Mixing Decks

So as you can tell from my post count, I'm new and just learning. I haven't found that perfect deck yet. I have the RWS as it's an obvious classic, mostly just for study; and the Labyrinth Tarot deck, which so far is the best I've found for speaking to me personally. The trouble is, the pip cards on the Labyrinth are incredibly simple, with no real distinguishing detail. Mostly just 'playing cards.'

My question is, would it be wrong to mix two decks together, if they had comparable sizes? Like, I'm thinking of keeping the major arcana from the Labyrinth deck, and then either creating my own minor arcana cards, or scaling another deck's minor arcana to size. (Keep in mind, this deck is just for personal use at this point.) Is that a faux pas, or just a matter of what feels right? Have you ever mixed or supplemented decks?

Please pardon the newbie if this is an obvious or stupid question. I mean no disrespect to the energy of any deck.

Over in the Talking Tarot forum, there are threads about all the Crazy things we do to and with our decks! Do whatever pleases you!

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=145927

thanks so much for the link! I didn't realize it had already been asked and discussed. eeeek

Don't apologize. There are so many forums and it takes time to sort out what gets placed where. In the meantime, people will point you there.

When I started, I made a folder in my browser's Favorites/Bookmarks and just added them for future reading.

I have tried mixing decks in the past by making them myself on my computer and mixing similar size decks. It didn't work. To tell you the truth my old RWS deck, is one of my best reader decks, although I have many that I love. I also have very good reads from plain playing cards, I learned from my grandmother and mother from playing cards and after my mother passed I decided to try tarot, which I love. Playing cards are great to know in case you are at a party and don't have your deck with you. I do mainly read by numbers, and intuition, the picture of tarot and major cards are ;well new to me, reading playing cards for decades, tarot only a few years. So I guess to answer your question, do what works for you. The actual cards really don't matter, the reading comes from within you. Let go, and let it happen.

I personally prefer decks with illustrated pips. Rather than mixing decks you could just look at this as an opportunity/good reason for doing a bit of tarot shopping for new deck (or decks) with illustrated pips.

PAMUYA said:

I have tried mixing decks in the past by making them myself on my computer and mixing similar size decks. It didn't work. To tell you the truth my old RWS deck, is one of my best reader decks, although I have many that I love. I also have very good reads from plain playing cards, I learned from my grandmother and mother from playing cards and after my mother passed I decided to try tarot, which I love. Playing cards are great to know in case you are at a party and don't have your deck with you. I do mainly read by numbers, and intuition, the picture of tarot and major cards are ;well new to me, reading playing cards for decades, tarot only a few years. So I guess to answer your question, do what works for you. The actual cards really don't matter, the reading comes from within you. Let go, and let it happen.

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I think eventually it will be easier for me to just know the cards and work with the numbers, but for now, just being a beginner, 78 cards is a lot to remember! It helps to use the illustrations as a bit of a memory aide; plus, I feel that the illustrations can help bring some additional insight to the table.

Mixing decks sounds like fun, as some cards are so lovely but would it work without becoming too distracting?

I for one can only work with a fully illustrated deck, plain minor cards just don't work for me at all.