The Scales Spread

A friend taught me this spread a good few years ago. She called it The Scales:

Card One: The Situation

This card identifies the root of the problem.

Card Two: What is lacking

This card shows what there is a lack of in the situation.

Card Three: What is excessive

This card tells us what there is too much of, in the current situation.

Card Four: What is in balance

The fourth card shows us what we are getting right, what our strength is.

Card Five: Best Outcome

This card tells us the best outcome of the situation.

Example Reading:

To give an example, I used my Answer deck, though the spread can be used with many different types of decks. I have a new project in the works, a charity fundraiser of sorts. I asked the cards for insight into the situation:

Card One: Situation

The first card is straightforward enough. In a reading about charity, it is no surprise to see Generosity as the first card drawn. Quite simply, this card is about giving, of both possessions and your time.

Card Two: Lacking

The second card drawn is The Fool. In terms of a lack, this card seems to be reminding me to loosen up, and think outside the box. It is a reminder not to make a chore out of something which is supposed to be fun, and to find off-the-wall solutions. It may also mean that now is not the time to care about what others think, or about making a fool of myself.

Card Three: Excess

The third card is Heartbreak, in the Excess position. I think this card is a warning not to take things to heart. I do, I'm afraid, have a tendency to take failure personally. A little emotional investment is fine, but I think the message here is to not become weighed down by little disappointments, to learn from mistakes and move on.

Card Four: Balance

The fourth card, Challenge, is encouraging. It suggests that I am more than capable of making this work. Before doing the reading, I will admit to being a little concerned that I had bitten off more than I could chew. But as a card of balance, Challenge suggests that I have chosen a project which is exactly the right difficulty!

Card Five: Best Outcome

The fifth and final card is Strength. As an outcome, I think Strength is all about learning and growing. Perhaps it isn't really about whether I succeed, or by how much. It seems that it is more about the journey, and how we can all grow by accepting new experiences into our lives.