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The Game of Cracks
The Game of Cracks is an oracle card spread that helps you look into the cracks of your life and untie your inner knots.
It requires six cards and can be performed using the Inclusive Oracle deck or even your regular Tarot cards.
Setup
Find a quiet place where you can think and talk undisturbed, then sit down.
Start shuffling the deck while focusing on the central question that you (or the consultant) are asking.
The Game of Cracks is particularly insightful when referencing broad life themes (eg. work, study, love, relationships, self-development) rather than specific “yes or no” questions.
Once you feel like you’ve shuffled enough, place the cards in front of you and ask the consultant to break the deck.
Layout
Place the cards face down in front of you following the layout and sequence below.
Once they’re all down, you can start uncovering them one by one, following the sequence in which you put them down.
Observe their position, take a mental note of how they relate to one another and try to spot the cracks (see section below).
Once you’ve identified the cracks and tied them to the central Knot, you can start interacting with the consultant and connect everything you see to their personal story.
Interpretation
#1 - The Soil
The Soil refers to an environment or situation surrounding the consultant.
We could think of it as the consultant’s ordinary world: a set of rules and predicaments that feel familiar and dictate their daily life.
In a work reading, the Soil can represent the work culture or type of profession that the consultant is exercising. In a relationship reading, it typically describes the relationship dynamics characterizing a certain bond in the consultant’s life.
In terms of practical references, the Soil can symbolize anything listed under Places, Work, Situations & Life Events, Activities within the Practical References section of each card.
#2 - The Knot
The Knot represents a lesson that the consultant needs to learn in order to advance in their journey.
It can stand for something unresolved, an internal conflict which needs to be tackled sooner rather than later.
The conflict expressed by The Knot usually happens within (or because of) the situation described by The Soil, although that isn’t always the case.
The Knot is the pillar of The Game of Cracks and every card in the game should be interpreted in relation to it.
#3 - The Eye
The Eye represents the role played by the consultant within the situation described by The Soil.
It highlights intent and motivations behind the consultant’s current behavior and it details how their sense of identity intertwines with the external circumstances they are in.
In terms of practical references, The Eye can symbolize anything listed under Archetypes within the Practical References section of each card.
#4 - The Fall
The Fall represents the forces and behaviors pulling the consultant in the wrong direction.
If The Knot traces out a journey towards growth, The Fall highlights the traps, dead ends and dangers found along the path.
It can stand for external entities having a bad influence on the consultant (negative people, questionable subjects) but also actions or attitudes that will hinder their journey and should be avoided at all costs.
When referencing a person in the life of the consultant, The Fall can symbolize any of the Archetypes listed within the Practical References section of each card.
When referencing an action, it can symbolize any of the Activities listed within the Practical References section of each card.
#5 - The Hook
The Hook represents the forces and behaviors pushing the consultant in the right direction.
If The Knot symbolizes a struggle that needs to be faced, The Hook provides information about how exactly you’re going to win this fight.
Who should you trust? What actions should you take? What attitudes should you embody in order to come out on top?
When referencing a person in the life of the consultant, The Hook can symbolize any of the Archetypes listed within the Practical References section of each card.
When referencing an action, it can symbolize any of the Activities listed within the Practical References section of each card.
#6 - The Fruit
The Fruit represents the outcome of the reading.
It should always be interpreted in relation to the central conflict (expressed by The Knot), but it can also signify a tangible or environmental change in the world of the consultant (originally described by The Soil).
When interpreted as a practical development, The Fruit can symbolize anything listed under Places, Work, Situations & Life Events, Activities within the Practical References section of each card.
Finding the Cracks
In addition to the meaning taken by single cards in their respective positions, the reading is best interpreted when looking at the conflicts and dichotomies embodied by certain relationships between the cards.
These relationships highlight the so-called cracks of the reading.
World Crack
The World Crack symbolizes a tension between the consultant (represented by The Eye) and the world they inhabit (represented by The Soil).
When there’s a clear contrast between the archetype embodied by the consultant and the implicit rules of the World they’re in, it can mean that the environment is holding the consultant back, keeping them from learning the lesson highlighted by The Knot.
The ways in which the environment collides with the consultant are detailed by the specific cards appearing in the reading.
For example, if Pathos shows up as The Soil and The Receipts shows up as The Eye, it’s a sign that the consultant may be trying (unsuccessfully) to intellectualize a situation defined and ruled by emotions.
Stimulus Crack
The Stimulus Crack represents a tension between what the consultant wants (The Eye) and what they actually need (The Hook) in order to learn the lesson highlighted by The Knot.
For example, if The Tramp appears as The Eye and Tax Return appears as The Hook, it probably means that the consultant is trying to dismantle a system even though the best course of action would be adhering to its rules.
Gravity Crack
The Gravity Crack represents a tension between the forces pulling the consultant in the right direction (The Hook) and the ones exercising a bad influence (The Fall).
These are also the DOs and DONTs of your reading and can be interpreted as opposing actions that will either help the consultant untangle The Knot or hinder their journey to enlightenment.
For example, if Sobremesa appears as The Fall and Laika appears as The Hook, it probably means that the consultant should resist assimilation or sever ties with a certain community they are a part of.
Progress Crack
The Progress Crack represents a tension between the ordinary world of the consultant (The Soil) and the future one predicted by the reading (The Fruit).
When the progress crack is present, it means the journey symbolized by The Knot will make tangible changes to the environment inhabited by the consultant.
For example, if August 24, 2006 appears as The Soil and Fallow appears as The Fruit, it means the consultant will go from a world organized in a strict hierarchy to something more fluid and possibly more conducive to personal growth.