OK, my second deck

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 05 Apr 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

KelarSkye	05 Apr 2003
I was on here with this discussion a few weeks ago and I finally just bought a Spiral Tarot deck. I really like it! I didn't get the book yet (they didn't have it at the store), but I really just like the deck. It is a lot different from the themed Legend:Arthurian deck because it doesn't HAVE to correspond with a theme, so it can pull from any image it wants for the cards meaning. The colors are gorgeous and I know I will have some favortie cards there. I am not happy with The Fool however, he seems way too in awe, rather than inspired and setting out. But I guess I can get over that :-) So now I just have to make sure my Legend deck doesn't get jealous of my Spiral deck (yep, I give personalities to inatimate objects :-) I already spent quality tome with each card and have done a new deck reading. Definitely feminine energy. I see this as an "advice" deck I think. While my Legend deck feels more like a "diagnosis" deck to figure out problems. I am sure you all have these feelings from your decks. Anyway, thanks for helping me out with recommendations. I think I am definitely on my way to becoming a Tarotaholic, but am going to reign myself in from a third deck for a few months. I need some discipline to learn this all well and the purpose of getting the Spiral was to broaden my learning! Thanks again, Kelar

Khatruman	05 Apr 2003
Hey, as long as you don't take your decks out to restaurants and say, "Table for 79!" :P Always good to hear someone's enthusiasm over a new deck. Congrats. And it is great to have that variety, an advice deck and a diagnosis deck. That is why some of us tarotholics have several decks, each does its own job. Keep telling us about new acquisitions! (Ohh, am I implying that I am encouraging further buying of decks????? Ohh, sorry... Muahahahahaha }))

Cerulean	05 Apr 2003
that I've not seen anywhere else, with someone swimming in a dark river or water. The colors seem brighter and more vivid in the Spiral, and if I remember, the book isn't really loaded with only one cultural set of myths. Maybe your Legend can be something you take out once or twice a week or for a reading/learning session and the Spiral can be a daily draw. Odd, I don't think the Legend is flimsier than the Celtic Spiral, but it seems to wear well. You have two purple background decks in your collection---is that a color preference? I find the Legend seemed to show more interesting contrasts when I had a soft tinted scarf or a plum/blue background. Happy reading, Mari H>

KelarSkye	06 Apr 2003
You know, I slightly noted the purple color thing. It's funny, but i was never into purple until abuot a year ago, actually, kind of when I picked up tarot. Now I have purple throughout my bedroom and am drawn to that color in clothes. I don't have a silk for the Spiral deck. I use a blue/green one to wrap and layout (sometimes because it is awkward) my Legend deck. I did note the Legend had longer, yet thinner cards. I actually think I like the shape of the legend deck better, but the colors in the Spiral are astounding. Kelar

Trogon	06 Apr 2003
Congratulations on your new deck KelarSkye! I also love my Spiral Tarot! And yes, it does seem to give good advice as well as being very easy for me to read with. But I have found that, when I use this for readings for other people, I find that it leads the people into examining some painful things. In other words, in my relatively brief experience with it, it's a very good deck for helping people to examine difficult issues. Mari_Hoshizaki, you mentioned a card with someone in dark water? Could you be referring to the 5 of Swords, with the guy on the raft? Anyway... Looking forward to hearing of your further impressions on your new deck KelarSkye.

darwinia	06 Apr 2003
I too bought the Spiral fairly recently and haven't worked with it much but I keep pulling it out to look at and do comparisons with other decks. I liked the Queen of Cups from the World Spirit with the Queen from the Spiral--thought they went well together. I read in a review that the Fool was actually Perceval, and so I started thinking I "needed" the book to sort out the mythology and stories and who was who and such, but I was in a store yesterday and just couldn't make myself buy it. I don't know why, but I just wanted the art to speak to me by itself I guess although I'm sure I'd love to hear the story behind each card. Does anyone else have thoughts on the necessity of owning the book? I really like the Court cards in this, I love their faces, both terrible and beautiful at the same time. Plus, I'd really like those boots that The Magician is wearing. Yeah, I want me some of those babies.

Emily	06 Apr 2003
I have the Spiral, it was my favourite reading deck for many months, and I also have the book. The book goes into alot of detail about the majors, tells the stories of who is on each card, I found it to be alot of help because the cards are so busy but once you know the story of the card it makes the cards less busy and easier to read. It doesn't go into much detail of the Minors but its still worth getting if you like the Spiral. :)

Cerulean	06 Apr 2003
The angel swimming, winged, near the dark boat crossing to shore. I bought the deck originally with that card being the pivotal factor. Silly to think, but many of the minor characters have a feel to me as watching a Sherlock Holmes or Poirot tale on Masterpiece Theatre. Does anyone have the feel of England and turn of the century romanticism? Some of the scenes are cozy, some mysterious, and also, period as well. My own take isn't a strict "Celtic-Avalon" in theme, but I believe the artist/author has links to celtic designs and culture. I think she beautifully illustrates themes that can be taken as or felt as attributes from darker, deeper or mysterious mythologies. Some people who looked into Lo Scarabeo's Celtic or Avalon theme decks might not think of the legends as bright, airy or as polished as those art decks. I happen to like them and the Miranda Gray pictures in my Celtic/Avalon aspects of Tarot.

darwinia	06 Apr 2003
Mari, Looks like definite Pre-Raphaelite art influences to me in this deck, which is part of its charm. If not turn-of-the-century, than Victorian at least. Very moody and atmospheric and I can almost feel the rich velvets and brocades of the fabrics and embroidery. For me, the deciding factor was the Queen of Swords, she is just so perfect!

The OK, my second deck thread was originally posted on 05 Apr 2003 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.