These two spreads are the most commenly used when begining to practice the Tarot. You can either ask a specific question while shuffling the cards or keep in your mind while shuffling that you want an overall reading of whats going on in the life of the querent (the person your reading for). Note, that the time lines given in #1a are subject to change depending on the reader's interpratation.
Past, Present, Future (see #1a for time lines)
#1a
(Top row) Past (about 1 to 6 months back)
(Middle row) Present (about a three week period, one week back one week presently & one week forward)
(Bottom row) Future (about 1 to 6 months forward)
#2 The Celtic Cross
A very common spread so commen that it is in almost every tarot book you can find. (see #1a for time lines)
1. The starting point, what your present focus is.(underneath card 2.)
2. The cross card, The unconscious side, opposing or complementary to card 3.(turn side ways to shoe card 1.
3. The root, the basis of what you whant, the conscious side.
4. Past
5. Present
6. Future
7. Inner strength, how you see yourself, your inner attitude.
8. Your hopes and fears.
9. The outside influences and the attitude you present to the world and others around you.
10. The outcome, goal, or task.
#3 The Pentagram spread
1. This is where you came from.
2. This is where you are going.
3. This is what is difficult for you.
4. This is what makes sense.
5. This is your ultimate goal.
#4 The Inner strength spread
1. My responsibilities.
2. What I love.
3. What my inner voice is telling me.
4. My decision.
#5 Partnership Tarot spread
1. Partner A pulls a card for Partner B: This is how I see you.
2. Partner B pulls a card for Partner A: This is how I see you.
3. Partner A pulls a card for him/her self: This is how I see myself.
4. Partner B pulls a card for him/her self: This is how I see myself.
5. Partner A pulls a card that shows his/her relationship to partner B.
.6 Partner B pulls a card that shows his/her relationship to partner A.
#6 Preview & Overview spread
1. The Aries in me: What I am snd how I am.
2. The Taurus in me: What I have and how I own it.
3. The Gemini in me: What I think and how I think.
4. The Cancer in me: What I feel and how I feel it.
5. The Leo in me: What I desire and how I choose it.
6. The Virgo in me: What I analyze and how I resolve it.
7. The Libra in me: what I balance and how I balance it.
8. The Scorpio in me: What I demand and how I demand it.
9. The Sagitiarius in me: What I see and how I see it.
10. The Capricorn in me: what I gain and how I benefit from it.
11. The Aquarius in me: What I know and how I know it.
12. The Pisces in me: What I believe and how I believe it.
#7 The road to the solution spread
1. Your dowry.
2. ...its curse.
3. ...its promise.
4. A challenge for you.
5. This will remain a puzzle to you.
6. This is a necessary burden for you.
7. Your task.
8. Your problem.
9. The solution.
#8 The horseshoe spread
1. The Past, this card represents past events that are affecting the question or situation the querent is asking about.
2. The immediate Present, pretty self-explanatory; this card will tell you more about the situation.
3. The immediate future, near events that will affect this situation.
4. Something occupying the querent's mind, the querent need to be aware of how this fits in with this situation.
5. The attitudes of others, attitudes and thoughts about this situation from people surrounding the querent.
6. An obstacle, this is what will happen with the situation.
7. The final Outcome, this is what will happen with the situation.
#9 Astarte's spread
1. The Past, this card tells about the past and how it relates to the question.
2. The Present, This card will tell about the present; this defines the situation as it relates to the question.
3. The Future, the outcome of the situation, if nothing is done to change it.
4. Underneath, this is what is working against the querent, or what they aren't seeing.
5. Above, what is working for the querent to their advantage.
6. Helpers, something that will help the querent.
#10 The Chakra spread
1. The Root
2. Sexual Center
3. Power Center
4. The Heart
5. The Throat
6. The Third Eye
7. The Crown
#11 The Horoscope spread
The center card marked S is the significator, which is a card that represents the querent. The other cards represent the astrological houses. Here is what each of the houses represent:
1. First House, Aries- Personality, appearances, & outlook in life.
2. Second House, Taurus- Financial matters, & material possessions.
3. Third House, Gemini- Matters of communication.
4. Fourth House, Cancer- Old age, endings, & home environment.
5. Fifth House, Leo- Children, the heart, & creativeness.
6. Sixth House, Virgo- Health & hygiene.
7. Seventh House, Libra- Marriage and partnerships.
8. Eighth House, Scorpio- Death & dreams.
9. Ninth House, Sagittarius- Travel & dreams.
10. Tenth House, Capricorn- Careers & ambitions.
11. Eleventh House, Aquarius- Friendships & associations.
12. Twelfth House, Pisces- Self undoing & karma.
A few exercises
#12 The Meaning of numbers
This a good tarot meditation exercise to get aquainted with your cards. Just lay out the coressponding suit cards with the ones below. Study each one with its match for about ten minutes each day.
One: This is the beginning.
Two: This is the direction or first meeting point.
Three: This is where details grow and the idea solidifies.
Four: This is where roots are put down in order to build.
Five: First challenge or glitch in the situation.
Six: This is where the issue changes and grows in order to continue.
Seven: Variety is now added to expand the idea or project.
Eight: This is the evaluation period.
Nine: A moving forward to near completion.
Ten: Completion of the cycle, project, or issue.
Page: Risk and message.div> 
Knight: Movement and direction.
Queen: nurturing and creativaty.
King: Director and authority.
#13 The elements of Tarot
This is an simple excercise to get aquainted with the earth, air, fire, & water suits in your tarot deck. Lay out the four suits and meditate on their meanings below.
Earth- Pentacles; Finances, resources, and riches of all kinds.
Air-Swords; Manifest strength & energy, action, activity- sometimes violent in nature.
Fire-Wands; Control, interactions, and interpersonal strength & energy, direction.
Water-Cups; Resources of personal life-force & creativity, emotions, love.
#14 The major arcane
Match up the major arcane cards with the ones in this exercise and meditate on them for about ten minutes a card or one card a day for twenty minutes for a deeper connection & understanding of your deck.
#0 The Fool- Embarking on a new adventure, taking chances without questions, a youth without direction, Enthusiasm, naivety- His companion issues a warning, but the fool notices nothing.
#1 The Magician- The alchemic juggler, spontaneity, the puppetiere, dexterity, creativity, imagination, self-control, deception, & self-confidence.
#2 The High Priestess- Wisdom, intuition, self reliance, sound judgment, commonsense, practicality, serene knowledge.
#3 The Empress- An abundence, fertility of creations, ideas, as well as fisically fertile, a no-nonsense out look, mother, sister, wife, marriage, children, accomplishment, the ability to motivate others, & intuition.
#4 The Emperor- The male counterpart of the Emperess, father, son, husband, domination of intelligence, worldy power, wealth, authority, stability, the attainment of goals.
#5 The Hierophant/High Priest- The male counterpart of the High Priestess, Unorthodoxy, reluctant to accept any king of change, ritualism, overt reserve, conformity, a religious or spiritual leader.
#6 The Lovers- Trust, beginning of a possible romance, obliviouseness to possible consequences, possibly at the point in a relationship where an important decision has to be made.
#7 The Chariot- Possible voyage or journey, trouble, escape, adversity, harmony, balabce, & stability.
#8 Justice- Fairness, righteousness, virginity, honor, just reward, impartiality, poise.
#9 The Hermit- Solitude, to take oneself away from the world by choice. counsel, self-denial, a tendency to withhold emotion, solicitude.
#10 The Wheel of Fortune- Fate, advancement for better or worse, destiny fortune, approaching the end of a problem, good or bad luck- depending on influences of cards nearby.
#11 Strength- Courage, conviction, fortitude, energy, matter over mind, accomplishment.
#12 The Hanged Man- To be cought in a situation that you don't want to be in, transition, aboandonment, the changing of life's forces, readjustment, regeneration. the approach of new life forces. sacrifice.
#13 Death- The end of one cycle and the begining on the next, tronsformation, unexpected change, loss, alteration, the end of a familiar situation or friendship, the begining of a new era, rebirth, illness & Death (not nesasarally fisically).
#14 Temperance- Balence patience, moderation, self-control & frugality, harmony, accommodation, bringing together into perfect union, management, fortunate omen, successful combination.
#15 The Devil- Temptation, malevolence, sunordination, bondage, bad outside influence or advice, fear in Sexuality, inability to realize one's goals.
#16 The Tower- Caos, Dramatic change,disorter, the breaking down of old beliefs, abandonment of past relationships, downfall, loss of security, loss of stability.
#17 The Star- Spiritual love, astrological influence, faith, inspiration, promising opportunity, insight, good omen.
#18 The Moon- Confusion, dreaming, deception, intuition, obscurity, mystery.
#19 The Sun- Love, joy, engagement, satisfaction, a happy marriage, warmth, sincerity, achieviment in the arts.
#20 Judgement- Atonement, the need to repent & forgive, rejuvenation, rebirth, legal judgment in one's favor, desire for immortality.
#21 The World- Completion af a full cycle, ultimate change, perfection, fulfillment, the end result of all efforts, success.