Which deck would be a good match?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 22 Sep 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Frequency	22 Sep 2002
At first I didn't quite understand what people meant when they said that each deck has a personality, but I am getting familiar with my stubborn Osho Zen deck. It simply refuses to give me any insight into future events. I don't even ask it to, but whenever something might affect me in the future it gives me Thunderbolt, No-Thingness, Moment to Moment, etc... It keeps telling me I shouldn't care. There's been a few strange readings where it would tell me what to do, but I wouldn't fully understand until it happened (Thunderbolt) and lo and behold, it was right. Yes, the Osho Zen deck has been working beautifuly, and it has allowed me to grow as a person a great deal, but I figure it would be nice to have a second deck; one that could give me advice where the Osho Zen tends to limit itself. I was thinking of Robin Wood, or Thoth. I don't want a replacement, I just want one that is less constricting. What would you suggest? (btw: Rev. Robert A. Lang of the Church of Satan IS making a tarot deck, but it won't be finished for a couple years, he says. Just some useless information.)

Kaz	22 Sep 2002
i never ask my osho deck a question as it doesnt answer these, it just tells you what you need to know. it's a very insightful deck, and sometimes it does refer to the future, but thats seldom. mostly talks about the now, and that's the only thing that's important anyway. a good compagnon for this deck would be the thoth, i highly recommend this deck. kaz

Ravenswing	22 Sep 2002
x/time-- i'll agree with kaz that the thoth would be a very good companion deck; they are very much aligned together. but if you want to play point-counterpoint, i would go for the robin wood. this would give you clones (alright, maybe not quite, but close enough) of the two major 'schools' of tarot. sort of balancing zen and the goddess walking on rice paper under the full moon raven

Phoenix	22 Sep 2002
Hmmm. That is why I got rid of my Osho-Zen. Confused the hell outta me. I think, judging form your posts, that the Thoth would be the best deck right now. But if you like Pagan imagery, the the Robin wood is good too. Word to the wise. Most people find the Thoth deck a bit...."moody" But I love it, and find that it is very honest. No beating around the bush sorta thing. Hope the helps! Good luck!

Frequency	22 Sep 2002
I wouldn't be able to judge the Osho next to other decks since it's the only one I've used... What do you mean when you say "the two major 'schools' of tarot"?.

Phoenix	22 Sep 2002
I think what Kaz means is that there is traditionally 3 major types of tarot: the Rider Waite decks and clones(like the Robin Wood), the Crowley Thoth Tarot and clones(like the Cosmic Tribe, or Rohrig) and the Marseille Tarots and clones(like th 11J tarot). Personally I feel that there should be a 4th tarot group, the Visconti Tarots and clones. Hope this helps!

Laurel	22 Sep 2002
Either is a good deck, but in your case I'd advocate the Thoth deck as a "deck for sovereigns, by a sovereign."

Cerulean	24 Sep 2002
First idea-- To the original question of predictive readings, the deck instruction such as the Symbolon suggested asking the question in a different way. For instance, instead of asking, "Is this the right university course," they suggest the question, "what would my inner self achieve through study of this course? What part of me would like this study, what part would not?" Perhaps your question should be, "I know that I like the gentle fables of the Osho-Zen, but I would like to explore my choices with a different slant/perspective. What type of art or theme deck or cards might be attractive to me?" I hope that question helps you. To the second idea-- I like people trying to describe patterns or styles of tarot cards, as I wonder about such ideas, as well. I could see those who like the modern decks would wonder if their deck showed an underlying structure of Rider-Waite-Smith or Thoth. I've seen people say 'classic' as a description applied to these twentieth-century styles. Sometimes I think people apply the term Marseilles to simply refer to the European pattern of non-scenic pips and a switched order of Justice as 8, Strength as 11. In that way, they'd include a popular 19th century pattern, the Etteilla, with older historic patterns of the 15th and 16th century. It could be that only historical fans might want to distinguish between the Italian, French and other regional or pppular for the time patterns. Mari H.

catlin	24 Sep 2002
Frequency, I do not wish to turn you in another taroholic but I'd suggest that you should get Thoth and Robin Wood. The first because it will be a good match with the Osho Zen and the latter to meet your Pagan needs.

The Which deck would be a good match? thread was originally posted on 22 Sep 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.