I'm a bit confused

Hello,
I am a beginner in the art of Tarot and am currently using The Fey Tarot. Last night whilst studying the cards I just couldnt understand the meaning of a few of the cards (going by the fey book) and didnt know how to incorporate the cards into readings, so I looked in a universal Tarot book only to find that alot of the cards appeared to have different meanings to that of the fey book! So does this means that all Decks have different meanings to the cards??? and excuse this question if it's really daft but why when looking at the meanings of the cards do they have a few ie truth,courage,security...when doing a reading is it ALL of those things or just one? I'm starting to feel a bit lost in it all tbh?
Also some cards I have a real connection with and others are completely blank for me!
Thanks for reading

PP xxx

Dear pickled pixie,

Yes, its true alot of books will give you alot of different meanings and different perspectives to one single card, the best is to see which meaning you feel fits fine for you at that particular moment!

In my personal experience, maybe one meaning might be right for that particular reading and may change completely in the next reading!

****It really all depends on the question and where the card is in the layout.

Ultimately, let your intuition guide you!!!

All the best!!!!!!

I was getting frustrated as well. Look at the little brown book that comes with the Dali deck sometime! Numbers are reversed, poor English translations, etc.

I wish I could find the quote here that I read just last night. (Whoever it was, please speak up) But they said "throw our everything you have been taught about tarot" and make up your own mind, something like that.

What intriques me lately are the decantes (spelling?) and/or numbers and elements associated with each of the pips. I am working out my own system now because quite frankly I am tired of seeing so many different interpretations of the different cards in different books. I feel this is like someone reading a passage from the Bible and telling me what it means!

To facilitate my own learning I am beginning to think more of this connection between astrology and tarot --after all, everything is related; we are all related, in fact; -- so I am studying the Minchiate which had a strong elemental/astrological/numerological system in it (or should I say, the Minchiate has sought me out...)

Ironically, the trumps are making a bit more sense to me know than the pips. Before it was the exact opposite; before, the triumps were the challenge and the minors seem cut-and-dried. Anyone else gone through this evolution of thought?

[A bit off-topic here, but a little advice: I am thinking of joining the Minchiate study group, has anyone had experience with it/is it an active group?]

Hi PP,

Can understand your frustration ..... it's why I have not yet started using books ....... have you tried just putting them away for now .... and looking at the cards ..... see what thoughts they bring to mind .... and what story they are trying to tell you?

x Huredriel

I was in exactly this sort of muddle for a long time. I had lists and lists of "meanings" and when I did a reading I would have to look everything up because I couldn't remember all the different meanings. Then I read Teresa Michelsen's "Complete Tarot reader" which gives no meanings and introduces a way of learning to use the cards intuitively. Reading that, plus some practice on AT's various reading circles, and I haven't looked at a book in quite a while. I'd recommend it!

Thank you so much for the replies!!
So basically I should forget what the cards are *supposed* to mean and just go with what I *think* it means? does that go for it all ie forget cups are linked the emotions etc or do I need to know the basics of the cards?

PP xxx

I think that there is a good amount of associations that can be gleaned from the books and guides you can find out there but as in anything, books and others thoughts can only take you so far! Ask Sir Isaac Newton or Christopher Columbus! They were taught certain principles, but challenged them. Thus I am a firm believer that you should learn what there is to learn and then use your own opinions and knowledge and intuitive and cognitive abilities to reinforce or refute this information. There are still times when I look at the star and see fragility and innocence and fear, though the standard definition is hope. In a way all of my words feed into a hue of "hope" -- hope is resurrected in the face of fragility and fear and the act of hope is reaching into your own innocence to find inner peace....
And this is where I begin to ramble and so will stop.
I think that books are a wonderful place to jump from but you have to jump -- it is those that desperately cling to the ledge that never see the beauty of the view! And it is to these people I think most of the throw away your books comments are directed.

I guess I am sort of that view but not completely.

Books (not the little booklets with the cards) but regular tarot books can be very helpful. There are some standards out there and you can read a lot about those in the Tarot Books & Media Forum. I am sure there ae threads with titles like "What is the best tarot book you own?" etc.

Just going with the pictures, you are moreorless treating it like any picture oracle. Not that you won't get readings that way, you will and they can be excellent. But the symbols used on the cards, especially the older decks, are worth gradually learning.

I'll give an analogy, though possibly not a great one. You stare at the night sky and you see wonderul things. The visual feast, maybe it stirs your intuition, the senory experience of being outside on a crisp night. An astronomer looks at the sky and maybe gets all that, but she also gets such a depth of meaning and enjoyment from the various objects she sees. Background information. It sort of makes the sky even deeper for her.

You will gradually work out a lot of symbols on your own, but it is worthwhile getting a symbology book.

Now all this happens over time. One of the other posters mentions he is adding astrolgy; you can also add quaballah etc.

As for reading, yes, YOU are the answer to the question and starting with one deck and bonding is so very helpful in giving really human, flowing insightful readings. But I am far from thinking you should throw away all book learning. Just, choose your books.

Fey, Waite-Smith and other decks

Each tarot deck offers its creator's view -- some deck creators have both a solid understanding of the tarot and a deep commitment to the theme and form of expression for their deck. Unfortunately, some tarot deck creators appear to have developed their decks along a popular book-movie-concept themes without being able to well-represent tarot symbolism and history -- or perhaps they just wanted to glitz up a deck with impressive colors or photos and make some money.

However you assess any of the available decks on the market, you do have to develop an understanding of the creator's view and understanding of their deck. The Fey and Waite-Smith decks were mentioned earleir; I have and use both of these decks. These two, as an example that applies to other decks, are quite different. Almost a century ago, Waite developed his deck based on the teachings and research of the "mystery schools" of that period. Pamela Smith created the imaging using a romantic metaphor of that period, the medieval and renaissance periods. Recently, the Fey was created. Mara Aghem gave this concept its images. It is obvious that great thought went into each cards design. The collaborative effort by Lo Scarabeo's Minetti and Mara resulted in a concept presentation that moved the focus from Waite's historical metaphors for the major arcana and Smith's development of the minor arcana into life's experiences. The Fey claim a place half in the physical world and the spiritual/universal-life existance, and seems to pull our view of ourselves and world onto a higher plane of understanding and action. This requires us to see, interprete and counsel others/ourselves in a different way.

So, the two decks (and other decks) do appear and actually can be quite different. Studying the historical tarot and its major development branches, understanding number symbolism, and then understandting the concept of the deck's creator permits us to develop a fluidity of understanding and of expressing the cards meanings. All is not fluid; remember that the spread and it's card positions, along with the question, provide a structure to work from. As a result, we have the question to answer, the spread to guide us toward the components of the question and its answering, and the particular deck that we use to give us a series of insights as a basis for taking the querent from the question thru steps-of-understanding towards their own answer.

Dave.

Hi PP,

Maybe just to start you off on the basics of tarot read a good quality tarot book which uses traditional RWS meanings. The Fey is a sort of RWS clone deck but the imagery is different.

Then take your Fey and sit with them with a notebook, looking at the images and make notes. Nothing elaborate, just jot down keywords - the cards of the Fey can be read pretty intuitively - 10 Wands - a Fey carrying a huge orange but looking as if he won't make it. Nearly the same meaning as the RWS - taking on too much, struggle etc.

I have the Fey too but it strays too far off the path which I'm used to and I stuggle with it. There is a good study group going for it though.