In Praise of the Three-Card Layout

TL;DR: comment below with questions, insights from recent readings, or your own favorite three-card layout!

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For everyday divination, few things work better for me than a three-card layout. This preference is almost certainly unrelated to my fondness for the number three.

I typically use three different types of divination (there I go again). First, there is the formal, ritual divination to discern how an offering or work was received. On the other end of the spectrum, pulling one card for the day is a great way to “roll for perception.” What I’m talking about here is somewhere in the middle, when I need some extra insight for myself and my choices.

If you follow me on social media, you might have seen a few of these three-card layouts recently. Sometimes, they’re laid out top to bottom; other times the cards will read left to right. The positioning doesn’t matter a whole lot if you’re doing a reading for yourself, so long it’s clear in your own mind what each position means. (This is a great reason to keep notes for your readings. We’ll come back to this.)

There are dozens of layout choices! For example, Past-Present-Future is a classic for a reason – very straightforward, easy to remember, and clear connections across the cards. A layout for Body-Mind-Spirit might reveal conflicting desires or ways in which I’m unintentionally mis-aligned. You get the idea. What I’ve been using lately is pictured below.

1. myself in this moment in time (today, or a specific circumstance)

2. the overarching energy of the environment or situation I’m in

3. how I might shift my perspective for a more positive experience or result

Though it was unusual to have all three of these turn up as major arcana, they pieced together a solid story (and attitude adjustment).

Myself in the moment: Magician. I was definitely struggling with the stamina, risk, and resources required in imposing my will. Going it alone and thinking all energy for change has to come from me tends to be a default mode and that’s not always the best choice.

Overarching energy: Chariot. A reminder that control is just as much about release as it is influence. As a Cancerian, this would be a card that signifies me in general; for this reading, it’s reassurance that progress happens along the road and not in an isolated incident. The day calls for leadership and subtlety in my steering, rather than insisting on my own solution.

Shift in perspective: Wheel of Fortune. Awareness of my place in a larger cycle, and seeing change and chance as moments in a larger movement, lets me release (again) that insistence on control in every moment. The inertia of the wheel, turning turning turning, can do a lot of my work for me, if I tune in to those cycles.

Let me tell you, that reading changed my whole experience of the next 12 hours. I saved the photo as my screensaver so I’d catch a fresh reminder several times during the day. If it were an ogham reading, I’d have carried it in my pocket as a touchstone. However it makes sense to you, carrying the reading with you and revisiting it will be valuable both in the moment and in your divination practice over time.

Which brings me back to journaling. Keeping a record of your readings will help you start to see patterns and gain confidence in your interpretations. It also helps you build familiarity with the tools. If you’re consistently reading for yourself, you’ll notice connections and growth as you work with the guidance that’s offered. Shoot, you might even start to notice jokes and coincidences, depending on your belief system.

I post a lot of my own readings online, which means I’ve got those to look at when I don’t have time to write in a journal. Whether your practice is to snap a photo, record your session, or take notes on paper, I hope divination can add grace and wisdom to your journey.

We’ve created some resources for divination on our website and will be adding more as time goes on. Check out the layout and journal page posted now on the Word Oracle page at https://www.ninefirespress.com/the-word-oracle – and I hope you’ll share what you learn!

~ Nicole (Nikki) is owner and general manager at Nine Fires Press. Her Druidic practice has included solitary, small-group, and congregational worship, with a focus on liturgy and seership. She is rehabbing an underground home in the Midwestern US and loves to fall in love with bad ideas.