Reading only with Majors - clearer or more limited

I always read with the whole deck, but I believe there are deck which consist only of the Majors. I am wondering what you guys think. What might be the reason to read with Majors only, or the benefit?

Smaller spread, where each card has just much more meanings? Is it more accurate, more to the point?

great question

I've wondered myself.
I don't have any major only decks As to pulling out and using only the majors, that seems unfair. (to who-the deck? I don't know!) Like if I don't use all the cards I won't get the whole picture. But if it was a majors only deck would I still feel that way?

ok, just my 2-cents.

One thing I heard/picked up from somewhere long ago was when doing a spread like the CC, if four or more majors (I think it was four, though it seems
to me to be a low-ish percentage out of eleven cards) come up, one should pick up the spread again, sort out the majors and proceed with a new spread using majors alone.

If one could not do a complete and satisfying reading with majors alone,
what on earth would be the use of all those majors-only decks?

Well done cherryberry, i was going to post this question, i was told its easier to learn with majors then incorporate the minors after?

nicki

yeah I also thought it might be when you start off, my book for the Sharman-Caselli for example suggests to read only with one suit or majors at the time and later with the whole deck (when one feels comfy enough)

But, I do believe some reader consciously decide to leave the Minors out...hummmm...

I have never liked the idea of reading with the Majors only, whether or not the deck started out with all 78 cards or only the Trumps. Previous to this past weekend, I had never done a Majors-only spread. A client specificially asked if I could do that, and I never turn down a reasonable request. But I could feel my hand straying towards the rest of the deck--it was kind of like listening to a beloved sonata where only the percussion and trumpets showed up to play.

I also put a lot of significance on how many Majors show up in a reading, and doing a Majors-only reading feels like I literally stacked the deck.

I use Majors only for those decks that are only of the Major Arcana, which occasionally used to preface a spread using a full deck:

Tarot for Cats
Caring Psychic Family Tarot
Tarot de Marsella 22 (by Le Mat).

Inner Child Cards' a 78-card deck whose Majors appeal for Majors-only Tarotwork. Ditto for the Marseilles decks.

Generally, however, prefer a 78-card deck for readings since minor arcana provide aspects & details which contribute towards context & layered insights.

I have several majors-only decks, though many of them are what I would term 'art decks' as opposed to reading decks. However I have a couple that I consider excellent for reading. e.g.

Blue Moon
Gaian

Some that I have used for specific purposes, too. Some majors-only decks themselves can be quite focussed and appropriate only for specific types of questions.

I do majors-only readings because I consider them very much to the point. I always do small spreads, usually three cards, and focus very much on energetic interactions between them.

A beginner working with Majors only

As a few of you may know, I’m new to tarot, and I selected the Gaian Tarot as my first deck, which is currently a Majors-only deck (Joanna Powell Colbert is in the middle of creating the Minors--so exciting).

I selected this deck because I was drawn to it, and because I liked watching its evolution online. The unexpected benefit is that I have felt very comfortable with taking my time acquainting myself with the Majors first, while studying and reading about Minors in books and online, at the Gaian Tarot website, and through the discussions in the AT forum.

While I’m curious as to how it might feel different in the future when I learn to work with the full deck, for now it feels perfectly natural – like both the deck and I are taking our time getting to know one another. It will be fun to discover the other portion of the deck once Joanna is finished with the Minors.

In the little book included with the Gaian Tarot, Colbert discusses in the Working with the Cards section how she has “discovered that sometimes in a Majors-only reading, some of the cards will behave as if they were Minors.”

While I can’t speak to that from comparative experience (having yet to work with Minors myself), I have felt in no way limited by working with only the Major Arcana, and in some ways I wonder if I won’t always be predisposed to working exclusively with the Majors, having learned this way. At the very least, I doubt I’ll ever find it awkward or limiting – it certainly doesn’t feel that way now!

PS - I also was really excited about the discussion called “The Ultimate Tarot Deck” which I found a while ago when exploring the AT forum. Apparently, the lady using the sugar packets is reading Majors only!

dandelion said:

...I selected the Gaian Tarot as my first deck, which is currently a Majors-only deck (Joanna Powell Colbert is in the middle of creating the Minors--so exciting).

I selected this deck because I was drawn to it, and because I liked watching its evolution online. The unexpected benefit is that I have felt very comfortable with taking my time acquainting myself with the Majors first, while studying and reading about Minors in books and online, at the Gaian Tarot website, and through the discussions in the AT forum.

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Gaian Tarot *is* a superbly conceived & executed Majors-only deck, & taking one's time to assimilate those cards an excellent approach to getting acquainted with not only Tarot, but the deck chosen.

dandelion said:

While I’m curious as to how it might feel different in the future when I learn to work with the full deck, for now it feels perfectly natural – like both the deck and I are taking our time getting to know one another. It will be fun to discover the other portion of the deck once Joanna is finished with the Minors.

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It seems reasonable to continue to expect a natural process of learning & acquaintance, & to apply or transfer accordingly with the minor arcana whence available. & especially if also developing understanding of minor arcana in general via other means.

dandelion said:

In the little book included with the Gaian Tarot, Colbert discusses in the Working with the Cards section how she has “discovered that sometimes in a Majors-only reading, some of the cards will behave as if they were Minors.”

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Whilst card reading a subjective experience & therefore, the results according to the individual, of itself Tarot a language inherently extremely efficient in its expressions. & an efficient 'language' possessed of the flexible & adaptable qualities, whose means represented by the imagery & symbolism limited only by the imagination.

Therefore, it makes sense that in the use of Majors-only, that expressed also 'adapts' according the needs required by the message. & results in some of the Majors modifying or supporting other Majors.

dandelion said:

While I can’t speak to that from comparative experience (having yet to work with Minors myself), I have felt in no way limited by working with only the Major Arcana, and in some ways I wonder if I won’t always be predisposed to working exclusively with the Majors, having learned this way. At the very least, I doubt I’ll ever find it awkward or limiting – it certainly doesn’t feel that way now!

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Some folks do use only the Major Arcana. & it does work.

I can equate it with the pre-Tarot playing card experiences. Despite the lack of imagery on playing cards, that never prevented their conveying the clear & concise messages.

Perhaps after acquiring the minor arcana, a discussion can be posted on the experiences with incorporating them also.