The Sheikah Slate Spread
Gather round, Heroes and Heroines of Time, for I am about to share with you a little something I have been working on for the past few days. I can´t think of a better item to base a Zelda Spread on than the Sheikah Slate for this blog´s main purpose´s reawakening.
It’s been over 100 years since we last fought against the forces of darkness and uncertainty on this very same blog (yes, I know it was just a year!). We shall begin anew and part for new adventures. But before venturing forth, take this. We all know that it´s dangerous out there, don’t we?
As a highly powerful technological device, the Sheikah Slate offers all kinds of functions to assist you in your quest. It has a Scope, a Map, it operates with well-developed apps Runes, and it even has advanced sensors for unopened Shrines. So, I went pondering about a Spread that could replicate those functions somehow. After all, a highly advanced piece of technology needs highly advanced divination techniques. So, I worked hard like a Sheikah these past days, trying my hand on every bit of divinatory techniques that could lend itself quite nicely to a Sheikah Slate Spread.
So, now, I didn´t invented these techniques at all. BUT, I took everything that could work for this project and gave it a twist here and there to make it functional. I used everything, from traditional tarot techniques, methods found in traditional cartomancy, and fun tricks found in Lenormand reading. In fact, the fabled Grand Tableau served as the basis for this spread… with proper Zelda twists to create a fun spread that offers the wonderful things found in the Sheikah Slate. Heck, I even think I managed to channel Steve Jobs to pitch this spread to my followers and lovers of all-things cartomancy!
So, without further ado, let me present the Sheikah Slate Spread!
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Begin by selecting a Significator for yourself. If there are other persons involved, select one for each of the. Don´t overstuff, though, keep it simple. And remember to take note on which card represents who. Proceed to shuffle the cards and pick the cards you need to complete a set of 16 cards, bearing in mind that from those 16 you already took one when you choose a Significator for you. Maybe you took more than one for each additional persons involved. It doesn´t matter, just pick as many as you need from the deck to complete a set of 16 cards.
Spread them out the following way, already face-up. I will guide you through this lengthy process to read this spread in an appropriate manner.
Part 1: The Scope and Pins Functionality
The Sheikah Slate uses state-of-the-art technology to zero in something of importance, that is maybe distant from where you stand. The Scope is represented by the Four Central Cards of the Spread (that is A, B, C and D). These cards zero in something very important for your life right now. It is not just about something simple, this four cards reveal the most important thing on your life journey as of now.
Once you read those four cards, read the Four Corner Cards, the give additional information regarding the Central Cards. These Four Corner Cards (I, IV, XIII and XVI) complement the Central Cards by showing more mundane and immediate things.
Part 2: The Map Functionality
The Sheikah Slate always pinpoints your exact location and/or that of other important individuals/things. Kindly, please, locate Your Significator Card and take notice of the Numbered Position it landed on. This Numbered Position corresponds to which part of the land of Hyrule you are currently residing on. This will give you further information regarding your current life position on the Map Functionality.
The cards above you deal with what is exerting the most pressure on your mind and emotion. The cards below you are those thing you have under control. The cards to your left represent your past. The cards to your right represent what is to come. If no further cards are on your right, then you are on the brink a new cycle in your life.
If there is more than one person involved, proceed to do the same for them. Also, take notice if you share the same row or column with them. If not, then you might not be on the best of terms with them and so you can use the Yiga´s Spell: to further explore that situation, trace imaginary lines parting from both Significator Cards in a Vertical and Horziontal way. Those lines emanating from both cards will intersect in two card positions. These two cards will let you explore what is happening between you two.
Part 3: The Places of Power
It is imperative to analyze the Map the cards offer you in much more detail. As a continuation from the Map Functionality part, we shall delve further into the Hyrulian Landscape as follows:
I. Shrine of Resurrection: Project in hand
II. Temple of Time: Hope
III. Sheikah Towers: Luck
IV. Great Hyrule Forest: Wishes
V. Hyrule Castle: Injustice
VI. Death Mountain: Trouble
VII. Karusa Valley: Rivals/Deceit/Gossip
VIII. Gerudo Desert: Sickness
IX. Zora´s Domain: Friendship
X. Kakariko Village: Joy/Home
XI. Spring of Wisdom: Love of any kind
XII. Tarrey Town: Marriage
XIII. Spring of Power: Money/Fortune
XIV. Great Fairy Fountain: Gift
XV. Spring of Courage: Kindness
XVI. Shrines: Prosperity
Each of the sixteen cards is located in one of these Hyrulian Places of Power, including the Significators. You must interpret the card that landed there, taking into consideration that its position in the spread is colored by what the Place of Power brings to that card.
Note: More information regarding the possible interpretations will come in a follow-up post. In said post we will delve on the significance of the Places of Power based on the suit of the card it landed on them.
Part 4: The Heroic Columns
The Sheikah Slate is equipped with powerful software capable of identifying your present quest for the day and assisting you in managing that day´s quest. Keep in mind that for the interpretation for these columns you are NOT required to take the Places of Power into consideration. And please, scale down the interpretation for we are dealing with more mundane situation, although certainly not less important.
E. Present Day Quest: This Column tells you about the present day´s most pressing concern.
F. Keys to the Shrine: The things that will open the way for you to make progress towards your goals. Could be anything, from pep-talks, to magick spells, to meditation, to affirmations, to prayers, to simple everyday actions like getting out of the house, doing homework, visitng friends, etc.
G. Puzzle Solving: The first two cards from top to bottom tell you about the obstacles. The last two cards are how they are meant to be resolved.
H. Spirit Orbs: The things you shall receive that at the end of the day you shall stop and appreciate the best you can. Every day you receive blessings, this are the things that you should shower with your appreciation to open the doors for even more blessings.
Part 5: The Malicious Rows
Of course, the Sheikah Slate can further analyze your Life Position, help you remember even things that are important, store revelations, and recall a compendium of information for you to review and reflect when you have the opportunity to do so. These are not be taken in a broader way than the Heroic Columns, for they reveal things that have happened in the last month. Also, you don´t need to take into account the Places of Power when interpreting the rows.
1. The Spirit: These are the Higher Things, those that are bigger than you and that explain your current Life Situation. These are active forces.
2. The Mind: These is the preponderant mind state for the month that colors all your interactions with all aspects of your life.
3. The Physical: Important aspects of your body, your needs and satisfactions that have dominated the last month.
4. The Undercurrent: Important yet subtle forces at work, that are born from other´s actions and decisions all around you that may directly or indirectly impact you. Again, this is information about last month.
Part 6: The Runes
Further powers can be unlocked for the Sheikah Slate. For that matter, part from the card that is directly placed under the Symbols of each Rune. Interpret the cards following the colored line. Each Rune reveals things, show you secret ways to influence the events and deal with both everyday problems and life problems.
The Remote Bomb Line: This line reveals a connection between the cards the line touches, how they overtly or secretly relate to each other, and how if you impact any of the cards in this line you will set off a chain reaction to help you blast through the obstacles one or more cards in the line represent. The preceding cards shall impact the next one, and so on and so forth.
The Magnesis Line: This line reveals a connection between the cards the line touches, how they overtly or secretly relate to each other, and how if you manipulate any of the cards in this line you will set off a chain reaction to help you moves things in your favor. Be careful, for it also generates enough force that could potentially damage you, and is represented by the line returning to its starting place.
The Stasis Line: This line reveals things that, for the time being, you should nurture and keep them as they are. When the effect expires after some time (probably withing the next lunar month), the “kinetic” energy that your kindness and nurturing bestowed upon them shall be released in a way that blesses yourself and make things fall into place for you, even the universe bending over itself to help you if you keep doing it consistently. Again, the arrow line flies towards its starting point, the second to last card represents that which you shall receive, be it the destruction of an obstacle or the securing of success. Even seemingly immovable objects can be impacted this way.
The Cryonis Line: The cards on this arrow line are stepping stones that you should use to balance your life. Keep in mind that they may also represent obstacles for your enemies, offering protection from their vicious attacks if you procure them.
Part 7: The Sheikah Sensor+
This sensor is the latest of functions added to the Sheikah Slate, giving you the ability to discover secrets hidden all around you that will give your more information regarding any of the Sixteen Cards that conform the Spread.
How you go about it by using the Lenormand technique called Knighting. Yes, this technique comes from the Knight´s movement in chess and works the same. You part from the card you want to learn secrets from and count three cards forming a letter “L”. You will arrive to a second card after you Knight, and this card will give you information about their secret.
Part 8: The Divine Beasts
Dealing in with the Main Computer in certain Sheikah Places can bestow power and the ability to take possession of one of the Four Divine Beast. These shall be taken with the power of your intuition from the deck of unused cards at the end of a Sheikah Slate Spread reading. So you will take four cards and place them, one by one in the order of your liking, over one of the 16 cards so you can summon further introspection, hints and solutions for what the cards reveal. Take in mind that the Divine Beast will bestow its power to the card randomly picked, and the interpretation must come from that perspective.
Vah Ruta: The powers of positive feelings will drive this card to affect a card of your choosing.
Vah Medoh: The powers of intellect will drive this card to affect a card of your choosing.
Vah Rudania: The power of direct confrontation will drive this card to affect a card of your choosing.
Vah Naboris: The power of spirits and magick will drive this card to affect a card of your choosing.
So there you have it. One fun way to kickstart and re-energize this blog once more. I hope you enjoy this spread as much as I did putting it together though I am reeeeeally nervous about this post. What if you hate it? Still, Power and Wisdom cannot be balanced without Courage, no? *Inhales deeply before clicking to post*
So, stay tuned because there is much, much more to come for all THREE of my blogs.
