Why three cards work so well
Three cards are enough to tell a story with a beginning, a middle and a direction, but few enough that you can hold the whole picture in your head. The first card shows what led here, the second what is happening now, and the third where things are heading if nothing changes.
That last part matters. The future card is not fixed. It describes the current direction, which means it also shows what you might want to change.
Reading the cards together
After reading each card on its own, look at how they connect. Does the energy rise from past to future, or fall? Are there several cards of the same suit? Cups point to feelings, Wands to energy and ambition, Swords to thoughts and conflict, Pentacles to practical matters. A Major Arcana card in the spread marks a bigger life theme. Our three-card spread guide goes into more detail.