Non-Intuitive Decks .... yep, you need the LWB and companion book ...

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

Rusty Neon	29 Apr 2004
I'm sure that some of you find that there are certain tarot decks out there that you just can't use straight out of the box at all, even though they're based on RWS/Golden Dawn meanings. For example, one of those is the Shakespearian Tarot (Nowicki). The card image and the Shakespeare excerpt inscribed on the card give little indication of what divinatory meaning the card is meant to convey. I look up the card in the companion book [at least, there is a companion book instead of a lwb] and find that the card illustrates one particular, very narrow aspect of the RWS/GD meaning. And, having looked up the card in the book, the next time I'd still need to look the card up again! If I were to use this deck as a regular reading deck, I'd basically always have to have the companion book at hand!

Jewel-ry	29 Apr 2004
The Olympus Tarot is a good example, except there is not a companion book. Its based on Greek mythology. The lwb, is actually a fold out leaflet and the meanings are very sparsely related to the card. Most of them you would never get without the lwl (little white leaflet!). Fortunately, this deck belongs to my son and he loves mythology so he loves to find out about the myth that goes with the card. Its more of a research project for him than anything else! :)

hedgecub	30 Apr 2004
The Vertigo is vaguely based on RWS meanings, but I've found that the companion book (by Rachel Pollack) is very, very helpful in illuminating certain aspects of the cards that brings out its meaning clearly. Without the book, the deck is very powerful, but I wouldn't be able to read with it. It's an excellent meditative deck though.

Emily	30 Apr 2004
I have the Tarot of the Renaissance (LS) by Trevisan and I find that I'm having to refer to the LWB when I use it. I think its a Rider Waite clone deck but the images are very different. I can't really read with it well but I love the artwork, its like pencil and watercolours. If there was a book available for it then I would probably get it.

mj07	30 Apr 2004
I recently got this deck and the companion book, I love it! I can understand the images on the majors, drawn from the Buddha's life. However, since I'm not as familiar with the symbolism from the minors I really need the book. Not a bad thing as I also love the book!

bluediva	06 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by hedgecub The Vertigo is vaguely based on RWS meanings, but I've found that the companion book (by Rachel Pollack) is very, very helpful in illuminating certain aspects of the cards that brings out its meaning clearly. Without the book, the deck is very powerful, but I wouldn't be able to read with it. It's an excellent meditative deck though. I totally agree! The book is very good, and served as my main point of reference as I began learning about Tarot. There is a particularly good metaphor in the beginning of the Vertigo companion book that likens reading a card spread to viewing scattered pages from a comic or storybook, and trying to find the thread of the story among the images. I think this concept is wonderful! I'm now working with a (somewhat) more traditional deck, but I still apply much of the philosophy from the Vertigo companion book to my readings, and I really appreciate having a different view to consider. Maybe that is the charm of a deck that takes a bit of study to work with - it asks you to find new ways of looking at things.

HudsonGray	06 May 2004
The Terrestrial Tarot, that thing is so bizaar you need to read what the artist intended, it's not an easy one to pick up on.

dolphingirl	07 May 2004
For me the Tarot of Transformation - all those lavendars and pinks are really pretty but they all start to look the same to me after a bit. Also it gives me the feel that the person who created the deck is speaking french and I only know English. Crow's Magick Tarot- I love all the blacks and reds in it but with this deck it almost feels like the same symbols are being used over and over again. Also the artwork is very graphic but I just don't get anything on my own (Thank goodness for some LWBs)

The Non-Intuitive Decks .... yep, you need the LWB and companion book ... thread was originally posted on 29 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.