Once Upon A Time Spread

This spread calls for you to use the 0 Innocence card as the seeker during the reading. So you would pull out the 0 Card and put it to the side. You would then shuffle the deck several times while focusing on your question or area of concern.

Then draw SEVEN cards and put them aside. Next take the seven cards and without looking at them add the 0 Innocence card and shuffle the 8 cards several times. Place them in a single row. Turn the cards over, one by one, pausing to look at the card, think about your first impression as the card comes up. When you have all 8 cards face up. Take note of where the 0 Card is in the spread.

This card represents the seeker (the person the reading is for). If the card is near the beginning then there are still plenty of things to discover, deal with, accept or move past...they lie ahead so to speak. If the 0 Card is near the end of the spread then the end of the issue is close at hand and there may only be a few things left. Regardless. you read all of the cards in the spread for insight and details.

The cards to the left of the 0 card are actions/feelings/thoughts/physical pursuits that have already taken place regarding the issue at hand. They are conscious or the seeker should at least be aware of them on some level. The cards to the right of the 0 card...are yet to happen or may be unconscious factors that the seeker has not discovered yet. It's like a fairy tale story map with the seeker as a character in the tale.

Court Cards can be interpreted as people the seeker knows or will know regarding the issue at hand. Aces are beginnings so pay attention to them if they fall within the spread. Other cards are interpreted according to your general method of reading.

Here's an example:

Question: How will R.'s relationship with K. turn out?

CARDS: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Card number 5 in the spread is the seeker. Cards 1-4 represent conscious things and/or things that have already happened. Note the Queen of Pentacles next to the 0 Card. This person has either recently entered the issue or is someone close to the seeker. Cards 6-8 are actions yet to take place or factors yet to be discovered or understood.

1. XV Temptation: This card represents not just temptation but shadow aspects of self that need to be recognized and integrated. At the beginning of this issue there was some denial of these aspects and perhaps someone in the situation projected those repressed feelings on someone else.

2. Two of Cups: The love in the relationship started out strong but perhaps became burdensome in dealing with emotional baggage. Somehow a balance in the relationship was achieved at least temporarily.

3. Ten of Wands: But then someone started to feel smothered and felt they were carrying a great burden.

4. Queen of Pentacles: This person entered the situation or was already close to the seeker and offered a sensible approach. There were domestic concerns and her presence helped break through some of the stagnation that had occurred.

5. 0 Innocence (This is the seeker)

6. XVI Deception This card speaks to the fact that there is some deception here...maybe even self deception...someone pretending to be happy when perhaps they are not. Or settling for less than what they desire. Only through honest evaluation is there hope for real and positive change.

7. Prince of Swords: This may represent the other person in the relationship or someone else who enters the picture. I am interpreting it in this reading as the other person in the relationship and it is saying this person needs to grow as an individual, to stretch beyond their comfort zone. This may improve the outcome and may be tied to the Deception card...they are not admitting this need quite yet.

8. Eight of Cups: This card is saying be cautious of getting caught up in a viscious cycle. Breaking the cycle will happen or needs to happen. If it doesn't happen the situation will escalate.

The Once Upon a Time spread was inspired by a spread commonly called the Churchyard spread.