Tarot Talk & Technique

Whenever you get a brand new deck, do you immediately unseal it or do you wait until you feel that the time is right? I'm more of the latter. I'd usually buy decks that I like but won't open them until weeks, months, or even years later. I feel like I must only unseal a deck when I can give it my undivided attention and lavish as much time as I can spare in studying it. It's weird since even tho I like my decks a lot especially at the time that I bought them, it's not often that I open a deck out of pure excitement. More than half of all the decks and sets in my collection are still pristine and sealed. It is good since unopened items retain their value more than t…

The Tarosophists Tarot Association is currently holding a survey on the best Tarot, Lenormand, Oracle, Book, etc that were published in the previous year. You can check it out in their site HERE. It's open to all - meaning even non-members would be able to vote. I can verify this since I just cast my vote. Once you have placed yours, you won't be allowed to change your choices so choose wisely. :D You're also allowed to skip items if you don't find any of the options worthy. Indeed, many of the categories allow you to endorse another deck/book/etc if you feel that it's better than the available selections. The survey was easy-peasy, and I answered everything quite quic…

If you were to choose a Court Card that would most accurately represent you based on your personality, interests, dislikes, etc, which one would it be? In what ways do you resemble it, and in what ways would you diverge from the archetype? Choose only one, alright? :) I'm quite curious as to which court cards our members would choose to embody them. ;)

I use some cards as bookmarks. :) I may sometimes use a whole deck as a paperweight. I don't use them to scare people or pets tho. As others have suggested, they can also be good prompts in writing stories and stuff.

If you have a close friend or family member who also read the Tarot, and who'd not be averse to letting you use their decks if you'd extend them the same courtesy, would you let them use the decks that you personally own? Would you be open to sharing your wholly collection with them, are there some decks that you may be willing to lend to them while others are strictly off-limits, or is anyone touching your deck strictly verboten to you?

We know that almost all decks have their own set of card meanings written in their LWBs or companion books, tho if they follow a specific tradition (like if they're RWS-based for example) they can sometimes be similar. Some decks like the Mary-El, Chrysalis, and Kabbalistic Visions for example, have their own unique systems. Even decks that follow a certain school may exhibit some noticeable differences. If you read with various decks, do you find yourself applying the same personal meanings across most of the decks that you use? Or do you try to follow the set of interpretations created by their creators?

Do you find yourself compelled to include the additional cards that can be found in some decks in your readings? Sometimes, I include the Unicursal Hexagram card found in the Thoth Tarot. I've heard that some readers include the extra four cards featuring PCS's non-Tarot artwork in the Smith-Waite Centennial Tarot.

This topic has been moved to Tarot Decks. [iurl]https://www.thetarotforum.com/index.php?topic=2007.0[/iurl]

This topic has been moved to Tarot Decks. [iurl]https://www.thetarotforum.com/index.php?topic=1462.0[/iurl]

This topic has been moved to Tarot Decks. [iurl]https://www.thetarotforum.com/index.php?topic=1988.0[/iurl]

I’ve done it. I have smallish old arthritic hands & a new deck can be difficult for me to shuffle - too stiff. Was it Dan Pellitier who posted how to do this long ago? To break down, loosen, the paper fibers, run each & every card over a table edge, top, bottom, each side, front & back, with one hand supporting the backside. It’s time consuming. I wouldn’t do this with an oop deck though. And some would *gasp* tea-stain them.

How do you pick your cards for a reading? Do you pick all cards from the top of the deck or do you pick them random from the deck? Or how do you do? I usually pick mine from the top, but sometimes I pick them random or even from the bottom of the deck.

I've seen a few different ways on how people use the bottom card and thought to ask if you knew of any more suggestions? The two that stood out for me are: 1. Beth over at Little Red Tarot had a blog once (will search for it later) on how, especially if you pull cards from the top I think, the bottom card would be that which is most removed from the reading. A suggestion for what the reading really isn't about. I had the Tower at the bottom of the deck for my Year Ahead reading I did on my birthday with the Death card as the focus, so I took that to mean that while this year will be all about change and letting things go, it probably won't shake things up in any sudd…

Without exception, we are all searching and looking for something, or we wouldn't be playing with tarot cards. But where? This isn't a question to ignite long stories of how you found the tarot, we all have those. This is a question to ask you to look at the very beginning of that story you have, at that very moment it began, were you looking in or out? Over the time since that moment have you found it more fitting to look the other way?

I absolutely adore perfume. Adore it, especially niche perfume. Essential oils, aromatic oils, ouds, woods, spices, incense; fragrances that originate in the souks of the Middle East and waft along desert winds. And I love my Tarot cards, my oracle cards, my Lenormand... So, I decided to put them together and see if that would also enhance both my relationship with the various decks and my bonding with them. I just bought Tarot of the Hidden Realm. The fey, denizens of the forest, the sidhe... I thought they would be more comfortable if they could be surrounded by the wonderful odours of their forests and streams. I have this wonderful essential oil combinatio…

How do you know the meaning of a card? Did you memorize the first LWB you came across? Read stacks of books? Practice magick? just believe what people told you? Learn the basic components of the card itself and discern the meaning for your self? Just look at the pictures and go with that? What gives you the certainty that you aren't just guessing, or grabbing ideas out of the air?

How many times do you shuffle your cards? Do you do it a fixed number of times - like you always shuffle nine times for example? Do you wait until the deck feels "right"? Or does it depend on something else? Related fact: I've read before that to fully randomize a deck of cards, you need to riffle shuffle it at least 7 times. There's a mathematical basis for this too - so this is not a metaphysical concept or something.

I'm sure this has been broached, here, before, but can't find anything about it in the search option, so, what, in your opinion, is the best accompanying book, booklet or LWB you've ever come across for any Tarot deck? And... any separately published Tarot deck specific book that blew you away? I'll start by saying that, for me, the Druidcraft is one of the very best, if not the best combo I've come across so far. Looking forward to discovering others from you. :D

I don't know if and when I've ever met a a king of cups. So I'm wondering, can anyone list some celebrities you would affiliate with king of cups so I can better understand this type of man? This will help me with my readings.

Hi Everyone- I asked if person X would stop by my house today and I pulled 6 of Cups....I took that to mean a Yes...6 of Cups....Someone that you know making another appearance...Instead, someone else that I know came by to make the delivery that I did not specify in this question. I actually got 4 of Wands when I asked about this other person coming by that did indeed show up. I thought 4 of Wands might mean a vacation...would not be here. So I am trying to troubleshoot...Did I misinterpret the meaning of the cards? This is sort of an open-ended and very basic question....But are there any techniques that you use to feel confident in selecting the cards that you do? Tha…

Well..., I do have lots of Tarot decks, but I'm still searching for my absolute Tarot "soul mate"... Would love to hear what is everyone else's "soul mate" deck... . A picture of one card would be lovely, too. :D :D

I read somewhere that one should not buy a Tarot deck for oneself, but wait to receive one as a gift. Only then will it really bond with you and speak the truth. What do you think? Is there truth in that or not? Apparently, one is supposed to put out to the universe that one wishes very much for a Tarot deck and, somehow, it will appear...

I am brand new to this forum and fairly new in regard to reading Tarot and would appreciate any feedback as I am really trying to learn. Someone that I know that reads professionally pulled a card as to if I would hear from a friend that I have not spoken to in over two months...There was an abrupt ending to this friendship and she pulled one card...The Ace of Swords. She said that meant No, but I thought that Ace of Swords meant the beginning of a new pattern of thought or communication so I interpreted that card to mean a Yes in this context. Would anyone be able to share their thoughts on this with me? Thanks in advance.

This topic has been moved to Tarot for Yourself. [iurl]https://www.thetarotforum.com/index.php?topic=1725.0[/iurl]

I came across this beautiful image that, apparently, belongs to a Tarot deck... Would anyone know which Tarot this belongs to, if any? Thank you so much. :D