The Sator Square is an old Latin word puzzle. It’s made up of five words that read the same in every direction—left to right, right to left, top to bottom, and bottom to top.
The five words are:
OPERA, which means “works” or “efforts.”
ROTAS, which means “wheels.”
SATOR, which means “sower” or “creator.”
TENET, which means “holds” or “keeps.”
And AREPO, which is probably a name, but some think it could mean a plough or a person.
If you put it all together, you might get something like: “The sower Arepo holds the wheels with effort.” But honestly, people have been debating its meaning for centuries.
Archaeologists have found the Sator Square all over Europe, and the oldest ones are from the 1st century CE. No one knows for sure what it was used for—some say it’s just a clever puzzle, others think it’s a magical charm.
So, how can you use the Sator Square with tarot? There’s no official connection, but you can use its structure to create a unique tarot spread. Here’s how:
First, draw the Sator Square on a piece of paper. It looks like this:
O P E R A
R O T A S
S A T O R
T E N E T
A R E P O
Now, let’s turn this into a five-card tarot spread. Each card stands for one of the five words, and where you place each card matters.
Card 1 is OPERA. Put this card in the top left corner. It’s all about your actions, your efforts, or the work you’re putting into your question. This card sets the scene.
Card 2 is ROTAS. Place it in the second row, second spot. This card is about cycles, movement, and change—what’s turning or shifting in your situation.
Card 3 is SATOR. This is the center card, right in the middle. It stands for the creator or the seed—the heart of your question or the main force at play.
Card 4 is TENET. Put this one in the fourth row, fourth spot. It’s about what’s being held together, what’s steady, or what challenge you’re facing right now.
Card 5 is AREPO. This goes in the bottom right corner. It represents the worker, the tools, or the effort you need to make things happen.
Once you’ve laid out your five cards, you can start reading them together for insight.
Try reading the cards across the top row (from OPERA to AREPO) and the bottom row (from AREPO back to OPERA) to see how energy is moving forward and backward.
You can also read the first column (from OPERA down to AREPO) and the last column (from AREPO up to OPERA) to get a sense of the deeper forces and possible outcomes.
And don’t forget the cross in the middle: OPERA, ROTAS, SATOR, TENET, and AREPO. This shows you the core issue, what started it, what action is needed, the likely result, and what new cycle might begin.
Using the Sator Square like this gives your tarot readings a new twist. It helps you see how everything connects and how energy flows through your situation. Give it a try and see what insights you discover!
