AUTHOR’S NOTE:: This spread was inspired by the discussion of the Chinese Lo Shu Square in Benebell Wen’s Holistic Tarot, but I’ve taken it in a different direction.

The objective is to first read the “force-and-form” axes from top-to-bottom and left-to-right, respectively to see how the situation will develop when unaffected by “big-picture” environmental concerns. In this linear progression the Significator card acts as either the facilitator or the gatekeeper depending on the cooperative or uncooperative nature the two cards it sits between.

Next, place the Significator into four different environments in two ways: 1) by including it in the three-card “numerical essence” calculation to generate a trump card for each environmental position, and 2) by treating it as the “principal” card and adjusting its potency within each environment by assessing the “dignity” of the two adjacent “alpha modifier” cards in each case: A is modified by B and C; by C and D; by B and E; and by D and E in that order.

I decided to ignore the diagonal flow when reading this pattern because I see the waves of force and form as evolving across time and space along single-pointed fronts with no need to examine past-to-future instances of cross-cutting influence; the vertical and horizontal analysis is sufficient for my purpose, while the “Environmental Essence” cards are mainly expansive “side-trips.” But if you have the energy and persistence to follow it through, by all means do so. (For example, “Desires” and “Actions” can form an instructive pair, as can “Feelings” and “Ideas.”)

Begin by selecting a Significator card either intentionally or randomly to represent the querent or the matter of interest and place it in the center of the table. Reversal may used if going random with the choice.

Shuffle the deck while concentrating on the issue, then deal four cards face-up in a “cross” pattern in the order shown. Reversals are permitted.

Next, calculate a “numerical essence” card for each environmental position by summing the values of the three cards in each “alpha” subset: A+B+C; A+C+D; A+B+E; and A+D+E. This will always be one of the Major Arcana according to the number obtained by the calculation. (Except for a couple of personal twists, this technique is identical to that used in the “quintessence” derivation of French cartomancy.)

If it is greater than 22, reduce the sum to a value below that limit to come within trump-card range. This can be done either by Theosophical addition and reduction (adding together the digits to reduce the total) or by “casting out nines (subtracting increments of nine). In my own practice I count the court cards as 11 through 14 and subtract the value of any reversed cards. I prefer casting out nines because it can give me the Fool as well as a reversed “essence” card. (I’ve explained the process in detail in previous posts.) Note that the double-ended white arrows are there only to emphasize the cross-connections between the cards. Always follow the “alpha” sequence as described.

After reading the two developmental axes in the normal way as a function of devolving psycho-spiritual influences “from above” and evolving physical circumstances “from behind,” examine the environmental situation for the querent or subject in both psychological and mundane terms, then turn your attention to the condition of the Significator as modified by the adjacent “non-essence” cards in each quadrant. (I’ve also posted previous essays on how to use elemental dignities for this purpose.) Taken together, these indicators will define how well-prepared the querent is to deal with and hopefully master his or her various challenges (assuming any show up in the scenarios depicted by the cards).

Draw conclusions from this analysis regarding where the most emphasis should be placed in advising the querent what to expect.

Below is an example reading. We have a two-week trip to Italy coming up near the end of the month and I wanted to know how it will go overall.

None of the cards here is especially threatening, but all those reversals suggest a steady stream of minor delays and upsets. I pulled the Significatot card randomly, and the reversed Lovers has me thinking we might have some difficulty making connections. Of course, the numerous reversals could just be confirming that I will have my feet off the ground for eight hours.

The “force” axis with the reversed 9 of Disks and the upright 2 of Cups could mean that we will have some trouble getting past TSA with our luggage but it should be sorted out.

The “form” axis portends that we could have difficulty “settling in” on the journey (reversed Queen of Cups), but again it looks like it will be resolved efficiently (4 of Disks). Maybe the seats won’t be comfortable.

The reversed Wheel of Fortune in the “Instinctual Environment” implies that I will instinctively feel stressed on such a long journey with its layovers and transfers. Although she won’t be with us, I can still here me daughter whining when she was three years old “Are we there yet?”

Lust (aka Strength) reversed in the “Cognitive Environment” brings hints of being stymied in the creative “mind work” that I typically do on a daily basis. I will bring my iPad but doubt I will use it in transit.

The Star reversed in the “Emotional Environment” shows that all we will have to sustain us is hope since we will be unable to do anything to alter the travel experience once we’re en route.

The Fool in the “Physical Environment” could be reflecting how I will react to the whole thing before it’s over. I’ve already expressed my reservation about going but I really couldn’t make it stick because we were invited to a destination wedding on my wife’s side. (Can you say “grounds for divorce?”) It is the only upright card among the four “Environment” positions, so at least the Fool isn’t “flying blind” with his head up his backside.

Taken as a set, the environmental trumps invoke Fire at the abstract level and Air at the objective level, a lively and stimulating combination, so perhaps the reversals will moderate the high-voltage energy so I can retain a little peace-of-mind (and maybe get some sleep).

Regarding elemental dignities, the Lovers is empowered by the cooperation of the elementally friendly Queen of Cups and 9 of Disks, which could help in working through any problems we encounter with connections as mentioned above.

The Lovers is also strengthened by the elementally friendly 9 of Disks and 4 of Disks, which is an even more utilitarian pairing than the first two modifiers. Technically, Earth is unfriendly to the Air card in the middle but that doesn’t figure into the equation according to my repeated reading of Liber T. It’s all about the interaction between the two “modifiers,” and the “principle” card receives the fallout “for good or ill.”

The Lovers is also bolstered by the sympathetic connection between the Queen of Cups and the 2 of Cups. We may receive an abundance of friendly cooperation.

Finally, joining the elementally obliging 4 of Disks and 2 of Cups has nothing bad to say about the journey any more than the other pairs do.

As long as the Fool doesn’t trip me up, the reading is telling me that I’m worried over nothing since the 2 of Cups and 4 of Disks bode well for happiness and satisfaction in the final analysis; the reversed Lovers is not disruptive enough to dampen their enthusiasm although there may be a “detour” or two along the way.