Well, I guess I'm done....

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 08 Feb 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Logiatrix	08 Feb 2004
I absolutely cannot find a tarot deck I want! :eek: I looked and looked and looked, and I can't seem to find anything new to spark my interest. This is weird, because even after I got rid my 100+ decks over a year ago, I still kept a little wish list and so on. But now? Nada. It's almost like burnout, except I'm perfectly happy reading with my four favorite tarots and four favorite oracles. So, I'm not really burnt out, except for the part where I should be pining for a new deck by now. I'm just happy with what I have, and I don't want any others. Strange, very strange. :confused:

jmd	08 Feb 2004
I personally do not find this weird at all, Tauni. I suspect that many of us go through various cycles, one of these is to have a wide variety of decks, the other to limit to certain types of images or decks which have personal appeal for a variety of reasons (whether articulated or not). It also depends, I would add, on our own current orientations. For myself, I 'need' to have a reasonably wide variety of decks for teaching purposes, even though for my personal use I restrict the decks to so few. Were I not involved in any event which required such variety, I would probably get rid of quite a few decks from my collection - as someone else I know has done in the last few years (pity he had mainly decks I too have!). As to the deck... well, as long as those four includes a Marseille, I understand your predicament ;)

Jewel-ry	08 Feb 2004
Commendable, very commendable!:D Tauni, Your just not looking hard enough! No seriously, I have only 28 decks but I was just thinking this morning that really I could get rid of at least 20 of them. Once you find the ones that are right for you its probably right that you stick with those. I wish I didnt have so many, in fact I havn't bought any since before xmas. I think there will be the odd one that I'll get if its going for a good price or if I really like it but otherwise, I'll stick to my favourites now. Well done you! For not getting tempted by something you didn't really want. J :)

Diana	08 Feb 2004
Tauni: I would say that in that case, you have reached grown out of your Addiction. Addictions are always unhealthy. Congratulations! :) It also seems to me that you have reached a certain maturity in your Tarot journey. This craving that people have to constantly acquire new decks is very aptly termed when people called it "taroholism". An addiction to something means one has a hole in one's life and one is looking to fill that hole from something EXTERIOR - instead of looking INWARDS and finding the riches within.

wavebreaker	08 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Tauni I'm just happy with what I have, and I don't want any others. Isn't that great? Being happy with what you have often seems to be one of the most difficult things in life, so be happy that you've achieved that... ;)

firemaiden	08 Feb 2004
Well, Tauni, you could always have a look at the new and upcoming decks at Tarot Garden :D I'm not bananas about buy new decks anymore either, (but there are a few upcoming ones at Lo Scarabeo which may tempt me) -- I think it is a bit like anything we study, first we go broad, then we go deep. I think you are in the phase of going deep.

Kiama	08 Feb 2004
I think that the collecting of many Tarot decks has been seriously misunderstood and judged incorrectly. It is not always that the Tarot collector goes for breadth instead of depth, quantity over quality. Collecting many decks also does not mean one is addicted. There is a difference between wanting a new deck, and needing a new deck. Not all collectors need to collect: but many of them want to, for reasons such as deeper study, varied study, different perspectives on the cards. It all depends what you use Tarot for. Me, my use of Tarot is for study, for spiritual understanding, and for an understanding of the rest of the world. With each new deck (provided it's a decent one!) I get a new perspective on the world, and I learn something new. I don't just buy decks in order to add another digit to a number in my head. And I find it quite difficult to see how one can place value-judgements on a Tarot reader's 'phases of learning' or life based on whether or not they collect decks. But on a happier note, well done Tauni. It seems you have found the decks that are going to keep you knee-deep in studies for a while now. :D Blessings, Kiama

Diana	08 Feb 2004
Kiama: We are all addicted to something. I am addicted to coffee for instance. It reveals a lot of who I am and where the holes in my life are. Any psychologist or psychiatrist will tell you that Collecting fills a hole in someone's life. There are whole books and theses written on Collectors. There is nothing to be ashamed of. There is not a single person in this world who doesn't have a hole in their hearts.

Astraea	08 Feb 2004
Hi, Tauni. It's really helpful to be able to focus your concentration on a few valued decks. It's rather like conversing with friends -- while we value the qualities and perspectives of each friend we have, there are certain people we feel especially close to, and who seem to consistently merit our trust. Congratulations on finding decks with those special reflective qualities.

Dark_angel	08 Feb 2004
There is a difference between collecting and addiction. It goes a lot deeper than this, but I think it gives an idea. Suppose that you know two people, one who is addicted to tarot decks and one who collects them, and ten new decks are released onto the market. The collector looks at the decks and thinks "Which ones do I want? Which ones do I like?", and may buy some or none, but the ones he/she buys will be valued and bought because they are considered worthwhile. The addict thinks "New decks, buy buy buy"; he/she may buy all or just quite a few, but the thought process is completely different.

Marion	08 Feb 2004
Hi Tauni, My position is sort of touching many responses here but also my own. I have quite a few decks, not as many as some but certainly lots. And I still buy new decks, but now more slowly and as I have a true interest. Last fall I started to get interested in the Thoth deck and have a couple of copies published at different periods. I have been reading the books and have purchased two Thoth-based decks to add to the breadth (and I hope depth) of the interpretation. I may buy another, but maybe not. I am, thanks to Diana's proselytizing, becoming interested in the Marseille and on her advice purchased a very interesting book. I may buy another than the Hadar deck. And yes, I have many other decks, occasionally bought for silly reasons. But I like having them. They don't take up much room and they are interesting and sometimes wise. And sometimes silly. Artists, with their insights, bring dimensions across that even personal study and reflection can fail to do. It is tapping into another viewpoint visually. Mind you, that viewpoint can be commercial and shallow, but there are oddly unexpected depths in even the silliest deck.

Macavity	08 Feb 2004
I think addiction is where such things negatively impact other areas of life? I find my deck collection has stabilised at around thirty? I can think of good reasons why I have 90% of them. Me and my "St.Pete's" didn't quite click - We live in hope! Then there's my poor old Sola Busca - Hmmm... Curiousity value, maybe? :laugh: Some are "reading decks" (all Thoth-alikes), some reference decks. I also wanted a collection of historical repros for major deck types. The only cloud on the horizon is a temptation to "upgrade" these latter to classier (more expensive) limited additions? :P Macavity P.S. I'll NEED a "Stars Eternal"... a "VIA" perhaps... a "Wirth" sometime? The "Vargo" recently slipped into my (land) mailbox... Guess that's the way with Vampires? :D

Aoife	08 Feb 2004
As I indicated on the 'buy back ten' thread, I never really got into collecting. If however there ever came a time when money was no object, rather like Macavity, I could so easily get into tracking down the rarer older decks. Aoife, who can be very disciplined when she sets her mind to it...... except when it comes to beautiful textiles, threads, paints and art materials.... books about art, mythology.....and even that lovely new suede pencil case

Imagemaker	08 Feb 2004
I love the different facets of wisdom on AT that come from seeing the same "card" from different angles. You all make wonderful points about why a craving forms, builds and wanes. I think in any growth process, there simply comes a rest period before reaching out begins again. Stimulation changes--from below or above, from outside or inside and we get intrigued about a new angle. Fortunately tarot has many angles to explore over years of study. That's why I love it so much, but not always at the same intensity and pace.

Kiama	08 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Diana Kiama: We are all addicted to something. I am addicted to coffee for instance. It reveals a lot of who I am and where the holes in my life are. Any psychologist or psychiatrist will tell you that Collecting fills a hole in someone's life. There are whole books and theses written on Collectors. There is nothing to be ashamed of. There is not a single person in this world who doesn't have a hole in their hearts. Very true Diana. Maybe the hole I have is a hole waiting to be filled with the knowledge and facets from all those different decks? }) ;) What is addiction anyway? So far I have been defining it as 'needing' something, but is that all there is to it? As to the original post, I was thinking about this over lunch (due to the absence of anything good on TV, even though the antics of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie were embarrassingly funny...) I guess we all have our ways of learning, and we all have comfort levels. Tauni, you have found your comfort level, and your way of learning, and that is with the decks you have. It's always wonderful when you know where your comfort level lies. My comfort level used to be non-existent. I was addicted about a year ago. I would see a deck, and buy it just because I didn't have it. These days, I usually only buy decks if I think I can get something new out of them (so I very rarely buy a 'silly' deck.) At this current time, I guess that is my comfort level: only buying decks that are going to teach me something. No doubt my comfort level will change in the future...? Blessings, Kiama

Macavity	08 Feb 2004
(slightly off topic) Only YOU can decide... :D http://www.kiva.net/~julianus/thelemitest.html Macavity Thanks Diana! :)

Diana	08 Feb 2004
Macavity: your link doesn't work. It's missing an "l" at the end.

starsongs	08 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Imagemaker I love the different facets of wisdom on AT that come from seeing the same "card" from different angles. You all make wonderful points about why a craving forms, builds and wanes. I think in any growth process, there simply comes a rest period before reaching out begins again. Stimulation changes--from below or above, from outside or inside and we get intrigued about a new angle. Fortunately tarot has many angles to explore over years of study. That's why I love it so much, but not always at the same intensity and pace. Well put, Imagemaker...:-) blessings, starsongs

Ruby7	08 Feb 2004
Personally buying tarot decks is a bit of an addictive problem for me. I bought a few over the past few months even though I could not afford them (put them on credit card) and now I am in debt because of this. I sold a few on E-bay to try and get my finances in order. It may not be true for others but I know that personally I am trying to fill some kind of hole whenever I buy a new deck. Like today I am fighting with myself to not go to my favourite metaphysical store and buy a new deck. I have managed not to buy a deck since December and what I do is when I feel this urge that I have to have that new different deck, I go back through my collection and pick a deck I haven't looked at in a while and pretend that it is new and concentrate on it and work with it. For me buying that new deck does involve learning more but it is also the idea of completion. I have been like this since I was a child. I remember feeling that way about wanting a certain toy, as in if I had that particular toy everything would be o.k. and I would be complete, everything would make sense then and of course it never did. Everyone is different, so I am only saying that for me this is the case and I am working very hard on changing this. Ruby7

Moongold	08 Feb 2004
I only have 14 Tarot decks and three oracle decks. The last Tarot deck I purchased I've hardly looked at. It is Tarot of the Spirit and is quite different so needs a bit of time, which I don't currently have. Obviously you have made the right decision for yourself right now, Tauni. I use all my decks but I don't really know any of them completely. I feel close to all of them and feel as if I'd like to get to know them better. Moongold

crystal cove	08 Feb 2004
It's not strange at all Tauni. I'm thinking that most of us have been there. Searching for new decks got old for me in the first year of my tarot journey. No matter how many I accumulated, I always used the same 4 decks the most. To me, most of the clones are all the same, and since I've been reading with non-illustrated pips, I find most decks are just too commercial for me. I had 36 decks at one time with a huge wishlist. Now I have 21 (of course) with just 2 I'd like to have and I'm starting to rethink those two. My taste is running toward the rare with beautiful artwork, but I'm wondering how much I really want them. Is it because most people don't? At any rate, accumulating just doesn't do it for me anymore.

lark	08 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Tauni It's almost like burnout, except I'm perfectly happy reading with my four favorite tarots and four favorite oracles. Tauni what are your 8 favorite decks? I'm a simplicity freak. With 75+ decks. I'm always at war with myself to get rid of the chaff and save the wheat.

Logiatrix	08 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by lark Tauni what are your 8 favorite decks? My faves are: Animal-Wise Tarot Archetype Cards Halloween Tarot Healing w/the Angels Oracle KEM Playing Cards Tao Oracle Visconti Gold Tarot Voyager Tarot Quote: I'm a simplicity freak. With 75+ decks. I'm always at war with myself to get rid of the chaff and save the wheat. That's exactly where I've been 'till recently. I've horded madly, obsessed insanely, purchased impulsively and collected calmly. :eek: Then, out of the blue and without any direction of my own, I shifted motivation. Now, I'm just....reading the cards. Go figger! ;) It's as Imagemaker pointed out, my journey has just shifted in intensity and pace. :)

Marion	08 Feb 2004
On the other hand, never fall into the trap of thinking that the stage you are at now is the stage you will stay at forever. Panta rei. Everything flows.

lunakasha	08 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Dark_angel The collector looks at the decks and thinks "Which ones do I want? Which ones do I like?", and may buy some or none, but the ones he/she buys will be valued and bought because they are considered worthwhile. The addict thinks "New decks, buy buy buy"; he/she may buy all or just quite a few, but the thought process is completely different. I couldn't agree more! I also agree with Kiama, in that I also enjoy using different decks to get a new perspective on the issue, or sometimes to do meditative or personal growth work. I often joke about being a tarot addict, because I am very much attracted to the cards as both intuitive tools and captivating works of art. But, as a collector, I will choose only the decks that are meaningful to me...it is not about a number for me. And, on a practical note...I am so thankful that there a number of decks out there that have *zero* appeal for me ;) :) Luna

paradoxx	08 Feb 2004
I recommend the Cosmic Tarot if you don' thave it already. after that the Tarot Nova. Then the New Palladini. Finally the Osho Zen. These decks have a unique interpretation of the cards meanings (the 5 of swords in teh tarot nova shows one mouce stabbing another but eh mice have a human look, lending to the allusion of "mice and men") These are the decks that come to mind, but if you have them arleady, don't know what to say. maybe you shoudl create your own.

Majecot	08 Feb 2004
Tauni I think it is exciting that you have reached a new phase. Some day I hope to shrink my wish list by not needing the next deck. For a long time I was content with what I had. But something in me changed the other way. The thing is .. I just love the beautiful artwork. Now if I could just check a deck out at the local library until I had satisifed the craving, that would be great.

Nevada	08 Feb 2004
Tauni, What a peaceful state, contentment. Enjoy. :) Nevada

dolphinprincess	08 Feb 2004
Good for you, Tauni! What is that saying.. "happiness isn't having what you want, but wanting what you have..."... There is a peace that comes from being content with what you have.. one I 'd love to find :o) I don't want to label anyone as to why they do or don't have many decks.. We all have our own reasons :o) I think my addiction lies more in the turnover of decks.. I buy and get rid of more decks than I can count... I am so ridiculously picky.. I can ADORE a deck one day .. and be done with it the next... and I often start building up a larger collection - only to downsize it once gain... I am in seach of that "small" number of decks that I love.. and the contentment that you have found :o)

Gerbear	09 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Kiama Me, my use of Tarot is for study, for spiritual understanding, and for an understanding of the rest of the world. With each new deck (provided it's a decent one!) I get a new perspective on the world, and I learn something new. I don't just buy decks in order to add another digit to a number in my head. And I find it quite difficult to see how one can place value-judgements on a Tarot reader's 'phases of learning' or life based on whether or not they collect decks. Thank you Kiama, I was just about to search for a way to express this very same sentiment. I too am addicted. My addiction is not trying to define other's lives in terms of my own, as it is impossible. I plan to never get over it. Another addiction is art, in its many forms.Then too, I have a heavy 'interest' in collecting. LOL We all have the choice to stop, slow down and retrench at any phase of our lives, or continue to explore the neverending wonder of the cosmos, and our personal reflection within it. At the end of our lives, waits peace, hopefully,. Until then, I must go on.

The Well, I guess I'm done.... thread was originally posted on 08 Feb 2004 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.