The Fool Tarot Spread: Custom Layout for Intuition

17. december 2025

BY NICOLE LAU

The Fool's journey requires more than courage—it requires clarity. This custom tarot spread is designed to help you access your intuition, evaluate the leap you're contemplating, and discover what you need to know before you jump. Whether you're facing a major life decision or simply seeking guidance on your next step, this spread will illuminate the path.

The Fool's Leap Spread: 7-Card Layout

This original spread mirrors The Fool's journey from the cliff's edge to the leap itself. Each position represents a crucial aspect of your decision-making process, helping you move from uncertainty to clarity.

Spread Layout

        [7]         |    [2] [1] [3]     |   |   |    [4] [5] [6]

Position 1 (Center): You at the Cliff's Edge - Your current position and state of being
Position 2 (Left): What's Behind You - Past patterns, old identity, what you're leaving
Position 3 (Right): What's Ahead - The new beginning, opportunity, or path calling you
Position 4 (Bottom Left): Your Fears - What's holding you back or creating resistance
Position 5 (Bottom Center): Your Intuition - What your inner knowing is telling you
Position 6 (Bottom Right): Your Courage - Resources, strengths, or support available to you
Position 7 (Top): The Leap - Guidance on the action to take or outcome if you jump

How to Perform This Spread

Preparation

Cleanse your deck (smoke, sound, or visualization)
Create sacred space (candle, incense, quiet environment)
Set clear intention: "I seek clarity about [specific situation]"
Take three deep breaths to center yourself
Shuffle while focusing on your question

The Reading Process

Step 1: Lay out all seven cards face down in the pattern shown above.

Step 2: Turn over Position 1 first. This is your foundation—where you are right now. Spend time with this card before moving forward.

Step 3: Turn over Positions 2 and 3 together. These show the tension between past and future, what you're leaving and what you're moving toward.

Step 4: Turn over Positions 4, 5, and 6 together. These form the base of your decision—fear, intuition, and courage in conversation.

Step 5: Finally, turn over Position 7. This is your guidance—the wisdom The Fool offers about your leap.

Step 6: Look at the spread as a whole. Notice patterns, repeated suits, Major Arcana presence, reversed cards. What story is emerging?

Detailed Position Meanings

Position 1: You at the Cliff's Edge

This card reveals your current state—emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and practically. It shows how you're approaching this decision and what energy you're bringing to the cliff's edge.

Questions to ask:

How does this card reflect my current state of being?
What does this card suggest about my readiness to leap?
Is this energy serving me or limiting me?

If The Fool appears here: You're already embodying The Fool's energy. The leap is imminent. Trust yourself.

Position 2: What's Behind You

This card represents what you're leaving behind—old patterns, past identities, previous chapters, or limiting beliefs. It shows what you need to release to make space for the new.

Questions to ask:

What am I being asked to let go of?
How has this served me in the past?
Why is it time to release it now?
What grief or resistance do I feel about letting this go?

If reversed: You're already in the process of releasing this. The letting go has begun.

Position 3: What's Ahead

This card reveals the new beginning, opportunity, or path that's calling you forward. It shows what you're leaping toward—the vision, dream, or possibility on the other side of the cliff.

Questions to ask:

What is this new beginning offering me?
How does this align with my soul's purpose?
What excites me about this possibility?
What would it cost me NOT to pursue this?

If challenging card appears: The path ahead requires growth. The leap will transform you, possibly through difficulty.

Position 4: Your Fears

This card illuminates what's holding you back—conscious or unconscious fears, limiting beliefs, or legitimate concerns that need addressing before you leap.

Questions to ask:

What am I actually afraid of?
Is this fear protecting me or limiting me?
What would I need to feel safe enough to leap?
How can I honor this fear while still moving forward?

If positive card appears: Your fear might be disguised as something else—success, visibility, or getting what you want.

Position 5: Your Intuition

This is the most important card in the spread. It reveals what your inner knowing is telling you—the wisdom beneath the fear, the truth your soul recognizes even if your mind doesn't understand it yet.

Questions to ask:

What is my deepest knowing about this situation?
What does my body tell me when I consider this leap?
If I trusted this intuition completely, what would I do?
How can I distinguish this from fear or wishful thinking?

Trust this card above all others. Your intuition knows the way even when your mind is confused.

Position 6: Your Courage

This card shows the resources, strengths, support, or inner power available to you. It reveals what will help you take the leap—whether that's internal resilience, external support, or spiritual guidance.

Questions to ask:

What strength or resource am I overlooking?
Who or what can support me in this leap?
What have I survived before that proves I can handle this?
How can I access this courage when fear arises?

If challenging card appears: Your courage might need to be cultivated. This shows what you need to develop before leaping.

Position 7: The Leap

This card offers guidance about the leap itself—whether to jump now or wait, what to expect, or what wisdom The Fool wants you to know. It's the culmination of all the other positions.

Questions to ask:

What is this card advising me to do?
If I take this leap, what can I expect?
What does The Fool want me to know?
How does this card integrate all the other positions?

If The Fool appears here: Jump. Now. The universe is giving you the clearest possible sign.

Sample Reading Interpretation

Let's walk through an example reading for someone contemplating quitting their corporate job to start a creative business:

Position 1 (Current State): Four of Pentacles
Interpretation: You're clinging to security, afraid to release what you have. Your current state is one of holding tight rather than opening up.

Position 2 (Behind You): Eight of Pentacles
Interpretation: You're leaving behind the apprentice, the employee, the one who builds someone else's dream. You've mastered this; it's time to move on.

Position 3 (Ahead): Ace of Wands
Interpretation: A powerful creative beginning awaits. Passion, inspiration, and new energy are on the other side of this leap.

Position 4 (Fears): Five of Pentacles
Interpretation: You're afraid of financial insecurity, of being left out in the cold. This fear is legitimate but not prophetic.

Position 5 (Intuition): The Star
Interpretation: Your intuition is crystal clear—this is your path. Hope, healing, and alignment await. Trust this knowing.

Position 6 (Courage): Queen of Wands
Interpretation: You have the creative confidence, charisma, and leadership to succeed. Your courage is your authentic self-expression.

Position 7 (The Leap): Three of Pentacles
Interpretation: The leap leads to collaboration and building something tangible. Start small, find partners, create with others. Success is probable.

Overall message: Your fear is about money, but your intuition and courage are aligned with creative expression. The leap is supported. Take it, but build collaboratively rather than alone.

Variations of This Spread

Quick 3-Card Version

Use only Positions 1, 5, and 7 for a fast reading: Current State, Intuition, Guidance.

Deep Dive 10-Card Version

Add three more cards:
Position 8: Hidden Influence - What you're not seeing
Position 9: Outcome if you DON'T leap - What happens if you stay
Position 10: Outcome if you DO leap - What happens if you jump

Relationship Leap Spread

Adapt for relationship decisions:
Position 2 becomes "Your patterns in love"
Position 3 becomes "This relationship's potential"
Position 4 becomes "Your attachment wounds"

Career Leap Spread

Adapt for professional decisions:
Position 2 becomes "Your professional identity"
Position 3 becomes "The new opportunity"
Position 6 becomes "Your marketable skills"

When to Use This Spread

This spread is ideal for:

Major life transitions (career change, relocation, relationship decisions)
When you feel stuck between two paths
When fear is blocking your intuition
Before making a significant investment (time, money, energy)
When you need clarity about timing (leap now or wait?)
New Moon or Full Moon rituals for decision-making

Tips for Deeper Readings

Journal after reading: Write about each card's message and how it relates to your situation.

Notice the suits: Majority Wands = creative/passionate leap; Cups = emotional/relationship leap; Swords = mental/communication leap; Pentacles = material/practical leap.

Count Major Arcana: 3+ Major Arcana cards = this is a soul-level decision with karmic significance.

Look for The Fool: If The Fool appears anywhere in the spread, pay special attention to that position—it's where his energy is most active.

Trust reversals: Reversed cards often show where energy is blocked or internalized. They're not negative—they're nuanced.

Read the story: Don't just interpret individual cards. Look at how they relate to each other. What narrative emerges?

After the Reading

Take one action: Within 24 hours, take one small step aligned with the spread's guidance.

Revisit in a lunar cycle: Perform this spread again at the next New or Full Moon to see how the situation has evolved.

Trust the process: Sometimes the guidance is "wait." Sometimes it's "leap now." Honor what the cards reveal.

Keep the spread visible: Take a photo or sketch the layout. Refer back to it as you move through your decision.

Closing Wisdom

The Fool doesn't need a map—he needs trust. This spread isn't about predicting the future; it's about accessing the wisdom you already have within you. The cards are mirrors reflecting your own knowing back to you.

When you stand at the cliff's edge, uncertain and afraid, this spread reminds you: you already know the way. Your intuition is clear. Your courage is present. The leap is waiting.

The only question is: are you ready to trust what the cards reveal?

May your reading be clear.
May your intuition be loud.
May your leap be blessed.
May you discover you've had wings all along.