More than one deck?

[Darla007]

My tarot journey started with the gifting of a single deck from my closet friend. She ultimately gifted me my second deck and I felt compelled to use both for the first reading I did after receiving the second deck. Is it normal to feel sure if one or two decks are correct for a particular reading? Sometimes, it feels absolutely wrong to use both decks and in others, completely necessary. I would like to expand beyond the decks I use but feel I'm still being prepared for other types of decks. Would I be biting off more than I could chew by just buying a new type of deck I've never used simply because I want to expand?

[gregory]

Go with your feelings. A lot of reading relies on that punch in the gut that tells you when to use two decks, use a different spread, step out of your comfort zone. And wanting to expand is good.

[Darla007]

44 minutes ago, gregory said:

Go with your feelings. A lot of reading relies on that punch in the gut that tells you when to use two decks, use a different spread, step out of your comfort zone. And wanting to expand is good.

Taking that to heart! I do know I'm meant to expand and the surety of needing to do so can't be rushed. If this connection to spirit was intended to guide me, I know now that I'm unprepared for picking and choosing decks because so many prefer the newer and flashiest. I'll listen for the prompt. 

[gregory]

You get whatever deck calls out to you.  If and when it does. Or if you just feel a need for something different - find something different. What are the two you have now ?

[DanielJUK]

You can use tarot however you want Darla, find the best method for you and it you love to use two decks use them 🙂

But if you are learning you might find it more complicated by mixing decks. Can you learn and study and get used to both decks at once? A lot of people do one deck at at time and get used to it and then move on to the next. Secondly how does it work with the double cards, does it work for you with 2 of each card? I wanted to give you things to think about.

 

 gregory is totally right though about it's how you feel. If you want to use one deck do, if you want to use two do! You can do whatever you want! But my warning is just beware of making it too complicated when you are learning.

 

You can buy more decks whenever you want, whenever you feel you want to expand. Do look for decks that call to you and also has artwork styles you love. The mistake to avoid is to buy a lot of decks and then never use them! Like say you like Vampires, don't just buy a deck because of that, check the artwork and go for styles and decks you feel you want. When you start buying decks it gets very addictive (believe me!) and look for decks you really connect with, be discerning. Also spend time with each deck, some people here do one month with each deck or you could do 78 days or whatever you want!

 

So do whatever works for you the best, there are no rules in how you make your best method. But my advice is to try and keep it simple starting out and get more complicated as you get more experienced. But if two decks works, totally ignore me! 😆 I like to use different decks for different readings and also I like to offer my reading partners any deck in my collection. You do get bored of using the same one or two decks constantly, new decks shakes things up in your learning 🙂 It's a careful line of adding new challenges to your learning with new decks and learning with what you have.

[Darla007]

30 minutes ago, gregory said:

You get whatever deck calls out to you.  If and when it does. Or if you just feel a need for something different - find something different. What are the two you have now ?

I have the Rider-Waite and one specifically named A.E. Waite. The images are the same. I haven't searched any further into decks. I felt that they would find me. Although I started thinking I wouldn't be able to relate to as many people if I didn't expand what I use, I currently feel like I'm shuffling the cards I am meant to in my "now"

[Darla007]

3 minutes ago, DanielJUK said:

You can use tarot however you want Darla, find the best method for you and it you love to use two decks use them 🙂

But if you are learning you might find it more complicated by mixing decks. Can you learn and study and get used to both decks at once? A lot of people do one deck at at time and get used to it and then move on to the next. Secondly how does it work with the double cards, does it work for you with 2 of each card? I wanted to give you things to think about.

 

 gregory is totally right though about it's how you feel. If you want to use one deck do, if you want to use two do! You can do whatever you want! But my warning is just beware of making it too complicated when you are learning.

 

You can buy more decks whenever you want, whenever you feel you want to expand. Do look for decks that call to you and also has artwork styles you love. The mistake to avoid is to buy a lot of decks and then never use them! Like say you like Vampires, don't just buy a deck because of that, check the artwork and go for styles and decks you feel you want. When you start buying decks it gets very addictive (believe me!) and look for decks you really connect with, be discerning. Also spend time with each deck, some people here do one month with each deck or you could do 78 days or whatever you want!

 

So do whatever works for you the best, there are no rules in how you make your best method. But my advice is to try and keep it simple starting out and get more complicated as you get more experienced. But if two decks works, totally ignore me! 😆 I like to use different decks for different readings and also I like to offer my reading partners any deck in my collection. You do get bored of using the same one or two decks constantly, new decks shakes things up in your learning 🙂 It's a careful line of adding new challenges to your learning with new decks and learning with what you have.

I've been part of this community site for a short while and already feel more support and encouragement than I did by aimlessly searching for groups who take this seriously and not as a trendy thing to do. I genuinely look forward to my rise in this family. Thank you for existing!!!

[Marisa Kirisame]

I second DanielJUK's question: how exactly do you make use of 2 decks in your spread? There are various implementations (and reasons for doing so), so I am curious about yours.

Edited May 1, 2021 by Marisa Kirisame

[LogicalHue]

Something to note, you've said "different type of deck". There are different types of decks but most decks are the same type as RWS. So really its mostly about personal taste in artwork and symbolism. I find the images in RWS very helpful in illustrating the meanings (particularly the minors), and I use those images as reference points in my mind, but I've never owned that deck. The art style just doesn't fit me.

 

If you start shopping around for new decks and ask for some guidance, you'll get no shortage on this forum, so don't feel like you have to go it alone 😉

 

As for one or two decks in a reading, if it works for you then it's working! I've actually seen people using one tarot deck and one oracle deck probably more often than two tarot decks. Its something I think about doing but it's never quite clicked together in my brain, and I always imagine I'll just find it exhausting and then not really do a very productive reading.

[TheFeeLion]

@Darla007 you've got some really great advice here! I quite enjoy using two (or more) decks for one reading. I don't do it all the time but sometimes when I'm pulling card I'll get a feeling telling me to stop pulling from one deck and reach for another for the next card. I find it can add a different dimension to the reading because the different artwork can shift the focus of that card slightly. I haven't yet had the same card pop up in multiple positions but I imagine it would place some emphasis on those positions and highlight different aspects of the card.

 

As for choosing another deck, there is absolutely nothing saying you have to go for newer or flashier decks. You might find that your taste leans towards older styles, cartoon styles, or dark styles. You may like fairys or dragons, collage or watercolour. It's entirely up to you. You don't have to choose a deck just because you think other people will like it. All that really matters is if you like it 😁❤️

[Darla007]

9 hours ago, Marisa Kirisame said:

I second DanielJUK's question: how exactly do you make use of 2 decks in your spread? There are various implementations (and reasons for doing so), so I am curious about yours.

The decks work like a team when I use both. I started with one deck and meditated each time I prepped to do a reading. The vision is of me in my favorite spot on Elk Mountain. Holding the deck in my meditation, I saw an egg shaped bright light radiating from somewhere above me and enclosing below me. This was my understanding of the Divine at work, giving me the guidance I was asking for through light. My vision kept showcasing the boulders that are placed around the bigger boulder I love to climb into when I go to Elk. When I got the second deck, I didn't plan to include it in my meditation. However, the day I started with my morning draw after getting the second deck, there were orbs on the boulders around me that became part of the light radiating from above me. I intuitively knew this was the bridge between spirit and the Angels, both offering their specific guidance to read through either deck. When I don't intend to clarify, I don't use the second deck.. but sometimes, I feel a need to clarify, so I do that with intention (asking for clarification on a specific card) .. these cards are pulled with the archangels in mind as I believe that's who sits around me in my meditations. In the event the same card is pulled twice, I finish my reading with regards to that main highlight, otherwise it's just adding further insight to what lays in front of me. 

[Darla007]

3 hours ago, TheFeeLion said:

@Darla007 you've got some really great advice here! I quite enjoy using two (or more) decks for one reading. I don't do it all the time but sometimes when I'm pulling card I'll get a feeling telling me to stop pulling from one deck and reach for another for the next card. I find it can add a different dimension to the reading because the different artwork can shift the focus of that card slightly. I haven't yet had the same card pop up in multiple positions but I imagine it would place some emphasis on those positions and highlight different aspects of the card.

 

As for choosing another deck, there is absolutely nothing saying you have to go for newer or flashier decks. You might find that your taste leans towards older styles, cartoon styles, or dark styles. You may like fairys or dragons, collage or watercolour. It's entirely up to you. You don't have to choose a deck just because you think other people will like it. All that really matters is if you like it 😁❤️

I really appreciate you saying that! My best friend, the one who gifted me the cards, is very into the thrill of a new deck and loves to adore the imagery. I find the hunt to be distracting since the way my first deck came into my life (the whole 24hours surrounding this was undeniably meant to happen, but it's a long story) felt like a subconscious act of something ancient. The older images do strike home for me though I'd love to go older than Waite. But still, there's a nudge to expand across the board. I think it's partially because I feel like I'd be more ideal for potential clients having a bigger and more diverse selection, but I have to admit that I feel drawn to much of decks I see in the readings I like to watch and simply want to see if it feels like I hope it would. Either way, I'm very comfortable and possibly even subconsciously directed to stay and absorb exactly what and how I'm performing now. Just like joining this forum site in the moment I did.

[Marisa Kirisame]

The idea is understandable, thanks. As mentioned earlier, you might want to try using a deck with a different symbolic alphabet for clarification to make things more interesting. A good example I can immediately remember would be Sklyarova's Tarot of Shadows, which had such a use proposed (i.e. as clarification cards for spread positions with a negative aspect in the question). There should be an old subforum related to the Tarot of Shadows here, though I don't recall if they were discussing this or not.

[Duvessa]

Do what your gut feeling tells you to do. I have a few decks, and depending on the reading, I also feel compelled to use different ones. Right now, however, I am using Rider-Waite deck exclusevely, because it is easier to learn more "complicated" card combos.