Tarot Myths

[Sequoia]

Hello!

I am new to tarot, but something I have heard is that a deck is not valid unless someone else gave it to you. I've also heard that you have to make your own, and that buying a deck isn't right.

What are the myths involved in tarot? Can you buy your own deck? where did it origionate? can anyone help? ^^;

thankies!!

~Puma Hime

[Morgaine14]

I don't think they are valid, or at least they didn't seem to matter much. I've bought all three of my decks, for myself. They all work well for me. I bought them based on which ones felt right to me, of the selection available.


Morgaine

[Mairwen]

I don't know about making your own ~ that'd be kinda rough, particularly if you didn't have anything to go on, you know? And it can be a bit expensive, depending on what you end up making and how.

As far as a pack not being "valid" if you bought it yourself, I presonally can attest that this is false ~ I've bought myself several packs of cards.

I've always heard that you shouldn't buy your own cards, or that you shouldn't do the first reading from a new pack of cards on yourself. I've also heard that the cards shouldn't be shuffled like a standard deck of playing cards.

I've done all of the above, and nobody's struck me down yet! :D The thing about shuffling the cards is that they're supposed to have their own "spirit" ~ which I find kinda "funny", as modern cards are all stamped by machine, and unless the machine has magical intent, weeeellll, I find this kinda hard to believe. :rolleyes:

As to where all of this originated, I have no idea.

[Silver Venus]

Hiya Puma,
In my opinion ~ There just Myths! Ive bought all three of mine and read first for myself too with them all...(except my third because it still hasnt arrived..but I will be dying to do a reading with them as soon as they arrive!)
The only old myths I do follow ~ and allot here do too ~ I always wrap my cards away after my readings in a silk scarf to seal the energy (or spirit as some believe) and put them in either my silk bag (for transport) or a willow box.. I often recharge my cards by turning them all the upright way and leaving them infront of a appropriate coloured candle ~ silver, purple or red mostly for a few hours... & when I get my new deck I will meditate for a short while or however long I feel on each card to 'get to know them' and feel what they are saying to me...
I also love to light incense and a candle before I do a reading.

:sunny: ~ Just do whatever you feel is right ~ :sunny:

[Sequoia]

^_^ I'm glad to hear all of this! It would certainly make it easier to get started, ne?

Thanks for talking to me, you guys. . .I know this is off topic but I'm going through some hard times with some close friends and the people here at mystic wicks are really helping me stay positive. Thanks for being here!

Now, just how to get the money to buy a deck!! ^^;;; hehe

~Puma Hime

[tarotbear]

AH! The Power of MYTH!

Way back in the dark ages of the mid-1950s it was impossible and unthinkable to walk into a bookstore and simply buy a deck of Tarot cards off a shelf ( after all, they're evil things printed by the Devil in his 'Devil's Book Print Shop' ). Even though Rider was printing decks in 1910, you had to 'know somwone who knew somone who was related to someone' to find a deck a cards; even the odd little shop that might have a deck for sale would probably not sell it to you unless they knew who you were. Witchcraft laws were strict and very enforced. The only way to get a deck was to find someone who could get it for you. This created THAT myth.

TRADITONALLY you should wrap your cards in black silk, and store them in a wooden box.

My cards are wrapped in tomato red silk ( supposedly a big no-no); someone I know keeps hers in a certain old sock! It is not the fibre that's important- it's the fact that you wrap your cards up and then have to unwrap them which triggers the subconscious that it's time for a reading. The fibre is unimportant. TRADITIONALLY it should be a natural fibre, so rayon and cotton are fine, some people swear by leather, but to me it's the skin of a slaughtered animal. On my feet O.K.- but not around my cards! {Although my Animal Medicine Cards are in a suede bag}.

Likewise- you should lay your cards out on a reading cloth- but it's mostly to cover the background up to give you a surface to focus upon.

Incidently - here in Connecticut it was against the law to read Tarot cards until the law was repealed in 1992 -- that's 1992 NOT 1892!

[Silver Venus]

Originally posted by tarotbear
Incidently - here in Connecticut it was against the law to read Tarot cards until the law was repealed in 1992 -- that's 1992 NOT 1892!


Thats unbelivable, only 9 years!! Its amazing how people attach evil to anything they can not fully understand or that they are afraid off.