Tarot traditions and storage

There are certain traditions which I have been taught which I thought were universal: but people have disagreed with: has anyone else come across these.

1) cards should be picked with left hand
2) cards should be stored on highest shelf in house wrapped in purple silk
3) cards should never touch the ground (earth)
4) you should never do readings for yourself
5) Any payments should be in silver coin.

I was taught in what I call the gypsy tradition. The cards get corrupted by ground.

I'd be interested in other traditions espescially with a geographical or historical location.

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=85841

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=45437

There are also some really good books on the History of Tarot out there that I suggest.

When a 'Tradition' flies in the face of actual facts, then it's a myth. A bit of fiction. To repeat a known fiction as fact carries certain weight.

Bahtalo Drom

All of those with the exception of cutting cards with the left hand are considered to be Tarot myths. It's interesting that you were taught in the Gypsy tradition, but Gypsies did and do have a lot of superstitions that the rest of us don't share. There may be some others on the forum who do share those superstitions, though. It's entirely up to the individual, of course, but here, they're mostly considered to be myths.

It has occurred to me that the silk wrapping thing might have got started because it's a pretty good material for protecting cards from most inside-the-house hazards. Cards were not always mass-marketed and cheap, so that kind of makes sense.

Left-handed rebel here. Any instruction to use a particular hand for anything turns me off and I just do what feels right to me.

Rules need a good, practical or compassionate reason for me to follow them. (Or -- you know -- the threat of prison.)

Not getting my cards dirty is a valid concern, so I supposed not letting them touch the ground makes some sense. But there are surfaces besides the ground that I would consider even less clean. I mean, good clean outdoor earth that a card falls on? That wouldn't worry me too much unless it was wet.

I store my cards in a sturdy box to keep the cat out of them. Height wouldn't do much to deter her. But it would keep small children or a dog from damaging them, I suppose.

All the rest of those rules I'd throw out the window.

Lucifers Mum said:

5) Any payments should be in silver coin.

Click to expand...

I for one would not want to lug around a purse of 400 dimes after a reading!

These are all really interesting, but I had never heard of any of them except the left hand thing.

I've heard of the "cross my palm with silver" and I think that's where the silver myth came from. Raymond Buckland mentions it in his book to the Buckland Romani deck.

Silver

I believe the idea of silver comes from alchemy. It is pure: being paid in silver coins prevents avarice. I am not laying down rules: I am stating traditions.
The same with cards being kept on the highest shelf: it is to keep them pure. Ditto with dropping cards on ground.
I am saddened that some wish to criticise, I wish only to share, and enjoy the diversity of the experience of others.
My mother was a gypsy: She taught me. Our family havent been gypsies since the second world war.
To describe someones history as wrong is impolite. Please be rude elsewhere: my ears are deaf to it.
Bring your stories with love. let us share and celebrate.

I thought making of the sign of the cross and silver were two ways of warding off the devil. So to Cross ones palm with silver at one time literally meant to perform a cross ritual using silver. This later became a ritual used before having your fortune told to make sure there was no devilry taking place in the fortune telling. Over time it came to mean "taking money".

Did your mother ever give you any insight into the whys of these traditions? I find them fascinating.

Hmm...

A few seem like I've heard them before; especially the left hand one. I don't follow any of those. =\ Heck, I don't even cut the deck, per say. But, by ground you mean dirt, grass, outside-ish, correct? I don't think I'd put them there on purpose unless I had a cloth down or was maybe doing a reading on a rock.

As for not doing readings for oneself, it would depend I think on your . . . environment. By environment, I mean the people around you. For example, nobody in my family reads Tarot and they look down upon it. So I can read for friends (and do) but I can't bug them to let me read for them all the time. XD But if I grew up around Tarot readers, it would probably be easier for me to not read for myself. I'd get plenty of practice with those around me and I could always have someone teach me, thus, I wouldn't have to do readings for myself to help me learn. I hope that makes sense.

I enjoy reading for myself. Sometimes I get a little too wrapped up in it. But the Tarot always lets me know by refusing to do a reading. For example, random cards show up that make no sense, or I get the Death card telling me to stop. XD

I guess my traditions would be how I shuffle my cards. The more cards in a reading, the longer it takes. I could write an entire thread about it since it would take a while to explain! Haha! Soon, I want to make a Tarot bag to keep them in. I'd also like to make a reading cloth to match the bag! In the place I'm going to rent with friends in a few months, I hope to have an area of my room for my readings; where I can lay out my stuff, light candles, play music, have my little knick-knacks, etc. Now I use a vanity that has my lovely stuff on it, but it's a little small. =[ And at times I love doing huge readings. XD

*Goes Off To Shuffle Her Cards*