
 FULL DECK TAROT STAR SPREAD
by Unicornis
There are very few Tarot spreads which use the entire deck in a single unified 
pattern.   What follows is a description of such a spread. It is best suited for 
situations in which a great deal of complexity is present, and for 'general' 
readings. The steps for creating the spread are:
1: Thoroughly shuffle the deck until it 'feels' right.  While I personably do 
not allow another person to shuffle my cards, if the reading concerns another it 
is acceptable to allow that person to hold the deck while concentrating upon the 
matter in question.   This is a personal preference, but I am convinced that the 
relationship between reader and deck is a very personal one and that contact 
with the deck by another may 'confuse' the reading.
2: Dealing from the 'bottom' of the deck (i.e. with the cards face down and 
dealing from the topmost position), create thirteen piles of six cards each.  
The first pile is in the center and the other twelve are in a circle around it.   
Each pile should be dealt consecutively (all six cards at once). Although it is 
not necessary to actually place them so, at least understand that the first card 
dealt in a pile  (Card 0) is in the center of a circle of five cards (Card 1 
through Card 5). This circle is, in actuality, a Star.  When laying them out in 
a Star, use the following spread for each pile:
                                1
                                    
                                                  
                3                               4        
                                0
              
                                        
                      5                    2
Note that if you trace the numbers from 1 to 5 you will trace a five-pointed 
star, always moving clockwise around the circle to reach the next point.
                   
3: Interpret the spread. 
Interpretation of this spread is based upon the 
astrological symbolism of the twelve houses. The first pile of cards in the 
circle of twelve piles is House 1, the second is House 2, etc..
The individual piles delineate the specific factors at work in each of the 
twelve basic areas. Card 1 represents the matter in question (the 'problem', 
question, etc.). Card 2 represents the 'source' (cause of the problem, inception 
of a project, etc.).  Card 3 represents factors which bear upon the matter, but 
which are external to it (and probably out of the control of the querant). Card 
4 represents actions taken with regard to the matter. Card 5 represents the 
outcome of those actions.  Card 4 is the most difficult to interpret, since 
'action' could here represent several different things. First of all, it might 
represent an action which has already been taken. If so, then Card 5 will 
represent the probable outcome, unless counter actions are taken.  Secondly, it 
might represent the action which the querant is asking about (i.e. 'Should I 
...'. Card 5, again, represents the probable outcome. Thirdly, it might 
represent the suggested course of action (answer to the question 'What should I 
...').  In this case, Card 5 is the suggested goal. It is quite possible that 
Card 5 will relate to a past outcome (i.e. everything has already transpired). 
If this seems to be the case, then it is possible that all five cards must be 
interpreted as relating to another person, instead of the querant.   Most of the 
time the sense of Card 4 should be apparent from the context of the reading.
Card 0 always represents the 'heart' of the individual Star spread. Usually, 
this relates to the querant's own relationship to the matter which is germane to 
the house in question.   It can also, however, represent the underlying ('behind 
the scenes') factors which precipitated the matter, not to be confused with the 
'cause' of a problem. In this sense, it will usually represent motivations, 
rather than actions. In some cases Card 0 will represent a person, other the 
querant, to which the Star actually relates. In such a case, an attempt should 
be made, based upon the situation and the nature of the card to identify that 
person, since this implies that the matter is either out of the hands of the 
querant or the querant is only an 'ambient' factor (and will then be represented 
by Card 3 for that particular Star.
In a similar manner, Pile 0 (the one at the center of the circle), represents 
the 'heart' of the entire reading. This will always pertain to the reasons 
(motivations) of the querant, and 
Interpretation of this Star spread must be 
used to modify all of the others.
This is not the place to delve into the meanings of the twelve houses in detail. 
There are many good books in print which deal with this. I highly recommend the 
following, which give excellent 
Interpretations of the twelve astrological 
houses (coinciding with the twelve 'Stars' of this Tarot spread):
        The Astrological Houses: The Spectrum of Individual Experience
        by Dane Rudhyar
        
        The Astrology of Personality
        by Dane Rudhyar
  
        A Handbook for the Humanistic Astrologer
        by Michael R. Meyer
The full deck star spread lends itself admirably to an in-depth study of any 
matter.  The human condition is far too complex to use a simple yes-no approach 
to any matter of importance. More so than spreads which involve only a small 
number of the total factors which could come into play, the full deck star 
spread allows detailed analysis of all of the options and avenues which are 
available. It will also show how the outcome of an action might affect areas of 
the querant's life which were not specifically part of the reason for consulting 
the Tarot in the first place.
It might take a little longer to use, and might require a little more effort on 
the part of the interpreter, but the extra work will be repaid many-fold in the 
certainty that no stone was left unturned.
Free eBooks (Can Be Downloaded):
Samuel Liddell Macgregor Mathers - The TarotSri Swami Sivananda - Thought PowerWh Auden - Baldur DreamAnonymous - Divination Spreads