The Healer’s Celtic Cross Tarot Spread & Plant Allies
As with any form of self-inquiry, the tarot helps to create space for healing to occur.
From sacred symbols with multilayered meaning to esoteric tradition and magickal practice, the tarot is abundant in possibilities for how it can be used to aid us in our own becoming and the returning home to ourselves and beloved community. I like to say that the tarot is a book of healing - it's just a matter of learning how to read it.
But where to begin our journey with tarot as a tool of healing? How about with one of the most common tarot spreads out there: The Celtic Cross. I and many tarot readers I know learned how to read the tarot with the Celtic Cross spread. This makes sense as it's the spread that's included in the little white book of one of the most popular tarot decks out there, the Rider Waite Smith Tarot (alternatively and increasingly more commonly known these days as the Waite Smith or Pamela Colman Smith tarot). The Waite Smith deck was the most easily found in bookstores and psychic shops to many of us before our current tarot publishing renaissance and so A.E. Waite's description of the Celtic Cross as the way to read the cards was foundational for many tarot readers of mine and earlier generations (you can read his full description of the Celtic Cross spread here). Published in 1911, Waite's Pictorial Key to the Tarot has been shaping the divinatory skills of tarot readers for over a century and the Celtic Cross has been in use for at least that long and probably longer. So where did it come from?
A Brief Mystery
Waite was not the originator of the Celtic Cross Spread and most likely learned it during the First Order teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, of which he was a member. I've seen it suggested that he based his work off of that of Florence Farr (here's a good short summary about her). In fact, Farr and Smith knew each other, with Smith designing scenes for a play by William Butler Yeats at the request of Farr. I've not seen an official Golden Dawn document (or letters between members) confirming Farr's creation and original teachings of the Celtic Cross spread, but a) it would match up with what is known about her and b) the Golden Dawn is not my area of expertise so the resources may be out there I've just not come across them yet. I've also thought that it would not be too much of a stretch to imagine that Moina Mathers may have had some role in the spread's creation. (1)
I get the sense with the tarot training in the Golden Dawn that if you could handle the complexities of the Celtic Cross you could progress to the very complicated (but so worth learning) Opening of the Key. Or someone in the Golden Dawn was frustrated with the overly complicated (and sometimes, let's be honest, not useful) Opening of the Key and created a much more convenient spread.
After I wrote that last sentence I found a new resource - Secrets of the Celtic Cross by Marcus Katz and Tali Goodwin - that has some incredible research and discoveries in it pointing towards another Golden Dawn Member, F.L. Goodwin, as a possible source (or at least earlier transcriber than Waite) of the Celtic Cross spread. It's well worth the read, not only for the primary documents Katz found but the techniques for reading the Celtic Cross are really interesting, too!
With that brief look at the possible origins of the Celtic Cross, let's get into some practical work.
The Original Celtic Cross Spread
I love the Celtic Cross spread. It's not the easiest spread to learn (especially for beginners) and can be obtuse and tricky to interpret at times. And yet, for many years it was the first spread that many beginners learned. The spread requires flexibility of thinking and an ability to stretch between the inner and outer worlds of the querent. But it never feels dull or outdated to me and has provided consistently useful spreads and insights since I started casting it as a wee little witchling. If you haven’t tried learning the Celtic Cross spread yet, I recommend it.
It's also a flexible spread that can be adapted to the needs of the reader and querent with relative ease. If you look up Celtic Cross spread online you'll be met with (mostly) the same interpretations for card positions with plenty of folk's preferences and adaptations thrown in (this site does a good job exploring many of the variations you'll find). I've always read the Celtic Cross as proposed by Waite with one exception - the first card and the significator are the same card in my readings. Why? I either misread the text when first learning the spread or somewhere along the way forgot that the two should be separate cards and it just became my style of reading the spread. Also, the order that I deal the cards is different from Waite - again, I probably just mixed up the original technique along the way but this is the way that the flow of the reading makes more sense for me.
Mistakes were made and yet the magick persisted.
So here is how I cast the Celtic Cross in a typical reading.
Card 1. The significator and card which represents the querent and the heart of the matter.
Card 2. The primary obstacle the querent is facing.
Card 3. The recent past as relevant to the current situation (i.e. no further than 3 to 6 months in the past).
Card 4. The near future as relevant to the current situation (i.e. no further than 3 to 6 months in the future).
Card 5. The best to be achieved in the current situation.
Card 6. The tools the querent has at hand to face their obstacles.
Card 7. Feelings about the matter.
Card 8. Home and environment (including opinions of people around the querent).
Card 9. Hopes and fears.
Card 10. Outcome.
A quick note: I follow Waite's technique for positioning the past and future cards. The position of card 5 and 6 change depending on what way the primary figure in Card 1 is facing. So if the figure in Card 1 is facing towards the right, Card 3 goes to the left of Card 1 (signifying the past is behind them) and Card 4 goes to the right (signifying the future before them).
Now, the spread as described above (or by Waite in his original description) has amazing potential for supporting yourself or the person you are reading for on their path of healing. What I've done with my adapted spread below is to weave in extra focus around healing as well as apply some simple astrological insight to each card position. By applying astrological correspondences to the reading we can bring in corresponding herbal allies to guide us. I’ve made note of the correspondence between card positions and the Houses of the birth chart below with a more in-depth discussion on what that means and how to apply it to healing work later on.
The Healer's Celtic Cross
Card 1. The card which represents the querent and the heart of the matter.
This card can reveal a lot about the querent's view of themself, their situation, and what is really going on for them. It's ok if this card doesn't make sense immediately and it can be helpful to compare it to Card 10 to help it make sense (comparing the first and last card drawn in any spread can be a very useful and insightful practice). This card corresponds with the self and the filter that shapes how we are perceived by and perceive ourselves and the world (First House).
Variation: Choose the significator card purposefully as opposed to a random draw. Waite suggests choosing a significator based on correspondences between physical appearance of the querent and the court card, but choosing a significator card on appearances alone is a pretty limiting approach. Instead, you or the querent can look through the whole deck and choose a card which either looks like what their current healing concern feels like or resembles the vision they hope for themselves when it comes to feeling more whole.
Card 2. The primary obstacle the querent is facing.
This is the card that crosses the querent creating a source of difficulty, conflict or challenging energy in their life. Here we can really begin to tell a story about the ways that the dis-ease, imbalances or other health concerns that the querent has are impacting their life in a way that creates discomfort, unrest, suffering, and so on (all issues of the Sixth and Eighth House).
Card 3. The recent past as relevant to the querent's current healing path.
Here we have a timing card which can help the querent understand some of the ways they've been affected by their healing path recently. If there is a sense that it would be helpful to explore issues further back in the past (i.e. the querent knows that this current healing crisis stems from childhood, etc) additional cards can be pulled to explore the energy of the past underlying the situation. With this card we're exploring the thread of where this healing imbalance may have originated from (Fourth House).
Card 4. The near future as relevant to the querent's current healing path.
With our second timing card it can be helpful to read the 3rd, 4th, and 10th card as their own mini spread highlighting important timing along their querent's healing path. This card can also reveal concerns that the querent may have about their future, where they might be headed, and their own personal (often rooted in philosophy and spiritual practice) opinions of what their illness says about them and what is possible moving forward (Ninth House).
Card 5. The best to be achieved in the current situation.
This is the card which crowns the querent and highlights what might be achieved given the current circumstances.(2) Along with Card 10 we can begin to see what is possible for the querent when it comes to their healing. A challenging card here can highlight shortages of hope or a challenge with connecting with the tools shown by Card 6. The energies of this card can also be tied up to questions of worth and worthiness (Second House) and what the querent believes they have access to and a right to on their healing journey.
Card 6. The tools the querent has at hand to face their obstacles.
This is the card which serves as the foundation for the querent and the skills they can use to support their healing. Here we get to see what skills, gifts, and insights the querent has developed throughout their life so far and how they might put all of it to practical use (Tenth House). I consider this to be a really important card to help instill hope in the querent. Challenging and inverted cards here can highlight the ways that the querent has forgotten or denied their own power.
Card 7. Feelings about the matter.
The next three cards focus on the feelings of the querent. With so much going on in the spread (looking back and forwards in time, considering obstacles, finding tools and skills to use, preparing for what lies ahead), here is a card that is really important to spend some time with. This card helps us to connect with how the querent is feeling about everything that is going on - it can be a card that can help to put into words what is hidden (very Twelfth House energy) and maybe tie into larger patterns of life experience or where the querent is feeling extra sensitive or sensitized (again, Twelfth House issues).
Card 8. Home and environment
This card is about how the querent connects to their environment (Third House) and who is in it (Eleventh House), including the opinions of people about the querent. Are they feeling supported or challenged in the places that they spend a great deal of time (home, work, school, etc)? Are they feeling supported or challenged by the people in these spaces? Often a particular person or place is being illuminated with this card but sometimes it can be more general such as feeling overwhelmed working in customer service and that the querent may need a less people-oriented position at work for their own wellbeing.
Card 9. Hopes and fears.
This card highlights the intertwined feeling of what the querent hopes for in their given situation and what they fear. An example is that the qurerent might be hoping for healing but fear that feeling better is impossible to attain. We are looking for this important intersection of feeling which highlights what the querent desires and hopes to achieve (Fifth House) alongside the energies of how we are shaped by the actions of others, especially in close relationships, that are beyond our control (Seventh House). It can be very useful to read Card 7 and Card 9 side by side as they are often conversing with one another in the spread and in the querent's life.
Card 10. Outcome.
This card reflects on how much there is resonance between what the querent hopes for and is capable of imagining for themselves. By referring to the querent's capacity for imagining what is possible for themselves I'm not trying to do some sort of backhanded insult that they haven't achieved the right “mindset” for health. Health and wellness and healing is not something earned or manifested through sheer individual willpower alone. Healing and wellbeing is a process of being able to access and receive good care, rest, and a safe place to heal all while being supported by the community along the way. By imagining wellness for ourselves we are not trying to manifest a cure, but create an emotional landscape that helps someone to feel hope and joy, loved and held, no matter the circumstances they find themselves in (all First House issues of self-worth and love).
The Houses + Plant Allies
If there are one or more cards that stand out as particularly challenging, you can begin to explore different ways to support someone by exploring the corresponding astrological area of their life. In addition to untangling challenging energy, you can also support the corresponding astrological areas of the querent's life that are really beneficial and nourishing in order to bring more of that energy onto their healing path. I don’t recommend trying to find an herbal ally to work with for every card cast (that’s a lot!) but instead to practice discernment to find clarity and focus on the one to three herbal allies that might best support the querent.
I've given some very general herbal recommendations based on the astrological correspondence each card position and zodiacal house correspondence, but of course, you need to consult your materia medicas and work with an herbalist for the best recommendations for your needs.
Card 1. First House + the Sign of Aries
The significator and heart of the matter.
How we instinctually act including our instincts of self-expression, to mask, and the ways that we act and are acted upon (i.e. things like microaggressions to micro-kindnesses that aren't thought out ahead of time, but arise swiftly in the moment). Nutrient rich herbs like Nettles (Urtica dioica) can be a good choice for supporting our First House needs which correspond to the ways that we take care of ourselves on a daily basis. I like incorporating Nettles into daily wellness practices because it has so many bioavailable vitamins and minerals and is gentle enough to use daily supporting the practical nature of the First House to take care of ourselves in a consistent manner.
Card 2. Sixth House + the Sign of Virgo and Eighth House + the Sign of Scorpio
The primary obstacle the querent is facing.
While the obstacles they are facing may show up in multiple areas of their life, astrologically we're looking at the Sixth House of Health, guarded by Virgo, and the Eighth House of Healing Crises and Transformation, guarded by Scorpio. Both houses and signs help us to recognize and embrace our mortality and how we perceive ourselves and filter consciousness through our physical form. Heart tonics that help us to deal with the highs and lows of living as well as create space for us to recognize our own resilience can be really useful here. Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) comes to mind as both embodying the deep thorn magick of Scorpio as well as the heart-opening healer's magick of Virgo.
Card 3. Fourth House + the Sign of Cancer.
The recent past as relevant to the current situation.
There are a few paths one can take to find an herbal ally of the Fourth House. Since we are dealing with the past, memory, ancestral heritage, and childhood we can reach for herbs related to any of those areas. So, perhaps the querent was served comforting cups of Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) tea as a child and to bring that herb back into their practice may be very healing or there is an ancestral herb that is asking to work with the querent. I actually like Chamomile for Fourth House issues as it is such a friendly herb and is often in traditional western herbalism, one of the first herbs that a child will receive as a remedy. It is also a wonderfully Cancerian herb that helps soothe upset stomachs and calms the nervous system after a period of emotional upheaval. The herb also has a wonderful quality of helping bring us back to the present moment, putting everything in perspective. It can also be really helpful to focus on comfort (including the comfort of herbs that taste good to the querent) and healing parenting for Fourth House plant allies.
Card 4. Ninth House + the Sign of Sagittarius
The near future as relevant to the current situation.
The first approach to take with an emphasis on this part of the reading is focusing on remedies that practice good preventative medicine. So, if the querent is dealing with a lot of stress which looks like it is aggravating their current healing challenges, then focusing on consistent stress-reducing remedies and practices in the querent's life. Another approach is to work with the philosophical, wisdom nurturing aspects of Sagittarius that help us to adapt to whatever may come. Sage (Salvia officinalis) can be a wonderful ally in this respect, especially if the querent is feeling like their future has been altered in unwanted and irrevocable ways due to their illness or health challenge.
Card 5. Second House + the Sign of Taurus
The best to be achieved in the current situation.
When it comes to exploring issues of achievement alongside self-worth and what makes us worthy of healing (which can be answered through exploring cultural narratives as well as our own internalized beliefs of worthiness, but however you get there, the answer is that we're all deserving of our healing), my absolute favorite plant ally is Rose (Rosa spp.). Rose is a Taurus plant and one of our most ancient plant allies, helping us to explore our own inner mysteries while supporting rejuvenative health. Whatever plant ally you choose to work with for issues emphasized by Card 5 in the spread, I encourage you to choose an herb that is restorative in nature, having a broad spectrum of healing qualities that help bring the body back into balance.
Card 6. Tenth House + the Sign of Capricorn
The tools the querent has at hand to face their obstacles.
When there are Tenth House issues, there is a call to work with structures and systems in the querent’s life. This can be from supporting the structural integrity of the body through bodywork and herbs like Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), which support bone and muscle health. In general, mineral rich herbs are very helpful. It can also arrive in the form of examining how the querent structures their day, their work or school schedule, and their life in general and how in alignment with their healing desires it is. Capricorn and the Tenth House can be really practical when it comes to healing work but don't forget that we're working with the energy of the goatfish - what is practical for one person can seem impractical and strange to another. It is about discovering the systems that work best for the querent not for what the querent thinks others will approve or disapprove of.
Card 7. Twelfth House + the Sign of Pisces
Feelings about the matter.
When it comes to formulating a remedy or working with plant allies, this card can help to keep the heart and the feeling self in focus. You might support the actions of clearing out old energy practices, and beliefs in order to cultivate regenerative energy. These are deeply personal sorts of plant allies that are going to change from querent to querent. One of my favorite Pisces herbs that has widespread healing qualities and can be useful for many folks is Milky Oat (Avena sativa). One of the ways that we can begin to feel our feelings is to support our nervous system and Milky Oat is food for the nervous system and the soul. It helps to create a feeling of safety within and around the body, which is ideal when it comes to being able to open up about what you’re feeling.
Card 8. Third House + the Sign of Gemini and Eleventh House + the Sign of Aquarius
Home and environment.
Here we can work with plant allies that are more about shifting the energies of the home environment including herbal incense, floor washes, and room sprays. Plants with strong and beautiful scents (i.e. full of volatile oils) like Lavender (Lavandula officinalis) and Peppermint (Mentha piperita) can be great to work with. I also like plants that help to set appropriate boundaries both in our homes and interpersonally (something that Gemini and Aquarius as Air signs can be skilled at).
Card 9. Fifth House + the Sign of Leo and Seventh House + the Sign of Libra.
Hopes and fears.
With Card 9 energies we are working with the heart - how we find our bravery (Leo) and our harmony (Libra) all while overcoming our fears. Heart tonics, heart openers, heart guardians are all beautiful allies to work with here. I've already mentioned Rose (Rosa spp.) and Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) which are two wonderful heart herbs. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) and Damiana (Turnera diffusa) can be great allies, too, as the former helps to harmonize the querent in relation to the collective and their own needs, while the latter can be a really beautiful ally in knowing love through physical pleasure.
Card 10. First House + the Sign of Aries
Outcome.
Refer to Card 1 for suggestions as the first and final card of the spread are deeply connected. No matter where the querent is headed, how they care for themselves day-to-day is foundational to wellness.
In Practice
Here's an abbreviated recap of how I read a recent casting of the Healer's Celtic Cross (you can see a picture of the full spread at the beginning of the post). The querent was struggling with a chronic inflammatory condition that was turning into burnout after an extended period of trying to hide from friends and family (and themselves to a degree) how serious of an impairment their condition was in letting them live their life. In the reading all but one of the cards was inverted which reflected how the querent was feeling - stuck with a chronic inflammatory condition that was invisible to the world and often left them isolated in pain. This trapped heat which isolated them was reflected in the many cards, but especially all of the Wands that showed up inverted.
Right away it was clear that the pendulum of the querent's thinking and feeling had swung far into the territory of feeling unworthy of healing, unseen by their friends and family and that they believed that this was only going to get worse (Three of Cups inverted), and they felt stuck on what to do next (Two of Pentacles inverted) unable to see any options available to them as they were lacking creative vision (all of the inverted Wand cards). Fortunately, hope was present in a few areas of the spread which is what we focused on when seeking out herbal allies.
The two primary cards that offered insight into a way forward featured water - the Two of Cups (Card 5) and Temperance (Card 2). Temperance was both the obstacle and much needed as the querent was struggling to find a balance in their feelings about their current situation and their need for community. They admitted that it was easier to feed the belief that being isolated was their fate instead of being more vulnerable about the accommodations and considerations they needed from their family and friends. It sounded like they did have folks who would be all too willing to adapt, the querent just felt a lot of shame - again that internalized hidden heat - about asking for help. The Two of Cups points directly towards reaching out to others as a path of healing, while Temperance counsels a more balanced outlook about the situation.
Finally, the Three of Swords inverted (Card 10) is a rather hopeful card. It's the only energy of Air (besides Temperance) in the spread and pointed towards the querent speaking of their vulnerability (the broken-heartedness the querent felt about their condition) as a path back into community and a greater sense of wellness.
At this point I've also done an herbal intake of the querent and I've also looked at their birth chart to see what was happening. I don't depend on the reading alone when suggesting plant allies (though if you are using purely vibrational remedies like flower essences you certainly can). Remember, facilitating connections between plants and people is a multilayered and intersectional path.
So focusing on the three cards already discussed, we have the following guideposts to help us determine what herbal allies may be of aid for our querent:
With Card 10 and the First House + the Sign of Aries, Nettles (Urtica dioica) felt like a very good choice. In fact, the querent had already been using Nettles as part of their anti-inflammation protocol so we talked about connecting with Nettles as a teacher through meditation and pathworking (the querent had experience with both and was interested in trying).
With Card 5 and the Second House + the Sign of Taurus, I turned to Rose (Rosa damascena), which will bring additional anti-inflammatory properties, but will also help with the needs of the heart and opening up to feeling worthy of the love and care that the querent deserves (and that it sounds like their friends and family would be willing to give).
With Card 2 and Sixth House + the Sign of Virgo and Eighth House + the Sign of Scorpio, it was Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) who spoke up as an ally. Hawthorn helps to repair broken hearts and protect the heart when opening up again to the possibilities of being loved and loving in turn. It can help to walk with some thorn magick when one is feeling vulnerable and needs support in turning that vulnerability into an opportunity for healing.
As you can see, using the Healer's Celtic Cross is an interesting and hopefully useful way to help connect folks with their own healing potential, a bit of hope, and the beauty of our plant allies. There can be even more depth to the reading if you know how to read the birth chart and can follow the paths that the cards cast are leading the querent in their own natal constellation of planets and stars. For those familiar with the astrological correspondences of tarot you can add another layer to the reading by exploring the astrological correspondences of each card cast as compared to the houses I suggest for each card position. If you like it complex, make it complex! There’s a lot of way to make the Healer’s Celtic Cross work for you and your community and I hope you get creative with it.
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If you’re looking for more tarot inspiration, check out my tarot + divination section. I also teach a course on the intersections of tarot and herbal healing if you’re ready for a deeper dive. If you want to learn more about plants and astrology, come this way.
I really love the traditional Celtic Cross tarot spread - it shaped me as a tarot reader and has remained a reliable tool in my practice for many decades. My variation focused on healing is a way to celebrate the versatility of this spread, honoring those who first envisioned it, and hopefully inspiring readers to come up with ways to expand their practice and be of compassionate service to those they are reading for.
And maybe, someone years from now will be casting the Healer's Celtic Cross on their table, but in a slightly different way because they couldn't quite remember what order the cards were meant to be in and came up with something fantastically all their own.
May the magick persist no matter its path.
This post was made possible through patron support.
❤︎ Thanks, friends. ❤︎
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Footnotes
Decks used: Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot Deck (in a tin version) and The Arcana of Astrology Oracle.
(1) If you want to learn more about the women of the Golden Dawn I recommend checking out tarot reader, teacher, and scholar extraordinaire, Mary K. Greer’s book Women of the Golden Dawn: Rebels and Priestesses.
(2) Directionally in the tradition that the Celtic Cross was born from, the place above us and the crown represented the gateways to accessing the holiest parts of ourselves, often connected to angelic energy. Holiness is multidirectional in my own practice and in many feminist Pagan traditions which are reclaiming the holiness of the deep below. It can help to imagine this card like a star or lantern raised above the head which illuminates all of our energy bodies as well as the path around us - it helps us to see what needs to be seen.
