Cross Spread
How it is structured
The love cross in these applications uses five cards: current state in the center, you on the left, the other person on the right, what unites above, and the obstacle below. Its interpretations proceed from the catalog by position. This structure is distinct from the ten-card Celtic Cross.
Useful distinctions
The axes help compare perspectives. The center gathers the matter, the sides allow contrasting roles, and the vertical axis relates union and difficulty in this variant. The position of the other person is symbolic and does not allow access to their private thoughts.
A practical example
Imagine The Lovers in the center, Strength on the left, The Hermit on the right, Temperance above, and The Moon below. The reading can explore affinity and personal rhythms, united by dialogue and crossed by uncertainty. Synthesis arises from connecting positions, not from substituting one for a general conclusion.
Bring it into your reading
What relationship do you find between the center, the sides, and the axis that brings together support and difficulty?