How do you deal with the cards you don't like in a deck

[rylla]

Almost all the decks that I'm buying have some cards that I don't like (I suspect everyone feels the same way).

For example the Maat. Most of the cards are gorgeous. I love those cards and I really hate a few others (so I have very strong emotion about this deck). I can't stand the Devil and about 3-4 more cards. So I am not using the deck for reading. It's a pity, the rest of the deck is great.

 

What is your experience with decks that have cards you don't like? Can you just overlook/disregard them? Are you still using them for reading?

[gregory]

I use them as I use any other cards. We can't read seriously if we are going to ignore things we don't like - we don't like everything in life; it isn't all sweetness and light and nor are the cards. MAYBE our reaction to such cards is something we need to look at in ourselves, actually.

[Raggydoll]

Maybe you could look at walkthroughs on YouTube before buying new decks? These days I do look closely at every deck that I’m interested in, mainly because I’m so aware of how annoying it is for me to have a pile of decks that I don’t love or wish to use. I don’t need decks to be ‘perfect’, not at all. I just don’t want to use cards that feature artwork or concepts that don’t resonate with me at all. 

[gregory]

That would suggest a whole deck not pleasing you. Not quite the same as excluding a few cards in an otherwise OK deck.

[Bodhiseed]

For me, sometimes acknowledging what bugs me can add meaning to the card. That underlying emotion can often be revealing.

[Misterei]

On 2/21/2023 at 4:09 AM, rylla said:

Almost all the decks that I'm buying have some cards that I don't like (I suspect everyone feels the same way).

For example the Maat. Most of the cards are gorgeous. I love those cards and I really hate a few others .... So I am not using the deck for reading. It's a pity, the rest of the deck is great.

What is your experience with decks that have cards you don't like? Can you just overlook/disregard them? Are you still using them for reading?

@rylla this is a tough one. In some cases even 1 or 2 cards I really hate ruins the deck for me and I don't read with it.

 

And this is even after watching a flip-thru on YT ... I never really know if I'll have chemistry with a deck until I actually read with it. Yes ... the YouTubes stop me from buying a deck that has 7-8 cards I really dislike ... but if it's just a few? I can never really say.  I feel this way about Golden Art Nouveau. At first I liked the deck and got good reads with it. But at some point i realized I really hated a couple of the Courts and now I never read with it. Pity.

 

Even original RWS, I dislike Chariot and Wheel. I feel like they went overboard trying to dump too much symbolism on those poor cards. But I overlook it.

 

My fantasy is to someday make a "franken-deck" that has all my favorite cards from various decks ... but of course the logistics will never work (different sizes, etc.)

[PathWalker]

What I do is use the cards I like, from as many decks as you've got problems with, and make a patchwork deck

I've been doing this for so long that I should think most of the folks here who know me have already seen them, but it is one way to get rid of cards you really can't use. For example the 78 cards Mary El has some beautiful cards, but I could never use it as a single whole deck.

 

best wishes

PathWalker

[Misterei]

@PathWalker how do you deal with the decks of different sizes? Do you only use decks you can trim to match? or?

[DanielJUK]

I pinch my nose, look at the card through my fingers and carry on 🤣 but seriously it's worth thinking about why you don't like the card(s) in a deck.....

 

- Do you not connect with the artwork or find it a real turn-off or find it hard to read? - This happens to all of us, some cards are always hard to connect with and all you can do is read it the best you can. If you really cannot read it or connect with it, I would go with a generic meaning of the card or use associations of the card to help

 

- Does the card affect you for some reason? - Sometimes card art can repulse us or get a little too close, go over the line of our issues, maybe even be triggering. This is different from not liking the art, this affects you personally. I think if it's not too traumatic or triggering, it's worth thinking about or working with the card with why you are affected with it? If it's too much,put the deck away and come back to it. There is a deck that quite affects me, I don't own it but exchanging with members, people always choose it for me. I am fine with it and more at peace now. I realised it really triggers my shadow side

 

- Do you have ethical or moral issues about the card art? Sometimes it goes against our personal values. I have issues with The Master card in the Osho Zen Tarot. This card actually represents Osho themselves and there are many allegations against them in recent years and this lead to a Netflix documentary about it. I have ethical issues about this card but it's an extra Major card, I can easily not use it. This causes debate by users of the deck across the net, should you include that card or not? It's personal choice. So if this is an issue with some cards, why not actually just not use that card or that card artwork.

 

Sometimes you just have to read it the best you can. If you find it too much, remove the card, don't look at the art! You can use generic meanings or associations or look at a different card for ut from another deck. Ultimately you can find your own solution to deal with it, whatever works personally for you.

[Grandma]

@Misterei as the owner of one of the first batch of patchwork decks, I can speak for @PathWalker here. The decks are not all the same size nor are the cards trimmed. Each patchwork deck has cards from 78 different decks, all different sizes and shapes. Mine is glorious! 

Edited February 22, 2023 by Grandma

[Misterei]

6 hours ago, Grandma said:

... The decks are not all the same size nor are the cards trimmed. Each patchwork deck has cards from 78 different decks, all different sizes and shapes. Mine is glorious! 

@Grandma Oh you wild crazy person! Virgo moon over here. I seldom use reversals b/c I don't like seeing cards upside down. Different sizes????? EEEEEEE!!!

[PathWalker]

1 hour ago, Misterei said:

@Grandma Oh you wild crazy person! Virgo moon over here. I seldom use reversals b/c I don't like seeing cards upside down. Different sizes????? EEEEEEE!!!

Indeed, embrace the chaos!

 

[gregory]

You know what ? I might use mine for my next ISG....

[DanielJUK]

I have used mine in circles in the past 🙂

The Patchwork Deck is an interesting example because by it's random chaotic nature there are different artworks. Some cards you love (it's enabled me to buy 3 full decks from the "sampler" cards included) and some you would not buy as a choice but you just have to give the reading.

[Misterei]

On 2/22/2023 at 9:58 PM, PathWalker said:

Indeed, embrace the chaos!

OMG! My brain exploded. I think maybe you DON'T have Virgo moon 😆

[BradGad]

I think what I do is mostly keep thinking, "I really don't like this card."

 

I'll read the spread, but, I really don't like some cards. Especially the Five of Pentacles, That card is one of my stalkers. I drew it again today (though in a TdM deck). Draw it so much.

 

I truly am a spendthrift. Could that be it? Seems like more. 

 

[BradGad]

I guess a super-evolved person would say you need to took within, and decide why you have resistance to those cards. (/Why/, exactly, don't you like you like your heart getting pierced by the Three of Swords, and being stabbed repeatedly in the back by the 10?)

 

I am available for those conversations, but don't like them being forwarded by a particular picture card.

 

 

 

[gregory]

4 hours ago, BradGad said:

I guess a super-evolved person would say you need to took within, and decide why you have resistance to those cards. (/Why/, exactly, don't you like you like your heart getting pierced by the Three of Swords, and being stabbed repeatedly in the back by the 10?)

 

I am available for those conversations, but don't like them being forwarded by a particular picture card.

 

I think what we are talking about more here is a PARTICULAR card in a PARTICULAR deck, a deck you otherwise like. Like the general feeling about Granny Jones' Justice card - all the others are fab, and it feels like she just realised she'd forgotten to draw it and did it in 5 minutes before sending the cards to the printer...

 

 

Not at all the same thing as "Oooh I hate it when I draw Justice", just a "what a sad card; she let herself down."

 

 

[Raggydoll]

46 minutes ago, gregory said:

 

I think what we are talking about more here is a PARTICULAR card in a PARTICULAR deck, a deck you otherwise like.

 

 

Yes, that’s what I thought as well. I find it a real bummer when a deck has one or a couple of cards that I find to be ugly, stupid or generally problematic. It’s not the same as having issues with basic card archetypes. I don’t have a tarot card that I don’t like, it’s specific depictions that I sometimes dislike. 
 

Edited February 25, 2023 by Raggydoll

[rylla]

Thank you all, your posts are very wise and inspiring.

 

There is the Tarot of the Crone, by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince, I really like that deck (and her book even more) , but I could not stand her Hermit (?) card where an old county woman, (very insignificant looking for me) with an old fashion purse is sitting at a railway station (?). Anyway, something like that. It spoiled the whole deck for me. So I took some W$N Promarkers and painted that card over (please collectors, don't shout at me, I am not a collector; I am just trying to enjoy my cards!). They don't dry right away (the promarkers) but eventually they do. (I could've used a Sharper but I needed the colors of my promarkers.). Now I am completely happy with the deck. It doesn't stand out too much.

 

I was/am contemplating a patchwork deck but I could not decide if I would be OK with the different style of the cards. The size doesn't bother me too much, I could cut them more or less to the same size. Thank you PathWalker for your post; I looked at the picture a long, long time LOL and I just realized that they would work very well for some spreads like the Celtic Cross . All the cards would stand out in a spread which increases their meaning. Just that with so many projects in my mind (i.e. to do a collage deck of my own, so on, so on) one lifetime is not enough!!!

[Raggydoll]

4 hours ago, rylla said:

Thank you all, your posts are very wise and inspiring.

 

There is the Tarot of the Crone, by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince, I really like that deck (and her book even more) , but I could not stand her Hermit (?) card where an old county woman, (very insignificant looking for me) with an old fashion purse is sitting at a railway station (?). Anyway, something like that. It spoiled the whole deck for me. So I took some W$N Promarkers and painted that card over (please collectors, don't shout at me, I am not a collector; I am just trying to enjoy my cards!). They don't dry right away (the promarkers) but eventually they do. (I could've used a Sharper but I needed the colors of my promarkers.). Now I am completely happy with the deck. It doesn't stand out too much.

 

I was/am contemplating a patchwork deck but I could not decide if I would be OK with the different style of the cards. The size doesn't bother me too much, I could cut them more or less to the same size. Thank you PathWalker for your post; I looked at the picture a long, long time LOL and I just realized that they would work very well for some spreads like the Celtic Cross . All the cards would stand out in a spread which increases their meaning. Just that with so many projects in my mind (i.e. to do a collage deck of my own, so on, so on) one lifetime is not enough!!!

Now I’m super curious of how the altered Hermit card turned out! Would you consider showing us? I agree that this particular depiction of the Hermit isn’t my favorite. 
 

The Herbcrafters tarot is a deck I quite like but there is one card that I’m not fond of. Because of that single card, I typically don’t use the deck in readings for others. 

 

[BradGad]

On 2/25/2023 at 4:47 AM, gregory said:

 

I think what we are talking about more here is a PARTICULAR card in a PARTICULAR deck, a deck you otherwise like. Like the general feeling about Granny Jones' Justice card - all the others are fab, and it feels like she just realised she'd forgotten to draw it and did it in 5 minutes before sending the cards to the printer...

 

 

Not at all the same thing as "Oooh I hate it when I draw Justice", just a "what a sad card; she let herself down."

 

 

 

Yes, I think you've pinpointed it.

 

[DanielJUK]

9 hours ago, rylla said:

There is the Tarot of the Crone, by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince, I really like that deck (and her book even more) , but I could not stand her Hermit (?) card where an old county woman, (very insignificant looking for me) with an old fashion purse is sitting at a railway station (?). Anyway, something like that. It spoiled the whole deck for me.

 

This is the card in question for us all to see (the original).....

 

[Raggydoll]

5 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

 

This is the card in question for us all to see (the original).....

 

Yeah. I think the guidebook mentions that this Hermit is on a journey and is traveling light. I don’t think the imagery works even with her description. It doesn’t say ‘Hermit’ to me. To be honest, the first time I saw it, I thought that it either depicted a homeless individual or someone who’s just gone grocery shopping 😅 

 

I do remember when I first got this deck. It was two cards that I had a pretty negative reaction over upon first glance - the Chariot and Death. The former has a ‘traditional’ unattractive witch flying on a broom. It felt more like a Christian caricature of a witch, and I really didn’t like it. The guidebook entry  made it somewhat better and now it doesn’t bother me as much. But the death card… it’s not that I don’t like the vision for it. I actually do. It’s the execution that I dislike. It’s just…well, basically it’s a freaky alien-skeleton that I can’t take seriously. Still, I use this deck and try to focus on the message of that card rather than the depiction. I find that this works because I do love the deck as a whole. 
 

 

[Leila_al_Tolkien]

For me personally 🤔 I look at all of the deck info and artwork before buying just to be sure I'll love it. But sometimes they don't show all the designs on shop photos. I typically just don't pay attention to the cards I find ugly or unappealing lol but if it's really bad like something I absolutely hate or feel strongly uncomfortable with I'll just rip up and toss out that card. But this is super rare and I've only had this encounter once with a deck that had one card that was showing self harm, which I felt uncomfortable with.