Emotional tarots and Intellectual tarots

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 06 Oct 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Myrrha	06 Oct 2003
Some decks have artwork that seems to try to express emotion or stimulate emotion in the viewer and others seem to work by giving a lot of symbols to be interpreted, which seems more intellectual. The Vampire, Fantastical, and Mary-el tarots seem to me very emotional and the Etteila, and Alchemical Tarot more intellectual. The Thoth deck seems like a mixture of both. Probably different decks will strike different people as more emotional or intellectual. Which of your favorite decks works by stimulating your emotions? Which ones seem more intellectual? Myrrha

WolfyJames	06 Oct 2003
I have only one tarot deck, so I'll talk about this one. I have The Enchanted Tarot (Zerner-Farber), and I think it is more of an emotional deck than an intellectual one. The colors, the scenes, all show the meaning of the cards. Reading the book helps a lot because the artist explains the symbols and details, the way she interpreted the cards, but you can get most of the informations just by looking at the cards. I don't think that, in order to use this deck, you are required to read and study many tarot books. Since I've read Thirteen's Basics and the tarot course on Learntarot.com, I understand better my deck and read better; I was using my deck well before, but not at 100%. Now that I think about the decks that are on my wishlist, I think I prefer emotional decks more than intellectual.

WolfSpirit	06 Oct 2003
I would rate among my intellectual decks: the Thoth, the Parrott (both use symbolism), the Animal Wise and the Wheel of Change (need the book to see why the artist chose the images, which are very original). My more emotional decks: Merryday, Ancestral Path, Tarot of the Spirit and Swedish Witch. Maybe when you have a deck for a longer time, it becomes more emotional as you don't have to think anymore ? I got the Thoth only as a study deck, and I am amazed now how much I really like it and how I respond to it.

Dark_angel	06 Oct 2003
I don't think I own an intellectual deck - all my decks are very evocative and part of my reading method is to step inside the cards and see the story behind the freezeframe. Maybe when I get more advanced, I'll be able to use intellectual decks such as the Thoth, but at the moment I don't think I'd be able to appreciate them.

Cerulean	06 Oct 2003
My Shakespeare oracle/tarots and Willam Blake tarots are running with mental concepts. So are my Italian Tavaglione decks, Folchis and Dante (Los Scarabeo). The Ukiyoe by U.S. Games, Mermaids and Fey seem more a feeling or feel-good return to me. Once in awhile, Dante, one of the Folchis or Romeo/Juliet seem to mirror my moods. Oddly, the Visconti, Dotti, Di Gumppenbergs run in-between emotion and mental ideas...depends on my mood. This month, in between the emotion and intellect, I'm wavering between the Egyptian and maybe the Romeo/Juliet (which makes me laugh).

Melissa`	07 Oct 2003
Out of the few decks that I use verses what I have.. I would say I lean the Thoth more towards the intellectual side.. As for emotional.. the Fey.. I haven't owned any other decks that can make me feel as this one. Then emotional on another level.. I like to pull out my Tarot de Paris and fumble through the cards for a while. ~Amaya

Emily	07 Oct 2003
I think my emotional decks would include the Haindl, Tarot of the Spirit, Crystal tarot, Celtic Dragon. Intellectual decks would include the Thoth, Rider Waite, Crow's Magick, and the Soprafino decks - Ancient Italian, Classical.

Myrrha	07 Oct 2003
Playing with tarot cards is like reading the same book over and over but re-written by different authors. It is so fascinating, almost overwhelmingly so at times. Looking at your responses I seem to be drawn to the more emotional renderings of this book right now. Maybe I'll take another look at the Fey... Myrrha

Chronata	07 Oct 2003
This is a great thread...and something that I never really thought about til now. But when I do look at the decks I use the most frequently, I found something very interesting... While the original RWS has a very intellectual base for me, a lot of the decks based on it...like the Hanson Roberts, have an emotional pull for me! Thanks so much Myrrha...I think this new idea will really make a difference in which deck I use for any particular readings!

Myrrha	08 Oct 2003
Hi Chronata! Well, I'm glad some people found it an interesting way to think about their decks. Now I have a new excuse to buy decks: "I need the Fey 'cause it is very emotional and the Stairs of Gold to balance with an intellectual deck" :) Myrrha

MoreMagic	09 Oct 2003
Have to add - Tarot of the Trance as a purely emotional deck (in my opinion) designed, I think, to by-pass the brain entirely!

Requiella	12 Oct 2003
I'd have to say that my favorite intellectual decks include the RWS and the Sacred Circle; my favorite emotional decks are the Tarot of Transformation and Tarot of the Spirit.

mynah	08 Nov 2003
Maybe it would help to see them not so much as emotional / intellectual, but as intuitive / intellectual... "intuitive" seems to cover more ground to me - not just feelings involved, but also subconscious promptings, a sort of running leap into the possibilities. My Visconti and Minchiate decks are on the intellectual side - I tend to see them in terms of what I know of Renaissance symbolism, and it's somewhat hard for me to deal with them otherwise... I use the Hanson-Roberts when I want a nice little starting point for free interpretation - amazing what comes up, sometimes...

Cocobird55	08 Nov 2003
Most of the decks that I have seem to be more emotional. I think the Aquarian is more intellectual -- maybe more reserved is what I mean. The Aquarian is one of the first decks that I bought when my interest in Tarot resurfaced after several years. I like it, but it does seem distant. Perhaps I felt more comfortable with a reserved, distant deck for a while. I still like it, but I enjoy decks with more emotion more. Sue

lasourciere	08 Nov 2003
My emotional decks are my Faeries Oracle deck (how could it be anything else? Nothing but trouble, I tell you! ;)) and my Legend/Arthurian Tarot. Both exist on a completely different plane, you know? I think my Tarot Sutra is pretty middle ground. As I said previously, it's basically the same as a Rider-Waite only with different colors. It has emotion and intelligence. My brainiac Tarot is the Pythagorean Tarot, which I am still trying to figure out after over six months of owning it! I guess numerology's not my strong suit.

Cerulean	08 Nov 2003
It's both emotional and intellectual. I have a book for it. My second is an old 1970's Rider Waite for $8.00 find is becoming both because the matte printing and the reprinting from the Pictorial Key to the Tarot excerpts seem rather deliciously antique...I found a 1972 University Books printing which has a brighter, softer printing that makes me smile at childish illustrations and coloring. On the Egyptian, I seem to be posting about it everywhere...my current November passion... And of course, warm desert days are a contrast between cloudy showers... Mari H.

Ahlia	08 Nov 2003
I like the balance of both the Intellectual and Emotional levels (what - no mention of the spiritual... the part that does not heart and mind but that substance beyond that gives the intuitional guidiance its pull). The major and minor has to tell me something. It can not be pretty line and color. My first deck was Aquarian which was nice for a first deck. For the past 10 years I held loyally to my Tarot of the Cat People that a friend has bought me. That has both emotional, intellect and spiritual pulls and gives. But now looking for a new deck and it is a long process because of the sites dont give much of a clue what the Minor arcade looks like. - Any suggestions? Ahlia Demas

Myrrha	08 Nov 2003
Hi Ahlia, welcome to the forum! Yes, I see what you mean about the balance between intellectual and emotional levels, although I'm kind of on a streak with emotional deck connection right now. I imagine that the intellectual tarots become more emotional as you use them and the mind part becomes second nature allowing the emotional aspect to come through. This could be a way of finding balance with it. The Tarot of Prague looks like one that would appeal to the emotions and the intellect. You can see all the cards, major and minor at the authors' web site. Also there is a thread just about links to sites that show the whole deck here: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17948 --Myrrha Quote: Originally posted by Ahlia I like the balance of both the Intellectual and Emotional levels (what - no mention of the spiritual... the part that does not heart and mind but that substance beyond that gives the intuitional guidiance its pull). The major and minor has to tell me something. It can not be pretty line and color.

zagone	10 Nov 2003
I think Hudes is more on the intellectual side. I agree with the earlier post that the Enchanted tarot is more emotional. I love both of them I read with Hudes and I use Enchanted for Tarot magic and meditation. -- Zagone

jmd	10 Nov 2003
This is an interesting question, Myrrha, and very much how I have characterised two amongst my favourite decks in the thread on Kris Hadar's Tarot de Marseille. I’m going to have to dig up some relevant links to make my comments more meaningful...

jmd	10 Nov 2003
[this follows on from my previous response...] Of my favourite, the 1998 Camoin Marseilles seems to reflect so much to the thinking through many of the important aspects of the images, whereas the Hadar seems to ignite more a heartfelt response. Another two of my favourites, the Felicité and the Conver (but more the Héron publication than the mildly different one from Lo Scarabeo), seem to work also on similar ways, though in more subtle and integrated ways. I tend to view the Conver as close to an Ür-Tarot as we are likely to get, and it thus appeals very much to my thinking self – though also very much balanced by a heart response. The Felicité – a major Arcana only deck – conversely seems to appeal first to my feeling self – though again very much balanced by a thinking response. At this stage, if only four decks in the world were left, and these were the four, I would remain satisfied... from a Tarot perspective!

Moonbow*	10 Nov 2003
Of my decks I would say emotional ones are.. gendron, ancestral path, enchanted, glastonbury and intellectual would be Alchemical, Navigators. The decks I find I needed to do quite a lot of study on before I could use are Navigators, Karma, Greenwood. Some I could just pick up and get straight into it like Quest, Osho, Spiral. Does anyone else spend alot of time studying their decks?

Myrrha	12 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by jmd Another two of my favourites, the [url="http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=186995#post186995"] Felicit?/url] and the Conver (but more the H?on publication than the mildly different one from Lo Scarabeo ), seem to work also on similar ways, though in more subtle and integrated ways. I tend to view the Conver as close to an ?-Tarot as we are likely to get, and it thus appeals very much to my thinking self ? though also very much balanced by a heart response. The [url="http://argolance.free.fr/feliintro.htm"] Felicit?/url] ? a major Arcana only deck ? conversely seems to appeal first to my feeling self ? though again very much balanced by a thinking response. That Felicit tarot is provoking an emotional reaction in me right now, "I want it!" :) I especially love the Moon card, how the lobster is the same color as the water and kind of lurks in the pool... I *tried* to learn to read with Marseilles decks but it seemed too much a question of learning card meanings. Fitting the card meaning to the question and the place in the spread seemed very "mental" or intellectual. Maybe I'll try again with one of these that you suggest as more on the emotional side of the spectrum. -Myrrha

funkyvixen	13 Nov 2003
I've only worked with one deck (the cannon reed witches tarot) so I can't really say whether it strikes me as more or less emotional or intellctual than any other deck - however I think that an *ideal* tarot deck to me would speak to me on all three levels (including spirit as ahlia quite rightly pointed out, i think): - immediately emotionally, my first feelings on seeing the card laid out - then intellectually, as i look further and decode the specific symbolism in relation to the situation - then (perhaps but not always) spiritually, if its a very important question or i'm still unsure, and further guidance is needed If a deck didn't speak to me on the emotional or spiritual level I think it would be pretty useless. If a deck is purely "intellectual", I don't think it would be very personal. All this from a relative newbie :P blessings fv x

pentunen	14 Nov 2003
My favourite deck at the moment is the Robin Wood. While it's a very emotional deck, since all the characters have very evocative expressions and body language, it's also quite intellectual. I have the book for the deck, and after reading Robin Wood's explanations of all the symbolism that goes into each card, I've found that I do end up analyzing cards for their imagery as well as getting the 'feel' of the reading overall.

Mystic Zyl	19 Nov 2003
For me, Universal Waite embodies emotional and intellectual qualities. Nothing excites or makes me emotional than mental stimulation. I am not sure if people are equating emotional with fun. I have fun decks like New Palladini, Spiral, Tarot for Cats, Legend the Arthurian and the list goes on........

Majecot	19 Nov 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Moonbow* Some I could just pick up and get straight into it like Quest, Osho, Spiral. Does anyone else spend alot of time studying their decks? I was thinking that all of my decks are emotional, but maybe they are a blend of intellect and emotion. I do study my cards a lot, because I am forever finding something in the images that I did not see before, that can bring a different light to the meanings. But I can also pick them up and get a "feel " from them as well.. BTW I read with Rohrig, and Quest, but I used to read with Legend: Arthurian, and have Haindl as well.

catti	19 Nov 2003
Does anyone use specific decks for specific types of reading only? for instance: tarot of the mermaids , an emotional deck, and i use it almost uniquely for relationship readings...readings where i or querent need to know how people feel in order to find the solution. i use Morgan - Greer for my more straightforward, business and luck questions, it answers more directly about things in the world Tarot of Cat People i usually use for long distance querents , because it is a good deck for me to use but the pictures throw off "live" readings alot. People just dont get/dont like cats?? i dunno , i am not a big cat person myself, i like the art ;)

Pebbles	07 Jan 2005
mynah wrote: Maybe it would help to see them not so much as emotional / intellectual, but as intuitive / intellectual... "intuitive" seems to cover more ground to me - not just feelings involved, but also subconscious promptings, a sort of running leap into the possibilities. I agree. My intuitive decks are Vision Quest & Osho Zen. I see the Thoth deck as intellectual & Moon Oracle as both. Great thread BTW.

rosyelf	07 Jan 2005
I've really been enjoying this thread. It's got me thinking. The decks I've had in the past and given away because I couldn't work with them seem to fall into 2 categories. Some of them I would describe as intellectual : Navigators of the Mystic Sea and Magickal Tarot of the Golden Dawn. Others seemed ENTIRELY emotional, like Zerner-Farber. Whilst all these cards attracted me initially, I feel they didn't have staying-power (or I didn't !) because they were too weighted towards one or other ends of the spectrum. I agree with Majecot that perhaps a blend is best (just as a mixture of light and dark is best, may I add). I feel the Haindl is both very emotional AND intellectually-satisfying. So is the Ancient Egyptian. love to all, rosyelf

The Emotional tarots and Intellectual tarots thread was originally posted on 06 Oct 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.