I have never hidden my admiration for Marcel Picard. I consider his first book being my initiation into the Tarot de Marseille. Thinking back about my beginnings, I spent hours and hours reading and re-reading that book and practicing with a Grimaud.
There are many ways to interpret a spread taking the form of a pyramid. I always found the version presented by Marcel Picard, in his second book, superior to the others. It allows us to gain much more information than a simple pyramid. It is a combination of line readings and positional interpretations.
Let me first introduce the spread with a schematic representation.
We can start by reading this spread in 3 layers.
Cards 1, 3, 2 will represent the current situation, the foundations of the reading.
Cards 4 and 5 will show the evolution, which elements will intervene.
Card 6 is the resolution, the solution.
Up to now, this is about what you would get with a typical pyramid. What I like with this spread, is the additional information it gives.
Card 1 and 2 can be seen as the foundation of the response, with card 1 seen as giving an active coloration to the response, and card 2 as having a passive coloration. I do not like to use terms like positive and negative, I always found that active and passive can be more widely applied.
Building from there, we can look at the 2 sides, cards 1, 4 and 6 will give the brighter, more active side of the response, while cards 2, 5, and 6 will give the darker, more passive side.
Card 3 is also very important, as it is at the center of the reading, like a focal point in the foundations. It acts like the synthesis in a french cross, it is the essential element coloring all the other cards. That will become clearer in the following example.
I also like this spread better than the french cross. For the same number of cards, in my opinion it gives more information.
Sarah, in her fifties, has a problem in her relationship with food. She is asking how she could try to overcome her sugar addiction.
Right away, with the bottom line, we see that what is central to the problem is that a realization has to come, probably discussing with others, but something has to trigger the will to change the situation, of getting out of that addiction. Like that trumpet playing, the call to do something has to be heard and internalized. There’s no doubt that the effort should not be done alone, that success is certainly tied to someone helping. The partner will have to join in the effort. But she has also to realize that getting away from that sugar addiction is going to require some serious sacrifices. Not an easy line, she has to be acclaimed for her resolution.
If we look at the second line, the hermit is certainly a sign that it might take some time for Sarah to reach her objective, she certainly has to look deeply at the reason why she is so addicted. It also shows that she’s ready to retreat from sugar, the hermit is someone who can live with not much. I like the wheel of fortune to end this line, it shows movement. Certainly ups and downs, but we can expect that her resolution will move in the right direction. If we look at what is the bridge in between these 2 cards, we have Judgement below, she’s going to need encouragement from people close.
What I really like in this reading, is the popess at the top. A popess which is reflecting on the past, on what happened, looking the same way the hermit is doing. The character in this card is more on a spiritual plan, someone who has overcome earthly needs. Everything in this card indicates austerity, which would mean a nice success.
Now, let’s look at the sides, and how the central card at the bottom can color them. Everything starts with Judgement, a sudden revelation that something has to be done, like a declaration of commiting to some changes.
The main idea on the left side is that help is needed, and even with help, it’s going to take a long time to go back to normal and feel comfortable. And even with help, there must come an understanding of why it is necessary of getting out of that sugar addiction. Nothing is easy, that will take some time. Looking at the reasons, trying to understand, and internalizing why. But a least with an active attitude and help, she is on a good path.
Looking at the right side, there’s also a realization that it’s not going easy at all, that hanged man is not very appealing, not only it shows sacrifices, but also literally hanging in there is difficult, a real effort has to be done, an really uncomfortable place to be. She knows that it’s going to be a hard battle. She also knows deeply that the risk of fallbacks is huge, that wheel is not always going to turn the right direction for Sarah, there will be periods where she will risk succumbing to the temptation, some relapses.
But this is a long term effort. It basically is just sitting and waiting like the popess, she knows it. The real effort is in not acting, in realizing what that addiction does to her and being patient.
But first of all, what is important is to come to that realization and proclaim what she wants to accomplish.
Deck: Jean Noblet, restored by JC Flornoy.
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