The Five Card Tarot Spread: A Glimpse into Your Soul

If you are new to Tarot reading, it can be pretty confusing as to where to start! There are loads of cards and so many different ways to read them.

A good place to start is looking at Tarot spreads and practicing them both on you and your friends and family.

The five-card Tarot spread is the perfect way to learn about the cards and discover new ways of understanding and reading them. Five-card Tarot spreads are similar to three-card Tarot spreads, except they allow you to get more detail and understanding in the reading.

Of course, reading Tarot cards is heavily based on your own intuition and understanding of the universe. However, a five-card Tarot spread can guide your intuition and allow you to grow your own Tarot reading skills.

What is the Five-card Tarot Spread?

Tarot spreads are sets or patterns of cards laid in a tarot deck during a session reading. A spread is formed after the cards are shuffled and cut into a deck. Each pattern has its own meaning and there can be a lot of combinations of 78 cards. The spreads can be any size or pattern and normally contain between 3 and 15 cards.

Five Card Tarot Spreads uses – as the name already suggests- only five cards. There are loads of different five-card Tarot spreads that can answer questions about love, career, life, and family. They can help with decision-making and personal healing.

It is when you or the querent pick out five cards and either lay them out in a line, in a cross, or in a horseshoe. Each card refers to a specific thing in regards to the topic.

Five-Card Tarot Spread: Past Present Future

Let’s start with the five-card Tarot spread for the past, present, and future. The past, present, and future reading is a classic spread that often is practiced with just three cards. However, adding two extra cards in brings you more understanding of you or the querent’s situation.

The first three cards represent the past, present, and future in order. These can be placed in a row.

Below the first card (the past) you can place the fourth card that refers to what is holding you or the querent back from progressing. This card refers to things in the past that you have not got over and you need to address.

Underneath the third card (the future) you can place the fifth card. This refers to what you or the querent need to do in order to push forward in life. This is an action card that gives you guidance.

Five-Card Love Tarot Spreads

There are a few different five-card Tarot spreads for love, so I will talk you through them one by one, and you can pick the best one that is right for you or the querent!

Five-Card Relationship Spread

This five-card Tarot spread is designed for those in a relationship that are needing guidance. It reflects the current situation of the relationship and what you need to do in order to make it as positive as it can be!

Firstly, place three cards in a row. The first refers to what you put into the relationship, the second refers to what your partner puts into the relationship, and the third refers to the current situation.

Next, place one card above the three and one below. The fourth card placed above refers to the positive things that are in the relationship.

The fifth card that is below the three cards refers to the negative things about the relationship and what you need to do in order to work on the relationship.

Five-Card finding love spread

This five-card spread is all about finding love and what you or the querent needs to do in order to overcome past problems.

The first card pulled is placed at the center and refers to where you are at in life right now. This card will often reflect your own attitudes towards love and your current situation.

The second card pulled can be placed diagonally above the first card to the left and refers to past relationships.

The third card pulled can be put on the opposite side of the second card and refers to what goes well in your relationships.

Now, pull the fourth card diagonally below and to the left of the first card. This card refers to past issues and relationships that are still affecting your search for love right now. The last card can be placed to the right of the fourth card and refers to what you need to work on in order for future relationships to be successful.

Five-Card breakup Spread

Breaking up with someone always hurts, but you can use Tarot in order to get guidance and understanding about the breakup.

This simple five-card spread will allow you to understand the reasons behind the breakup and where you are now.

Place three cards in a row. These refer to your part in the breakup, their part in the breakup, and what outside forces (if any) contributed to the breakup. These three cards allow you to gain an understanding of the reasons behind the breakup.

Then, place the fourth card above the second. This card refers to what you gained from the breakup. This allows you to stay positive and gain a wider understanding of where your life is right now. The fifth and final card goes underneath the fourth card and refers to what you can learn from the breakup.

Five-Card Horseshoe Tarot Spread

Horseshoe Tarot spreads are really popular in answering a specific question and finding guidance in you or the querents life about a certain topic. It is a really versatile spread and you can answer so much with this one!

As you can imagine, the five-card horseshoe Tarot spread is laid out in a horseshoe with the first three cards going upwards, and the last two on the opposite sides.

The first card refers to past influences. These are things that affect the situation you are in right now. The second card reflects your present circumstances and what you are wanting out of the situation. The third card reflects any unexpected issues that may occur and that you need to be aware of.

The fourth card is a guidance card and gives you advice on the best course of action you can take right now. The fifth card refers to the outcome of the situation.

Five-Card Career Spreads

A five-card Tarot spread can be really useful when it comes to understanding where you are in your career or what decisions to take in regard to promotions and job opportunities.

Five-Card Tarot Spread for a New Job

This five-card Tarot spread is perfect for when you are offered a promotion or new job and you are hesitant about accepting it.

The first card pulled refers to the pros of the job that you have been offered, and the second refers to the cons. The third card pulled reflects where you are right now in regard to your career.

Above the second card, you may place the fourth, which refers to the best course of action and what you should do in regard to this job opportunity.

Finally, place the fifth card underneath the second. This card refers to the outcome of the situation.

Five-card Tarot Spread for career guidance

If you feel as if you are a bit stuck in regards to your career, a quick five-card Tarot spread will allow you to get guidance and understanding of where you are at right now and what you need to do in order to progress.

This spread is laid out in a star shape. The first card reflects your current situation and where you are right now in regard to your career. The second card pulled can be placed above the first and to the left and refers to your attitude towards work and your dreams.

Next place the third card at the top of the spread. This card signifies what is holding you back from excelling in your career.

The fourth card pulled refers to what you need to work on, and the fifth reflects the next step.

The last two cards are guidance cards that show you what to do in order to move forward and excel in your career.

Five-Card Tarot Spread for Healing and Self-Love

This five-card Tarot spread is all about finding healing and self-love. If you suffer from low self-esteem and find self-love hard, you can use Tarot in order to heal and grow.

Sometimes it can be hard to love ourselves and we can often slip into negative thought processes, but Tarot is a spiritual tool that can guide and help.

This five-card Tarot spread for healing and self-love is in a cross shape. The first three cards pulled refer to your positive traits and should be placed in a line.

The first card refers to what makes you you and why you are the amazing, unique person that you are.

The second card pulled shows you why you need to be proud of yourself. This might be about your career, your friendships, or your positive traits.

The third card refers to the amazing things that you do that positively impact those around you.

After these three cards, pull the fourth and place it above the second. This card refers to negative acts and thoughts that you do or have that are harming your self-love.

This might refer to anxiety or destructive behavioral patterns. It may also just refer to those bad thoughts that everyone has about themselves!

The fifth and final card refers to positive acts that you can do in order to feel better about yourself.

Five-Card General Tarot Spreads

You may not have a specific question or issue right now, and therefore are looking for a more general reading. So, I have designed two five-card Tarot spreads that are for regular use that aims to guide you in your general life.

These are great spreads to learn in order to practice Tarot and learn the different cards and what they mean for different things.

Five-Card General Present Spread

This five-card Tarot spread refers to where you are right now and what things you can do in order to work on yourself.

The three cards that should be laid out in a row refer to love, family, and career. These will reflect where you are right now in regard to these things.

Then, above the second card, place the fourth. This card refers to something positive that is occurring in your life right now. It may be a specific thing, such as money or a current relationship. Or, it may be more general and refer to your outlook on life.

The fifth and final card should be placed below the second and refers to something negative that is in your life right now. This is something that needs attention.

Five-Card General Future Spread

This five-card Tarot spread is a perfect way of revealing your future and what is about to occur in your life. It is a great spread to do at the start of every week in order to gain guidance and understanding of the week ahead.

The first card should be placed above the rest of them as this is the main card of the reading. This is the one that shows you the purpose of the near future and what will be important in your life.

The second card pulled reflects your love life, the third reflects your career and money, the fourth will represent your health, and the fifth will refer to your home life.

This allows you to get general guidance in regard to these parts of your life and what you might need to do in the near future.

Which Spread Will You Pick First?

Most of these five-card tarot spreads are perfect for both beginners and experts alike. They are a great way of understanding the cards and getting guidance in so many different areas of your life!

If you’re just starting your tarot journey and want to explore simple layouts, check out the article on an easy tarot spread for beginners—it covers beginner-friendly spreads that are perfect for building your confidence.

Which five-card Tarot spread will you try out first?