Reserving decks

I noticed that some people on this forum reserve decks for certain purposes (reading for self only, reading on certain topics only) and I'm wondering why that is.

Shouldn't a deck be able to read on all topics equally, or do people find that certain decks are only clear when it comes to one or two topics? How did you discover that? Did you try to read for other things and make it work before realizing it was only a one-topic deck, or did you decide it was through some other means?

What about reading-for-self decks? What is the purpose of those? Why not read for others with a deck that you read for yourself with? Does it give you clearer readings, make a better connection with you, or what?

I've never tried to reserve any of my decks for certain purposes and they seem to work fine, so I'm curious to hear some of your opinions.

I think, but I am not sure of this exactly, that people have decks they use only on themselves because someone else's touching their decks adds some of that other person's energy vibrations to the deck. There could be some negative energy they could add in.

To me the issue is mute, as I only read for others online, so no one but me ever touches my decks anyway.

As for having different decks for different purposes, I do that myself. I tend to use my Lovers' Path Tarot, for example, mainly for relationship or love issues. Why? Well because I read by analysing imagery not by using book meanings. And the images on the Lovers' Path cards show more relationship oriented images than my other decks. So they are more easily adapted to relationship issues.

Bar

It's very subjective but I think a fair number of people use various decks for different types of readings based on the theme of the tarot or oracle.

Some themes will resonate with certain folk in a very specific way that touches upon their personal life experiences. Visual stimulation/suggestion is a strong influence on how a person reacts to a painting, an advertisement, a movie and of course tarot decks.

It's a sort of luxury we enjoy because we have access to so many affordable decks, but in truth if any of us were in a situation wherein, for whatever reason, we had access to only one deck; we could use that one deck for all and any type of reading for ourselves and others.
we would probably be even better readers than before since we would be forced by circumstance to discipline ourselves using a single deck instead of being constantly distracted by the temptation of acquiring that "one last deck".

edited to add:

this opinion would also apply to the thread:
"Can using too many decks decrease your reading abilities?"

rsvp

If a particular deck seems to be calling to me
I will do a spread to let it speak as it wishes,
which I contemplate but don't second guess.
Then I ask a question, and do my own throw.

It's like they invite me to pay them a visit...
and I am the guest~ beholden to their gifts,
which kindly come forth with generous light.

ditto that Fulgour

hmmmm

This is a good question.

I use different decks for certain people, depending on who they are. I also give some people a choice. there is a deck i use with certain friends b/c it is perfect for them. however, when i've tried using it with someone else, it just doesn't read the same or with the same energy. it is very different and i am not able to connect as much as with the friends that i use it for.

I have a couple of decks that are asking to be used to read to a friends. she doesn't know this yet, but it sure keeps bugging me to do it. she uses a marseille deck herself.

yara

I find some decks are better suited to different types of question. Some are dramatic and emotional, some more logical and with an abstract symbolism, some have a sense of humour.

I think of it partly like golf.

A #3 Wood is a great club, but you can't use it for everything.

Fore!

blackstormhawk said:

I think of it partly like golf. A #3 Wood is a great club, but you can't use it for everything.

Click to expand...

My experience as a golfer was mostly at age fifteen
but I lived golf, I ate slept and drank it, I p-l-a-y-e-d.

I do sometimes entertain golf analogies with Tarot,
and here it might be that the real club is the mind.

I have a few decks that I find are useful for certain purposes just as the others have described. Sometimes it depends on the question. Sometimes it depends on the person. Sometimes it depends on which deck seems to "feel" right at any particular moment.

I'm doing a Past/Present/Future reading for sweet_intuition. It's a large spread, 12 cards for each era. I chose the Victoria Regina for the past. The Llewellyn for the present. And the Gilded for the future. It just seems logical that those positions fit those particular decks in a case like this.

I've also found (and have posted in the past) a great "new-deck spread" here on AT. I find it quite fun, informative, and enlightening. It seems that all of my decks I've used it with have all told me how/when they are best suited based on the #4 position in that spread. Give it a try, you might be surprised! For example, if 2 of Cups shows up in #4 position - that'll be a great deck for relationship questions. A Tower in that position for me would say it's a great deck for stress/worry-related questions. And so on.

By all means, I don't think it's necessary; however, I can also see how certain decks tend to speak to me more clearly in certain situations rather than others.

LP~