Fortune Spread
Introduction
This is one of the first spreads I crafted and is still one of my favorites. I’ve been looking forward to sharing it for a long time. It came from a place of frustration, but ultimately gave birth to a new understanding. It's a relic from a time in my life where the pieces were just starting to come together in my tarot journey. In the true spirit of the wheel, I was beginning to see the universe in a new light.
At that time, the wheel was ever-present in my spreads, so I thought, why not create one that revolves around it to get to the core of what it is trying to tell me? I later realized that the wheel itself was the lesson. It wasn’t about my being lucky or unlucky, it was about needing to realize and accept that everything happens in cycles.
Today also happens to be Friday the 13th, a time when we put a lot of focus on the constructs of good and bad luck. What better time to take a moment to meditate on your current relationship to the wheel? I also happen to really need a check-in right now.
One of the keys to happiness is to find stability among the ups and downs of life. Use this spread for guidance when you feel like you’ve lost control. With awareness, you can work to actively stay on the upside of the wheel as much as possible.
Ritual
I have a special cloth that I use only for this spread. It’s not necessary for you to do the same, of course. I place stones in each corner, quartz, rose quartz, citrine, and amethyst to open my mind, heart, spirit, and third eye intuition. The deck I’m using today is The Golden Thread Tarot, because first of all it matches the cloth, and it’s the deck I was using back when I created this spread.
Fortune Spread
Level: Advanced
Type: Self-Reflection or Querent Driven
Set up
Place the Wheel of Fortune card from your deck in the center of your table or altar. Place it either upright or reversed depending on what side of the wheel the querent believes they are on. If they are currently going through hard times, reverse it. If they are feeling lucky but afraid of the impending downturn, keep it upright. The rest of the cards will be placed around the wheel and read in relation to it, as the numbers are read in the diagram above. Each card relates to one of the 8 Sabbats or the Wheel of the Year.
Placements
Birth/Rebirth - This position relates to Yule. What will help give you a fresh outlook or perspective? What positive changes can you make to turn the wheel in your favor?
Purification - This position relates to Imbolc. What negative force(s) can you remove from your life to improve the outlook of your fortune?
Balance - This position relates to Ostara. What is throwing your wheel off balance and what can you do to restore it?
Creation/Cultivation - This position relates to Beltane. What can you actively do to improve the outlook of your fortune? What should you focus on cultivating?
Turning Point - This position relates to Litha. What will ultimately bring about the shift in your fortune?
Reward/Consequence - This position relates to Lammas or Lughnasadh. If you listen to the advice of this reading and your subconscious and action on it what will be the outcome? Conversely, what is the risk of ignoring it?
Gratitude - This position relates to Mabon. What are the gifts in your life that can help ground you in gratitude despite the turns of fate?
Intuition/Spirituality - This position relates to Samnhain. How can your intuition guide the way forward? What is it trying to tell you?
After all these cards are read, circle back to 1 and readdress the questions it posed.
My Reading
The Fool Reversed - I may need to be less reckless and think before I act in order to make the wheel turn in my favor. I need to take a more grounded perspective on things.
Ace of Swords Reversed - Anxiety and mental chaos are the sources of most of my problems. I need to strike a balance between planning and overthinking.
IX of Swords Reversed - Inner negativity is throwing me off balance. I need to practice more positive thinking to restore it.
IV of Cups - I need to cultivate some emotional stability and contentment. This reinforces the message of 3.
The Star Reversed - A turning point may come when I can see the bright-side of my misfortune. I should take some time away from the grind to recharge my spiritual batteries.
The Empress - If I can turn the wheel in my favor I can become like The Empress, powerful, nurturing, and surrounded by abundance. I may even give birth to some new ideas.
V of Pentacles - This isn’t generally a card that speaks to gratitude, but for me, it always represents my husband and I am certainly grateful for him. It also means that I should be grateful for those willing to help me during this time of financial hardship.
Page of Swords - My intuition tells me to keep learning and feed my thirst for knowledge. If I stay curious, I’ll find what I’m looking for. It is also a good sign that I should keep moving forward with my projects, but I should maybe approach them with a new perspective. Which beautifully brings the reading back to one.
I hope you enjoy your Friday the 13th and the full harvest moon! I’m going to take this opportunity to recharge my cards, crystals, and myself.
