Six Month Tarot Spread Explained: What Does It Mean?

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Val Hamer

Val Hamer is a gifted writer and spiritualist with a passion for Tarot. For several years, she has been helping people explore the world of Tarot through her writing and her work as a Tarot reader. With a deep understanding of the symbolism and meaning behind each card, Val offers valuable insights and guidance to those seeking clarity and direction in their lives.

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Spread Explained

There are many reasons to read the cards and many ways to do it. Sometimes I just want a quick yes or no answer to a particular question on my mind. Other times I like to pull three cards for a past, present, and future reading.

However, there are those times when some insight into the longer-term future is what I’m after, and that’s where a six-month tarot spread comes in.

Why do a Six-Month Tarot Spread?

While one-card immediate or short-term spreads are great for ideas and insights into a current situation, the six-month tarot spread provides more general oversight.

This style is popular with anyone at a crossroads. I like to use this spread at the end of a difficult period, as it’s a great way to get an idea of what lies ahead. However, it’s just as helpful to get a peep into the short-term future; you don’t need to have a crisis to do this six-month spread!

How to Do the Six Month Tarot Spread

Here we will look at two 6-month tarot card spreads, which offer different approaches.

Spread A uses 21 cards and covers seven different themes for the half-year ahead. This covers pretty broad areas like your hopes and dreams or the influence of people around you.

Spread B uses just seven cards and looks at each of the following six months independently. The messages from this spread are more general than specific, but you can choose to focus on just one theme, like career, or romance, too.

Both spreads share the same approach until step 4.

Step One: Choose Your Deck

As with any more detailed tarot reading, it’s best to use a card deck you are both familiar with and comfortable with. We all tend to have a personal favorite, but from all the tarot deck versions out there, my go-to has to be the traditional Rider-Waite

Step Two: Create a Positive Space

Again, set up your reading space in a way that marks it as special to you. It should feel cleansed, calm, and welcoming. That might mean gentle background music, candles or incense, or simply a quiet corner of your garden, weather permitting.

Remember you need enough space to layout your cards, [which could be just 7 or 21 of them, and something like a special cloth to place the tarot cards on. [If you are stuck, improvise with a clean, soft scarf or a silk handkerchief.]

If possible, silence potential interruptions, like telephones.

Step Three: Shuffle the Cards

There are lots of ideas and nuggets of advice around on this topic, and over time you’ll find what works best for you. I like to hold the entire deck while I set intentions for and contemplate the topic or aim of my reading.

Then I simply cut the cards, slowly and still in a contemplative mood, until I feel the energy is ready for me to begin.

Remember, in your reading; you can shuffle the deck however you like.

Here is where the two spreads take center stage.

Spread A – Step Four: Pull the Cards

Take the required number of cards one by one and place them face down in the appropriate position.

For Spread A [21 cards]

The cards must be laid in seven columns, each three cards deep.

– Place the first card to the left side of your space.

– Place the second card directly underneath it

– Add the third card underneath card two. That is your first column completed.

– The fourth card is placed next to card 1.

– The fifth card sits underneath it [to the right of #2]

– The sixth card goes underneath card five and completes the second column.

– Repeat this sequencing until you have a complete layout of 7 columns and three rows.

[Example layout below]

1 4 7 10 13 16 19

2 5 8 11 14 17 20

3 6 9 12 15 18 21

Spread A – Step Five: Interpret Your Six Month Tarot Spread

Column 1 – About yourself 

[Cards 1 – 3]

This trio begins your six-month reading with the focus very much on you right now. It’s a great starting point, a way to create context rather than rushing headlong into what the future holds.

These cards reveal what’s currently on your mind, though some information may relate to your subconscious. Keep this in mind if something doesn’t seem immediately obvious.

Expect to get insight into emotional adventures ahead, perhaps around personal growth, creative outlets, spirituality, or your ambitions.

You can choose to turn all three cards and read them as a group, considering how they relate to each other. Alternatively, you could begin by turning card one and interpreting it as a solo card. As cards two and then three are revealed, they build the story further.

Column 2 – Who or What is Around You?

[Cards 4 – 6]

The focus here is on personal relationships and connections. This covers friends, family, lovers and partners, even neighbors and colleagues.

That’s a wide range, so you may prefer to set a more specific intention when pulling cards for this column. [Just ask the universe to grant insight into – your preferred option.]

Keep in mind that these cards can sometimes represent a place rather than people. You could get information about a workplace, rather than your boss or co-workers, or on your house, rather than your family inside it. If you feel a card refers to your children, but it isn’t clear, remember, it could be about their school.

Column 3 – Your Wishes and Dreams

[Cards 7 – 9]

This set can be a tricky trio to read because it reveals your deepest desires, dream plans, or long-held wishes. Keep an open mind here, as some things that pop up could be a complete surprise!

This point is the perfect opportunity to identify some new adventures and challenges you can enjoy in the near future. So embrace what you see or feel, even if it’s not firmly inside your comfort zone.

Column 4 – Insights Into What is Familiar

[Cards 10 – 12]

To be fair, this category seems a little wishy-washy, but it does have some clear parameters. The familiar things are just whatever is currently going on in your life.

This section is your opportunity to track the progress of ongoing projects, assignments, or plans. It also includes insights into potential hiccups and successes.

If you are planning a wedding or other celebration, this will be an invaluable experience. If not, think about more general plans you may have on the boil, from considering a new diet or exercise plan to learning another language. If it’s on your mind, this could be your reminder to get going.

Column 5 -What’s Ahead that You Didn’t Expect

[Cards 13 – 15]

Sometimes this set of cards is the most revealing of the entire six-month tarot spread. What does fate have in store for you? I rely heavily on intuition to interpret these cards, as they literally could throw up anything. What an exciting opportunity.

Column 6 – A Look at Your Next Three Months

[Cards 16 – 18]

We all have an interest in the future, and these cards are all about revealing what the following few months have in store. Again, it’s a broad remit, so you can leave it be or set a more direct intention when pulling cards sixteen to eighteen.

Column 7 – What Your Far Range Future Holds

[Cards 19 – 21]

Although I call this the ‘far range future,’ it’s really about the second three months of your six-month tarot reading. Look out for possible connections between these and the last three cards. There may be nothing obvious, and that’s fine too.

Spread B – Step Four: Pull the Cards

Take the required number of cards one by one and place them face down in the appropriate position.

For Spread B [7 cards]

This is a pretty straightforward tarot spread layout.

1. Place card one on the left side of your table.
2. Place card two next to card 1.
3. Continue this pattern for cards 3 – 6.
4. Card 7 should be laid above card 6, so it’s on a row by itself.

Spread B – Step Five: Interpret Your Six Month Tarot Spread

You can use this tarot spread starting from any month in the year that is convenient for you. However, it may be easier to do the reading at the very start of the month. This helps avoids confusion over timelines.

Here’s how the cards relate to the months.

Card 1 = Month 1 (the current month)

Card 2 = Month 2

Card 3 = Month 3

Card 4 = Month 4

Card 5 = Month 5

Card 6 = Month 6

Card 7 = The overall theme that runs across the entire six-month period.

Take your time to consider each card before turning the next. Of course, it’s totally fine to make a few notes on each card‘s revelations so that you can refer back to this reading in the future.

If making notes would interfere with your flow when reading the cards, try recording yourself instead. Most smartphones offer a recording device as a standard feature; you just need to say everything aloud.

Later you can transcribe the session and keep the details for reference.

Tips

This is an excellent spread style for those relatively new to tarot reading, as it is both flexible and straightforward. While those more experienced or confident with tarot spreads can increase the width and depth of each month’s reading.

It’s important not to overthink each interpretation, as your intuition will reveal all you need to know. If you feel a little blocked at any point, leave the card face down and come back to it. You should also take a look at the tricky card concerning those around it. That may reveal a new relationship or connection between cards that leads to that lovely ‘a-ha’ moment.

Remember, this is an excellent way to get insights into a specific theme or topic over the next six months. Use it to look at love, work, cash, relationships, education, travel, or anything else that you want to know more about.

Top Tarot Decks we recommend

•  Rider-Waite deck
• Modern Witch Tarot Deck
• The Good Karma Tarot Deck
• Everyday Tarot Mini Tarot Deck
• The Robin Wood Deck

Conclusion

A six-month tarot spread offers a manageable peek into the future, providing plenty of insights, ideas, inspiration, and answers.

Spread A may seem a little unwieldy with 21 cards, but it compensates with several themed card trios to interpret. This is an excellent spread for developing your intuition and insight. These things need some practice to build your self-confidence or boost your skills, both things that pay off incredibly well.

Spread B, on the other hand, is a smaller deal, with just seven cards. It is an excellent choice for beginner tarot readers, anybody looking for a quicker six-month tarot spread, or a flexible reading. Of course, this version also looks at each month in turn, rather than sharing a more general, six-month forecast.

Feel free to concentrate on any topic that’s important to you at the time if a more general reading won’t cut it. I once used Spread B to look at my six-month healthy living plan. That highlighted the potential ups and downs, alerted me to possible challenges, and provided a helpful structure for planning.

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