started from the bottom spread ~ a reading

A blog reader submitted a reading for the Started From The Bottom spread. 

I would love some feedback on the cards I pulled for this spread. These all appear to be good cards.

The Bottom: Where you've been. Your lowest point. The struggle. – Queen of Diamonds
Here & Now: Where you are now. How far you've come. – Jack of Hearts
The Top: Where you're headed. Goals and ambitions. What success will look like. – 10 of Diamonds

Let's look at the spread first and then the cards. This spread is a contrast spread -- you should look at the cards in contrast to each other to help understand the message. The first card is the bottom or where you've been. It also implies a struggle or problem. The top represents the opposite energy. It shows where you're headed but also what the solution to the problem looks like. The middle card shows where you are now but can also show what is needed to get from the bottom to the top. It's also a good idea to have a focus topic in mind when doing this spread, such as money, career, love, etc. so that you can put the reading into context.

I'm using Over the Moon oracle cards so we can see the story behind these cards but let's look at the playing card side first.

Since we don't have a focus topic, we have to look at the reading analytically to see what message it's giving. First, we see that two of the cards are face cards suggesting that this reading may be about roles you're playing. We see that the BOTTOM and TOP cards are both Diamonds suggesting that this issue may be about money or security issues. Diamonds represent your self-worth as well.

I like to start with the numerical theme when I don't know the focus of the reading. The theme for this reading is 12 (Queen) + 11 (Jack) + 10 = 33 = 3 + 3 = 6. The 6 theme appears when you have been the super responsible person, taking care of everyone's needs and have done your duty and obligation. Now, you're asking, "What's in it for me? When do I get my reward?" Now that I know the theme, I can see how the cards are playing this out.

The Queen of Diamonds represents the bottom. She is the motherly type, sometimes a homebody, and sometimes a single mother. She's good at taking care of everything and everyone. She may also be in the role of benefactor, supporting other people's dreams with her money and hard work. The 10 of Diamonds represents the top. It signifies feeling wealthy. It can show having more money than you're used to having. But it also relates to feelings of gratefulness and abundance -- feeling blessed! This is what success will look like for you. With these two cards we can see the 6 theme in action. We can also see a visual connection between these two cards. You will notice that the woman in the first and last card appear the same -- both women wear glasses and a bonnet. This is an important visual cue, and shows a transition from a caretaker role to being rewarded for your efforts.

The transition card is the Jack of Hearts. I'm not exactly sure how this card figures in. When I'm not sure about a card's meaning, I find it helpful to look at the image and just say what I see. As I mentioned before, this is a contrast spread so it's good to notice what's different from the first card. What I notice is that you've gone from Mother to Romantic. You're not cooped up at home anymore. You're footloose and fancy free, dating, romancing. On a non-romantic level, the Jack of Hearts is about going after what you want in life.

*Since the woman in the middle card also wears a bonnet, perhaps we should look at her to represent you. In this case, she is being courted, being persuaded to leave her home for an evening out, invited to come out and play. However, she doesn't quite look convinced.

If we continue the contrast between the first and last cards, we can see that you're of the house, no longer a homebody. You're holding a sack of money instead of an old sock. The ribbon on the bonnet has changed to red. This is a color reflecting action and passion.

Here's my summary:

The Bottom: in a mothering role; homebody; caretaker
Here & Now: going after what you want; being persuasive, passionate, and idealistic *OR being coaxed out into the world but not quite ready to leave your current security
The Top: feeling blessed; having abundance; prosperity

I hope that sheds some new light!

*Added after posting