Why does each position in a Tarot spread have a different meaning?

You can think of a Tarot reading as telling a story, or rather, analyzing a problem.

Tarot cards are like your vocabulary or actors. Each card, such as "The Lovers," "The Tower," or "The Fool," has its own unique meaning and personality. Just like words such as "happy," "sad," or "struggle."

And the positions in a spread are like the "grammatical structure" or "role assignments" of this story. They tell us what role this card (this word/this actor) plays in the narrative.

Let me give you a very simple example, and you'll understand.

Let's use the most common time-based spread: the three positions of "Past," "Present," and "Future."

Suppose that when you're doing a reading for a question, you draw the same card in different positions—[The Tower]. The Tower card usually signifies sudden drastic change, upheaval, or collapse.

If [The Tower] appears in the "Past" position: It tells you that your current situation stems from a major upheaval or blow in the past. That event has already happened; it's the "prelude" to your story.
If [The Tower] appears in the "Present" position: It tells you that you are currently in the center of this chaos and upheaval. You are experiencing all of this; it's the "climax" of the story.
If [The Tower] appears in the "Future" position: Then it becomes a warning. It tells you that if you continue on your current path, a sudden and unexpected change might occur in the future. This is the "possible ending" of the story.

You see, even with the same [Tower] card, its core meaning of "sudden drastic change" hasn't changed. But because it's placed in different "plot" positions like "Past," "Present," and "Future," the story it tells and the insights it offers are completely different.

In essence, the role of spread positions is to:

Provide Context: It assigns an "identity" to each card—is it a "cause"? an "obstacle"? "hope"? or "advice"? This prevents interpretations from being wild guesses, giving the reading a clear focus.
Build Logic: It connects a bunch of independent cards to form a complete story with cause and effect, development, and a clear narrative thread. You can then see the whole picture of the situation, rather than just a collection of scattered clues.
Specify the Problem: Many spreads are themselves models for analyzing problems. For example, the "Three-Card Spread" is used to analyze choices, and the "Celtic Cross Spread" is used for a comprehensive analysis of an issue. Each position represents an aspect of the problem, much like a doctor's diagnosis, addressing each symptom individually, breaking down a complex problem into smaller pieces makes it much clearer.

Therefore, the meaning of each position in a spread is not a rigid rule; it's more like a "story outline" or a "treasure map legend." It helps us interpret the message the Tarot cards want to convey in an organized and logical way, turning it into a story that offers practical guidance.

I hope this explanation makes it easier for you to understand!