tarot decks

[green]

Do you think all tarot decks are meant to be used, meant to be read from? or some decks are only decorative and more of works of art and something like a collector items?


Green

[LadyTerra]

I believe They are all meant to be used.

I have found that the majority can be linked to the Ryder/Waite.

My personal favorite is the Dragon Tarot--although I now have (5) different Decks.

Peace and Love on the path of your choice...


Blessed be...

[green]

i agree Terra that most decks more or less linked to the Ryder/Waite, but some not.

for myself i just have some decks that i love very much but i can't use, they don't make any sense... if this makes sense. yes i use them sometimes for meditations and other things, but not for readings.


thanks for your answer

G

[tragblack]

I'm sure there are decks for both purposes. However, I have never seen one that looked as if it was meant to be a display or collectors' item...

[green]

i can't remember the name at the moment, but few days ago i was in a shop and they had there a deck of tarot that was in black and white only. and the lady at the shop told me that this is a collector's item. ok. did't bought it though. but i must admit i have some decks at home that i can only admire the art work but nothing more then that.

maybe it is only me?

G

[Madeine]

I think they all should be used.... but not all decks click with all people, and not all people will click with all decks.... I have a feel for one of my decks that I just don't have for the other decks....

[Mothwing]

I only have two decks. The Ryder-Waite I use, and the other I bought only because one of my favorite artists created it (Royo). I've never used it because it doesn't call to me that way. I just like to look at it, hehe! So I think it depends on the user. All decks are intended for use, I think, but not everyone will use them. And that's okay.

[green]

i kind agree mothwing, at the end it is up to the user....


G

[Uhmar]

some decks are meant to be read intuitively..it is like reading a beautiful picture.

does the picture tell you a story...
does it evoke emotion or feelings within you
then apply all that to the person you are reading for and voila great reading

especailly in past present and future reading

[norseman]

I started with the Rider-Waite tarot but to be honest, I found it hard work. Then my daughter bought me a birthday present, The Sacred Circle tarot which is based on Celtic Pagan Mythology and that hit the spot from day one. The artwork is stunning and uses a variety of real historical sites in the British Isles as background. The book that came with the tarot is A5 and over 300 pages. It describes the historical site and any associated stories, the mythology and symbolism, and divination meanings. Well worth a look !
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/sacred-circle/review.shtml (http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/redir.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aeclectic.net%2Fta rot%2Fcards%2Fsacred-circle%2Freview.shtml)

[green]

hi norse

this deck is on my wish list, but i must to admit that this list is very long, so many beautiful decks are out there and i would love to have as many as possible.
still i use only 2 decks for my readings and one deck for teaching, and the rest, they just sit there and i enjoy looking at the art work.
sometimes i meditate with this or that card but nothing more then that.


G

[seeker of wisdom]

I think all decks are meant to be used for readings . I also think that some decks like the rider waite are for everyone. The other decks are for people of specific beliefs or knowledge in that area. I have been stuying the golden dawn system and some druidism and the thoth deck really clicked for me. I have been told that it is one of the hardest to work with. However I think since I have been studing related material it comes fairly easy. The decks like the vampire or ascended masters are harder for me. Then again I have not done my studing in related areas either.

[Uhmar]

I think some or most people connect to cards according to what their personal beleifs are.
for instance

Osho Zen Tarot...inner reflections annd philosophy
Goddess Tarot...Goddesses
Connolly tarot...christian based
Cupids tarot..... romance/love
Sacred Rose Tarot...kabbalah based
Rune tarot...Odin..norse..runes
Sibilla.....gypsy/ Romany based
Luman........visual/floral
Sacred Circle......Pagan/Celtic based
crystal tarot....gemstones and crystals
Fairy tarot......faries
angel oracles....angelic kingdoms

[norseman]

I have been struck by statements like "studying the tarot deck" and I wonder about that.
Is it study or is it intuition or is it both ?
How important is the suit of the minor cards ?
How important of the number within the suits ?
Is it just imagery ?
Do the cards of major arcana have the same meanings in all the tarots ? [ I ask that one because my Sacred Circle has cards "missing" or re-arranged ]
What is the key to your readings ? My key is definitely the image.

[arive nan]

I have been struck by statements like "studying the tarot deck" and I wonder about that.
Is it study or is it intuition or is it both ?
How important is the suit of the minor cards ?
How important of the number within the suits ?
Is it just imagery ?
Do the cards of major arcana have the same meanings in all the tarots ? [ I ask that one because my Sacred Circle has cards "missing" or re-arranged ]
What is the key to your readings ? My key is definitely the image.

It is usually a combination of studying the traditional meanings as well as following your intuition for what the card means in a particular reading. Though some will focus on mainly one or the other.

The suits are the four elements that the material of life/the universe is made of. They are not always literally earth, air, fire, and water. Those things just represent the element. For example water/cups relates to emotional matters whereas fire/wands relate matters of the will, goals, and personal growth.

The numbers in a traditional deck relate to that how that suit behaves in the different positions of the tree of life as it is used in the kabbalah, which is a representation of the process of creation. It has 10 emanations/stages.

Some decks do not have different imagery on each card. They tell you the suit and the number, or which major arcana card it is, and that is it. You have to rely on what you know of the meanings of those cards to do the reading. But most decks have imagery that people can work from. With these it is possible for someone who has not studied the meanings to do a reading just from their impressions from the images.

In a traditional deck, there are 22 major arcana. Their names may differ, but the meanings of those 22 different major arcana cards are basically the same. These represent the paths of the tree of life, from one stage to another.

Non-traditional decks might have a different number of major arcana cards. This can be confusing for someone who relies on their understanding of which pathway the card represents in a traditional deck to do the reading. If it is a non-traditional deck, you would have to learn about what they mean in that particular deck. But someone who knows the 22 major arcana well enough can easily do a reading with any traditional deck even if they haven't worked with that deck before.

I use both intuition and study for my readings. If I know which card came up, and it is from a traditional deck, I can work with my understanding of that card's meaning without seeing the card.

[green]

I have been struck by statements like "studying the tarot deck" and I wonder about that.
Is it study or is it intuition or is it both ?
How important is the suit of the minor cards ?
How important of the number within the suits ?
Is it just imagery ?
Do the cards of major arcana have the same meanings in all the tarots ? [ I ask that one because my Sacred Circle has cards "missing" or re-arranged ]
What is the key to your readings ? My key is definitely the image.


hello norseman:

arive answered you all ready but here are my thoughts..

i don't see a contradiction between studying and intuition when regarding the tarot cards. i think both give different levels and insights and a reading i feel is built from many layers and levels that at one point the reader mix into one narrative. sure, you can practice only formal study or read only intuitively and you will get answers and even good answers.. at the end, the interpretation for the cards is up to the reader and is good as the reader is.
but for myself i feel both are needed.


how important is the suit of the minor arcana.
oh well,, some will tell you it is not important, you can do deep and excellent readings without using the minor cards at all.
some will tell, they add extra layers and meaning to the reading, that the minor cards explain things of the human plains.. more day to day things, more simple.
i think there are many secrets within the minor cards. but you can easily do without them.

i'm not sure if i understand your question about the numbers... if the numbers themselves have meanings?
you can use the numbers as one more tool or layer, and you can ignore them altogether as you have now in many decks the images to help you grasp the meaning of the cards. i don't know if the numbers has real meaning as originally they were playing cards for playing - some will tell you that the tarot origin comes from some old mysteries- i don't know what is the truth - you will have to come up with your own answers for this one.
but mind you, not all decks has images on the minor cards. some has only numbers and the suits symbols.

i think that on the over all, the major arcana have very similar meaning, but each deck has its own nuance and some modern decks even have more specifics meanings. i feel it is important to know about the deck you are using. about the symbols that are used, the tradition it relate to, and the culture it refers to. but this is only my thoughts.

i don't know what is my key for doing a reading... it is just something that happens, the cards kind of talking to me and i listen.

hope some of this helps


Green

[LadyTerra]

I (also) choose Decks according to the beliefs of a person I am Reading for--the symbolism that might best speak to them.

When Reading for myself--I might use my Osho Deck for highly sensitive/emotional situations. However--the Dragon Tarot more generally and most often suits my "Take the Bull by the Horns" personality--as I am a doer/take charge type of person.

I truly believe that the Deck chosen should reflect the energy of the situation (at least) and the person (if at all possible).

[sophieapril]

my deck is so beutiful to me felt happy looking through them HANSON
ROBERTS i put it all 2 gether the image the place card is in intution and time scale i seem to get more insightful readings when put my self in middle ive got the ace of cups tattoed on left arm, i want to get stenght nxt coz thats wot i need more then anything yet feel getting weeker, my tf bought me thoth deck for my 21st birthday i instantly dint like the feel i had or the look at box i had quick scan then put them away 5 years later we had a separtion period and i got cards out n felt scared especialy the black card, i sold them and since then im hearing lady talking, numbers are inmportantspecially when same come to gether

[Internal Queries]

my deck is "Alice in Wonderland". cups are hats. staffs are peppermills. coins are oysters. swords are flamingos. it's clever. i like it.

[arive nan]

I finally got my Quantum Tarot 2.0 deck a couple days ago :). I pre-ordered it about 3 months ago, but it was worth the wait. Very pretty. And the booklet has some interesting theories about comparing each card to a concept in physics. I was looking for something like that, since in my own notes I tend to compare the cards to things like supernovas, false vacuums, the big bang, the "big freeze" and etc. The way they do it with this deck is completely different from my notes though.

http://www.quantumtarot.co.uk/about.htm

[Uhmar]

arrive nan those are amazing
I went to the gallery and they are breathtaking. The Empress card sent me over the moon.
I would love to see the Magician and High Priestess but alas couldn't find them there.

Can you tell me what the Phoenix card stands for?
I can see why you love them

[arive nan]

The deck has two extra major arcana cards. When this is the case, some people remove them before doing a reading. But the phoenix card represents the Fool rising up from the ashes to begin a new journey. The Universe card with the infinite symbol comes right after the World card, which is the 22nd major arcana card in this deck. Most decks will call the 22nd major arcana card either The World or The Universe. This deck has both, and one of them is an extra card, which just takes the previous World card a bit further.

Part of the Magician card is on the cover of the box. You can see it in one of the pictures of the box on the gallery page. It's the guy who appears to be juggling planets.

[seeker of wisdom]

I started with the rider waite deck and after studing the golden dawn I felt a strong attraction to the thoth deck. So basically I think the deck you choose is based on what symbolism you are knowledgable with since it is easier for your intuition and subconscious to interpret. I am now studying drudism and dragon mythology and I am finding myself searching for decks that have symbolism that matches. So again I think the deck depends on your beliefs and what you are studying.

[citrine]

I started with the rider waite deck and after studing the golden dawn I felt a strong attraction to the thoth deck. So basically I think the deck you choose is based on what symbolism you are knowledgable with since it is easier for your intuition and subconscious to interpret. I am now studying drudism and dragon mythology and I am finding myself searching for decks that have symbolism that matches. So again I think the deck depends on your beliefs and what you are studying.

Get the Druidcraft Deck, you wall fall in love with it:)

[seeker of wisdom]

Ok I will look for it in my local stores. Thanks for the recommendation.

[nightowl]

My first deck was the Medicine Card deck by Sams and Carson. It is a great deck for those who have connections with animals. I also have The Druid Animal Oracle deck by Carr-Gomm, which is great for those who feel a connection with Celtic heritage or Druidism.

nightowl