Finding a deck to suit you.

[Pan]

I've been doing tarot for a long while now... and I've still been unable to find a deck that really speaks to me. A deck that I can really relate to.. and I've quite a few decks.

What say you all?

[WynterWynd]

I have the same problem Loki! But if I find a solution to this problem, you'll be the first one I tell, because this drives be buggy!!! But I know eventually I will find MY deck!!:)

[Mithrea]

Loki,

If the deck I sent you didn't work out and you don't want to keep it, I know of another member who might like to give it a go. If you don't want to keep them, you can mail them to her instead of mailing me the other deck ;)

I'm lucky in that I actually have several decks that I can read from well. I do have a couple that don't speak to me but I have more that do than do not.

I think the best thing you can do if you can't find a deck that works for you is to make you own. You can buy a blank deck and either draw or collage the artwork. That's the only way to guarantee that you and your deck understand one another.

[tarotbear]

I've been very lucky; most stores I have frequented (even Barnes & Nobles locally) have had open decks, or 5-10 cards from the decks they sell open on split rings so that you could see some of the cards, feel the stock, etc. Although practically every deck is somewhere online, there are times what looks good on your PC screen is not as great in real life.

I was also blessed that the second deck I came in close contact with - the Robin Wood deck - has been my constant companion ever since. Although I currently own some 25-30 decks (collect, not use) I always return to my Wood deck.

I hope you can be as lucky as I; remember, you can always find a home for a deck you don't like, eventually.

[Pan]

I haven't had the chance to try out the Southwest Tarot deck just yet, but I'll ask hubby if I can read him tonight. If it doesn't suit me, I'll be sure to send it on over.

I think I'll look at my other decks and see about trading some of those away, too.. just in case.

I've thought about making my own tarot before, but I just don't have the patience. I've not been able to find blank cards to draw on.. that would make it that much easier.

[Mithrea]

Blank Cards:

http://www.mystery-games.com/blantarcar.html
http://www.learntarot.com/bldesc.htm

[Pan]

Do you think just plain ol' index cards would work? You can easily round off the edges with scissors...

[Mithrea]

Yes of course I think plain old index cards would work. Why do the edges need to be round? :)

[Lavender]

Fiskars sells paper cutters that would round corners. They also have fancy edging scissors too.

Rounded corners might protect your deck a bit. Corners can get smushed from shuffling.

[Mithrea]

Originally posted by Wildchild
Fiskars sells paper cutters that would round corners. They also have fancy edging scissors too.
Rounded corners might protect your deck a bit. Corners can get smushed from shuffling.

OHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :D

[Amulet]

Originally posted by Loki Panwit
I've been doing tarot for a long while now... and I've still been unable to find a deck that really speaks to me. A deck that I can really relate to..


I have never really completely understood this question. I have a lot of decks & each is a different reading experience for me. I don't feel alienated from any of them. I am very picky about which ones I buy.

With so many decks & styles to choose from, it seems very unusual that there would not be at least one that would really grab you.

Have you done a reading on this question?

Amulet

[Mithrea]

Amulet,

I think it's wonderful that you feel able to read with all of your decks, but not everyone feels that way. If the symbolism of a deck doesn't make sense to you, then it is difficult to learn. Everyone should start with a deck that makes good sense to them. Just because you haven't had trouble, doesn't mean it works so nicely for everyone. Please try not to be so insensitive.

[Amulet]

Originally posted by Mithrea
Amulet,

I think it's wonderful that you feel able to read with all of your decks, but not everyone feels that way. If the symbolism of a deck doesn't make sense to you, then it is difficult to learn. Everyone should start with a deck that makes good sense to them. Just because you haven't had trouble, doesn't mean it works so nicely for everyone. Please try not to be so insensitive.

I stated that I had not had this experience & didn't fully understand it.

Then I suggested a reading might be helpful.

If statements of facts, personal experience & helpful suggestions are insensitive, there is not going to be much that I can safely say.

Amulet

[WynterWynd]

Im going to say just one thing here, and I hope it make sense.

If she cannot find a deck that she 'gets along with', how is she supossed to do a reading?

I to have the same problem, that I cannot find a deck that I mesh with yet. Maybe thats the problem, that there are sooooo many decks out there to choose from, that you get drawn one way and pulled another and it all ends up in confusion.

[Mithrea]

I'm sorry, it sounded to me like you were being a complete smarty pants by suggesting she do a reading when the problem is that she *can't do a reading* because she can't sync with her cards.

I apologize if that was not your intention.

[Morrighana]

...Perhaps she can have a reading done by someone here that focuses on the problem?

It could simply be that tarot is not the divinatory tool for you. I seem to recall reading here that someone (my appologies, I don't remember who) couldn't find a tarot deck to read from for the longest time, and ended up reading playing cards with great accuracy and enjoyment later on...?

[Amulet]

Originally posted by VroomBroom
Im going to say just one thing here, and I hope it make sense.

If she cannot find a deck that she 'gets along with', how is she supossed to do a reading?

I to have the same problem, that I cannot find a deck that I mesh with yet. Maybe thats the problem, that there are sooooo many decks out there to choose from, that you get drawn one way and pulled another and it all ends up in confusion.


Even just a simple 3 card layout & looking up the card definitions in the LWB might be able to say something about the situation.

I assumed there was some level of reading going on with a person who said they had a lot of decks, and so they might be able to get some information that way.

My questions would be :

What was the first deck you bought & why?

How did you learn the meanings of the cards in the first place?

Are you trying to learn the individual artist meanings peculiar to each deck?

Are you buying decks that seem new & popular, but that don't really have a lot to do with what you like?

Do you investigate the deck as fully as you can before you buy it?

How much time do you devote to working with each deck before deciding it is not meshing with you?

What exactly happens when you try to read with a deck that you are not meshing with?

Answers to these questions may give us an idea of what might be going on.

Amulet

[Azure]

I'd add to that, since you mentioned the individual artist's meanings - what do you bring to the common symbols of the deck???

Particular prominent symbols tend to sink into our psyches and mean things to each of us. For example, there are lots of specific flower varieties in the Robin Wood deck I use, and those have personal meanings to me that they don't necessarily have for the creator. Those personal meanings bleed through into my readings.

So it's back to the time you really spend trying to develop your relationship with the specific deck.