Tarot: 3 Card + Above & Below Spreads

Tarot can be a powerful tool for every part of your life.

Not only can it be used to help you create your future, it can help you glean information from current events.

It can help you to understand something and help inspire you to new levels.

Tarot spreads can be helpful when you’re looking for a specific answer.

Things like the Celtic Cross or the Horseshoe are staples of any reader.

There are lots of readers that also like to create their own customized spreads.

The shapes, designs, and cards you pull are helpful to embody certain energies.

I love and have used many tarot spreads from some of the big names in the tarot world (see Biddy, Ethony, Chris-Anne, etc).

There will also be times that you can’t find the proper spread for your question or situation.

I’ve been there before.

You have an idea of what you’re looking for, but not a single site on the internet seems to have a proper spread for it.

Or you might be giving someone a reading live and you don’t have time to scour your resources for the perfect spread.

Or maybe you’re just looking for something simple to help you figure out what to do next.

The 3 Card Spread

For these situations, I default to a simple 3-card spread.

The specific shape of the 3 cards varies, but every time it’s very simple.

Left card, middle card, right card.

Quick, easy, efficient, and full of information.

You can find hundreds of ways to read the 3 cards together.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• General - 

  • There’s no theme or placements or anything. Just pull 3 cards in regards to a situation or question and see what stands out. 

  • This is the one I use the most. Especially when I’m giving readings live to someone right in front of me.

  • As they’re talking, I’ll pull 3 cards and just see what comes up for me, no need to get specific on what is what. 

  • Most of the time, my intuition will pick up on something, which will allow me to help them find the best solution.

• Past, present, future - 

  • This is especially helpful in regards to working with other people, wondering about relationships, or even events.

  • The first card represents the past, the second card the present, and the third card the future.

• Storyboard - 

  • With this, I draw 3 cards and then review them as if they are panels in a comic book.

  • How do they relate to each other? How do the characters interact?

  • It might mirror the past, present, future, or it might just show an interaction between people.

  • What emotions are there and how does it relate to the question at hand?

• The Decision Maker

  • This one is best used when trying to decide between 2 options. Whether that’s business partners, locations, houses, or even dinner.

  • Pull the left card, which represents option 1.

  • Pull the right card, which represents option 2.

  • Pull the middle card, which represents the best path forward.

  • The best part of this spread is that it gives lots of information that the querent can take with them. No matter what decision they make, it’s going to be the right one for them. This gives them a headstart on what the best option might be.

• Daily

  • You can use a 3-card spread as a daily pull in a few ways.

  • You could see each card as morning, noon, and night to see the energy as the day progresses.

  • You could use it more like the general and let all 3 act as a summary of your day.

Above & Below

One of my favorite tarot spreads is one I’ve called, “Above & Below”.

The title comes from the overall theme of the spread, which is to find a major arcana that represents where you’re feeling stuck and then find the card above and below it.

It requires a little extra thought and intention work before you get started, which helps to make it an even better reading.

Above & Below

1. Grab your supplies

   • Candle/Incense, Tarot deck, Notebook & pen

2. Create your sacred space

3. Think about where you’re feeling stuck, and then find the major arcana that best represents you in this situation.

   • Examples - 

     • Empress - Abundance, Divine Feminine, Pleasure

     • High Priestess - Intuition

     • Magician - Manifesting, Creating, Performing

     • Death - Change, Letting Go, New Ideas

     • Hermit - Solitude, Teaching, Learning

   • If it helps, pull out all the Major Arcana and review them 1 by 1. See which one resonates with you and then choose that one.

4. Pull out the chosen Arcana and journal out some thoughts on it. 

   • Why you chose it, how it represents your situation, what emotions do you feel?

5. Shuffle all the cards together until your intuition tells you to stop.

6. Flip the deck over and find the Major that you chose.

   • The card in front of it is “below”, the card behind is “above”.

7. Lay all 3 cards out in front of you.

   • The card to the left (below) is what is actively keeping you “stuck”.

   • The card to the right (above) is how you overcome the “stuck”.

8. Journal thoughts on the below card

   • Write down everything that your intuition shows you.

   • How could this represent your situation and how you feel?

   • What are some ways this is manifesting in your life?

9. Journal thoughts on the above card

   • How can the message of this card help you to overcome feeling stuck?

   • What thoughts and feelings come up for you with this card?

10. Journal on the entire spread/situation with any new ideas you have.

    • Has your perspective changed?

    • Have you found a new solution?

    • Can you feel the energy shifting already?

    • Any last thoughts?

11. Smile and give thanks to the Universe

12. Close your sacred space

13. Take a few deep breaths and center yourself in your body.

In my experience, just the act of spending some intentional time with your intuition on a problem, helps to start clearing the “stuck” energy immediately.

That’s why I like this quick 3-card spread so much. 

Even identifying yourself with one of the major arcana, helps to identify why/how you’re feeling stuck, which immediately starts to clear the energy.

Plus you can always keep the cards out and use it as a kind of affirmation each day.

Try it for yourself, and if you want some extra help, I offer the Above & Below spread here.

In this focused reading, we work together to identify where you’re feeling stuck and which card best represents your current attitude. Then we go through the blocks and ways to overcome it together to get your energy moving again.