Easy Three-Card Tarot Spreads for Seasonal Guidance

Look, we all know the universe loves to throw curveballs when we least expect them. Whether it’s Mercury doing the backstroke in retrograde or a Saturn Return hitting you like a ton of cosmic bricks, sometimes you just need a little heads-up. That’s where Tarot comes in. It isn’t about predicting the winning lottery numbers or figuring out if your ex is thinking about you (spoiler: they probably aren’t), but rather about understanding the energetic weather forecast.

Since the dawn of time, or at least since people started staring at the stars and wondering why life is so weird, we have looked for patterns. Seasonal shifts, lunar cycles, and planetary alignments all mess with our internal stats. Tarot is just the HUD (Heads-Up Display) that helps you navigate the game without walking off a cliff.

Why Three-Card Tarot Spreads Are the GOAT for Beginners

If you have ever looked at a Celtic Cross spread with its ten cards and complicated crossing positions, you probably felt your brain short-circuit. It’s too much. It’s like trying to beat a Dark Souls boss with a Guitar Hero controller. Enter the three-card spread. It is the perfect entry point for anyone new to the craft because it offers a narrative arc—beginning, middle, and end—without overwhelming you with data.

Three-card spreads are versatile, punchy, and get straight to the point. They force you to focus on the core relationships between the cards rather than getting lost in the sauce of a massive layout. Plus, three is a sacred number in pretty much every magical tradition ever, representing everything from the Maiden, Mother, and Crone to the simple linear flow of time. It is efficient, it is effective, and it saves you from having to memorize 78 different meanings all at once.

Tarot Explained (Without the Woo-Woo)

At its core, Tarot is a deck of 78 cards divided into the Major Arcana (the big, life-altering plot points) and the Minor Arcana (the daily grind and side quests). Think of the Major Arcana as the main story cutscenes, while the Minors are the inventory management and NPC interactions. You shuffle them, you pull them, and you use the imagery to unlock your own subconscious intuition. It’s basically therapy with pictures.

A Guide for Beginner Tarot

First things first, you need a deck. Don’t just buy the Rider-Waite because everyone else has it. If you don’t vibe with the art, you won’t vibe with the reading. Find a deck that speaks to you, whether it’s goth, cottagecore, or based on a video game. Once you have your deck, you need to bond with it. Some people sleep with their cards under their pillow (weird, but okay), while others just shuffle them while watching Netflix.

Before you start slinging cards, clear your mind. You don’t need a whole ceremonial robe setup, but maybe don’t do a reading while you’re rage-tweeting. Knock on the deck three times to clear out old energy—think of it as a hard reset for your console—and focus on your question.

Three-Card Tarot Spreads for Seasonal Guidance

Seasons change, and so does your vibe. Here are a few ways to use three-card spreads to check your internal temperature when the seasons shift.

The Seasonal Reset Tarot Spread

This is perfect for Solstices or Equinoxes when you need to realign.

• What to Leave Behind: This card represents the baggage from the last season. Maybe it’s a toxic ex, or maybe it’s just your habit of doom-scrolling until 3 AM. The cards will call you out.
• What to Embrace: This represents the energy coming in. If you pull an Ace here, get ready for new beginnings. If you pull the Tower, well, buckle up.
• How to Grow: This is your action card. It tells you where to focus your energy to actually make use of the season rather than just surviving it.

The Seasonal Vibe Check (Past, Present, Future)

This is the classic. Use it at the Equinox or Solstice to see where you’ve been and where you’re going.

• Past: What baggage are you dragging from last season? This is the “ghost of mistakes past.”
• Present: What is the current mood? This is your character status screen right now.
• Future: Where is this energy leading? This is the potential loot drop if you stay on this path.

The “Past, Present, Future” Classic

It is a cliché for a reason—it works. Use this when you feel stuck in a rut.

• The Past: The influence that got you here. It is the context for your current drama.
• The Present: The reality of the situation right now, stripped of your denial.
• The Future: The likely outcome if you stay on your current path. Don’t like the card? Change your path. That is the point of the reading.

The “New Year, Who Dis?” Tarot Spread

Perfect for January 1st or your birthday.

• The Seed: What new idea or habit are you planting? This is your Fool energy, the leap of faith.
• The Tools: What skills or resources do you have in your inventory to make this happen? This is your Magician energy.
• The Block: What is standing in your way? Usually, it’s your own brain or a bad habit you refuse to quit.

The Mind, Body, Spirit Check-In

Use this whenever you feel burned out or disconnected.

• Mind: What is cluttering your thoughts? Usually, this highlights stress or overthinking.
• Body: What does your physical vessel need? (Spoiler: It’s usually water or sleep).
• Spirit: What does your soul need to feel lit up again?

The Mind, Body, Spirit Reset

Use this when you feel stuck or glitchy.

• Mind: What are you overthinking?
• Body: What does your physical avatar need? (Probably water or sleep).
• Spirit: What does your soul need to stop screaming into the void?

How to Interpret the Tarot Cards

Don’t get hung up on the little white book that came with your deck. Those definitions are dry and boring. Look at the pictures. If a card shows a guy getting stabbed in the back (Ten of Swords), it probably means betrayal or a painful ending, not a surprise party. Trust your gut. If a card makes you feel anxious, explore that. If it makes you feel powerful, lean into it. The cards are mirrors, not absolute laws. Context is everything. A “Death” card doesn’t mean you’re going to die, it usually just means you need to let go of something that’s already rotting.

Other Ways to Use Tarot Cards for Seasonal Guidance

You don’t always have to do a formal three-card tarot spread. You can just pull a single “Card of the Day” to set the tone for your morning. Or, use the cards as journal prompts. Pull a card, write down how it makes you feel, and see if any patterns emerge over the month. It’s a low-stakes way to level up your intuition without the pressure of a full reading.