There are quite a few traditional tarot spreads, and more spreads being published all the time. Sometimes students tell me of a specific concern and ask what spread would be best.

My answer is always the same. Why not create a spread for the specific situation?

It can be a spread for just this one-time use, or a spread that you save and use again the next time you encounter this situation.

Creating a tarot spread is easy. Just think about what each position should represent. Consider having a position for the significant people, and especially for the querent. If the area of concern involves a decision that needs to be made you can have positions like "What do I need to consider about this decision?" And, "What will happen if I choose X?" And, "What will happen if I choose Y?" And, "Are there other options that I haven't considered?"

You can have positions that ask questions on a spiritual level, an emotional level and a practical level.

You can graphically arrange your spread in a way that appeals to you.

When you think about designing a tarot spread, consider this. A tarot spread is a way of exploring every aspect of a situation all at once. Each position reflects an important question. When you lay out the spread you can see how the cards blend together, and trends in distribution.

Remember to read each card in the context of its positional meaning, as well as looking at the overall picture.

A tarot spread that you create can handle unique problems as well as more common ones.

Many readers don't realize that a spread that they create, even for one-time use, can be even more powerful than a traditional spread that has been practiced by hundreds of people.