How to Read the Deity Identification Spread
So, first of all, I’d suggest at least looking over the companion post to this, How to Read the Deity Communication Spread. A lot of the same ideas and concepts I mentioned there are going to apply here as well.
Secondly, if you’re not sure what I’m talking about – check out the Deity Identification Spread!
The purpose of this spread is to build a profile of information about a deity so that you can discover or narrow down their identity. It won’t always hand you the answer on a platter! But as I said before, and will say numerous times again in the future, the act of taking that information and searching for the answer is often part of the process of working with deities and spirits.
Another purpose for this spread is to verify the identity of a deity that you’re dealing with. It’s actually quite useful for this one, and quite a bit easier, because you’re going to have a better idea of what you’re looking for already.
(Also, just for funsies, if you’re a writer or someone else who finds themselves needing to do some world building, it’s great for generating up fictional deities as well)
As always, God stuff is weird. It won’t always be easy, but this spread should point you to the signs along the way to figure it out, even if it doesn’t hand you the answer.
Be willing to think creatively. The “answer” may come from the card meaning or imagery, but it could also be a pun on the name or number, or something that is whispered to you when the card is turned over – see above: God stuff is weird.
Remember: you may have to do the leg work on this. The cards should ultimately give you symbols and signs to look out for – so be looking out! See what deities you find that are connected to your answers. Search the myths and lore. See how and where they fit.
Like I said in the post about the Communication Spread, it’s okay to draw more cards for various positions, perhaps even more so in this spread. (You can uh….draw multiple cards for positions on any spread?? by the way?? Just throwing that out there)
Even if you don’t discover the identity of the deity, you’re going to get some useful information in terms of allowing you to reach out to them – clues about their nature, information on their symbols and associations. The closer you get, the more answers may be revealed.
Like in the Communication Spread, this card sums the deity up, typically giving you the particular aspect that is appearing to you.This card should give you hints on where to start looking for the deity’s identity – their name, personality, their appearance.
Relate this card to the other cards to start building an image of the deity.
CARD TWO: Quality/Trait (”Negative”)
As I say in the spread, I usually interpret this trait as being something “negative” – note, by the way, that you may not get a straight answer here if the deity doesn’t have any overtly negative traits or if you personally won’t perceive or experience those traits.
The “negative” trait may be something they’re classically associated with – jealous, impulsive, potentially cruel. But it may be something you personally may not like – associations that make you uncomfortable or challenge you.
I think it can be hard for people to confront this card because it can be scary. If you get an answer here you don’t like, maybe you don’t want to know the answer after all. If that’s going to be an issue for you, enough that you can’t get over it, then eh, maybe don’t specify this to be something negative. But I think it’s worth it to know and it can be very illuminating.
CARD THREE: Quality/Trait (”Positive”)
This card is the same as above, but with a more positive slant. So these may be things that are aspects they’re known for, such as beauty, generosity, wisdom, or things that you’ll appreciate and be supported by.
This card can be confusing when the positive trait comes up as a negative card, so firstly, let me suggest reading what I said about negative cards in How to Read the Deity Communication Spread.
But overall, consider that a negative card may:
Be expressing a positive aspect of itself – The Tower as liberation, the Five of Pentacles as a light for the lost.
Represent something symbolic – the Ten of Swords may be someone who is known for stepping out of their physical body or granting that ability to those who worship them. The Ten of Wands may be someone who is known to take on many burdens or many followers.
…may just be negative? You might not have a good time with every deity. It happens.
This card should point you to the deity’s domain, if you will. The cards can be a bit cheeky here, so be prepared for that. The Lovers may indicate a love goddess – but it may also come up for a crossroads deity.
You should be willing to have a dialogue with your cards here. Pull more than one if you need to, but don’t be afraid to actually give a think to what you draw here – and for all of the cards, to be honest…
Contemplation and comparison to the other cards should help you out here.
CARD FIVE: Symbol/Association
This can be straightforward or not, so good luck!
Again, sometimes the answer is in the imagery – a lightning bolt on The Tower, there might be a dolphin on your Knight of Cups, or maybe it will be in the name or meaning. The search for the answer can be part of the work you’re supposed to be doing, remember?
But what you’re looking for here are symbols, animals, places, concepts, or whatever else you can strongly link to a deity – which you can use not only to identify that deity, but to reach out to them.
I really can’t stress this enough – even if you don’t get the answer directly, you’re going to get clues to follow along the path and you’re going to get keys to help bring you closer to that deity.
If you follow those signs and if you use those keys, you will be able to build a bridge of communication and build a relationship that is going to bring you closer to the answer of identity.
This is especially useful for lesser known deities or deities whose names have been lost to time!
But ultimately you need to be willing to sit with these answers and explore them, especially if a straightforward identity isn’t presented to you. Sometimes the answer is something that unfolds over time rather than something that hits you straight in the face right away. Maybe you can eliminate some names along the way!
Like I said in the closing thoughts on the communication spread breakdown:
“One of the reasons this spread can be difficult is that deities are difficult. Discovering who they are and what they want from you is sometimes part of the whole challenge or bonding process, and the quest to find those answers is often as useful and important as actually accomplishing anything they’re going to ask from you.
So it’s okay if you don’t get all of the answers right away. Sit with what you’ve got. Explore what comes up. Keep asking the questions. Don’t be discouraged by the work it might take you to get there, especially if you feel like it’s keeping you from starting. If you’re in this process? You’ve already started.”
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