Doing General Tarot Spread Readings

Tarot Spreads
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Most of the guides on spreads we’ve looked at so far have been for specific topics, but what if you just want to do a general reading? Let the cards tell you what you need to hear rather than asking them a question? This is one of my go-to spreads for general reading Tarot is a simple yet insightful five-card layout that covers past influences, present situation, hidden factors, advice, and potential outcomes.

A general reading Tarot spread is best used when you’re seeking broad insights into your current life situation or overall energy without a specific question in mind. This doesn’t take anything away from the reading; in some ways, it might make it the best type of reading to do. It can be particularly helpful during times of switch or uncertainty, as it provides a complete overview of different aspects of your life, including relationships, career, personal growth, and challenges. By giving a snapshot of various influences and energies at play, a general reading can highlight areas that need attention, reveal hidden opportunities, and guide your overall life direction.

The Spread

General Tarot Reading
General Tarot Reading950×950 76.9 KB

  1. The Present Moment - Your current situation and immediate concerns.
  2. Hidden Influences - Unseen factors affecting your circumstances.
  3. Obstacles to Overcome - Challenges or blockages in your path.
  4. Inner Wisdom - Advice from your higher self or subconscious.
  5. Potential Outcome - The likely result if you continue on your current path.
  6. Key to Growth - An area of focus for personal development.
  7. Unexpected Twist - A surprise element that may impact your way.

Significant Cards

In a general spread, The Tower often commands attention, signaling sudden upheaval or a dramatic shift in the querent’s life that may initially feel unsettling but eventually leads to growth. The Nine of Cups, known as the “wish card,” brings a message of contentment and emotional fulfillment, suggesting that desires are within reach or that a period of satisfaction is approaching. Watch for the Ace of Wands, which typically indicates new beginnings, creative inspiration, or the spark of a fresh attempt, encouraging the querent to embrace upcoming opportunities with enthusiasm. The appearance of The High Priestess in this context often points to hidden knowledge or intuition, urging the querent to trust their inner voice and explore the depths of their subconscious for guidance.

Timing & Preparation

A general reading can be done at any time, but it’s perfect for periods of change or when seeking overall guidance, such as at the start of a new month or season. For optimal results, think about performing this spread during the waxing moon phase, which symbolizes growth and new beginnings. Before starting, take a few deep breaths and light a candle to create a focused, calm atmosphere, helping you connect more deeply with your intuition and the cards.

The classic Rider-Waite, Smith deck is an excellent choice due to its rich symbolism and universal imagery, making it easy to interpret for both beginners and experienced readers. Another popular option is the Thoth deck, which offers a more esoteric approach with its intricate artwork and deep occult symbolism, providing complex and detailed readings. Personally, I really like the Wildwood Tarot for this kind of spread, but that’s because the deck speaks to me.. Of course, it’s important that any Tarot or oracle deck can be used for general readings, as the most effective deck is, in the end, the one that makes the most sense with the reader.

When reading a general spread, pay close attention to how the cards interact and tell a story together, rather than interpreting each one in isolation. You should always be doing this with the Tarot, but especially when you are letting it spell out the target of the spread. Look for recurring symbols, numbers, or suits across the spread, as these often point to overarching themes or areas of focus in the querent’s life. After the reading, take time to journal about your insights and any intuitive hits you received, noting how they connect to the querent’s current situation or questions.

When it comes to reversals in a general spread, maybe it’s energy that’s blocked or internalized rather than simply the opposite meaning - this detailed approach can provide deeper insights into the querent’s challenges and growth areas.

Please share your experience with this reading or your variations :heart:

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An often overlooked skill in general tarot readings is the ability to weave a cohesive story from seemingly unrelated cards, pause here, feel into that, which requires not just intuition but also a deep understanding of symbolism.

You need to notice what comes up for you with a reading like this. Moreso than with any other type of reading (and that’s saying something).

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Here’s a gentle practice to try: after your next general reading, write just three words that capture the overall feeling - not interpretations, just pure sensation words like ‘electric,’ ‘heavy,’ or ‘flowing.’ You can do this for yourself or for your querant if you’re doing a reading for someone else.

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I’ve been experimenting with letting the cards choose their own narrative in general readings, and something that really transformed my approach was discovering how the hidden factors position in a five-card spread often holds the key to everything else. Actually, that reminds me of this technique I saw demonstrated, where the reader would let that middle ‘shadow’ card determine whether to read the surrounding cards as challenges or opportunities.

Instead of forcing meaning onto each position, I let that hidden factor card set the entire tone and context for the reading. The way this method flows from past influences through to potential outcomes feels so much more organic than trying to impose a specific question, and it’s helped me trust what the cards want to reveal rather than what I think I need to know.

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Oh hey, I totally relate to doing general spreads, I’ve pulled the 7 of Swords in my long-term position last week and it had me spinning because it could mean anything from me needing to be strategic to someone betraying me to just needing to face something head-on instead of sneaking around it, which is exactly why I love and hate how open-ended these general readings can be.

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One downside of general readings that hasn’t been mentioned is the potential for information overload.

Like when someone pulls you aside at a party for an impromptu reading and without a specific focus, you’re suddenly getting bombarded with insights about everything from your career to your love life to that random trip you might take next year.

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I also like a three-card spread asking ‘what’s happening, what do I want to hear, and what do I need to hear’. It can cut through the noise better than more elaborate layouts.

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I wonder if we sometimes reach for general spreads when what we really need is to sit with our resistance to asking the specific question we’re avoiding…

There’s safety in letting the cards choose the topic, but perhaps the discomfort of forming a precise question is itself part of the healing process. I really like your specific ones, like the past life spread, but maybe general is the way. Let the cards tell us what we need, not what we want.

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General tarot spreads [those without specific card positions] might not be the best fit when you’re facing a very specific yes-or, no question; in those cases, a focused spread with defined positions [such as a three-card past-present, future layout] could offer clearer guidance.

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Reading this thread takes me back to when general spreads were often done with playing cards before tarot became widely available. My grandmother would lie out her worn deck on Sunday mornings, no specific questions, just “checking the week’s weather” as she called it.

She’d always note which suits dominated - hearts meant family matters ahead, spades warned of challenges. Sometimes, I miss that simple, elemental approach.

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When I do general readings (always shuffling three times for luck, old reader’s habit!), they tend to spotlight whatever energy is most dominant around someone at that moment, which is why I love using 10-12 card spreads to really let that main theme unfold and reveal itself naturally.

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I’ve noticed something awesome when working with general spreads, the colors in the cards themselves often guide me toward the most pro-active path forward, especially when I draw three cards specifically asking ‘What action can I take?’ bright yellows in cards like The Sun or Three of Wands practically glow with forward momentum, while the deep blues in The High Priestess or Two of Swords remind me that sometimes the best action is internal reflection.

The warm reds and oranges in the Wands suit cards seem to literally ignite action-oriented solutions, whereas the cool greens and earth tones in the Pentacles ground my approach in practical steps. This color-coded wisdom has transformed my general readings from passive observations into dynamic roadmaps, with each hue telling me whether to charge ahead (fiery reds), pause and plan (earthy browns), or flow with intuition (watery blues).

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When I’m stuck in those self-limiting thought loops, a general spread acts like a reality check that bypasses my chattery ego and lets my true self speak up. It’s like the cards give you that loving but firm slap on the wrist while simultaneously opening a channel to the wisdom you already have inside but can’t quite access through all the mental noise.

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Court cards hitting positions 3 & 5 simultaneously? That’s when I know someone else is pulling the strings :eyes:

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Do any of you track patterns in your general readings over time? I’m curious if keeping a simple log might reveal cycles we miss in the moment.