When we talk about the "layout" or "card spread" in Tarot, we are referring to how the cards are physically placed on the table during a reading. The photo above shows a three card layout.
Some layouts are ancient and ubiquitous and no one really knows how they originated. Others are brand new and purpose written by the tarot reader. All are equally valid.
Regardless of its origin, the layout adds context and structure to a reading. It is the framework that connects the different cards into one, larger, cohesive message.
The real key in any layout is to have a clear idea what each position within the layout pattern will signify before the reading begins. You have to have a clear, fixed intention for the layout positions before you even pick up the cards. It serves as a solid foundation, which allows the individual card meanings to adapt and flow with intuition. Those two important things together elevate the quality of the reading as a whole. The card layout (along with a consistent overall reading format) helps to put the purely intuitive Tarot information into real world language we can actually use.
Here are the layouts that I've written for my private Tarot readings:
Year Ahead
five cards
advice over prediction - gives a sense of the energies ahead to help navigate the year
four cards for each upcoming season in order, no matter what time of year the reading is done
One card above the others to summarize the year as a whole
TaoCraft Path
Five cards
Intended for understanding the current situation and guidance navigating your life path ahead.
It goes right to left: influence from the past, the current situation, advice to move forward, how to keep this path, how to change this path if you want.
NEW! TaoCraft Taijitu
Three cards
Yin card: energies drawing toward you
Yang card: energies moving away or that need pushed away
Harmony: advice to take your next step forward in balance with all of the energies.
Yes or No
Three cards
Straight yes or no answer plus advice
inexpensive
fun and lighthearted, "Zombie Cat" style
Image credits:
Top and Taijitu image from the public domain
"Seasons"photo by the author using Witches Tarot deck by Ellen Dugan and Mark Evans copyright 1996 used with permissions on Llewellyn publishing
TaoCraft Path photo by the author using public domain image tarot cards