Three Card Spreads can be your savior, especially when you’re first starting with card readings. There are more complex spreads, but baby steps are the most welcoming when you are getting started. I use the three-card spread as a quick way to gain insight into a particular issue, or even just to get some clarity for the day and the tasks ahead of me. 

Many people, myself included when they start out learning Tarot think they need to become experts at the Celtic Cross, but this is not the case. Don’t be afraid to start with the basics. Tarot is not about how complex you make it, and how ‘good’ you are at reading things. It’s more about understanding and connecting to innate intuition. 

While the Celtic Cross is one of the most popular spreads, it can be overwhelming when you first start with your Tarot journey. I’m here to tell you to take it slow, enjoy the ride, and let the Three Card Spread be your friend. 

There are many different layouts for the three-card spread and just as many ways to use it. 

Here’s how you can use the three-card Tarot spread for quick and uncomplicated answers to those burning questions. 

With just three tarot cards, you can get straight to the heart of your question. 

Here’s how to do just that. 

First off, you need a clear idea of what issue you want to address. I ask myself to not only feel the feelings but go a bit deeper and ask what is causing me to feel these feelings. Of course, you can ask the tarot deck about that too- but it will always show you what you already know, even if it’s hidden deep down in your subconscious. 

You can apply the three-card spread for a daily dose of general guidance for the day, or apply it to a particular problem you have in mind. It can be relevant to love, career, finances, family, or a choice you need to make but feel you don’t have access to all the information. 

Let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?

Three Card Spread Layouts

Three spread tarot card readings can be done with almost any question in mind. But these are the layouts we can separate them into:

Three Card Spread for Past, Present Future

Typically regarding a situation or decision and can also be used for the rest of the layouts too.

Let’s take a look at the past, present, future layout and apply it to a general question. 

After shuffling and cutting your deck, pick the top three cards. Of course, you can pick any three cards out of the deck that you feel inclined to. 

Lay the cards with the first one to your left, the second in the middle, and the third to your right. 

The first card represents the immediate past in regards to the situation or question in your mind. 

The middle card (the second one you picked) relates to the current status of the situation you asked about. It also gives you insight into the lessons you could learn with regard to the question. 

The third card speaks of the near future relative to your question, but most importantly if you continue on the path laid out by the middle path after implementing the lessons. 

Remember that the future card is not necessarily a definitive future- and the future can always be adjusted with a positive attitude but most importantly, following that inner gut feeling that whispers (well let’s be honest sometimes it shouts), here, this way or, mmm, that doesn’t quite sit right. 

Three Card Spread for Love and Relationships

There are various layouts you could use for a three-card spread for love and relationships. 

Love Layout One

This first layout provides a generalized idea and insight into the relationship

Card One: You

Card Two: The other person

Card Three: The relationship

Love Layout Two

The second layout explores more along the lines of motives within the relationship. I like this reading as it often forces me to confront gut feelings I have but am not ready to fully face yet.

Card One: what you are looking for from the relationship

Card Two: what your partner (or interest you are thinking of) is looking for from the relationship

Card Three: where the relationship could be heading

Love Layout Three

The third layout also provides some deeper insight into the relationship, but instead of what motivates it deals with nurturing the relationship. This is a great way to spread the love if you want to take care of the relationship and nurture it so that it brings out the best in both of you.

Card One: The things that pull you together

Card Two: the thing(s) that push you apart

Card Three: the thing(s) that you should focus your attention on

Love Layout Four

This fourth layout is a little controversial. Well, not really, but who likes to admit we’re stringing a couple of love interests along, right? Or is that the norm these days? Either way, I don’t like to feel like I am toying with feelings. Remember, with love, karma likes to come around knocking. That’s why I try to figure out my love triads as soon as possible. And what better way than to do that with cards, right?

For this three-card layout, you should keep one love interest in mind with the first card, pull the second card with the second love interest in mind, and the final card pull it with a sense of peace in your heart. If that sounds too hippy-dippy to you, well I must be honest I agree. But, we have all felt that sense of peace- even a high powered logic-minded businesswoman. So go on, you know what I mean. 

Card One: love interest option one

Card Two: love interest option two

Card Three: this card will provide you with information and insight that might help you understand both interests better, and possibly help you make a choice

Three card spreads for love and relationships are certainly very popular, in fact, could there be a subject that people want to know more about? Love has always been the core of many questions for people coming to tarot, but it’s important to remember that tarot does not predict the future, it merely brings to the surface things in your subconscious and shows you what is likely to happen if you follow certain paths and decisions.