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I personally relate to perfectionism as it being somewhat of a hindrance — I struggle to conciously deviate from it, a "getting things done" mentality, if you will... This is why my first choice would be the Knight of Pentacles, as he is the only knight to be seated on a horse that is not moving forward. I feel like perfectionism can do that to us; we become so worried about every detail being flawless that we end up taking a lot more time focusing on things that might not be that important in the big scheme of things. Sometimes they end up being important, and that ends up reinforcing our perfectionism, though.

Thank you both! I'll definitely check out that thread 😄

Welcome! And I think it's pretty awesome to have a dad that reads tarot!

Hello @Fairy666tale welcome to the TT&M Family

Welcome @EricSpellman 🙋‍♀️ I am also still quite new here.

Yes, very helpful, thank you! For now, I will stick with the original. I have small hands and the new size alone makes me hesitant. And the dilver gilding is a big 'no' for me. Thank you for sharing this great comparison review.

Thank you for all this info. I've noticed some areas are off-limits to me, and I figure I'd have to "stick around" for a bit to become a regular, but I didn't know the specifics. The thing about posting on old topics is nice to know. Many other communities dislike these kinds of "bumps". There are plenty of cool study groups around here that can be done at any time. I'll dabble in that whenever I can.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: In The Book of Thoth, Aleister Crowley discussed metaphysical syncretism as it applied to spiritual beliefs and practices across a wide range of ancient cultures, drawing parallels between them when it struck him as significant. At a more humble level, I employ syncretism ("the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete traditions") in the development of tarot spreads that use more than one divinatory method to arrive at an answer: cards and dice; cards and dominoes; cards and coin-flips; cards and board-game spinners; etc. The secondary technique is usually brought to bear on decisions that must be made between two or more cards, paths or outcomes. I've posted a number of essays on the subject in the past. Here is another spread that enlists a board-game spinner in choosing the cards for a reading. Begin by shuffling a full tarot deck (don't worry about concentration or reversed orientation at this point), then deal all 78 cards into six piles of 13 around a board-game spinner in a way that will give all of the groups an equal chance of being singled out by the spin. (A little overlap will prevent "gappers.") If it's easier, you can deal the cards into a row of six sub-packs and place them in the layout when done; the order of placement doesn't matter since "the spin is the thing." All card backs are from the Retro-Thoth Tarot, privately published. While concentrating on the question or topic, give the pointer a brisk spin. When it stops on one of the piles, pick up those cards and shuffle them (continuing to concentrate and allowing for reversals if you like), then draw one card to represent the first card in a line spread. (This approach is suitable for spreads of any length; just keep spinning until you have all the cards you need.) All card faces are from the Thoth Tarot, copyright of US Games Systems Inc, Stamford, CT. Make note of this card so you don't lose track of the order, then continue concentrating, spinning, shuffling and pulling until your spread is fully populated. If you land on the same pile in any subsequent spin, remove the card previously pulled, reshuffle the pack, and pull another card from it. Unless you have a really large spread, you won't run out of cards in any one pile by doing this. Here is the final spread. (I didn't get any reversals in this one.) For some strange reason, I can hear The Beatles singing "We Can Work It Out." Although I didn't have a specific question in mind for this example, it does suggest an opportunity to make headway after a slow start. That Queen of Wands seems "ready for anything" and the resources appear to be available, but the Princess of Swords is elementally hostile to the 3 of Disks and may be hard to motivate. She has the look of a "Quality Control inspector" to me, but then I should know since I used to be one a long time ago.

Welcome @EricSpellman / Éric to the community Glad you found us here 🙂 When you get to 5 posts around the forum, you get more freedoms and can see the reading and exchange areas. so you can always join in reading exchanges if you want to do that There are also various journalling or study groups you can see then as well. Also do join in any discussions or start your own, we are fine with posting in old threads in this forum if you find an interesting discussion when searching .

I just got the new edition of the Mythologia Fennica tarot, a deck rooted in Finnish mythology. This version is mass produced by Rockpool publishing. I also have the older edition, that I bought from the creator herself, Susanna Salo. The reason that I bought the new edition is because I saw that they had altered the titles to make the deck easier to understand. In the old version, it is not as straightforward to tell a major from a minor, and to top that off, every card has also been renamed. I will show you some examples and make comparisons in just a minute, but first we will just look at the packaging of both editions and see how they differ. In this picture you have the old edition to the left. It consists of a large guidebook and a tuckbox. The guidebook is in English, and the deck has a mix of English titles and Finnish names. The new edition is seen to the right, it comes in a larger box which holds a much slimmed down version of the guidebook, plus the deck - no bag or tuckbox. The cards are of the same size as the original, but the cardstock is chunkier and the cards have silver edging. There is a matte finish to the cards, and the borders are now in two different colors - one for the majors and one for the minors. Here you have the old version to the left and the new version to the right. Not only is the color of the border different, but some of the artwork also seem to have been altered. Another thing I notice is that the new version feels duller in color. Here you can see that they kept the original titles but added standard names in the newer version. This is a huge improvement in my opinion. All the cards in the original deck had these circles in the bottom corners, and it lists the number of the card with a background color that is meant to tell you if it is a major or a minor, and which suit it belongs to. This made it difficult to tell apart majors from minors at a quick glance. In the new deck they have removed those circles from the majors and added numbering at the top. I really like these alterations. Below is an example from the minor arcana. The original version is to the left and the new version is to the right. You can see that they have clarified the title in the new version, and they have also altered the elemental symbols. I think the new version is much easier to comprehend. Here I am going to show you what I think made the older version so confusing. Both of these cards are from the original deck. The one to the left is a Major arcana card, and the one to the right is a minor. The only way to tell them apart is to know the colors in the circles. Both cards have titles in capital letters as well as identical numbering. The imagery isn´t very helpful either, because there is no traditional imagery and many of the illustrations have a 'major arcana vibe' to them. The Finnish titles also makes it a little more challenging for most people. Here is a comparison of these same two cards in the two editions. The older one (white border) is to the left and the newer one (blue/turquoise border) is to the right. Can you tell the difference in color here? The new deck feels dull and the artwork looks a bit grubby. But there is no doubt that the titles are easier to comprehend in the new version. Now, lets compare the two guidebooks. The original one is to the left and the new one is to the right. There is a BIG difference in size. The new version is like a travel edition of the older one! I haven´t had the time to fully compare the content of these books, but my first impression is that they condensed the rather lengthy discussions in the older version, and also tweaked the language to make it flow better. In the older version you can tell that the author is a non-native English speaker and that the book was probably never proof-read. I didn´t mind that, I understood everything and I think it was an interesting read. Though at the same time, I do appreciate this new version. The language flows nicely and there seem to be just enough information about each card. I don´t think you will miss out if you have the new guidebook only, it doesn´t feel like they have skimped on the mythology. Finally, some overall thoughts. The old version: As to card quality, I much prefer the older version. I like the smooth yet sturdy cardstock and the brighter colors. The guidebook is a bit of an awkward size, but it is jam packed with information. The tuck box is nothing special but it definitely does its job. I do not love the confusing system with suit symbols, it makes it hard to read with this deck. (This is a big drawback in my opinion!) The new version: I don´t love that there is no bag or tuckbox. And the cards came slightly warped, which is something that I have had happen before with this type of packaging. I don´t love the cardstock or the silver edging. It just doesn´t enhance the shuffling experience in my opinion. I am also disappointed at the murky colors in this version. However, I do like the new expanded titles. The colored borders are fine, I don´t really have much of an opinion about them. The guidebook has a nice quality feel to it, and it is a handy size. I think I prefer the guidebook in this new edition. Overall, I am not sure if I will read the most with this new edition or not. I will probably refer to the newer guidebook, but I think I will use both the new and old deck and see how I like them over time. Maybe I will eventually learn all the cards by using the new deck, and then the old deck will be less confusing. If so, I would absolutely choose the original version. I find it prettier to look at and it has a nicer feel in my hand. I hope this was helpful to anyone curious about this deck!

Yes to all of that. The combo of 3 you mentioned has an effect you don't get with language alone or random images alone. Symbols get straight to the heart. Anyway, welcome to the forum. I hope you enjoy it here.

I’m Éric, a 36-year-old Brazilian and a linguist. My tarot journey began about four years ago, mostly as an excuse for me to jorunal more (and use my fountain pen & ink collection more often!) and I’d say I’m somewhere in the “intermediate” stage — always learning, but comfortable enough to read for myself as well as for friends and my husband. What fascinates me most is the semantic and semiotic possibilities of tarot — the way symbols, images, and language weave together to create meaning. I often use the cards as a tool for journaling and self-reflection, approaching them with a more analytical and psychological lens. I don’t see myself as psychic or particularly intuitive, but I do try to exercise that sometimes, and I deeply respect and enjoy learning from all forms of spirituality. I also dabble in astrology and I love exploring correspondences and the deeper layers of symbolism that could connect tarot to other traditions. I’m very excited to be here. For a long time, I’ve been looking for a tarot community where I could interact and, above all, learn. Until now, most of what I found was the tarot subreddit. I even considered joining a monthly Patreon “club” from one of the tarot influencers, but I realized I wasn’t really looking for a mentor–mentee type of relationship either. That’s why I’m glad I discovered this forum, active and running, and I’m looking forward to learning as much as I can before jumping in with my own questions (and I do have quite a few — but I’ll be sure to check what’s already been discussed first!).

Welcome to the community @Fairy666tale I'm glad you found us here 😀 Your English was perfect! The Incubus Tarot is based on RWS, so you might find this thread helpful for learning.... Also you can always post a question for help in a new thread in the relevant area 🙂 .

I usually put the drawn cards back, shuffle the deck and thank it. Then it just goes back into the box and I go back to the rest of my day. Nothing much special. I don't take pictures, but I do journal my readings (but that's before putting the deck away).

That's a very cool idea, a pouch that rolls out into a mat! I'm still using the burlap bag that my deck was shipped in originally... I think I might try sewing one, though. I have great admiration for people who have the patience to crochet, but I'm not one of those people😅

Hello everyone! I'm new to tarot, and I'd love to talk about it with others and learn. The only person I know who has tarot cards is my dad, but he doesn't actively use them. It's not exactly a common hobby, it seems. So far, I only have one tarot deck (bought online). I ended up chosing the Incubus tarot, because for now I only want to do readings for myself. And the theme and card descriptions immediately drew me in. My dad has an original rider-waite themed deck, which he also allows me to use. Might use that if I'd ever want to try to do a reading for someone else, the Incubus tarot feels very "personal" to me. Anyhow, I watched a few YouTube videos on how to start, did a cleansing and then a deck interview. And it honestly felt stunning to me how the cards actually presented an answer to the questions. So far, I've been trying to do weekly readings on Sunday for the week up ahead, with a three card spread. Especially last week's was really on-point in hindsight, which is exciting to me! And I notice it gives me a feeling of calm and security to have the advice of the cards to think back to throughout the week. I hope to learn more about tarot here, and it'd be nice to just be able to talk with people who also actively use it 🙂 Also: I'm not a native English speaker, so please excuse me if my writing seems a little awkward at times.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This one is just for fun! (Well, maybe there’s an uncomfortable truth or two and a little sarcasm mixed in with the merriment . . . ) Me the Inquisitor: “Why do you read the tarot cards?” Me the Mad Scientist: “I want to get under the skin of objective reality and see what makes the Universe tick.” Me the Hedge-Mystic: “Because they’re there?” Me the Inquisitor: “How does tarot work?” Me the Mad Scientist: “It’s a function of the subconscious mind that taps into a higher source of knowledge. Either that or it follows the SWAG (scientific wild-ass guess) principle.” Me the Hedge-Mystic: “Who cares, it ‘just works.’ But if you must know, I have a hotline to the Divine, or maybe just to the Astral Plane or my own fertile imagination.” Me the Inquisitor: “What do the cards have to do with it?” Me the Mad Scientist: “They act as a medium that engages and is imprinted with the seeker’s subliminal awareness via concentration on the question or topic of interest while shuffling.” Me the Hedge-Mystic: “They look purty!” Me the Inquisitor: “Must the reader know the querent’s specific question before the reading begins?” Me the Mad Scientist: “Not in face-to-face settings, where the initial communion is between the sitter and the cards, not between the cards and the reader. In the interest of privacy and belaying the reader’s preconceptions, it’s best not to know too much until the sitter chooses to reveal it. The cards will ‘speak their piece’ anyway, and the diviner just ‘reads ’em as they lay.’ In remote readings, the seeker’s life-area of interest should be known as a minimum. Me the Hedge-Mystic: It doesn’t matter under any circumstances. The mystic receives inspiration via spiritual channels and the cards are mainly “props,” vessels that capture the received wisdom for presentation to the querent. Me the Inquisitor: “Is intuition the only ‘right’ way to read the cards?” Me the Mad Scientist: “Perhaps for self-analysis. For divination I find that it’s secondary to a more analytical approach based on knowledge and experience, to which it can add visionary inflection, often via the creative use of metaphor and analogy.” Me the Hedge-Mystic: “Zzzzzzzz” Me the Inquisitor: “Can anyone really learn to read the cards in just 10 minutes?” Me the Mad Scientist: “Are you nuts?” Me the Hedge-Mystic: “What’s to learn?” Me the Inquisitor: “What are the most important inputs to effective storytelling?” Me the Mad Scientist: “Inspiration, imagination and ingenuity in support of extraordinary insight. Oh, and a good vocabulary.” Me the Hedge-Mystic: “Huh? Whazzat? I simply answer questions based on my intuitive hunches. I play it safe by saying ‘Nothing is carved in stone.’ I can soft-peddle ‘I don’t know’ with as much finesse as the best of them. I wouldn't know a 'narrative' if it walked up and bit me.” Me the Inquisitor: “What is the “theater of tarot?” Me the Mad Scientist: “Anything the diviner does (usually of a ‘mystical’ nature) that is not directly related to explaining the cards. In short, various manifestations of ‘woo’ that make the reader feel good, none of which is crucial for success: crystals, candles and incense; prayers and invocations; ‘knocking’ on the deck; bathing the cards in moonlight; cutting with your left hand to the left, et al.” Me the Hedge-Mystic: “Tarot-reading is a performance art, so it’s all dramatic theater.” Me the Inquisitor: “Should a tarot reader always tell the truth exactly as the cards present it?” Me the Mad Scientist: “Only to the extent that the unvarnished truth is helpful and not harmful. There are ways to deliver it without beating the seeker over the head with its perceived inevitability. After all, I’m not a sadist.” Me the Hedge-Mystic: <looking bored> “Ommmmm.” Me the Inquisitor: “Can the tarot answer ‘yes-or-no’ questions?” Me the Mad Scientist: “Of course, tarot can answer any question as long as it is phrased properly.” Me the Hedge-Mystic: <superstitiously making a “warding” gesture> “Get thee behind me . . . “ Me the Inquisitor: “Can you tell me what I’m thinking right now?” Me the Mad Scientist: “It doesn’t work that way. Go see a psychic for that.” Me the Hedge-Mystic: ” . . . you think that I’m a fraud?” Me the Curmudgeon: <doffing the inquisitor’s robe> “I didn’t say that, you did! But now that you mention it . . . .”

I've been absent, but I'm going to contribute something - which may or may not be of any value! I looked at William Lilly for some extracts and have adapted them. 7th House We're in the 7th house for this and the next 2 decans. Thus, areas dealing with: Marriage, Love Questions, Lawsuits and Controversies, Contracts, Wars, Duels, open Enemies, Bargains, Thefts, Fugitives, and all matters regarding Strangers (this would be immigrants or foreigners). Moon rules this first decan of Libra and some moon related significations are: Health: Strokes, paralysis or tremors, cholic, stomach aches, diseases in the left side, the bladder and members of generation; menstrual issues and liver in women, oedema aka fluid retention, gastro and other stomach issues, rheumatic diseases, gout in the wrists and feet; sciatica, worms, hurts in the eyes, Over-indulgence/excess, phlegmy coughs/pneumonia, seizures, tuberculosis, abscess, smallpox, and measles. I find measles very interesting because there's been a few cases coming in to my country from overseas recently. "Old" diseases might be a thing. So I'm thinking watch out if you're not vaccinated. I think there were some cases of smallpox in the US too. This is before now, but I think COVID was just a reminder that these things happen. Anyway, moon means wet-related sicknesses probably or fluids (blood etc) People: Moon signifies all women from the highest to the lowest hierarchies/castes in society: queens, countesses, ladies. Travellers, pilgrims. People with liquid in their occupation: sailors/mariners/seafood-related workers ie fishermen, brewers/barmaids/publicans and drunkards; postal delivery workers/couriers and other messengers, chauffeur/bus-driver/taxi- or uber-drivers; also midwives, nurses, watermen, water-bearers. millers, hunters, cleaners, and generally women with market stalls or coffee carts - those who carry commodities in the streets. I'm thinking of a certain Duchess that has been in the news lately. I'm not sure when it hit the news i.e. on eclipse/before/after. Now, Yes, some of these events are occurring out of the decan, but we just had an eclipse, so the activation of the moon might be prolonged, particularly in the case of the Duchess. I imagine she's hamstrung / 2 of Swords at the moment with The High Priestess indicating something secret coming to light but also some unknowable factors.

2 of Swords The first decan of Virgo, a decan ruled by the moon Post at TabulaMundi.com - DECAN WALK: LIBRA 1, TWO OF SWORDS – Part I – Tabula Mundi Tarot Excerpt: This year the Equinox, start of Libra, falls on Monday the 22nd, though the entry to each decan varies by a day or so each year. With the start of the first decan of Libra comes the Autumnal Equinox, here in the Northern hemisphere. It is a time of balance, where for a moment the hours of daylight and darkness are equal. It is considered the beginning of the second harvest season. The pagan holiday known as Mabon thus is a time that celebrates balance, and gratitude as we gather the fruits of our labors in preparation for winter. This theme of balance of light and darkness is why the day of the Equinox is for stringing the traditional necklace of witches, made with beads of jet (darkness) and amber (light). Tabula Mundi Tarot Other related cards: The Hermit for Virgo The Priestess for the moon Queen of Swords (for the last decan of Virgo and the first two decans of Libra)

Welcome back @Bodhiseed!

I'm in this week with the Llewellyn Tarot paired with the Beasts of Albion. Thank you, Fire cat! 💓 It’s not brave to refuse to pay attention, to refuse to notice, to refuse to feel and know and imagine. The opposite of sensitive is insensitive, and that’s no badge of honor. ―Glennon Doyle The Page of Cups draws emotional people to him like iron fillings to a magnet. He is empathetic and compassionate, so people who hurt seek him out for his willingness to listen without being judgmental. He's incredibly attuned and sensitive, such that he can just look at a person and intuitively know how they feel. Yet he manages to keep his feet on solid ground by bringing his thoughts back to the sensations of his own body. Brock (Badger) lives in extended social tribes and is a home-loving animal. However, it is known for tenaciousness, power and courage when driven to extreme measures. Spiritual warriors don't go seeking battles to join, but they will face challenges with gentle courage if it means helping another.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: When it comes to designing line spreads for tarot reading, about the only time I employ an even number of cards is in situations that require a choice between two options, or when invoking the four classical elements represented by the suits. One thing I learned from Lenormand reading is that an odd-numbered line will always have a "hinge card" or turning-point in the middle that can serve as a motivator pointing toward the outcome. Three-card and five-card lines both serve the purpose quite well. I think of the five-card line in terms of a wave: the matter begins, surges, crests, subsides and ends. The "crest" is where it is most amenable to being "ridden" toward a self-directed solution. Reversed orientation or the sobering nature of the "hinge" card can "flatten" the curve and make the "turn-around" less dramatic. Here is a new spread to illustrate my point, followed by an example reading. (All images are from the Chrysalis Tarot, copyright of US Games Systems Inc, Stamford, CT.) The question involves a situation that has been dormant for some time, and every so often I do another reading to see whether (and how) it might progress in the future. (Note that in this deck the suit of Scrolls equates to Swords, Stones to Pentacles, Mirrors to Cups and Spirals to Wands.) The reversed 8 of Scrolls suggests that communication on the matter has been at a standstill, due mainly to inertia and not willful avoidance. The Acrobat (Page of Stones) implies "stepping out" in a purposeful way. The Page of Scrolls expresses an openness to conversation. It may be time to broach the subject when the Page of Stones finally bestirs himself and shows up. These cards are elementally uncongenial, so there could be some miscommunication or misapprehension of intent with which to contend. The 7 of Mirrors in this deck conveys "discernment, false reality and free will; the time draws neigh to weigh options and make your choice." Hesitancy looms large in this scenario along with the risk of some deception. As decisive Fire welcoming tentative Water into his lair, the King of Spirals is a boon companion who "turns positive intentions into reality" He is well-suited to cut through the confusion and indecision of the 7 of Mirrors with a steady (if slightly heavy) hand. Because there is no "flattening" effect here except for the neutral beginning and the slightly off-putting 7 of Mirrors, the conclusion I reached about this reading is that "opportunity knocks" but there is uncertainty that must be overcome without exerting too much force.

A few years ago I had an email conversation with Anna about how well the deck works for predicting long-range conditions for things like picnics and other outdoor activities..

I love the Anna K deck. It's one of my 5 favourite decks to use! I never tried forecasting the weather with it, though. Maybe a step too far for me. I'll continue to rely on the Met Office, which is fairly accurate most of the time. 🙂

Cross my fingers and am almost sure that you'll get your copy in the future. 🤞🍀