Haindl Tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 20 Apr 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

ros	20 Apr 2004
"IF" I could learn to read with this deck how could I cover the big honking eye on the backs of the cards without ruining them? I don't mind these cards but the backs are just haunting. It's like the big eye is always with you after you open the deck. Thanks for any replys.

contrascarpe	20 Apr 2004
ros - I wish I had a dollar for every time I have held this deck in my hands. I did so again today, but still did not purchase it. When I was growing up, my Mom had a photo of John and Jackie Kennedy in our living room. I remember being freaked out because no matter where I went, Jackie was looking at me ...... and all of this just after the fateful events of 1963. In one of our moves, the picture disappeared. I was at my folks the other day and somehow she found another print of this photo. Even in death Jackie O haunts me. So, I know what you mean about that eye. But besides that, how do you like the deck? Dan

Imagemaker	20 Apr 2004
I had to get used to the eye, but always felt it was less scary than challenging me, the too-frivolous, the unworthy, to use this deck. I still feel uninformed about it, not enough depth in mythology, and seldom read with it, but now the eye is my own, slo-owly opening to deeper levels of tarot. (*where's my fluffy bunny deck and blankie!)

ros	20 Apr 2004
If it wasn't for that eye thing it would be great. I think it has a lot of symbols in the Majors which will take forever to find, the minors may be easy. The courts I don't care for so I may leave them out for now. I have read the reviews from Amazon which were intersting. I want to learn more I Ching, runes & astrology which are shown on these cards. What I like about this confusing deck... the earthy colours! Thanks for asking Dan.

ros	20 Apr 2004
Thanks Imagemaker mabee that's the honking eye thing, I feel challenged. It's probably one of those warm feeling decks that ends up surprising you!

scorpio	20 Apr 2004
Maybe this is a deck you could work with face up, might give you more with working with the "big picture". I do that once in awhile just to shake things up.

ros	21 Apr 2004
scorpio I've thought of that. Mabee I should try it. Thanks.

Emily	21 Apr 2004
I bought this deck last year when I wanted to try something a little less traditional but Thoth based. I do like the Haindl but it is such a hard deck to get into, the artwork is beautiful. The eye doesn't bother me that much but it does look like its challenging you, and it also looks a little sad with the tear. I have the book that came with the set but also had the two other books on order but once I realised that I wasn't connecting with this deck like I had with the Thoth, it was sort of put back on the shelf and I cancelled the books. Its still a deck that I would like to get to know but I haven't got the time at the moment that this deck would need. I think I did a new deck reading with it that pointed out that if I wanted to use this deck then I would have to work with it properly. But is it a nice deck. Edited to say:- Just found the new deck spread I did with this deck : Death, Alchemy (Temperance) and Aeon (Judgement) - I had really high hopes of this deck when I first took delivery lol - I'm wondering now why I didn't carry on instead of giving up.

Khatruman	21 Apr 2004
I have seen the first editions of the Rachel Pollack books on the majors and minors of this deck at Atlantic Discount Book Warehouse for pretty cheap. So if you do have a discount book shop, it is worth a look for these. I personally do like the Haindl for all the folklore references included. It is definitely a deep deck, and worth studying. Perhaps not for casual readings, but at least for deep introspection

Bean Feasa	23 Apr 2004
I have the Haindl and the 'Reader's Handbook' for it by Rachel Pollack. I find the artwork very deep and haunting, but for the moment anyway it's very much a study deck for me. I suppose, if I'm honest I'm a little in awe of it. But I'm content to take things slowly, dipping into it now and again and reading a few of the corresponding entries in the book. I agree with you, Ros, that the eye on the back's a bit eerie - but short of scribbling over it in black pen I can't think of anyway of blanking it out. Maybe someone'll have a suggestion - I've seen some clever tips on these boards over the months I've been reading. On the other hand maybe you could think of the eye as symbolising what you have to get past in order to win the gifts of the deck. You know like in fairy tales where the fearsome-looking hag guards the cave where the wisdom or the treasure or whatever is kept. :) Kate

SongDeva	23 Apr 2004
ros, if you don't stop complaining about the deck, I'm gonna come over there and steal it.

ros	23 Apr 2004
O.K. I'm done complaining!

Grizabella	10 Jul 2004
I love the Haindl. I especially like the eye on the back, too. It's a very profound deck. There's so much to learn and so much to see. I don't like the minors, though. The courts and majors are awesome, but the minors kind of leave me cold. I don't care for the words at the bottom. I feel like I'll never be able to learn the symbols of the runes and kabbalah, though, in order to read without the books. I have all three books about the deck and I try to study the books every now and then. I read with Ancestral Path and Rider Waite, though, when I read for other people. I think if I ever do manage to learn enough about Haindl, though, it would be a deck that I'd use very often for reading for others. The few readings I've done for myself have been extremely profound and accurate to the point where, if ever there was a powerful deck, I think this is the one. Oh, and one final thing I don't like is that they're so hard to shuffle for me. I have small hands and am going through testing for MS because I have some problems that are pointing in that direction. I know people say you can shuffle other ways, but I haven't found them satisfactory for me. I wish, wish, wish they'd make a miniature Haindl------it would be more treasured than gold for me. I tried cutting off the borders to make the deck smaller, which I found made the art work absolutely startlingly vivid and got rid of the words, but they don't shuffle well now, so I ended up buying another deck and just leaving it as is.

The Haindl Tarot thread was originally posted on 20 Apr 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.