Quest Tarot vs. Sacred Circle

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 29 Mar 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

contrascarpe	29 Mar 2004
Hello - I was wondering if I could get some opinions from people who have both of these decks. I recently received the SC and now have the Quest coming to me after looking at it for a long time. On the surface, they appear to be very similar decks. I know the SC relies heavily on Celtic Pagan imagery. I still know little about the Quest except that it relies heavily on computer graphics. So, what are your thoughts on comparisons, contrasts and/or just general opinions of the two? Thanks in advance. Dan

Centaur	29 Mar 2004
Hi Dan! I know that you said that you sought opinions from those who have both of these decks, but I thought I would offer my own opinion on the basis of the scans I have seen. I own the Quest, and I think that in comparison to what I have seen with the Sacred Circle, the Quest is more alluring. When I look at the Quest, it is almost as though there is a whole other land behind those cards. I know, I know... that all sounds very Middle-Earth-Esque. BUT... I think you will see what I mean when you have them in your hands. When I look at the Sacred Circle, I just cannot seem to connect with the imagery.

Emily	29 Mar 2004
Hi Dan and Centaur I have the Quest and the Sacred Circle - they are both really different decks - I think the only thing they have in common are that they are both computer generated. The Sacred Circle is based on Celtic pagan tradition, with pictures of British and Irish celtic sites in the backgrounds of most of the cards - a very pretty deck to use. It has also changed the names of some of the Majors. The artwork itself is stunning but it mainly photo-collage. The Quest, on the other hand is a mix of everything lol - photos, artwork, computer graphics - runes, I Ching, Gemstones, kabbalah - its also a very modern deck. Can also be used for yes and no questions. Both are very inspiring decks to use, and some of the artwork does look the same on both decks but once you get the Quest you'll see how different it really is. :)

Lee	29 Mar 2004
For me, one big difference between these decks is that the Sacred Circle has photos of people, whereas the Quest uses computer-generated humans, which gives it a completely different feel, perhaps more of a universal feel, while the photos of the Sacred Circle make it perhaps more easy to relate to on a human level. -- Lee

miss_apples	29 Mar 2004
I just got the Quest in the mail today. I am kind of disapointed. Id still buy them but I dont think that they are worth what they are sold for retail value. Mainly because they are printed on pretty flimsy cardboard. It doesnt come with an LWB but it comes with a big book which looks like it has some interesting things in it but the first part makes me angry because the author is basically telling you that you have to keep your deck stored a certain way or they wont work...grrrrr! It even goes as far as to say what color of silk the cards should be wrapped in and words it in a way that if you dont use those colours then the cards may not "work" as well! However the images on the cards are lovely. They seem very futuristic and from what Ive seen of the sacred circle...the images seem more of characters from eras of the past.

sunflowr	29 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by miss_apples I just got the Quest in the mail today. I am kind of disapointed. Id still buy them but I dont think that they are worth what they are sold for retail value. Mainly because they are printed on pretty flimsy cardboard. It doesnt come with an LWB but it comes with a big book which looks like it has some interesting things in it but the first part makes me angry because the author is basically telling you that you have to keep your deck stored a certain way or they wont work...grrrrr! It even goes as far as to say what color of silk the cards should be wrapped in and words it in a way that if you dont use those colours then the cards may not "work" as well! However the images on the cards are lovely. They seem very futuristic and from what Ive seen of the sacred circle...the images seem more of characters from eras of the past. I never listen to those. That's just his way of using the cards and it works for him. Do what works for you and feels right to you, and that will be fine.

contrascarpe	29 Mar 2004
Thanks for the replies! I have the feeling the Quest is one of those decks that looks better in person than on the scans. I know the Sacred Circle was like that for me. I was unsure of them before I saw them in person. You are right miss_apples, it annoys me when an author says the cards won't work unless you do certain things. I am a firm believer that the energy comes from the reader and I never pay heed to such advice. I look forward to getting the Quest. The price was right on eBay and it is a new set. Dan

janomalee	29 Mar 2004
There is another difference in the SC and the Quest. The cards in SC are BIGGER than the Quest. The cards in the Quest are a standard size (4 5/8" by 2 3/4"). The cards in the SC are 1/2" bigger both ways. My fingers are short so it is easier for me to shuffle the Quest. However, I can see the detail better in the SC. Also, the Quest has a lot of extra information and detail in the borders. It has runes, i ching, gemstones, Hebrew letters, etc. In this respect, it reminds me of the Stairs of Gold by Tavaglione. S of G also has a lot of symbols and decorations in the borders. Frankly, with the Quest and the S of G, I don't understand all the symbols but they look cool. I do enjoy my eye candy. :-) The borders of the SC has symbols of the elements (water, clouds, etc) in the borders but that's about it. Overall, I think the SC has more of a feel of the past and the Quest has a futuristic feel.

sunflowr	29 Mar 2004
I love the Quest and look forward to working with it sometime but it's a bit advanced for me right now and very "busy" to look at. If you are learning (as I am) and want something that shows an actual scene of what is going on, and using people, I'd use Sacred Circle. Get both and work with Quest when it's easier for you to read and interpret.

Phoenix Rising	30 Mar 2004
I have the quest and I think it's great, it's a new energy and he's made the feminine aspect the senior in the courts, because we are entering a matriarchal energy now. As far as the wrapping it in silks etc, I think he put that in there for beginners, just to make it personal. You oldies don't need to worry about that.

The Quest Tarot vs. Sacred Circle thread was originally posted on 29 Mar 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.