How to Read a Friendship Tarot Spread (Guide + Card Meanings)

Tarot Spreads
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Friendships can be just as complex as romantic relationships, maybe even more so. This spread helps me understand what’s really going on beneath the surface, especially when something feels off but I can’t put my finger on it.

The Card Layout

  1. The Foundation - What your friendship is built on right now
  2. The Mirror - How you see your friend and the relationship
  3. The Shadow - The stuff neither of you wants to talk about
  4. The Bridge - What keeps you connected
  5. The Garden - Where your friendship could bloom
  6. The Compass - How to navigate forward
  7. The Gift - What you bring that they value most

Cards That Tell the Real Story

Certain cards are a good place to start the reading because they can inform the direction of the rest of the spread. They can make it a lot easier to interpret the rest of the cards meanings.

The Hierophant - This is your ride-or-die friend. Shared values, maybe shared history. The kind who gives good advice even when you don’t want to hear it.

Two of Cups - Beautiful balance here. You get each other. No keeping score, just mutual support.

The Tower - Yeah, this one can be rough. Something’s about to come to light. Could make you stronger or could be the end. Either way, truth is coming.

Six of Wands - You celebrate each other’s wins. No jealousy, just genuine happiness for their success.

Pull this spread during a waxing moon for growth energy, or on Friday (Venus vibes for relationships). Before shuffling, I hold something that reminds me of friendship - maybe a photo, a gift they gave me, whatever connects me to that energy. Helps focus the reading.

Deck Recommendations

Rider-Waite-Smith - Clear relationship imagery, easy to read dynamics

Thoth Tarot - Goes deep into the psychological stuff. Good for complicated friendships.

Threads of Fate Oracle - Beautiful for exploring connections between people

What friendship patterns show up in your readings? Do certain cards always appear for specific friends?

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Quick safety reminder for anyone who needs to hear this, Tarot can dig up some heavy emotions sometimes. Like, really heavy.

And if a reading shows something concerning about a friendship or brings up stuff you weren’t ready to deal with? Please think about talking to a professional. A therapist, counselor, whoever. Tarot’s amazing but it has its limits. Take care of yourself first.

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We rarely talk about gut feelings in tarot readings. Yeah there’s all the symbolism and traditional meanings, but sometimes when you’re sitting with your cards, you just get this feeling about what they’re saying.

Those moments when your intuition kicks in can show you stuff that goes way beyond what the books say. I think the cards are just a tool to help us listen to ourselves better.

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When/if scary cards like Death or Ten of Swords pop up in friendship readings, don’t panic!

Honestly, they’re not always bad news. A lot of times, they’re just saying the way things are now needs to change. When you cut dead leaves off a plant, you’re essentially removing something, but it creates space for new growth. You’ll know in your gut if it means the friendship is evolving or if it’s actually time to let go.

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Three of Pentacles! That’s the friendship card everyone sleeps on. In the Bridge position? Your friendship survives because you create things together. Inside jokes, shared hobbies, your own little world, that’s what keeps you connected.

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I’ve been doing friendship spreads lately and noticed something cool. I stopped trying to give definitive answers and just describe what I see in the cards. My friends always pick out exactly what clicks with them. It’s pretty amazing how that works. Also weird tip, I blow on the deck for luck before friendship readings and I swear they shuffle easier lol

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Sorry if this is off-topic but I’ve been noticing something about The Empress reversed in friendship readings.

She keeps showing up when I need to stop obsessing over fixing things with friends. I used to pull cards constantly, trying to figure out why a friendship felt weird. The cards work better as a mirror for what I need to do. Not for decoding what’s going on with someone else. The deck basically tells me, Hey, all that energy you’re wasting on analyzing them? You could be doing something awesome for yourself instead!

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Sure, I get that. But sometimes I feel friendship readings work best when I just pull two cards and let them chat naturally. Like with The Fool and Three of Cups for my best friend-it told me more than a structured spread ever could.

Your 7-card setup is awesome for a deep dive, but without all those fixed roles, the cards show the real vibe instead of squeezing into labels like ‘The Shadow’ or ‘The Gift.’ Maybe friendships just flow better when the cards do too?

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ok so here’s something that’s been working great for me with friendship readings shuffle the cards while replaying a good memory with your friend in your head. helps the deck pick up on your specific energy together rather than just generic friendship stuff. way more accurate than cleansing with sage imo

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I used to freak out when the 7 of Swords came up in friendship readings. Always thought it meant betrayal.

Sometimes it just means a friend is being careful about opening up. Or they’re dealing with their own stuff, they’re not ready to share yet. The ‘scary’ cards aren’t always that scary; sometimes, they just show we’re all a bit guarded when things get real.

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ok, so Knight of Cups in friendship readings? basically means your friend thinks you’re amazing even when you’re falling apart lol. got this yesterday and it hit me, my friend genuinely can’t see any of my flaw,s kinda sweet but also makes me feel like I should be more real with them about what’s actually going on

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nobody’s talking about court cards in friendship spreads which is wild bc they literally represent people! when you get multiple courts, check out their elements: - fire courts together = adventure buddies - water courts = emotional support crew - earth courts = the friends who actually help you move - air courts = 3am philosophy chat friends

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Pulling The Hermit in a friendship reading is great when I need to think things over without a chat. Using smoky quartz helps me deal with what’s unspoken. I just shuffle when it feels right, no perfect timing needed. And holding rose quartz when I draw the Two of Cups really amps up those good support vibes.