Advice on how to use a different deck

[Pandora.]

Well my little lovelies, I'm after a bit of help here.

I usually only read with Rider Waite, which has proved to be quite accurate for the most part, don't need to refer to books, etc, etc.

I have collected quite a few different decks that I like and want to start actually using them.

However, when I do a reading with one of them, (like this morning for instance), even though the images are similar to Rider Waite (the same but different, hahahaha), I just stare blankly at the cards and can't seem to read them.

It's driving me nuts. How can I get over this dependency on Rider Waite? (I should make that my next Tarot question).

Awaiting your collective wisdom ...

[tealily]

tealily's advice is less think, more feel

If the decks aren't gelling with you, then either it takes time and study... or they're just nice to look at and not for working with (I had this issue with Shadowscapes).

I'm the kind of reader where if I can't instantly start working with a deck, it's no go. I need that "first date" to be magical. On the plus side, this does occur - Fountain and Steampunk both got on my good side very quickly :)

[Kaere]

When I get a new deck, I like to lay out the suits in order and then use the images to tell the story of the Fool working his way through the cards, what happens on his journey through the Cups, for example. It can help give your intuition a foothold. Works for the Major Arcana too - the whole deck is the Fool's journey after all.

If for some reason you find you're not clicking with the new deck, put it away for a bit and then try again later with a specific purpose in mind. I have a deck for romantic questions, your everyday questions, your more soul based questions. It's just the way they are for me - you might find the same kind of thing.

[angelic star]

If one is reading Tarot it is always good to be well acquainted with Rider waite. It has a lot of benefits. If the imagery or theme is different, and you find yourself going over traditional RWS meaning, that is okay too. Just let it be spontaneous, however you might read them. Even if you feel yourself referring back to RWS. Just relax and enjoy the feel of the cards. Or put it down for a while, take a break and come back to it.

[Pandora.]

Thanks everyone for your great advice.

It really shifts me to tears to be honest. I know what the freaking cards mean, so why can't I read the bloody things? It's not like they're obscure types of decks, they are all closely related to Rider Waite afterall. I shouldn't go blank and have to revert to looking up the book meanings. It's ridiculous!

I did an email reading for a friend this morning. Tried out the Robin Wood Tarot, and absolutely nothing made sense. I. mean. nothing. Even looking up the meanings in the Robin Wood book I struggled to connect them together. And every single card was reversed (and I note Robin Wood doesn't use reversals).

Then away I went with good old boring, predictable, don't even particularly like the images of Rider Waite, and BOOM, I was off and flying. Spread after spread, all made perfect sense and gelled like an orchestra.

I would so love to read the other decks that are so much nicer to look at. But no. It's just not freaking happening.

Why??? Please can someone tell me why???? (Am I sounding desperate? Good, lol).

[angelic star]

@ Pandora do you like the Robin Wood Tarot in particular ? Or are you forcing yourself to read the cards because you want to take a break from Rider Waite ?
I had connected to a deck in the recent past for the longest time, and then suddenly during my readings I couldn't just make much sense out of them. I had to quit using that deck and pick another, because it got frustrating. Maybe I needed a break or that deck had served it's purpose for the time being. It did get boring with that deck too, so I quit it and took up another deck.
If you are having difficulty with that deck right now, maybe you can ask someone here who also has that deck , and you could work something out there. Maybe then you wouldn't be so hard on yourself, and will feel more confident about reading this deck. I think someone might have the deck, m not sure you have to ask here. I feel if you can read Rider Waite , you can most definitely read other decks as well. It shouldn't be so hard.

[Pandora.]

Originally Posted by angelic star

@ Pandora do you like the Robin Wood Tarot in particular ? Or are you forcing yourself to read the cards because you want to take a break from Rider Waite ?
I had connected to a deck in the recent past for the longest time, and then suddenly during my readings I couldn't just make much sense out of them. I had to quit using that deck and pick another, because it got frustrating. Maybe I needed a break or that deck had served it's purpose for the time being. It did get boring with that deck too, so I quit it and took up another deck.
If you are having difficulty with that deck right now, maybe you can ask someone here who also has that deck , and you could work something out there. Maybe then you wouldn't be so hard on yourself, and will feel more confident about reading this deck. I think someone might have the deck, m not sure you have to ask here. I feel if you can read Rider Waite , you can most definitely read other decks as well. It shouldn't be so hard.

Exactly. Is shouldn't be so hard. Which is why I just don't get it.

No, I don't particularly love Robin Wood Tarot. I mean, it's ok. The pictures are better than Rider Waite and the meanings should be fairly much the same, shouldn't they? Granted they aren't exactly the same, but the general idea is there, and I know the freaking meanings anyway, so what's the big deal? But no, I couldn't read it. I'm pretty disgusted at the moment. Actually, I just fanned through them and came to The Lovers card. Now I'm definitely disgusted, lol.

Anyway, I'm going to try another deck this evening to see if that works any better. I'm ready to throw them all to the wind and walk away in dismay.

[angelic star]

Originally Posted by Pandora.

Exactly. Is shouldn't be so hard. Which is why I just don't get it.

No, I don't particularly love Robin Wood Tarot. I mean, it's ok. The pictures are better than Rider Waite and the meanings should be fairly much the same, shouldn't they? Granted they aren't exactly the same, but the general idea is there, and I know the freaking meanings anyway, so what's the big deal? But no, I couldn't read it. I'm pretty disgusted at the moment. Actually, I just fanned through them and came to The Lovers card. Now I'm definitely disgusted, lol.

Anyway, I'm going to try another deck this evening to see if that works any better. I'm ready to throw them all to the wind and walk away in dismay.

That happens, sometimes the imagery wont speak for the situation. Or the images aren't all that great to be helpful either for the advise or help the situation would demand. Take a break from it and try a nice different deck. It should be good. All the best with it :)

[Pandora.]

Originally Posted by angelic star

That happens, sometimes the imagery wont speak for the situation. Or the images aren't all that great to be helpful either for the advise or help the situation would demand. Take a break from it and try a nice different deck. It should be good. All the best with it :)

Thanks Angelic Star. I'll try a different one and see how I go ...

[FairyCrystal]

Could it have to do with not trusting yourself? Thinking that it works with RW and now it won't work with other cards?
In a way I had a similar thing, couldn't relate to RW, but in the end I did great readings with it. Then got Robin Wood in as those images resonated much better with me. I loved the deck, yet I found it difficult to switch as I was doing great with the RW.
I just took my time with the new deck, went through all the cards one by one. Journaled on each and every one, my own interpretation. TOok me 2-3 days, but it paid off as this helped me connect to the new cards. I picked 1 card that I felt represented me, went 'in' the card to feel what it would be like to be that person, to be in that scenery, to interact with the other people in that picture.
After those 2-3 days I could work really well with my new Robin Wood deck and I have used it for years. Only last year did I get a 3rd Tarot deck in, the Green Witch. The images -and the deck- worked for me right away, especially since many are so different from RW.
I feel that sometimes it's about letting go of the default RW interpretations that we have filled our brains with. It is very helpful, yet on the other hand side it can block you as you end up limiting yourself to those interpretations, not leaving room for anything else that might come in intuitively.
I've learnt that from the Green Witch tarot and the Tarot of Sexual Magic that I bought around December last year. Nothing of the latter reminds of the RW and boy does it work! I found it quite liberating to have a Tarot deck that isn't RW based. But I could not have made that step in one go. I needed the in-between-step of the RW look-a-like Robin Wood.

In a way it's switching from letting go of what you have learnt to bouncing off of the imagery. So in a way letting go of what you know works and what is familiar.
Do some of the exercises I described above. it just might help you make that switch. ANd don't force it. If it doesn't work right away, use RW if you need to do a reading. You will be drawn to the new deck(s) regardless.