Braille Tarot?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 18 May 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

ladyflame	18 May 2002
Hello everyone! First time here on the forums, but definitely not my first time to visit this website! I teach a basic Tarot class online and recently one of my students had a question that I have not been able to answer for her. I'm hoping you can help! She has an illness that will eventually cause her to go blind. Her sight has deteriotated somewhat recently, but this has not stopped her from learning how to use the Tarot. Her question was if there was a deck for the blind, such as something with Braille on it. I haven't been able to locate such a deck myself, but have suggested she try to create one for herself. Any ideas or thoughts on this? I would really appreciate it and will pass the information on to her. Thank you so much! Light and Love Lady Flame

zorya	18 May 2002
welcome ladyflame! i've never seen a braille deck, but making one seems like a great idea! the pips could be pretty easy. maybe she could use a stylus to engrave the cards on the reverse side. (i hope that made sense. lol ) or draw with glue, for a raised effect. but, i don't know how this would effect shuffling. she might find reading runes suits her. many sets are ingraved. we have a rune study group (look under 'divination") that recently started. she's fortunate to have you as a friend. i'm sending her light energy. :OL

Geenius at Wrok	18 May 2002
My suggestion would be to use a braillewriter to imprint braille designations on the deck she already has and likes, say in the upper left-hand corner of each card. That way she doesn't even have to give up the bond she's got with her personal deck. Any nonprofit organization for the blind should have a braillewriter that she'd be allowed to use. My only concern would be whether the cards might get too badly bent going through the braillewriter, but that may not be a problem at all, since braille is usually typed on very thick paper.

Emily	18 May 2002
Perhaps the braille could be embossed onto paper or thin card then glued to the back or on the front at the bottom of the tarot cards, it might make them a little awkward to shuffle but it could work.

truthsayer	19 May 2002
every state has a library for ppl w/ visual impairments. there are also quite a few professionals out there who specialize in assistive devices for and work out activities of daily living issues for ppl w/ visual impairments. you should be able to easily find out how to make such contacts thru the social worker for the blind that is usually housed at the local social services office. if not a web search for services for the blind should come up w/ something. i used to work w/ ppl w/ all manner of disabilities. if you pm or email me the state involved, i could probably dig up some resources where you can look b/c i'm familiar w/ this kind of problem. personally, i think you should go w/ professional help for this one to make sure the deck is done right. your friend will also need to learn how to read braille if she doesn't already know how. blind services can help her do this. most services for VIPs (visually impaired persons) are free. another thought is if you have a local lion's club, they may have some resources or contacts.

The Braille Tarot? thread was originally posted on 18 May 2002 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.