Hi Cedars,
It is not a must to select a significator at all. This is pretty much up to the reader. Selecting a significator is normally done using the Court cards.
Ages: 16-22; Pages
Ages: 23-35; Knights
Ages; 36-50; King for men, Queen for woman
Ages; 50 and above; Emperor for men, Empress for woman. Using divinatory meaning only.

The four cards should now be shuffled--placed in a row, the Querent is now allowed to, with their intuition, gliding their hands over these cards, choose a specific card. This card must now be turned face up and the Querent should be represented or characteristics are revealed.

If here, you don’t use a significator, card one will give you some indication as the characteristics or circumstances surrounding your querent.

Card 2
Comment: Is this what you mean by “a pairing”: positive card, but may not necessarily have a positive bearing on the querent? In other words, if we got the Two of Cups or the Ten of Cups, OK, we say to the querent, your family bliss is not really going to be such a blissful event after all; that is the problem which you should look at etc.

Yes pretty much so, we can also consider that with Ten of Cups. The querent may be warned, even if his family life seems complete, they should not fall into complacency, but look for cracks and keep giving his family life, support. Therefore card two does explain obstacles and blockages.

Card 4
In card four we are looking at the past events and influences. Consider what is represented in card four. We look at foundations, boundaries, concrete facts. These are factors which cannot be changed. Here we need to consider the influence the past events had on the mind and spirit and the resultant frame of mind created by this card. We now link card four to card one, describing the current influence and contemplate card five.

Comment: Isn’t this almost the same as position One where fact is fact and we cannot change what is Here and Now; what has happened and brought the seeker to this current state? What if this position was a positive card say an Ace for instance; Ace of Pentacles? Are you saying then that the new beginnings in the areas of work and finances, may have contributed adversely to the querent’s current state? In that case, Aces are NEW beginnings, which may not necessarily have come into fruition into the querent’s life yet; they may even be in their infancy and the querent may not even be aware of these new beginnings.

Yes, card four describes a past event that has been a contributing factor to the current environment and is not necessarily the only influence to achieve the current situation.

Card 5
Here we find the link in the chain from card four to card one. This card describes the continuous steps taken to achieve the current environment, as described by card one. It also denotes the current steps being taken and then links to card six.

Comment: In other words, two Past cards (4 and 5) plus a present (card 1) make a Future – card 6?

Yes you can derive at a conclusion using card four(far to medium past). Card five would be more recent and into now.

Card 6
Card five gives way to card six, we see the pathway becoming clearer and the start of the direction the reading is taking. We can assume that card six describes the “medium” term future.

Comment: In other words, another form of card 3 – immediate future?

This card does explain the future but a bit further. Between card 5 and 6, we can attach a timeperiod. The past occurance as described by card five can be estimated or determined. Then counting forward, we may find the occurance card six describes.

Card 7
Getting to card seven, this card gives us an indication as to what the querent may be thinking or contemplating. This card will give you a perception whether the querent is accepting, rejecting or just bluntly refuse to acknowledge his environment. In this sense, this is a card the reader must carefully contemplate. We must also link the Significator, current influence-card one, and past influence, card four. This card brings into focus how the querent has changed, due to his past influences, and may oppose the significator altogether.

Comment: Am lost here where the significator is concerned. In which case we must remember that the way in which a person is changed given a certain set of circumstances, may make them either a good person or a bad person. In this card, we also see how other people regard the actions of the querent.

Comment: Is the opinion of other people of any consequence or importance to the querent? Doesn’t he have enough issues to worry about? This is another aspect of the Celtic Cross I find strange. Why is the link to position seven governed by cards one and four? What about card 5?

Sometimes the opinion of other people bear a lot of wisdom, and may change the querant’s actions, when he has been sensitised to his mindset.

Card 9
In representing Hopes and Fears, this card is a continuation from card eight. This card is simple to read at face value. If it is negative it would obviously describe the Querent’s fears. And the opposite would then be his/her hopes. However, the number nine describes completion! It therefore predicts that which the querent may receive. If we consider The Magician, the active participation of the querent can be seen. Every person creates his or her own “Universe” and therefore attracts, that what they consistently imagine. Whatever you visualize you materialize. Another powerful quotation, “Whatever you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, you will surely have it”.

Comment: OK. I see card 8 and 9 to be quite similar but under a different heading.  My mindset whether positive or negative (8). And my hopes and fears, whether positive or negative (9). Don’t these say the same things?

Card eight would describe more the influence or environment around the querent, and how he changed it, not neccesarily himself. Card 9, is “what am I scared of, or what is what I want”

Card 9
In representing Hopes and Fears, this card is a continuation from card eight. This card is simple to read at face value. If it is negative it would obviously describe the Querent’s fears. And the opposite would then be his/her hopes. However, the number nine describes completion! It therefore predicts that which the querent may receive. If we consider The Magician, the active participation of the querent can be seen. Every person creates his or her own “Universe” and therefore attracts, that what they consistently imagine. Whatever you visualize you materialize. Another powerful quotation, “Whatever you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, you will surely have it”.

Comment: OK. I see card 8 and 9 to be quite similar but under a different heading.  My mindset whether positive or negative (8). And my hopes and fears, whether positive or negative (9). Don’t these say the same things?

Card eight would describe more the influence or environment around the querent, and how he changed it, not neccesarily himself. Card 9, is “what am I scared of, or what is what I want”

Thank-you very much for your reply and the questions you raised. Sometimes it is very important to have a analyst go through your work, to make it more understandable to everybody. We have a host of potential readers and hopefully they may benefit from our subjects!

Blessed be.

Dear Payewacker,

Thank you VERY much for your feedback on the Celtic Cross. I have read it once and will read it again to get a better understanding of this spread. Hey, I might even use it one one day to give readings     .

The beauty about the tarot cards I find, as I go on in my journey, is its mystery and interpretations based on intuition and, moreover, its interpreation based on a given situation which can be SO different that it never ceases to amaze me, the reader, when I see a card with a totally different insight (meaning) to what I had originally learnt of its textbook meaing.

Best wishes to you and may your efforts be blessed with success.

Cedars