Do any cards scare you?

I was reading through some old threads in forum last night ...

As always, when someone mentions the Thoth, someone chimes in and says that they find it scary.

I have never found the Thoth scary; as we say on here, it is only cardboard and ink.

But I was musing over this this afternoon ...

I have always been attracted to the illustrations in the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot; the meatiness of them; the darkness; the characters.

But I admit, that I am not sure I would feel comfortable with it - either working with it or having it in my home.

Why? It's just cardboard and ink, right?

Yes.

What's the problem then?

It's not even because it concerns Voodoo - or maybe, subconsciously, it is. But the pictures are .. well, quite unsettling - the way the characters look out at you, the darkness that I also find quite seductive.

Do any cards make you feel uncomfortable?

If so, why? Through experience? Just by the way they look?

Did you buy them? Did you have a deck that creeped you out so much you had to get rid of it?

LB

I have one deck that I'm somewhat uncomfortable about, but at the same time totally drawn to it.
The Gothic Tarot of Vampires.
I saw it, thought it was beautiful, loved it, but everytime I go to read with it... I get the sense I'm not supposed to, yet.
I know it's going to someday be a super personal deck for my own growth, etc. I hardly will even let anyone touch it. A few people, but not many. I know I will only read for myself with it.
I guess I wouldn't say it scares me exactly, but I know somehow that I'm not ready for it, and if I do just use it now it won't work out.
I know a deck is paper, etc... but it's like IT doesn't think I'm ready to deal with it.
Does that even make sense???

LittleBuddha said:

I have always been attracted to the illustrations in the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot; the meatiness of them; the darkness; the characters.

But I admit, that I am not sure I would feel comfortable with it - either working with it or having it in my home.

Why? It's just cardboard and ink, right?

Yes.

What's the problem then?

It's not even because it concerns Voodoo - or maybe, subconsciously, it is. But the pictures are .. well, quite unsettling - the way the characters look out at you, the darkness that I also find quite seductive.

Do any cards make you feel uncomfortable?

If so, why? Through experience? Just by the way they look?

Did you buy them? Did you have a deck that creeped you out so much you had to get rid of it?

LB

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Dude - I can't believe you wrote that about the NOVT. I just posted an experience I had with it in 1993 on the "scary decks" thread.

Really - I'm freaked that you find it *intrinsically* disturbing. I tend to give the benefit of the doubt to a deck - "It's my fault, not the deck's" - but you just gave a shudder up my spine.

Ross! I was just saying the same to you in the other thread.

LB

LittleBuddha said:

Ross! I was just saying the same to you in the other thread.

LB

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I just saw that - Wow! This deck CREATES synchronicities.

I'm serious. There has never been a more magically powerful deck - I don't know what they gave to it, but whatever it is, if you want to experience magick first hand, use this deck.

Ross G Caldwell said:

Really - I'm freaked that you find it *intrinsically* disturbing. I tend to give the benefit of the doubt to a deck - "It's my fault, not the deck's" - but you just gave a shudder up my spine.

Click to expand...

I can't put my finger on what it is. I have never felt like this about any other deck. And we are talking from just looking on the web, not in person. It is just a strange feeling I get about them.

** as I wrote that last few lines, I got an extreme feeling of deja vu ... like I had written those same words before about one of the cards .. even though I have not seen most of the cards until today .. it is a card with a guy showing his back and fire circling about him (just went back to look - Knight of Swords) **

And I think that I am quite rational. But just flicking back at the scans made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

LB

my cosmic tarot deck has lots of lovely images but the hanged man freaked me out a bit

like his hair is on end
http://www.angelpaths.com/decks/cosmic/majors/cosmic_maj_12.jpg

do not like 10 of swords thing its OVERDONE and whats with the eye liner overdone duh

http://www.angelpaths.com/decks/cosmic/swords/cosmic_s_10.jpg


and the devil in that deck i dont like much - something about him being in a business suit with a nose ring and loving all the mayhem - totally bizarre

http://www.angelpaths.com/decks/cosmic/majors/cosmic_maj_15.jpg


in general would say to anyone if somethign makes you feel very very uncomfortable bin it its not for you

Ross G Caldwell said:

I don't know what they gave to it, but whatever it is, if you want to experience magick first hand, use this deck.

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Yes. Which is interesting because many say (and I agree) 'how can there be anything entwined within the cards when they are just manufactured in a factory in their hundreds'.

And I like the idea of magick in a deck. Just not the kind of magick that I am getting from this one.

I am now very interested to know if any other people have had similar experiences with this deck.

Will you ever open the box Ross? The longer it stays in there, I imagine that the concerns about it could grow stronger within you. You might not want to open the box yourself but you may also not want to pass it on to someone else.

LB

LittleBuddha said:

I can't put my finger on what it is. I have never felt like this about any other deck. And we are talking from just looking on the web, not in person. It is just a strange feeling I get about them.

** as I wrote that last few lines, I got an extreme feeling of deja vu ... like I had written those same words before about one of the cards .. even though I have not seen most of the cards until today .. it is a card with a guy showing his back and fire circling about him (just went back to look - Knight of Swords) **

And I think that I am quite rational. But just flicking back at the scans made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

LB

Click to expand...

I'm quite rational too - annoyingly rational to most. That's why the coincidences this deck creates really knocked me sideways. It opened up instant and powerful channels I couldn't resist, and which I feel lucky to have survived.

Even given the explosive nature of the environment and the people involved with all the events of the time I used the deck, the simple chronology of coincidences shook me. I don't have it handy, but I listed them at the time, and they were independent of my or anyone's interference.

I feel ashamed most of the time that I didn't seek proper initiation, that might have given me some kind of control (at least over myself) in this maelstrom of forces... I made enough of a sacrifice, I think. But the gods know better, and who can argue.

It's unfinished business, that's for sure.

At least, PLEASE don't let fear get in the way. Why not get the deck, and put it away until the attraction is overwhelming? It may be just what you need at the time.

9 of Swords

Cruelty. In my Thoth deck there are 9 swords with the tips down and blood dripping off the ends. Just the word... cruelty... seems like a premediatated attempt to hurt others deeply with words and/or actions. This is the energy that damages a soul and creates paranoia.