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3 cards · Traditional spread

The Past, Present, Future Spread

The classic three-card story: what shaped your situation, where you stand now, and where things are heading if nothing changes.

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Best for

Any question where you want to see the arc of a situation.

The 3 positions

  1. PastWhat shaped the situation and still echoes in it.
  2. PresentWhere you stand now, and the energy around you.
  3. FutureWhere things are heading if the path stays as it is.

How to lay it out

  1. Settle on your question. Write it down in your own words.
  2. Shuffle the full deck of 78 cards until it feels ready. There is no wrong way to shuffle.
  3. Draw 3 cards from the top and lay them in order, 1 to 3, as in the picture above.
  4. Turn them over. A card that lands upside down is read reversed.
  5. Read each card in its place first, then look at how they connect. Note what you see in a journal.

Questions that work well

  • What do I need to know about love?
  • Where is my career heading?
  • What is holding me back?
  • What should I focus on now?

Where this spread comes from

Past, Present, Future is a classic three-card spread used by readers everywhere.

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Other spreads

Draw the Past, Present, Future spread

Shuffle and draw in your browser. Each card shows its meaning in its place.

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