisions; stick with the task and seek cooperative assistance. |
 | The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Child of Science: Searching for truth or knowledge. Figuring out a plan or stratagem. Questioning everything. Looking inside yourself for deeper information. Building on a classical or time-tested approach. A time for research and information-gathering. Skillful use of tools and technology. Curiosity. In the creative process: Doing feasibility studies or reorganizing your approach is favored now. Be curious and question everything. |
 | The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. 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 second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Union, when reversed: Something vitally important to you refuses to come together. Discord between male and female forces, or inner and outer life. Holding back. Incompleteness. Fear of intimacy or self-sacrifice. |
 | The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Two of Music (Contraries), when reversed: Failure to recognize a paradoxical situation at hand. Inability to confront emotional choices. Lack of harmony between different kinds of energies. Complimentary opposites remaining apart. Inability to transcend differences. Unnecessary haggling where exchanges for mutual benefit could be had. In the creative process: Use the presence of contrary elements as an impetus for unleashing your imagination to exploit the inherent possibilities. |
 | The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Ten of Music (Sublimity), when reversed: Gifts of love withheld, especially in relationship or marriage. Hiding your deepest feelings from others. Subtle barriers to friendship and social involvements. Failure to recognize achievement. A dull tinge to the happiness of hearth, home, and hospitality. Slight lack of fulfillment in communal or community involvement. In the creative process: Combine your efforts with others to create a unified whole greater than the sum of its parts. |
