Hello Tarot nerds! Today it’s time for another spread: The Past, Present, Future. (PPF for short)
This is probably one of the most commonly used spreads along with the Celtic Cross. And there are many variations of it like “Mind, Body, Spirit” and many more. So why would you use this spread? It is the perfect spread to see what you’ve done, what it has become and what it can or will become. Or anything in a similar harmony. I’ll get a little into numerology for this post as well!
What I personally like about this spread is that it’s small. There’s not a ton of cards to read in relation to each other. It’s simple, doesn’t take too long to read or record either.
I think this spread is the perfect balance between too much information and too little. Perhaps that’s why it’s used so often!
If you’re new to Tarot then I encourage you to read my Tarot 101 posts:
Tarot 101 – Your first deck, Tarot 101 – Getting Started & Tarot 101 – Reading spreads.
Past, Present, Future.
As with any spread or reading, you can either ask a question, ask advice about a situation or ask for general guidance. Be sure to get your intentions clear before starting to shuffle your deck and lay out the cards.
This spread can be very helpful to gain insights into your situation. How did this start? Where did it lead to? What will be the outcome of my actions? Every card gives you insight. Some of the answers you may have already known, some may be new, some you may have suppressed.
So the PPF spread consists of three cards. often placed in a row to show the chronological order of events. Here is a couple of variations on them and a short description of its meaning:
- Past – Mind – Cause – What I did
- This one usually speaks about a source, something you’ve done.
- When using Mind, it may speak to something that’s been bothering you, something you’ve been thinking about.
- Present – Body – Effect – What I do
- This one usually speaks about what that has currently resulted in. Your current situation, what it signifies.
- When using Body, it may be what your body has been telling you in response.
- Future – Spirit – Consequence – What I should do
- This one speaks of things yet to come. This may also be the point of advice.
- When using Spirit, it may be about what you need to overcome.
Numerology.
Why would I use numerology for a spread? The number of cards can bring its own significance with it. Three, is usually one of joint forces, flowing, building together, expanding one’s horizon, looking beyond your own point of view. This is a quality usually reflected in the cards bearing the number three themselves.
Example:
Here’s an example reading so you get what I mean.
- Past: XVI The Tower. The tower stands for abrupt change, and we don’t like it, but sometimes you have to fall (real hard) before you can get back up again and go on. In this case, you may already have gone through this huge change. That’s a great place to start though!
- Present: II of Wands. The 2 of wands is all about making plans and discovering possibilities that may spark your passion. You be currently going through this or will be soon.
- Future: IV of Swords. The 4 of swords is about rest, restoration and contemplation. Are the plans you made the right steps to take? You may need to take a rest and sleep over them another night.
In this case, the future may be more like advice perhaps even in the near future rather than far. Honestly, I think this spread tells a good story.
You went from a hard time and are picking up the pieces again by planning. You may need to contemplate and rest though before putting your plans into action as to not make the same mistake you did in the Past.
Hope you found this helpful! If you have any questions please let me know, I’ll do my best to answer them.
Path of Ashes 