| 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 Renaissance Tarot is a modern deck, with symbolism drawn from the heroic age and rendered in renaissance style. This deck is an excellent choice for exploring questions of passion, mastery, and the inner workings of human reason. If you would like your own copy of the Renaissance Tarot, you can buy it now! |
 | The card not shown but at the center of the cross, represents the atmosphere surrounding the central issue. Ten of Staves (Oppression), when reversed: Avoidance of pain and absence of pleasure. Obscurity and domesticity. |
 | 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. Queen of Coins, when reversed: A cornucopia emptied. A heart of stone. Crystalline coldness. A field barren and gone to seed. Preoccupation of wealth and security that stifles enjoyment of both. |
 | The card at the top of the cross represents your goal, or the best you can achieve without a dramatic change of priorities. Four of Staves (Completion): Calm, pleasurable and perhaps amorous interlude. A playful balance of opposites, like the exchange made by Herakles and Queen Omphale. |
 | The card at the bottom of the cross represents the foundation on which the situation is based. King of Staves: A renaissance man, practical and imaginative, active and contemplative, forceful and chivalrous. Appreciation of the lessons and pleasures of life. Worldliness in the best sense. An intellectual, an artist or an inventor. |
 | The card at the left of the cross represents a passing influence or something to be released. King of Coins: A master of the material world. A man of affairs who is successful, expert and pragmatic. One who extracts wealth from its hiding places. A builder. A pillar of family, clan and community. |
 | The card at the right of the cross represents an approaching influence or something to be embraced. Ace of Coins, when reversed: Wealth without happiness. Obsession with money. Avarice. Greed. Worry. |
 | The card at the base of the staff represents your role or attitude. Three of Cups (Abundance): Rescue from difficulty. Comfort in apprehension. A strange but beautiful occurrence. |
 | The card second from the bottom of the staff represents your environment and the people you are interacting with. Justice, when reversed: Justice miscarried or delayed. |
 | The card second from the top of the staff represents your hopes, fears, or an unexpected element that will come into play. Eight of Staves (Swiftness): An explosion of movement and activity. A dramatic event. An unusual manifestation. |
 | The card at the top of the staff represents the ultimate outcome should you continue on this course. Five of Staves (Strife), when reversed: A cautious step ahead without the aid of others. |
