How a deck wants to speak

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 Aug 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

galadrial	14 Aug 2003
Moderators: I wasn't sure where to post this; please move it if you feel this is the wrong place. I read Sandra Thomson's review of the "Tarot of Prague" yesterday, and in it she mentions that when she gets a new deck she draws a card from the Major Arcana in order to ask the deck how it wants to speak to her. I'd never heard this idea, and was immediately taken with it and started asking a bunch of my decks that question (although I used the minors, as well. If the minor didn't make enough sense by itself, I drew from the majors and combined the two meanings). The results are fascinating (to me:-), and not always what I expected. I'd love to know who else has done this and what your results were. Fradella Adventure: Nine of Wands (makes perfect sense; this deck offers no quarter and has a wicked sense of humor- I like it). Blue Rose: Tower Arthurian: Round Table (major 10) Bucklnd Romani: Wheel of Fortune Swedish Witch: Six of Swords (this deck is Thoth based, so the key words are "science of mind", which is very fitting- this is a no nonsense deck that gives very clear readings, cute animals notwithstanding. The card also has a witch riding a broom; the spirit of Jolanda herself, I assume:-D) Wheel of Change: Six of Cups (the six of cups has a personal meaning to me that is a bit non traditional- it is that the present moment, when it becomes the past, is going to be a gift to the future). Vertigo: Wheel of Fortune Cosmic Tribe: Universe Haindl: King of Swords (RA) Arcus Arcanum: Five of Swords and Strength Tarot of Prague: Six of Cups Margarete Petersen: Ten of Cups (and I love this deck right back.) Phantasmagoric Theater: Ten of Pentacles (which the author describes as having to do with community and sharing- this is the deck I bought to use with the study group going on now.) Crystal: Three of Pentacles and Devil (the Pentacles card shows two pentacles below ground and one above; I think this may indicate that this deck would be good for shadow work- which is not something I had considered before.) Secrets: Five of Pentacles and Hermit (heh, yes, this deck has shown me that Five of Pentacles several times- the one with the vain woman in the mink coat having her photograph taken. It lets me know when I'm becoming too wrapped up with worldly matters.)

Frequency	14 Aug 2003
Interesting... The first time I did I got "Ripeness". It's an apple falling from a tree. It means "Maturity" "Time to go" "Your time is now" "Let go and move on" etc... Which made no sense... The second time I did it I got the same card which... surprised me. The last time I did it I got "healing" and it means PREVENTING recovery or healing etc... So... It doesn't exactly work with mine. I can't really see how ripeness has to do with anything nor healing. Meh... What you got was interesting though.

catlin	15 Aug 2003
Hm, I always do a CC spread with a new deck and then I pretty soon get the feeling for what kind of readings the deck is suitable. Next time I will try out your way, galadrial.

MystiqueMoonlight	15 Aug 2003
Great idea! I just consecrated a new deck last night so I will do that tonight. I usually do a first reading for my other half to launch my deck :)

floracove	15 Aug 2003
galadrial, absolutely interesting info! So glad you posted this. *reaches for her decks* :)

MystiqueMoonlight	16 Aug 2003
I drew the Empress card which is kind of pertinent for this deck, Ancient Minchiate Etruria 1725. :smoker:

lawguy51	16 Aug 2003
I always use the familiar three card new spread. 1. What will the deck teach me? 2. What does the deck require of me? 3. What will our relationship be like? I just bought the Alchemical Tarot deck. Think I'll try this one card draw and see what else it wishes to tell me. Lawguy51

Frequency	17 Aug 2003
^ That last one worked well. Listen... 1) What will the deck teach me? GUIDANCE 2) What does this deck require of me? AWARENESS 3) What will our relationship be like? SHARING The Osho is so sweet :)

lawguy51	17 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Frequency ^ That last one worked well. Listen... 1) What will the deck teach me? GUIDANCE 2) What does this deck require of me? AWARENESS 3) What will our relationship be like? SHARING The Osho is so sweet :) Wow, what a great throw! LG51

galadrial	20 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by lawguy51 I always use the familiar three card new spread. 1. What will the deck teach me? 2. What does the deck require of me? 3. What will our relationship be like? Thanks so much for this spread, lawguy51:-) It wasn't familiar to me. I tried a few more decks, and some were o.k. with the one card; like getting the blank card for the Inner Child deck. The blank card can represent the "I AM", and this has always been a very spiritual deck for me. But I drew the Devil for the Fey deck, which threw me, and I can't quite get comfortable with having drawn it for the Crystal deck, either. So, I tried your 3 card spread and the results were great: Fey 1. What will the deck teach me? The Knave of Pentacles. He is riding a flying Pentacle and the book says, "...a desire to explore and to experiment. Without fear, he tries to widen the spaces he is used to and to perceive more of the world." 2. What does this deck require of me? Two of Pentacles. 3. What will our relationship be like? Four of Wands. Crystal 1. What will the deck teach me? Moon. 2. What does this deck require of me? Hanged Man 3. What will our relationship be like? Two of Pentacles. This shows a sun disk shining on a flower disk that has a Venus sign in it's center; there is vibrant green growth all around. Now I can hardly wait to use these decks some more.

Phoenyx	20 Aug 2003
Rider-Waite: --What will this deck teach me? Temperance XIV --What does this deck require of me? 3/Swords --What will our relationship be like? 8/Wands Thoth: --What will this deck teach me? 9/Swords --What does this deck require of me? Ace/Cups --What will our relationship be like? 4/Wands

SongDeva	21 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Frequency Interesting... The first time I did I got "Ripeness". It's an apple falling from a tree. It means "Maturity" "Time to go" "Your time is now" "Let go and move on" etc... Which made no sense... The second time I did it I got the same card which... surprised me. The last time I did it I got "healing" and it means PREVENTING recovery or healing etc... So... It doesn't exactly work with mine. I can't really see how ripeness has to do with anything nor healing. Meh... What you got was interesting though. For the ripeness I got 'wow, the deck wants to help Frequency with personal growth (and crafting your path, forgiveness, etc). The healing made me feel that deck wants to help you with, again, forgiveness, and places you've subconsciously refused to heal. Now, I don't know you personally, so this still may make no sense, but thought I'd share what came to me. Sd

Frequency	22 Aug 2003
Ah I see now... Here's what I get with my new Haindl: 1) What the Haindl wants to teach me 2) What the Haindl expects of me 3) What our relationship will be like Science - Six of Swords Osiris - Prince of Swords Interference - Eight of Swords Science: Weighing the good and the bad. Making a list of positives and negatives. Taking an analytical approach. Osiris: An interest in esoteric mysticism. Open. Intelligent. Relies on gentle persuasion. This could represent how it wants me to appraoch my spreads and how it wants me to approch people in a reading. Interference: Can block me from living my life, but more likely the tarot wants to protect me from harm. I love this deck now. The images are so beautiful and the readings are so accurate. I like the pips alot, except for the stones, and unlike some people have said I do see alot of meaning in them, you just have to look. Just my opinion :)

Cerulean	22 Aug 2003
I get this card at least once a week. I actually think it's a positive card now, as it reminds me to weigh and reflect. I'm finding that if I do a three card draw every other day with new decks, the six of swords can turn up more than once in different decks. I'm going to post what my large Thoth and Via say soon...

The How a deck wants to speak thread was originally posted on 14 Aug 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.