KEYWORDS

• Spirituality
• Guidance
• Mystery
• Faith
• Destiny
• Duty
• Burden
• Crisis
• Tests
• Trials
• Tribulations
• Decisions

OVERVIEW

Like the Key and Tower, the Cross is a card of mystery and destiny. It indicates that affairs are in the hands of a higher power. Divine guidance, divine redirection, higher consciousness, and spirituality are all at play. Our convictions and principles can see us through challenges and help us manifest our desires. Big decisions and deep lessons also come up when the Cross shows up. However, it’s also often associated with pain, burdens, and our cross to bear. It tends to show up at a time of crisis or distress, or when we’re going through a tough transition and experiencing its emotional and spiritual heaviness. Regret and guilt are also often at play with the appearance of the Cross.

IN THE PORTRAIT & GRAND TABLEAU

On the first or central card, divine protection and guidance are here to help us, but we must also be patient and aware. We need to go within, understand our depths, and trust our intuition. We must also let go, trust in the higher power to help us through, and have faith against all odds. We have to find ways to cope and decide how to handle those parts that feel burdensome. We will either drop them or accept them, but they cannot keep draining us. Authenticity, personal development, and being willing to learn the lessons come through strongly with the Cross. On the central position, it can point to pains and burdens, especially with negative cards nearby. We have to decide what we will keep carrying and what needs to be dropped.

Regardless of the Cross’s position in the Tableau, it indicates challenges, burdens, or pains. However, when it’s near the significator, it usually indicates that these will be short-lived. It can also indicate important signs, matters of destiny, crossroads, or big decisions at hand, depending on nearby cards. When far, the Cross’s challenges can be heavy.

ADVICE

We may be at crossroads and have to make big decisions. We must tune into what really matters because the Cross is about the big things in life. We must cultivate faith, intuition, depth of feeling, and learn the lessons to achieve clarity. Karma must be examined and dysfunctional patterns must be cleared. We must furthermore decide which obligations we will embrace and which ones we will release ourselves from.

CARD COMBINATIONS

WITH THE...

THE COMBINATION MEANS...

ANCHOR

Burdens, obligations, dogmatism, stubbornness.

BIRD

Burden, scatteredness, guidance, or an important message or trip.

CLOUDS

Subconscious mind, deep mental patterns, buried memories can surface.

COFFIN

Grief, pain, dark night of the soul.

FISH

Money in our destiny, or financial burdens and decisions depending on nearby cards.

KEY

Fate, providence, faith in our abilities, connecting with our subconscious.

MAN OR WOMAN

Guidance from someone, or someone having challenges.

MOON

Success and recognition, admiration, compliments, or heavy emotions.

RIDER

Help, an important message.

SCYTHE

Trauma, shock, pain, karma, need to acknowledge mistakes.