Ever since I learned about this spread years ago, it has become the one I use most often, particularly when reading for others. It is simple to work with and covers nearly every aspect of life. The planetary correspondences add an extra dimension to the reading of the cards. This spread uses seven cards laid out clockwise in the following order: Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Though technically the Moon is a rock and the Sun is a star, their energies are still used the same way as the other planets. These are known as the seven classical planets, since the ones other than Earth (Neptune, Uranus, Pluto) were not known until much later. Even though Pluto lost it’s ‘official’ planetary status, many magical practitioners still use it in their workings.

To use this spread, it is important to know the magical correspondences of each planet.

MOON: Things that are hidden and kept to oneself, secrets, things one may be ashamed of or embarrassed about, the shadow self, one’s darker nature, occult knowledge, intuition, psychic ability, divination, goddess worship, self-esteem, identity, dreams, witchcraft, wisdom, imagination.

MERCURY: Interactions with others, communication, travel, conversations, learning and study, school, writing, meetings, speech, paperwork, contracts, agreements.

VENUS: Personal relationships, love, friendships, family, romance, attraction, sexuality, beauty, affection, fondness, often associated with women and female sexuality.

SUN: Ambition, achievement, success, accomplishment, reaching goals, god worship, the image of you that is seen by the world, enlightenment, strength, health, creativity, confidence.

MARS: Opposition, friction, battle, lust, anger, passion, competition, aggression, assertiveness, often associated with men and male sexuality.

JUPITER: Job and career, money and finances, having material needs met, house and home, food on the table, prosperity, luck, abundance, opportunity, any kind of growth or advancement toward better things.

SATURN: Restriction, limitation, obstacles, sacrifice, discipline, responsibility, circumstances beyond one’s control, or situations that prevent one from reaching goals.

Below is an example of the planetary spread

Next is an example of tarot cards laid out according to this spread. You will begin the reading with the card that is in the Moon position, which in this example is the Six of Swords. Then going clockwise and ending with the card in the Saturn position, which in this example is the Four of Pentacles, read each card with their planetary correspondences.

Below is a sample personal reading of these cards. I do not use “reverse” positions in my readings, but those will work just as well with this spread. I am using a version of the Rider-Waite deck here, but if you use a different deck you can adapt the planetary spread to your deck of choice. For this spread, I asked the question “What should I be aware of in my life at this time?”

MOON: SIX OF SWORDS

Since the moon reminds me of things I keep hidden, the Six of Swords is telling me to stop dwelling on past shortcomings (something I tend to do) and to look toward to the future with positive expectations. It is also encouraging me to let go of some things I have rigidly held onto, and embrace new ideas as part of my spiritual path.

MERCURY: STRENGTH

Since Mercury is about communication, the Strength card reminds me to spend more time on my writing projects, and to do them efficiently. I am working on a book at the moment, and I want to have it published through a traditional publisher. It is not something to rush through, and I want to do it right. Writing is one of my strengths, after all.

VENUS: THE DEVIL

The Devil card is about taking control of a situation before it becomes too difficult to solve. It also implies lust and temptation. Venus is about relationships, attraction and desire. We watch alot of gay porn at our house, so this card is warning me (and us) to not let it become an addiction.

SUN: THE STAR

Ironically, the Sun is a star, and the Star card implies personal growth and spirituality. The Sun, of course, is about success and achievements, as well as creativity. This tells me that some personal projects I’ve been working on will soon come to fruition.

MARS: FIVE OF PENTACLES

This card implies financial hardship and isolation, and being in the Mars position means that it will be especially challenging. We have had some financial setbacks recently, and this card is telling me to hold on just a while longer, we’re not out of the woods yet.

JUPITER: THE MAGICIAN

The Magician in the Jupiter position is telling me to stay committed to getting some personal projects finished, because they will be prosperous and successful once I can finally put them out there.

SATURN: FOUR OF PENTACLES

Since Saturn indicates restrictions and obstacles, the Four of Pentacles in this position could be telling me to use my resources wisely, and to be more prudent with finances or any other material gains I may receive. There may be a financial obligation I am not yet aware of, or perhaps an emergency on the horizon.

I have found the Planetary Spread to be the most insightful and enlightening spread I have ever used. It’s also fun to do, and clients that I use it with seem to enjoy it. There will often be connections between the cards, and sometimes the person I’m reading for will spot things that I may have missed. I encourage you to try this spread for yourself.