I want to explore the Master Spread and share my insights with everyone. These posts will be long so make a sandwich when you read them.
The Master Spread is a majors only Tarot spread designed by Patricia McLaine. In 1991 she published a book through Llewelyn called “The Wheel of Destiny” which detailed this spread. It has ttwenty-two positions, one for each of the majors. The positions relate to astrological houses, polarities, inspirational and aspirational forces – it is a very in depth spread that a person could spend hours or even days interpreting, when they first cast it. It’s not a spread for everyday readings. It’s a Life Reading. Think of it as a natal chart and do it once. Record it and refer back to it. Over the years you will see patterns emerge. If you experience major life changes, cast it again, but don’t use it for fortune-telling types of readings.
This spread was like a gateway for me. Learning this information slowly, along with my Crowley Tarot and numerology, cracked my inner world wide open. I got this book back in the early 90s when I was new to Tarot. The information contained within its pages was most definitely above my pay grade at the time but I did the Master Spread, spent two weeks interpreting it at my skill level and kept my reading folded up and tucked into the pocket of my first Tarot binder. As my knowledge grew, I would check my reading and apply what I had learned. Over the years my interpretations changed and as I got better I saw more and more of myself in what first appeared to be a big jumble of gibberish spread out in front of me on my living room floor all those years ago in 1993. I’ve done two more in the decades since when big changes occurred and it feels like another one might be in order.
I won’t be rewriting Patricia’s book so if you stumble across this blog in relation to this title, breathe and smooth out your pants. I’m writing about my thoughts and interpretations. Where it’s important, I’ll reference Patricia’s work. If you have her book and want to follow along, please join me. Regardless, please leave comments and questions.
And remember today to just let shit unfold and be excellent to each other!
