Situation-Action-Outcome Spread #
Introduction #
When you’re facing a specific challenge or decision, you need practical guidance. The Situation-Action-Outcome spread delivers exactly that: clarity about where you are, direction for what to do, and insight into where things may lead.
This spread respects your agency. It doesn’t predict a fixed future but illuminates the dynamic relationship between circumstance, choice, and consequence. The outcome shown isn’t fate. It’s what becomes possible when you engage consciously with your situation.
Think of it as a conversation: “Here’s what’s happening. Here’s what you might consider. Here’s where that could lead.”
The Layout #
The arrows indicate flow: situation leads to action, action leads to outcome.
The Positions #
Position 1: Situation #
What it represents: The true nature of your current circumstance, often revealing aspects you haven’t consciously recognized.
This card serves as a mirror, sometimes confirming what you know, sometimes surprising you with a perspective you’ve been missing. It answers: What is actually happening here?
Questions to explore:
- Does this card match my perception of the situation?
- What aspect of this circumstance haven’t I been seeing?
- What is the essential energy or dynamic at play?
Position 2: Action #
What it represents: Guidance for how to engage with the situation, an approach, attitude, energy, or specific action to consider.
This isn’t a command but an invitation. The card suggests what might serve you. It answers: What can I do? or How might I approach this?
Questions to explore:
- What quality or approach does this card suggest?
- Is this calling for more or less action?
- What would embodying this card’s energy look like in practice?
Position 3: Outcome #
What it represents: The probable trajectory if you take the suggested action, or sometimes, the outcome of your current unconscious course.
This isn’t fixed prophecy. It’s the direction energy is moving. Change your action, and you change the outcome. It answers: Where might this lead?
Questions to explore:
- Does this outcome align with what I want?
- Is this showing me the result of the suggested action or my current path?
- What does this tell me about the stakes of my choice?
Reading the Flow #
The power of this spread lies in the causal narrative it creates:
The Logic of the Reading #
"Because the situation is [Card 1], and if you approach it with [Card 2], then the outcome tends toward [Card 3]."
This logic helps you understand not just what but why.
When the Flow is Clear #
Sometimes the three cards tell an obvious story: the situation is challenging, the action is clear, and the outcome feels like natural consequence. Trust this clarity.
When the Flow is Mysterious #
Sometimes the cards don’t obviously connect. This is valuable information:
- The situation might be more complex than it appears: Card 1 may reveal hidden dimensions.
- The action is unexpected: Card 2 might suggest an approach you wouldn’t have considered.
- The outcome surprises: Card 3 may show consequences you hadn’t anticipated.
Sit with the mystery. Let the cards teach you something new about cause and effect.
Working With This Spread #
When to Use It #
- Facing a specific problem: When you need practical guidance
- Before making a decision: When you want to understand implications
- Feeling stuck: When you’re not sure what action to take
- Checking a plan: When you have an action in mind and want to see where it leads
- Any practical question: Career moves, relationship decisions, creative projects
Variation: Known Action #
If you already have an action in mind:
- Draw the Situation card normally
- Choose a card that represents your intended action (or draw, stating “This represents my intended action”)
- Draw the Outcome card
This variation shows what happens if you proceed with your current plan.
Variation: Multiple Outcomes #
For more nuance:
- Draw Situation and Action normally
- Draw two Outcome cards: one for “if I act this way,” one for “if I don’t”
This shows the contrast between engagement and inaction.
Sample Reading #
Question: “What do I need to know about asking for a raise?”
Cards Drawn:
- Situation: Five of Pentacles
- Action: The Emperor
- Outcome: Six of Wands
Reading:
Situation (Five of Pentacles): The situation reveals a feeling of lack, perhaps you’ve been feeling undervalued, overlooked, or experiencing genuine financial strain. There may be a sense of being on the outside of abundance. This validates that the impulse to ask for a raise comes from a real place.
Action (The Emperor): The guidance is clear: approach this with structure, authority, and self-possession. Don’t ask from the energy of the Five of Pentacles (neediness), but from the Emperor’s energy (measured authority). Prepare your case. Know your value. Present yourself as someone who commands respect, not someone begging for scraps.
Outcome (Six of Wands): Victory, recognition, and public acknowledgment. This is a very encouraging outcome card. It suggests that if you embody the Emperor’s energy, taking clear, authoritative action about your value, the result is likely to be positive recognition.
Synthesis: Your feelings of lack are valid, but don’t lead with them. Step into your authority, make your case with confidence, and the outcome points toward success.
Journaling Prompts #
After your reading:
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The revelation: What did the Situation card show me that I wasn’t fully seeing?
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The stretch: Is the suggested Action comfortable or does it ask me to grow? What would make it easier?
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The motivation: Looking at the Outcome, do I want to move toward this? If not, what would need to change?
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The commitment: Based on this reading, what specific action will I take in the next 48 hours?
When the Outcome Seems Unfavorable #
Not every reading shows a desirable outcome. When Card 3 looks challenging:
Don’t panic: This isn’t fixed fate. It’s information.
Look at Card 2: Is the suggested action the one you intended? Perhaps a different approach leads to a different outcome.
Consider what it’s warning: The “negative” outcome might be saying, “Proceed with awareness” rather than “Don’t proceed.”
Ask follow-up questions: “What action would lead to a better outcome?” and draw another card.
The gift in a challenging outcome card is the opportunity to choose differently.
Esoteric Insights #
The Situation-Action-Outcome structure reflects fundamental principles of conscious living:
Karma in Action: Not karma as punishment, but karma as consequence. Every action creates ripples. This spread makes those ripples visible before you act, restoring agency to a process usually unconscious.
The Magical Will: In ceremonial traditions, magic is the art of consciously creating change. This spread embodies that principle: see clearly (Situation), choose deliberately (Action), shape what becomes (Outcome).
The Middle Pillar: In Kabbalistic terms, the Action position represents the Middle Pillar, the path of balance between opposing forces. The Situation and Outcome are what was and what will be; Action is where you have power.
Mindfulness Applied: Buddhist practice emphasizes awareness of cause and effect. This spread trains that awareness: you see the chain of causation and can intervene with wisdom.
Beyond Single Questions #
The Situation-Action-Outcome spread can be used in series:
For complex situations: Do multiple readings for different aspects of the same situation.
For ongoing guidance: Use the Outcome of one reading as the Situation for the next, mapping a longer trajectory.
For testing alternatives: Do separate readings for different possible actions, comparing outcomes.
The spread’s simplicity makes it endlessly applicable.
Affirmation #
I see my situation clearly. I choose my action wisely. I trust that conscious engagement shapes what unfolds.
When you need to move from confusion to clarity, from paralysis to purposeful action, the Situation-Action-Outcome spread is your practical ally. It honors both the reality of your circumstances and your power to respond to them.
The cards illuminate; you choose; the future takes shape.