June Harrow
Courses & Guides Writer
Three-card spreads are one of the most powerful tools in Tarot, not because they’re big — but because they’re small.
With just three cards, you can open a portal into a full story, uncover a layered dynamic, or get a timeline snapshot that feels personal, alive, and rich.
In any three-card reading, one card usually carries the main theme.
It might be the card in the middle, or it might simply be the strongest presence — for example, the only Major Arcana or Court card.
Once you identify this “anchor,” the other two cards act as supporters, modifiers, or background players.
Example 1:
The World (anchor) + Four of Swords + Page of Pentacles → You’re on the verge of a major life completion (World), but you need rest (Four of Swords) and a humble student mindset (Page of Pentacles) to finish gracefully.
Example 2:
Ace of Swords + Queen of Wands (anchor) + Seven of Pentacles → The Queen’s fierce energy takes center stage; the Ace of Swords brings sharp new insights, and the Seven asks for patience in seeing results.
Reading three cards left to right creates a natural narrative flow — like a sentence unfolding.
This approach helps you see the start, the middle, and the end, or how energy shifts across the spread.
Sometimes the movement is smooth and logical, other times it’s bumpy or surprising, which adds tension and insight.
Example 1:
Three of Cups → Nine of Swords → The Sun → A celebration or friendship (Three) turns into anxiety or overthinking (Nine), but ultimately everything resolves in clarity and joy (Sun).
Example 2:
Five of Swords → Two of Cups → Ten of Pentacles → Conflict or betrayal (Five) is followed by reconciliation or partnership (Two), leading to long-term success and family wealth (Ten).
When Major and Minor Arcana appear together, the Majors signal the deep karmic or spiritual themes, while the Minors show the day-to-day action or details.
Focusing on this hierarchy helps you see what’s truly shaping the situation at the soul level, and what’s just the practical surface.
Example 1:
The Lovers + Six of Pentacles + Eight of Wands → The heart of the reading is about choice or relationships (Lovers), but the Minors show it’s playing out through themes of giving and receiving (Six) and rapid movement or communication (Eight).
Example 2:
The Chariot + Two of Swords + Page of Cups → The major life momentum (Chariot) is currently stalled by indecision (Two of Swords), while the Page of Cups hints at emotional vulnerability or an immature offer.
Each suit connects to an element: Wands (Fire), Cups (Water), Swords (Air), Pentacles (Earth).
When you pull three cards, pay attention to the elemental mix.
✦ Are all cards the same element, amplifying that energy?
✦ Are you combining complementary or clashing elements?
✦ Is one element missing, pointing to an imbalance?
Example 1:
Knight of Wands + Ten of Wands + Ace of Wands → Pure Fire energy: huge drive, but also risk of burnout.
Example 2:
Three of Swords (Air) + Five of Cups (Water) + Four of Pentacles (Earth) → Mental pain, emotional regret, and material defensiveness combining into a story of heartbreak and closed-off energy.
Example 3:
King of Cups (Water) + Page of Pentacles (Earth) + Nine of Swords (Air) → Emotional mastery, practical learning, but mental stress — with no Wands, so little passionate forward movement.
Numbers tell a story of where you are in a process:
✦ low numbers (1–3) signal beginnings,
✦ middle numbers (4–6) show building or conflict,
✦ and high numbers (7–10) point to completion or challenge.
Repeating numbers intensify the shared meaning, while jumps between numbers suggest rapid growth or skipped steps.
Example 1:
Two of Wands + Three of Wands + Four of Wands → A smooth, unfolding journey of vision, expansion, and celebration.
Example 2:
Ace of Pentacles + Seven of Cups + Ten of Swords → A promising new opportunity (Ace) gets tangled in too many emotional choices (Seven), leading to a painful but necessary ending (Ten).
When a spread includes a heavy or “dark” card (like Death, Tower, Devil, or Ten of Swords), don’t panic — it’s often the key growth point.
Notice how the other two cards support or challenge that shadow: are they softening its blow, or amplifying it?
Example 1:
The Devil + Three of Cups + Six of Swords → Temptation or addiction (Devil) is linked to overindulgence with friends (Three), but you’re already starting to move away from it (Six).
Example 2:
The Tower + The Star + Page of Swords → Sudden collapse (Tower) brings healing and hope (Star), but there’s a cautious, watchful energy (Page) as you move forward.
Court cards often represent people or aspects of personality.
When multiple appear, look at their positions, directions, and interactions.
✦ Are they facing each other or looking away?
✦ Do they represent allies, rivals, or inner conflicts?
Example 1:
Queen of Wands + Knight of Pentacles + King of Swords → Three distinct personality types: fiery confidence (Queen), slow steady work (Knight), sharp authority (King) — maybe a work team or family hierarchy.
Example 2:
Page of Cups + Page of Swords + Knight of Wands → Youthful, experimental energy combining emotional playfulness (Page of Cups), mental sharpness (Page of Swords), and adventurous drive (Knight).
The most advanced move is to stop reading each card individually and instead tell the whole story.
This approach pulls everything together into a flowing, living message.
Example 1:
The Fool + Nine of Pentacles + Death → You’re starting something fresh and carefree (Fool), achieving personal independence and abundance (Nine), but you’re heading into a transformation that will end one chapter (Death) before another begins.
Example 2:
Justice + Ten of Wands + Eight of Cups → You’re carrying an unfair burden (Justice + Ten), and the real breakthrough comes when you walk away from it (Eight), even if it feels emotionally hard.
✦ Pull three random cards without a question and create two interpretations: one positive, one challenging.
✦ Apply at least three techniques from this guide to each spread.
✦ Write out the story in a journal, like a short Tarot diary.
✦ Challenge yourself to explain the spread aloud, as if reading for a friend or client.
✦ Experiment by deliberately creating three-card combinations with just Majors, just Minors, or mixed groups, and notice how the reading changes.
