Should I learn one deck before progressing to another?

[Guest Night Shade]

https://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=226757

by pandap

 

I am after some general guidance.

 

I bought the Rider Waite pack to learn the Tarot but saw the Druitcraft Tarot cards, which I thought were absolutely beautiful and bought those.

 

I'm now confused because I don't know whether to stick with the Rider Waite pack before starting to learn with the Druitcraft pack. I've noticed there seems to be different meanings, depending on which pack you use. I'm getting really confused by different books all having different meanings.

 

I guess I'm trying to work out whether to (a) stick with one pack and learn that before embarking on another, and if so, when do you get to the point that you have sufficiently learnt that pack before learning another, and (b) the best way to actually start learning.

 

Any advice would be gratefully received.

[Guest Night Shade]

This is sort of like asking if you should only read one book at a time, or if it's okay to read several at once.  I'm the "several at once" type - I get bored easily, and have trouble focusing on any one book for very long.  I'm kind of the same way with decks - I need a bit of variety to keep myself interested.  If you're an absolute beginner, it would probably be best to focus on one deck until you've got the basics down, but once you've been in the tarot waters for a while, I think it's okay to mix it up a bit.

[Jewel]

I would stick to one or other.  Personally I never connected with the RWS, and the Druid Craft, though a little different is an excellent deck to learn with if you wish.  It has some of the best court cards out there and those are some of the hardest cards to get a grasp on when learning Tarot.

[cnyb]

It is nice to 'grock' a deck for a while, sink into it, get that satisfied feeling of digging in.  Yes sometimes there's a flurry in the brain and ideas/impressions clash and there isn't a feeling of togetherness.

 

I guess if I give myself enough time to shift gears I can juggle several decks well enough and still dig in nicely.  Sometimes shifting attention to another deck seems to reinforce a nice feeling from some prior deck, or ideas/impressions build momentum.

 

I have to say 'enough' to shuffling or to lists of meanings or systems; I guess I'd rather risk being a bit scattered instead of bored or stuck.

[Wanderer]

There's no 'right' answer to this; we're all different. Personally, I like the feeling of being a specialist (although I do find it useful to look at other decks, as the comparisons can provide extra facets of meaning or new perspectives). I feel that Tarot is deep enough that there is no actual need to ever go beyond a single deck... although I can totally understand the urge to try out loads of them instead!  :)

[DanielJUK]

I have always learnt many decks and divination methods at the same time. It's really not ideal with concentration and focusing but it has always worked for me. I do see people carefully doing one deck and working on each card one at a time. But it's worked for me!

 

Recently I want to learn a new tarot style and realised that I let so much stuff distract me and not focus! But in the end it has worked for me. The answer to this, is whatever learning method works for you!  :)

 

We have seen in the tarot community in the last months, the idea of a depth year (thread about it on this forum here). This is a slowing down and doing tarot study with real depth. It seems very popular right now as a concept but still I think it's not my style of learning.

[DownUnderNZer]

I learned Tarot from AT and the members there, as well as the archives which were a true treasure to behold, seriously.

 

Also, a few websites online helped me a lot when I think back.

 

AT taught me things you do not get from a book (don't think so) and online gave me different meanings so that I could go with whatever was right with me.

 

However, was never able to get my head around elementals or wanting to go further than 3 cards at a time. But I don't think one has to unless they really want to delve deeper and broader perhaps.

 

Who said you have to learn from a book or one deck at a time with Tarot?

 

 

 

DND  X/

[Raggydoll]

I remember using several decks that was all based on the RWS tradition while I was studying the traditional RWS meanings. That definitely worked as I could see slightly different perspectives but nothing that deviated from the basic concept. I would not recommend that a beginner studies multiple systems at once, not unless they have extraordinary learning abilities and feels stimulated by going wide in their studies (I know some people are like that - I can actually be that way myself but it’s very taxing for me to go full throttle with my mental juggling capacity so I try to hold back so I don’t wear myself out in the long run)

[2dogs]

I came to Tarot expecting to study a system and learn meanings but it never really clicked and I've been led towards cards with images and text that stimulate me to create my own interpretations.

[Czenzi]

I remember using several decks that was all based on the RWS tradition while I was studying the traditional RWS meanings. That definitely worked as I could see slightly different perspectives but nothing that deviated from the basic concept. I would not recommend that a beginner studies multiple systems at once, not unless they have extraordinary learning abilities and feels stimulated by going wide in their studies (I know some people are like that - I can actually be that way myself but it’s very taxing for me to go full throttle with my mental juggling capacity so I try to hold back so I don’t wear myself out in the long run)

 

I am doing kind of the same. All my decks are similar enough to the classic RWS that I get it, but they all have small details that offer more nuance to the readings. Yesterday, I actually laid out the same cards from each deck in a pile for all for the Major Arcana and compared from deck to deck. It’s helped me rather than hurt me I think, but I can see it getting overwhelming if I’m not careful.

[Thoughtful]

When l started learning the tarot l stayed with one tarot deck for 5 years, it was the Golden Tarot (Kat Blacks). Never wanted or liked the Rider Waite.  l stayed so long with that one deck because l had not realised how many other treasures were out there.  But it did give me a good grounding. 

Amazon was my downfall  >:D  l expect like others here, l found myself  like a kid in a candy store.

l like to have different decks as l am rather like Night Shade l get bored, l like to have the stimulus of different decks.  Having said that l have two absolute favourites which l use and are completely different to each other, and that keeps my interest alive.

Still does not stop me being tempted by other decks though  ;D

[Padma]

I can't really answer that question! All I can say is from my experience: I learned to read on a Tarot de Marseille deck, and that was all I had for years. Then, I had an RWS, and the Aquarian Tarot. A few years later, I had the Connolly Tarot, and I wore out two of those, doing my own readings as well as public reads. By 2012 I found AT,  and then over 5 years, built a library of about 60 decks! (AT was sooooo enabling!)

 

Now I am down to about 40 decks, which I really don't use. I have a few faves, and I drift between those few. So whether or not to learn one deck only, then branch out, or be like the proverbial kid at the candy store, is something only you can answer for yourself.

 

I will say though that learning from only one deck at a time, for a few years per deck, does focus a person - and allows a true personal bond to form between you and your deck, where you seem to always know what they are saying...I did find diversifying dilutes that, to some extent.

 

If you do pick one or a few more decks to dance with as you learn, please make sure the images on the cards really call to you! ;) Don't buy a deck simply cause everyone else is.