Fugdale’s Funhouse

In this series of articles on the positions of the Celtic Cross Spread. I will attempt to illuminate readers to the sometimes subtle distinctions between the meanings of the positions. I will post more information on other aspects of the Celtic Cross Spread later. In these articles I will use the term ’subject’ to refer to the person you give the reading to (which can by yourself or someone else). I will use the term ‘reader’ to indicate the person giving the reading (which will usually be yourself).

Celtic Cross position number 3 – UNDERLYING ENERGY, SUBCONSCIOUS INFLUENCES, WHAT LIES BELOW

Card position 3 usually lies directly beneath the cross formed by cards 1 and 2. Therefore, it represents what lies below the main conflict of the spread. It informs the reader as to the influences coming from the subconcious level. These energies most likely don’t manifest in your subject’s mind, so this card can give you a bit of advice to give. You can tell your subject about some influences they may not have an awareness of.

If you visualize the spread as a novel or a movie, the third card represents the underlying motivation that drives the character to do certain things. The character doesn’t realize he/she operates from this influence. It may represent an event from the person’s past or some hidden away influence from the subconsious world.

After you have determined the conflict of the spread with cards 1 & 2, Card Position 3 will help you determine the personal influences that the subject manifests which may have led to the conflict or which may prevent him/her from progressing.

The third position could indicate any of the following:

• An underlying motivation
• A subconscious influence
• Something hidden or suppressed
• A gut feeling
• A forgotten memory
• A root cause

Court Card in the Third Position 

A court card in the third position will most often reflect a shadow personality of the subject. A personality traight the subject doesn’t realize he/she is exhibiting.

Conversely, a court card can represent another person whose influence on the matter at hand is secret or unknown to the subject.

Example:  A man asks about feeling stuck in his career path. You draw a Queen of Pentacles in the third position. This might represent a woman in his current career who has some sort of influence in holding him back (perhaps a supervisor or rival business owner). Or it could indicate that the man internalizes his business personality (indicated by the Queen) which may hold him back. You might suggest that he concentrate on speaking up or externalizing himself to others. Having more confidence or making new connections in order to counteract this subconscious influence.

Relationship to other positions

The number three card in the Celtic Cross spread relates to several other cards in the spread.

Vertical Axis - Cards 3, 1-2, and 5

The vertical line of cards represents the dimension of inner/outer or up/down. Position 3 starts on the inner point (the subconscious or gut feeling or instinct level) and progresses up through cards 1 & 2 (the conscious level) into card 5 (the superconscious or inspiriation level). Interpreting card 3 through this filter helps bring focus to your reading.

Relationship to Position 7 

The third card also has a very strong relationship with card position 7. They both indicate influences coming from within the subject. However, card 3 usually has a much more subtle influence and the subject usually doesn’t have any awareness of this influence. Card 7 indicates thought processes the subject has and is aware of.

Relationship to Position 9 

The third card relates to the ninth card because they both represent a secret or key that may help in giving advice to the subject. Card 9 usually indicates a desire, worry, fear, obstacle or a key to unifying the entire spread. Whereas, card 3 indicates a sub-influence that once the subject becomes aware of, they may suddenly make connections they hadn’t thought of before.

Hopefully you have a clearer understanding of the importance of card position 3.

Be sure to take a look at the previous entries:
Card Position 1
Card Position 2