Decision-Making Tarot Spread
Tarot spreads are a great way to cultivate a well-rounded answer to the question you seek.
Sometimes, it's easy to shuffle the deck and pull a few cards, but when the question at hand is very important, setting up a specific structure can benefit you by answering multiple, very specific questions to build into a more comprehensive answer.
Spreads help enhance a tarot reading and are great for helping guide you through the decision-making process.
Tarot readers can also benefit from using a decision-making spread as it allows the receiver to dissect the information the cards have presented and helps them understand the full picture.
In this article, you'll find the best decision-making tart spread for just about any course of action.
Framing The Question
When facing a tough decision, it can be difficult to plan how to move forward.
Making the right decision can be stressful without understanding how your circumstances will change due to the multiple courses of action available.
Usually, there are two options, but only one is the best choice for the future that you desire. That's why consulting the tarot is beneficial, as it helps guide you toward understanding the most likely outcome of any given course of action.
Going into any decision, important that you understand yourself and your Life Path as a whole.
When faced with a decision you must make, it's important to phrase the question that yields the most abundant answer.
For example, instead of asking, "should I do this" or "should I not do this" ask something like, "what is the most likely outcome if I do this."
The first two are simply yes or no questions and don't ask the deck enough information to make a sound decision.
When you ask the cards to draw you a picture of what may transpire by making decisions, you'll be able to make an informed decision and choose your ideal outcome as you're shown what is most likely to occur.
Cleansing the Deck
Always cleanse and charge your Tarot deck before an important tarot spread.
You want the energy to be fresh, clear, and centered.
If you don't have time or the tools to cleanse your deck, that's fine too.
Just make sure to cleanse it periodically, especially if you're doing reading for others.
You can use different smudging tools to purify the deck's energy.
You can also leave a piece of clear quartz, which has a powerful attuning ability to purify any negative energies attached to the cards.
Once you're finished, it's time to begin.
The Decision-Making Spread
This tarot spread is great when you are unsure which route to take.
If what lies ahead seems uncertain, find clarity through performing this spread and allow your intuition to help you decide the best source of action.
The spread contains seven cards. Shuffle the deck in whichever way feels comfortable, and begin drawing the cards and placing them in their respective positions when it feels right.
The spread contains three rows.
Top Row - From left to right
Past Influence
The first card in the first row represents the past influence that is affecting the current situation.
The past can help you gain inner wisdom as to what has been left unresolved within you, causing you to repeat certain patterns to take part in certain experiences that may not be beneficial for you.
Any trauma or suppressed emotions may be present in the card in this spread position.
2. Current Influence
The second card illustrates the current influences that are affecting the situation.
Here, you'll find your most recent actions and choices that have created the circumstances that now require you to make an important decision.
This placement is often the easiest to help you overcome, as it's present at this point in time.
3. Future Influence
Yes, the future can have an effect on the present.
The third card helps explain the cause and effect of your future and now moments.
When you make certain decisions in the now, this sets up a path for the future.
In those future paths, certain events that are set to occur can begin changing the energy within the present to line up with the future state.
Use this placement to gain insight as to where you're heading and what can happen if you refuse to make a decision.
Middle Row - From Left to Right
4. Past Resolution
The fourth card represents what decision you can make to overcome your past energy affecting your current situation.
If you're struggling to overcome a traumatic event from childhood, the card in the fourth position may teach you ways to heal your inner child.
If you're struggling with shame due to choices you've made in the past, the star card or other cards of encouragement may appear to remind you of your worth, value, and power.
5. Current Resolution
The fifth card helps you explore how to overcome the current challenges that are affecting your situation.
If you're unsure of exactly where you're holding yourself back or what external influences are causing you to have to make an important decision, the fifth card will express the underlying energy there.
For instance, if you have to make a tough decision in regard to love, this card may represent a lesson that the relationship was destined for you to learn, or it can express what's missing in the relationship or is unable to meet your needs which is why you have to make the decision.
6. Future Resolution
The sixth card isn't always going to be a course of action you should take. It's simple advice for you if the future depicted in the third card isn't aligned with your own desires. If you're happy with the route you're headed, the sixth card can be disregarded, as it only shows how to overcome those circumstances. But, if you're not satisfied with where your future is headed, the sixth card will help you decide which route you can take to avoid it.
Making The Decision
After seeing all of your cards laid out, you can see the full projection of what has led you to the place you're at and where these influences are leading you. Sometimes, the decision tarot spread helps guide you in a direction you wouldn't have expected.
If you're someone who has a lot of internal challenges to work through, this spread may show you just how vital it is to turn inward and spend the near future working on yourself before making any life-changing decisions.
Generally speaking, if you're unhappy with what the spread has shown, it's most important to utilize cards 4 - 6 to help find ways to undo the circumstances you or others have created for you.
Personal growth comes from change, but sometimes this growth is stunted if the circumstances are provided with the right tools and understudied they need to fully flourish.
That's the main goal of this spread, to help show you a way to find empowerment over the various aspects of your life, so you can make an informed and empowered decision.
Bottom Row
7. The Highest Path
The seventh card in the spread provides you with the answer to how you should move forward toward walking your desired path.
If you're looking to make a decision involving an important change in your life, the answer may not tell you to move forward or even tell you to make a decision. Or, the card may tell you to be impulsive and go for what you desire without worrying about how things will work out for you.
This final card may not reflect the answer that you were hoping for, but it will show you which path is most beneficial for you to take right now.
The Big Picture
Now that you have all your cards laid out shift through their meanings to help you understand the situation on all levels. Look at it from every angle, and think about how the final card directs you.
Once you understand the true depth and magnitude of the first six cards, the final card will seem very valuable, and you'll understand exactly why the tarot has directed you in this way.
Making Decisions with Tarot Cards
You have free will, as such, no form of divination can tell you exactly what the future holds. At the same time, a Tarot spread cannot specify the "best" course of action for you with certainty.
That said, Tarot cards unlock wonderful insights that help you make the best decision possible. To be clear, the "best decision" is whatever moves your life in the direction you want it to go, typically to get more financial success, freedom, or romantic connection.
The spread reveals information to you that may not have been available before. A Tarot spread of this kind presents an opportunity to warn you of risks you may not have been aware of, or show you opportunities that await.
A Tarot spread also has the unique ability to unlock insights and perspectives from your Intuition. It can also channel guidance from your spirit guides, who support you and can communicate with you in a Tarot reading.
When you draw Tarot cards in this spread, pay careful attention to the messages being delivered to you.
So, how do you use the information you receive for making your decision?
Using this Spread for an insightful Tarot Reading
As with any Tarot reading, start by taking deep breaths and making yourself still.
Quiet your mind so that you can hear the messages being delivered to you.
As you flip all of the Tarot cards, make sure you understand what each of the cards means. You can look up the meanings in our Tarot Cheat Sheet for quick reference.
While you are receiving insights, observe the biases that come up. Are you hoping for a certain answer or card to come up? Do you find yourself averting something because you think it will be uncomfortable?
Let your resistance fade and be truthful with yourself. Be honest with yourself about what your desires are.
Find a key takeaway from the reading. You should be able to highlight a major benefit and drawback of each option available to you in the decision.
Then, once you have all the information in front of you, it's time to decide. Make a move, and stick with it in confidence that the Universe wants to see you succeed!