I recently tried the Celtic cross in my last class however as a newbie recalling these positions is quite daunting. I have in my basket a table cloth with the Celtic cross i will try for practice. Are there any other mats or cloths with different spreads available as a tool to get confidence?

Do you have the spread printed on paper to reference?

And, Celtic Cross is a difficult time for new readers. Consider looking up some 3 card spreads and others that are not such a deep dive. But during class, having it printed may help a lot.

The Celtic Cross is a more elaborate spread than is often needed, but I do think it's a good idea to get to grips with it. If nothing else, it shows how cards link up and influence one another. It also shows what KINDS of information you can get from a tarot reading. It's just that it's not a good spread for every situation or question.

I suspect most of us 'old' people started out with this spread, and worked into less elaborate spreads as we got 'wiser.' But, like lots of knowledge, it is a good place to start ...at least for learning purposes.

Maybe try setting up a Celtic spread with your cards, without asking a question. Use a printed 'map' to keep you straight. Then build a 'story' from what shows up.

What is influencing the current situation (the crossing card), what is past, what has helped to set it up (the foundation), what is the overview at the moment, what is likely to happen next, what will your attitude be as things develop, what aspects of the situation can YOU control, what is outwith your control, what do you hope for, what do you wish for, etc? It's all there in the Celtic spread. Working with the Celtic spread as a learning exercise using any cards is very good practice, even if the story these specific cards tell isn't relevant to your own life at the moment.

Edited October 12Oct 12 by Chariot

12 hours ago, Wyrdkiss said:

Do you have the spread printed on paper to reference?

And, Celtic Cross is a difficult time for new readers. Consider looking up some 3 card spreads and others that are not such a deep dive. But during class, having it printed may help a lot." - yes, we practice other spreads too but other than the 3 cards, i dont envision memorising these. I guess i will practice the cross for learning and then favour my simpler spreads if my own.

4 hours ago, Chariot said:

The Celtic Cross is a more elaborate spread than is often needed, but I do think it's a good idea to get to grips with it. If nothing else, it shows how cards link up and influence one another. It also shows what KINDS of information you can get from a tarot reading. It's just that it's not a good spread for every situation or question.

I suspect most of us 'old' people started out with this spread, and worked into less elaborate spreads as we got 'wiser.' But, like lots of knowledge, it is a good place to start ...at least for learning purposes.

Maybe try setting up a Celtic spread with your cards, without asking a question. Use a printed 'map' to keep you straight. Then build a 'story' from what shows up.

What is influencing the current situation (the crossing card), what is past, what has helped to set it up (the foundation), what is the overview at the moment, what is likely to happen next, what will your attitude be as things develop, what aspects of the situation can YOU control, what is outwith your control, what do you hope for, what do you wish for, etc? It's all there in the Celtic spread. Working with the Celtic spread as a learning exercise using any cards is very good practice, even if the story these specific cards tell isn't relevant to your own life at the moment.

Thanks Chariot. I do indeed fall into the old people category. I will try the spread as you suggest without question and feel the story for practice. I will order the cloth now though as i feel it will help my practice.

I've not seen many Tarot cloths with varied spreads printed on them...

And they didn't exist when I started out...

As an oldie - I learned 1st with the Celtic Cross 🙃 - and how I learned was to memorise this poem to remember what each position meant:

"1 finds you, 2 crosses you, 3 is below you, 4 is behind you, 5 crowns you, 6 is before you, 7 is for your house and home, 8 for what you least expect, 9 for your hopes and fears, 10 for what is sure to be.

11 for a little advice (also 1st house in Western Astrology), and 12 is for your shadow's kiss" (also 2nd house in Western Astrology).

When I took classes on Tarot at The College of Psychic Studies, Kensington, London (I decided to take a class after struggling to learn on my own from books for a while) - I made myself a Little White Book (LWB) and added what we learned as we went along. So - I'd just open my book at the page and have my little Celtic Cross map to refer to.

I have since added to it and begun a new LWB, which is as yet incomplete (as I lost steam half-way and didn't complete it. LOL).

My teacher extended her Celtic Cross to include the 12 Astrological houses - but I wasn't that interested in Astrology at the time (too much information for my restless brain) so I never pursued that:

I like the picture that I found in a magazine to decorate the front of my LWB 🫠:

I should really study my LWB more often - it has a lot of interesting stuff in it!

Edited October 12Oct 12 by Tanga

I think of the spread as like standing on the centre of the cross "you are here" - looking to the opportunity of the 5 ahead of you, with your background behind you, your past to your left etc

13 hours ago, Tanga said:

I've not seen many Tarot cloths with varied spreads printed on them...

And they didn't exist when I started out...

As an oldie - I learned 1st with the Celtic Cross 🙃 - and how I learned was to memorise this poem to remember what each position meant:

"1 finds you, 2 crosses you, 3 is below you, 4 is behind you, 5 crowns you, 6 is before you, 7 is for your house and home, 8 for what you least expect, 9 for your hopes and fears, 10 for what is sure to be.

11 for a little advice (also 1st house in Western Astrology), and 12 is for your shadow's kiss" (also 2nd house in Western Astrology).

When I took classes on Tarot at The College of Psychic Studies, Kensington, London (I decided to take a class after struggling to learn on my own from books for a while) - I made myself a Little White Book (LWB) and added what we learned as we went along. So - I'd just open my book at the page and have my little Celtic Cross map to refer to.

I have since added to it and begun a new LWB, which is as yet incomplete (as I lost steam half-way and didn't complete it. LOL).

My teacher extended her Celtic Cross to include the 12 Astrological houses - but I wasn't that interested in Astrology at the time (too much information for my restless brain) so I never pursued that:

I like the picture that I found in a magazine to decorate the front of my LWB 🫠:

I should really study my LWB more often - it has a lot of interesting stuff in it!

Wowzers, thats brilliant. I have screenshot your poem that I will share with my class, thank you. I have a tarot diary though a tad more chaotic with my 4 page self devised sheets with symbolism that works for my style of expression. More people to learn from is what I hoped for and judging by the replies, I think this will be an online layer of help so needed . Next step social in person swaps on the list..

7 hours ago, JoyousGirl said:

I think of the spread as like standing on the centre of the cross "you are here" - looking to the opportunity of the 5 ahead of you, with your background behind you, your past too

Super hepful too 🙏

A spread mat is a nice way to build confidence, and the Celtic Cross is a good one to learn because every position has a clear job (the crossing card, the foundation, the recent past, the crown, what is coming, and so on). Besides buying a cloth, you could make a cheap mat from a sheet of paper or felt with the positions written in, or keep a small printed map beside you until the layout sticks. A good study tip is to learn the Celtic Cross in two parts: the cross of six cards in the middle, then the staff of four cards on the right, and to read the central pair as one idea before moving on. Practicing with 3 card spreads like Situation, Challenge, Advice is also useful, because you learn how neighbouring cards color each other without so many positions to juggle. Once the Celtic Cross feels natural, a mat may not be needed at all.