Having some trouble with a new deck

Hey everyone!

After months of staring at the beautiful pictures online, I finally persuaded my mom to allow me to buy the Gilded Tarot! I read the book, which was very basic, but still got some useful stuff out of it. So last night, I tried reading with it...

And honestly, I'm quite disappointed. I did several varying readings, none of which made sense. The cards coming up did not seem relevant AT ALL, and I felt little connection to the cards when I was reading (possibly because of my knowing the cards didn't fit).

However, I noticed something odd: my style of shuffling and picking cards had oddly changed. I didn't notice until after I did so, but while shuffling I was focusing a lot on the top, and then drew my cards from the top like a regular card deal--usually I fan out the cards and pick out the ones I get the most vibes from, so this was different for me. However, doing the same reading twice (I know, very bad!), more cards seemed to make sense when I drew from the top than when I fanned...as in, one or two cards actually made some sense, opposed to just being complete mush.

I tried cleansing the cards, putting them in order, meditating, sleeping with them under my pillow, and I still seem to have a hard time, and I can't remember if the same thing happened for a week after I got my first deck, the Myers Art Nouveau.

So, I come to AT for advice...how can I improve my connection with the deck and get more suitable cards? I really don't want to have to go to my mom saying I'm not using this beautiful deck because I have no connection with it--her response would probably be "Oh, I'll MAKE you have one!"

It's strange though, because I know I have SOME connection with the pictures and deck because I used to use Gilded Tarot cards I had printed off the computer and they worked perfectly.

Does this usually happen with a new deck? How can I help to speed things along?

Thank you!
~Nicky

There are times when I put out cards and just feel totally blank. If you've been able to read with the Gilded cards you printed off the internet before, then it's probably just something you're going through right now. The more you worry about it, the worse it will get. Just go back to your Matt Myers and don't stress over the Gilded. Let it rest for a little while and then try it again.

The Gilded is one of my favorite decks and I find it very readable. I know lots of other people do, too. Maybe you're just trying too hard and expecting too much too soon. As I suggested, putting it aside for a little while and not thinking about it will probably do the trick.

Try much smaller readings, like one or two card draws. That may help.

When I'm having trouble connecting with a deck I really want to use, I go back to the old card a day. Sometimes a different deck just speaks differently, and I have to spend some time learning its language.

I don't think it really matters how you select the cards.

When I get a new deck, the first thing I do is to examine each card quite closely, noting the colours and style of clothing, buildings, the backgrounds, plants, animals etc.

Maybe you need to become more familiar with the graphics on the cards themselves, before you try and read with them.

Also, an exercise I get my students to do is to make up little stories about the people in the cards (not just the court cards) ie what are their names, what are they doing etc. It helps to personalise the cards and their energy.

Get to know your deck!

I think this is easily solved. What I want you to do is get your favorite tarot book--either your own journal thoughts on the cards, or whatever book you've read that helped you feel connected to the tarot in general. The book that really taught you how to read the cards.

Then I want you to go through the cards, IN ORDER, from Fool to World, from Ace to 10, and through the courts. I want you to spend time with each card, looking at it....and....

Here's the most important part. I want you to examine it and try to see in it what you believe true about that card--not about the card in the deck, the card in the abstract. For example, what do you feel the essence of the Fool's card is? Okay, now look at the card in the deck. Note the differences from what you're used to, note the similarities. Why those difference? Why those similarities? Why that focus? Those colors? Why did the artist/creator leave out the dog and the cliff? The Fool is juggling, which connects him to the Marsielles juggler--but in that deck the juggler is the Magician. Why use that for the Fool? And why juggling the zodiac signs? Why the baton and the circle? How do those choices maintain the theme/feel of the Fool card? How do they go along with the feel/theme of the deck?

What you're doing, essentially, is introducing yourself to each card and getting to know them individually, rather than trying to get to know the deck as a whole. If it helps, jot down some impressions and thoughts.

I can attest to this method because it's what I do with every new deck. I look at each card and I try to see in it what I feel is the usual meaning of the card, and HOW the artist/card creator decided to present that meaning in the deck. So, for example, when I first got the Egyptian Deck, I marveled that the Fool was threatened not by a pit, but by a crocodile. Or here's another example--I don't have the Connolly deck, but I remember examining her 6/swords where, instead of people in a boat, she has a girl racing over a bridge with 6/swords marking it. I remember liking that interpetation very much. It was not the usual interpetation of moving from rough waters to smooth--but it got the essence of crossing water, making a connection, moving from one side to another.

Another example: I happen to love David's Tarot, which is very minimalist and stylized. Take a look here:

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/davids/

Check out the Hermit card. There is no evident lantern, and yet David captures the isolation and inner illumination of the Hermit by making him the opposite of a shadow--white on dark. He has the light within, and the window of his cabin forms the "lantern" making him, his head in particular, the candle within. What a terrific way to indicate the hermit!

If you examine the cards like that, then you'll make the connection. IMHO, it isn't best to just get and start using a deck. You need to really familiaize yourself with it and it's feeling. With what the artist/creator was going for. Once you get a feel for why they used the style, colors, symbols they did, you'll feel like you are friends with the deck. Familiar.

Most of all, you'll feel like you know what kind of deck you've got. Decks do have personalities. Take a look at this deck: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/sacred-circle/index.shtml

A lot of folk find this deck cold and hard to read. If you examine it, you'll see that every card is surrounded by a border usually made of stone. This makes people feel as if they aren't THERE. Rather, they're gazing through a cold, castle window or a magic mirror at a scene. I happen to like this deck and have no problem with it, but I know that it's going to give me a cool reading, more like a visionary oracle. Compare it with this one: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/zerner-farber/

This is gentle, pastel, feminine, whimisical, tactile even. This deck is going to have a very different feel from the Sacred Circle--and, indeed, whenever I read with this deck I've found it to be almost caring, motherly and concerned for the querent. Not like the Sacred Circle with its cool, visionary advice.

So, get to know your deck. Find out its personalty. One or two nights just looking, examining and talking to the cards is all it takes. It'll make all the difference in your readings

Before I did any readings with my Gilded, I did something similar to what Thirteen suggests, going through and making notes based on Thirteen's explanations here, learntarot.com, my own views, the book that comes with it, and the cards themselves. Only after I had done all 78 cards (which took a few days), did I start reading with it. By then I had really connected and done reflection on them for a while. I've been building off that ever since.

OMG... David's Tarot. Amazing. Why haven't I seen it before? Its astounding!

Thank you thirteen!

I love your method of getting to know the cards. Great advice.

euripides said:

OMG... David's Tarot. Amazing. Why haven't I seen it before? Its astounding!

Click to expand...

The reason you've never seen it is because it's not in stores. The guy made them and printed them up himself. I don't know if you can get still get the deck. I did go to his website recently, and tried to e-mail David in order to say hello, but the e-mail bounced.

I have hopes that someday someone will give David the money to publish those cards. IMHO, they're utterly unique and wonderful, which is why I wrote up a review for them.

Thanks, Thirteen. That really was great advice.

I often think that after almost 10 years, I know close to everything about tarot... at least I should be able to read with any RWS clone... right!!?? Wrong!
I just got the Mythic and even though I love it, some of the cards seem strange (that Hermit keep reminding me of Death), so now I'll definitely try what you suggested with this deck!