Universal Waite Tarot Deck

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 09 May 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

fhood	09 May 2004
I really enjoy studying and using my Universal Waite Tarot Deck. The colors are really great compared to the regular Rider-Waite Deck. Anybody else agree? P.S. This is my first post, but I've been a member for almost a year or so! I enjoy coming here to read the posts as part of my study of the tarot cards.

hedgecub	10 May 2004
The Rider Waite Smith was the third deck I bought and the first deck I really started working with as it goes with the most popular standard set of meanings that gets published in most beginner's tarot books. Now that I have many more decks to choose from, some of which both stick to traditional meanings and are aesthetically pleasing, I only keep my RWS around for reference purposes, preferring to read with my prettier decks. I have been considering getting the Universal Waite, though. I'm starting to consider reading in public (just for practice), and I get the feeling that people like to see traditional imagery. However, I just can't stand the RWS colours, whereas the Universal Waite is rather pretty. So for public readings, the Universal Waite is the first deck on my must-buy list. I must say it is an excellent deck to start with. Many good books and websites, such as 78 Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack and http://www.learntarot.com/ by Joan Bunning, are based on the RWS images, so it's helpful to have a RWS deck to work with as you go through the lessons, and if it's a Universal Waite deck, you don't have to gag at the garish colours while you're at it :) As you become more comfortable with the traditional RWS symbols and meanings, though, you might feel the need to explore more diverse terrain. Recently I've put aside my trusty Robin Wood (RWS symbols and meanings with gorgeous Pagan-oriented artwork) for more adventurous decks such as the African Tarot (RWS meanings but with a definite spin) and the Vision Quest Tarot (Thoth meanings with a Native American flavour). So I applaud your choice of deck, but be prepared for the inevitable decklust to set in sometime soon (anywhere between a few weeks, a few months, or a few years depending on how much time you spend here on Aeclectic ;) ), and prepare for a sudden urge to obtain and attempt to wrap your head around the Osho Zen, say :)

fhood	10 May 2004
I have checked out the Joan Bunning site numerous times over the last year or so. It has good information on the meanings of the cards. I prefer, though, the http://www.ata-tarot.com/resource/cards/ That site also has good write-ups on the cards.

hedgecub	10 May 2004
Ooh, thanks for the link! *immediately bookmarks it*

dolphingirl	10 May 2004
I do love the universal Waite deck and I can't wait for the new pocket addition (I really like small decks) I do think the colors on the Universal are much user friendly and prettier than most other versions of the Rider Waite decks.

CreativeFire	10 May 2004
Hi fhood I bought the Rider Waite Smith purely for study purposes a while ago now, but I do not like the colours in this deck (or the heavy black lines). I then bought the Radiant Rider Waite as I had heard that these have better colouring - which they do but they are a lot brighter! I then also bought the Universal Waite - which is by far my favourite of these 3 decks, as the the images are finer and colouring easier on the eye. The Universal Waite is one of my main reading decks these days and find it very good for study and reading. Cheers CreativeFire

Darla	10 May 2004
I recently buyed the Universal Waite after 3 years of tarot experience as my first Rider Waite deck. I learned with untraditional decks like the Sacred Circle. Suddenly it grabbed me and I wanted to study the roots of Tarot so I bought the Universal Waite (never liked the RW coloring) and the Fournier Marseille. I like the colors in the Universal Waite very much, although I doubt that I will use it a lot for readings. Compared to modern decks the persons in the cards look less alive to me. Then I prefer really old art like the Marseille! ;) I will probably use the UW mainly for studying and reference or, since I bought the German pocket version, when I'm away on a trip. Anyway, I'm glad to have it. And thanks for the great link! :)

Centaur	10 May 2004
I agree with what has been said before. The original Rider Waite deck strikes me as very dry, and drab. I cannot imagine how such images could stimulate one's intuition. I attained the Universal Waite at the beginning of the year, as I was drawn to the 'life' infused through the colouring in the art of Mary Hanson Roberts (whose work I became familiar of after purchasing her Hanson Roberts deck). In my opinion, this is a lovely deck. It is amazing what some colour can do for those drawings. For me, it brings them alive. I would also like to add that the Radiant Rider Waite strikes me as very similar to the Universal Waite... only that the Radiant appears to have a 'plastic', too 'shiny' look to it.

Jewel	10 May 2004
I have also used my Universal Waite for studies. I much preferred it to the original RW due to its coloring. I recently received the Raidiant Raider Waite and it will be taking the place of my Universal Waite, as I love the brilliant coloring of the Radiant. Of all the RW clones (those using Pamela Coleman Smith's drawings) I find the Radiant to be the prettiest, and one that could actually entice me to use the deck for more than study.

darwinia	10 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by fhood I really enjoy studying and using my Universal Waite Tarot Deck. The colors are really great compared to the regular Rider-Waite Deck. Anybody else agree? I agree, it's the only R-W deck I own and like. You might enjoy the book "Tarot and the Tree of Life" by Isabel Radow Kliegman because it discusses tarot Minors and Court cards using the Universal Waite. Great book, very insightful about life and tarot. Paperback: 304 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 0.80 x 8.97 x 6.01 Publisher: Quest Books; (June 1997) ISBN: 083560747X

Emily	11 May 2004
I too like the colouring of the Universal Waite, I much prefer it over the original Waite - and I like the faces and the fact that Mary Hanson Roberts has kept so much of the detail in the cards, the backs are nice too. I'm not to keen on the Radiant Rider, again its the expressions on the faces, they seem much more sullen than either the Rider Waite or the Universal.

Shalott	12 May 2004
Howdy, fhood...I'd say welcome, yet you've been here longer than me! Just in hiding... ;) I do prefer the Universal Waite and Radiant Rider Waites but not so much because of the colors per se...it's like they're (regular and Original) pixelated...I can see the big huge dots of color and I find it distracting! It looks more like how it's printed than the original colorings. If you look at these other examples of "Pixies" work http://home.comcast.net/~pamela-c-smith/home.html from Holly Voley's site, they really have that turn of the 20th century look, which the Original RWS seems to have. Cool for nostalgia purposes but with the recolorings, they look more timeless. And the images are clearer. :D

Illusionist	13 May 2004
I agree. I as well like the RW. I'm thinking of buying the Radiant RW.

Shalott	13 May 2004
OK - one of the reviewers of the Universal Waite on Amazon said that this current printing isn't as clear as the first edition(s). Do you guys know if this is true? Maybe I'll check on eBay just to see if an older version is there. I hope it hasn't changed!

Ravenswing	13 May 2004
The RWS is the deck I grew up on. When I got the Universal, it was a whole new brighter world. Though I don't use it for reading much now, it is one of the three decks I have for comparitive study-- the others are the Thoth and the Fourier. fly well Raven

tmgrl2	13 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Shalott OK - one of the reviewers of the Universal Waite on Amazon said that this current printing isn't as clear as the first edition(s). Do you guys know if this is true? Maybe I'll check on eBay just to see if an older version is there. I hope it hasn't changed! Very interesting, Shalott...I have the RWS...two of them...one I used to study with and one to read with...then I got the Radiant..I like it very much...but have been planning to order the Universal to see which of three I like the best..and I know there are others, but these three look the most appealing of the RWs to me...but if the newer printings aren't so good...I don't know. I also just got my LEGilded Tarot...it's lovely...and based on RW tradition... I have just started delving into Tarot de Marseille ....I'm thinking it's going to hook me as well and have a feeling, soon I will just be choosing which deck to read with...and when the bug bites, one has to have....OTHER decks... I started a thread on Silvie Simon's book for anyone wanting an English text discussing the cards...she uses mostly Grimaud's TdM pictures, but I do like the interpretations ....a nice addition to even a RWS reader...even tho RW has pictures for the minors, the numbers are still the same.... but I definitely don't see myself as "giving up" the RW altogether. I agree, Q's like the pictures....Time and reading helps us sort out. I am new, too. terri

Dakota	15 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by tmgrl2 I also just got my LEGilded Tarot...it's lovely...and based on RW tradition... What is the complete name of that deck? It sounds interesting. My Universal Waite will probably always be my favorite deck. :D

Marion	15 May 2004
LEGilded, meaning the Limited Edition of the Gilded tarot. The mainstream version is due out this fall. http://www.ciromarchetti.com/gilded_tarot/major.html

Dakota	16 May 2004
Beautiful, but WAYYYYYYYYY out of my price range. But thanks for showing me!

maszat	17 May 2004
A few years ago I went to mediation classes where the teacher used Tarot cards and that's how I got interested in it. The first deck I bought was the same one the teacher used, The Medicine Woman. At that time I didn't knew too much about it, but unfortunately couldn't really relate to those cards. So for a few years I had let it go. Not too long ago I became interested again and decided to buy a traditional deck. Luckily I have found this website where I could see all the different decks. And instantly it was the Univerdal Waite for me from all the different RWS versions. I don't know just looked at the others and didn't really like them but am very happy with the Universal Waite. :)

Shalott	17 May 2004
Form what I saw on eBay, and have seen other places, my copy of the Universal Waite does look a bit more faded out but it's just so hard to tell without seeing another in real life, mine's not BAD but certain little things can be harder to see and I've hear ppl say the UW is so CLEAR and then I got curious, but I still like it and get good readings with it...anyhoo, just wanted to acknowledge tmgrl's reponse! "TY" as you would say! :D

lark	17 May 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Shalott OK - one of the reviewers of the Universal Waite on Amazon said that this current printing isn't as clear as the first edition(s). Do you guys know if this is true? Maybe I'll check on eBay just to see if an older version is there. I hope it hasn't changed! This is true Shalott. I recently bought a new Universal and Hanson Robert deck, my old ones are 7 years old. The print on the new decks is not as deeply colored as my old versions. It's not blury or anything... Just lighter, kind of faded looking. I was very disappointed that the quality of printing had declined.

The Universal Waite Tarot Deck thread was originally posted on 09 May 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.