So, now what? Dream about a deck?

Last night, I dreamed about the Russian Tarot of St Petersburg. I don't remember what, exactly, but I know it was specifically that deck, and had something to do with one of the cards coming apart- like, the image clicking out of that big huge border. This is not a deck I owned, or had ever seen in person, and never really thought about except in the context of, "Do I want to trade for that? Nah."

This morning, one of the girls in my reading circle (yep, I am part of a weekly reading circle. Awesome, right?) came in and set it on the table. "I can't read with this deck any more," she said. My jaw dropped. "I dreamed about that deck last night!"

She fell in love with my Universal Goddess, so we traded...

Now I don't know what to do with this deck. I'm a little creeped out about the dream; on top of that, I don't see myself working with it. I have so many beautiful decks that I just adore, and this one doesn't just reach out and grab me like they do. On the other hand- Dream.

So do I try and work with them, or do I just set them aside and wait until the person they're supposed to go to comes along? After the "Too Many Decks" thread, I decided that I was going to try not trading away any more decks. (Giving away decks is a whole different issue.)

Has anyone else had something like this happen? I've dreamt of cards before, but always in a sense of, "this dream is trying to tell you THIS". It's never been about any specific deck before.

Also, can I just say, what is up with that Devil? Eyes instead of nipples???!

If I were you, I'd try to get the book for it and try to use it enough to see why you dreamed about it. Having the dream and then immediately having someone give you the deck seems pretty impressive to me that you're going to be learning something from that deck.

There's a lot of devils around

Amary said:

Also, can I just say, what is up with that Devil? Eyes instead of nipples???!

Click to expand...

Maybe this is the deck that is meant to take you a little farther into research about the images and symbolism of the tarot.

There are a lot of versions of the Devil; most of them don't make it into a card deck. There's a version of the devil with a face on the chest, the eyes being the nipples. (There's also a more lascivious one with a face composed the genital organs. Don't ask!)

This tarot may well reflect a slightly different tradition--Eastern Christianity instead of Western--and a different devil may be a part of this. However, I've seen that version of the Devil on other decks with no claim to anything particularly exotic.

It's a good chance to find out, if you're at all interested in that sort of thing. Not every deck has to be a reading deck. But, if you find out more about a deck, you'll often find that you become more sympathetic toward it and you begin to "click" with the deck. Then it can really show you its stuff.

Amary said:

Also, can I just say, what is up with that Devil? Eyes instead of nipples???!

Click to expand...

It's meant to be disconcerting, I think. By your reaction, it seems to be a spectacularly successful card in that respect at least.

I have looked at this one several times, and never bought it. It's one for the day when I'm gratuitously wealthy.

You dreamt about it for a reason, but that reason may have been as simple as the girl decided before you went to sleep that she needed to get rid of it. The deck was "out there" in the non-physical, looking for a home. I know I have come by objects (including but not limited to Tarot decks) that were merely using me as a resting-place in between homes. What I'd recommend is to make no plans to get rid of it. Try and use it, if it doesn't work put it away for a few months then try again. Then if it really isn't "yours", put it away. Don't offer it for trade - you'll just get some person who doesn't really need it that badly. There'll come a moment when you suddenly know without a doubt whom it is meant to go to. And wouldn't you hate to trade it off, only to have that moment happen a day after you posted it away to someone who would appreciate it less?

I've dreamed about images in decks that I've not really seen before...

...I had a dream of a beautiful sea-green or blue* dress wrapped around the High Priestess on the standard icy blue and white Rider Waite Smith years and years ago. I'm not certain when I've ever seen that pretty color on a version of the High Priestess...then two years ago I finally bought a pocket version of an Illuminated Tarot. The artist said she could paste a pretty minature in front of the small bag...and I chose the HPS.

My pretty dream image came true when I opened the small package!
I'm looking at this pocket version happily right now. It's a sweet thing.
I've had other dreamy interactions, but that was the one that reminded me of feeling enchanted and happy, just like when I first saw my deck.

And as for your wonderful Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg, I agree with others--lovely deck! I have Cynthia Gile's book on the Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg and to me it is wonderful.

If you decide over time that the dream was a good signal to you to listen to yourself and the deck becomes a sentimental reminder, that's great. It's fun to hear other people's experience. One of my friends had an instant lovely reading relationship with a Buckland Romani deck that amazed me.

*Cerulean

P.S. My screen name came before the dream, but the sea-green or blue color on the HPS cape could be called cerulean...

I'm going to try working with it. You're all right that there is a reason I had the dream about it, and it may be as Nisaba suggested- it's hanging out here until it gets to where it needs to go, but if I'm supposed to learn something from it, it would be a pity to waste time... It's just going to be hard to focus because I have one, two, many, lots of decks on the way right now! (And the new Pratchett novel!)

Amary said:

Last night, I dreamed about the Russian Tarot of St Petersburg. I don't remember what, exactly, but I know it was specifically that deck, and had something to do with one of the cards coming apart- like, the image clicking out of that big huge border. This is not a deck I owned, or had ever seen in person, and never really thought about except in the context of, "Do I want to trade for that? Nah."

This morning, one of the girls in my reading circle (yep, I am part of a weekly reading circle. Awesome, right?) came in and set it on the table. "I can't read with this deck any more," she said. My jaw dropped. "I dreamed about that deck last night!"

She fell in love with my Universal Goddess, so we traded...

Now I don't know what to do with this deck. I'm a little creeped out about the dream; on top of that, I don't see myself working with it. I have so many beautiful decks that I just adore, and this one doesn't just reach out and grab me like they do. On the other hand- Dream.

So do I try and work with them, or do I just set them aside and wait until the person they're supposed to go to comes along? After the "Too Many Decks" thread, I decided that I was going to try not trading away any more decks. (Giving away decks is a whole different issue.)

Has anyone else had something like this happen? I've dreamt of cards before, but always in a sense of, "this dream is trying to tell you THIS". It's never been about any specific deck before.

Also, can I just say, what is up with that Devil? Eyes instead of nipples???!

Click to expand...

My take on it is that the Universe gave you a sign, and quite a strong one too, that you are meant to have and work with that deck. We do get messages and sings about what we are meant to do next in dreams. The fact that someone offered you one right after you dreamt of it, is no coincidence. I don't believe in coincidences anyway and believe that all that happens is meaningful.

There is nothing creepy at all about getting a dream to steer you in the right direction. In fact it's rather comforting to live in a universe that cares so much about keeping you on the best path for you that it goes out of its way to send you signs.

You are being asked to work with the deck. You always have the choice to refuse. We are given free will as human beings. But there is a good reading you are being asked to use the deck, and you won't know what that is until you do it. Also, if you choose not to you will lose a valuable lesson in your life. Even though the choice is yours, signs come to us for a good reason because what we are being guided to do is in our best intererst.

Whether or not this deck reaches out and grabs you immediately, if you use it it will make an important contribution to your life. Or you would not have gotten a sign to use it. I can tell you that I have on occasion gotten decks I did not think that much of initially and yet they still read well for me and taught me a lot. We can't always tell which decks are going to be meanignful to us at first glance, without trying them. I can also tell you that I do have the Russian Tarot of St Petersburg and that it does read well for me.

Babs

OK, so I did a new deck interview, and I am a little confused. I posted it in the Readings forum, if anyone wants to take a look:

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?p=2034666#post2034666

Thank you all so much for your help! Ever since I opened the door with spiritual things, the Tarot and other things, I am finding that things like this- both good and bad- are happening more often. It's like a sleeping part of myself is waking up and is dazzled by the brightness of the morning. Some of it is lovely, and to be honest, some of it is completely exhausting. I seem to be growing more empathic, and I don't know how to turn it off. (Does anyone ever project happiness, or is everyone miserable all the time?!)

Anyway- I really appreciate having a place to go to where I'm not Crazy Lady from Woo Woo Land.

That was how it was for me too. I never had a sign in my life before I started learning to read Tarot. Now I have them daily. When I opened upi tp my intuition with the cards, it shows up in all kinds of other places in my life.

Babs