Position

A position is one place in a spread, defined by the question it asks: the past, what is in the way, what helps, the likely outcome. The position frames the card, so the same card reads differently depending on where it falls; The Tower in a past position suggests an upheaval already lived through, in a what-helps position a clean break. Positions are usually numbered to show the order in which cards are laid down. Classic spreads such as the Celtic Cross have fixed positions, and many readers write their own for a particular question. A common confusion is between position and orientation: whether a card is upright or reversed is a separate matter.