The Romany Spread Tarot Card Layout

The Romany Tarot spread is a simple one, and yet it reveals a surprising amount of information. This is a good spread to use if you are just looking for a general overview of a situation, or if you have several different interconnected issues that you're trying to resolve. This is a fairly free-form spread, which leaves a lot of room for flexibility in your interpretations.

Lay out the cards as shown, in three rows of seven, from left to right. In some traditions, the top row is the past, the center row is the present, and the bottom row signifies the future. In others, the past is indicated at the bottom, and the top represents the future. For this reading, we'll go with the top being the past, so that we can go in order. Think of the top, or past, row as Row A. The center row will be Row B, the present, and the bottom row, showing the future, will be Row C.

Some people interpret the Romany spread as simply past, present, and future, using the cards together in each of the three rows. The more distant past is indicated in Row A by cards 1, 2, and 3, while the recent past is signified with cards 5, 6, and 7. The second row of seven, Row B, features cards 8 - 14, and indicates issues that are presently going on with the Querent. The bottom row, Row C, uses cards 15 - 21 to indicate what is likely to take place in the person's life, if all continues along the present path.

It's easy to read the Romany spread by looking simply at the past, present and future. However, you can go into more depth and get a more complex understanding of the situation if you break it down into its different aspects. Reading from left to right, we have seven columns. The first will be Column 1, the second Column 2, and so forth.

Column 1: The Self

This column, which features cards 1, 8 and 15, indicates the things that are of the most importance to the Querent right now. Although it may indicate the situation they've asked about, sometimes it may be in reference to a question they're not asking, but that is still relevant.

Column 2: Personal Environment

This column, which consists of cards 2, 9, and 16, indicates the Querent's surroundings. Close relationships with family, friends, lovers and even co-workers are portrayed in these three cards. At times, it can show what sort of home or work environment the Querent is in.

Column 3: Hopes and Dreams

This column, featuring cards 3, 10, and 17, shows the Querent's hopes and dreams. This is also where fears may surface.

Column 4: Known Factors

In some readings, this column reveals the things the Querent already knows - plans that have been put into motion, activities which have already taken place, failures the person is living with, etc. At other times, it may help pinpoint what the Querent is truly concerned about -- which is not always what they've asked. This column contains cards 4, 11, and 18.

Column 5: Your Hidden Destiny

This column includes cards 5, 12 and 19. It indicates the surprised which may lie around the corner. Unforeseen developments often appear here, as do hints of fate, karma, or cosmic justice.

Column 6: Short Term Future

Cards 6, 13, and 20 show what is immediately coming for the Querent's situation. These are events which will likely appear in the next few months.

Column 7: Long Term Outcome

The final column, which contains cards 7, 14, and 21, indicates the long-term resolution of the situation. In some cases, Column 6 and Column 7 may tie very close together. If this column's cards seem to be random, or completely unrelated to the rest of the cards in the spread, it may indicate that some unexpected twist of fate is coming.