Osho Zen deck keywords

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 19 Jun 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

northsea	19 Jun 2004
I recently got the Osho Zen deck, and it's one of my favorite tarot decks for the art itself, but I'm finding that I can't really use it for readings because its keywords plus pictures don't convey the meanings, or really limit them, (how I see them...which is based on Rider Waite) for about half the deck. 7 Awareness (Chariot)- seems like a keyword for Judgment 11 Breakthrough (Justice) - more a keyword for Falling Tower 18 Past Lives (Moon) - limited meaning, doesn't convey illusion, trickery 19 Innocence (Sun) - limited, I like some of the secondary meanings for the Sun card such as ... fun in the sun! 4 Wands Participation - interesting, but differs from harvest/rest 5 Wands Totality - completely different from competition 6 Wands Stress - differs from showing pep, courage (like the funny art though) 6 Cups The Dream - need the book to understand it, doesn't convey childhood memories 9 Cups Laziness - negative view of wishes fulfilled 2 Swords Schizophrenia - no traditional meanings 4 Swords Postponement - differs from rest/relaxation/healing 5 Swords Comparison - precludes secondary meanings such as infamy 6 Swords Burden - no journey over water here 8 Swords Guilt - looks like the 9 Swords nightmares 3 Coins Guidance - no traditional meanings like craft 6 Coins Compromise - conveys one aspect of sharing 8 Coins Ordinariness - don't have the book with me but seems to differ Page Coins Adventure - resembles the Fool Knight Coins Slowing Down - this and all the other court cards are very limiting in meanings. It's a great deck, though, but not very useable for me since I use the same tarot meanings for any tarot deck. I could use it as an oracle deck, but the resemblance to the standard RW would be confusing.

lark	19 Jun 2004
Hi nothsea and welcome! Then it's not the deck for you. If it was just the key words you could black them out with a sharpie marker or cut them off, but if the pictures don't match your meanings either then.... Time to look for a new deck. Or you could disregard the fact that it's supposed to be a tarot deck and use it as an oracle and give the cards your own meaning. You can do anything you want, it's your deck so have fun with it. If none of these things work for you our trading forum is great! And the Osho Zen is a very popular deck. But you said you love the art, so that love will lead you to a way to use it even if it's just to appreciate it as an art deck. I loved reading your list I can see you've really done your homework with this deck. It's kind of a let down when you love the art of a deck so much but you just can't get on with it as a reading deck, but that happens sometimes. Thank goodness there are so many decks for us to chose from. You're bound to find that perfect deck just for you.

Arnaud	19 Jun 2004
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northsea	19 Jun 2004
Hi lark and Arnaud, I like the interpretation of Awareness as taking the reins, but it would help if the book explains it that way. Great approach to this deck though!

paradoxx	19 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by northsea 7 Awareness (Chariot)- seems like a keyword for Judgment not arguing, but the sphinx reference to the RW sys. deals with psychic energies along with the zodiacs cancer. But Beyond Illusion would also be appropriate. Quote: 18 Past Lives (Moon) - limited meaning, doesn't convey illusion, trickery [/b] I see Silence as the moon and past lives as the Star. Quote: It's a great deck, though, but not very useable for me since I use the same tarot meanings for any tarot deck. I could use it as an oracle deck, but the resemblance to the standard RW would be confusing. Good day, Ceol [/b] I get the feeling that you are not affirmitave to the RW sys. If thats the case then we have something in common. For some reason I don't use my OZen tarot that much, but when i use it I use it. After reading the book, i see the tarot in a new way, but im only an ameteur.

Emily	20 Jun 2004
Hi Northsea, Do you have the book that came with the set? Because there is a newer book out that really goes into alot more detail than the original book. I must admit I use the Osho Zen as an oracle and not a tarot deck, I don't do full spreads just pull a couple of cards for the day or week ahead or just for guidance, asking a question like 'Is there anything I should be aware of'. I've had some really good readings with it but its very spiritual and I can get lost in the details on the cards, good for meditation but not as easy to read as say my Morgan Greer. If you do like the artwork but you are used to Rider Waite symbolism then there are many clone decks out that might fit your needs better and just use the Osho as an oracle deck. If I could find my other book to the Osho I would post the ISBN number but at the moment its gone walkabout but I do remember writing on here that all of the information in the book is new and not just a re-write of the book that comes with the deck. :)

Emily	20 Jun 2004
Deleted this because it posted twice

lark	20 Jun 2004
Great suggestion Emily.... The book is called Tarot in the Spirit of Zen. ISBN 0-312-31767-0

contrascarpe	20 Jun 2004
I guess I look at this deck a bit differently. In reality, a Tarot deck IS an oracle deck, just a more structured one. My reading style has progressed to the point where I don't bring preconceived notions into any cards when I turn them over. I often revert back to "typical" meanings, or use them as a guide, but more times than not, the images on the card (depending on the deck) combined with my vision, will dictate what it means to me. My problem, however, is with decks having ANY keywords in general on them. Don't get me wrong, some of my favorite decks have a keyword on them (Rohrig comes to mind immediately). But when a card has a keyword, and my seeker is across the table, and I don't agree with that keyword at that particular time, well, it often brings a reaction (what you do mean it means X, the card clearly says Y?!). I use the Osho Zen for my daily meditation. The book referenced (Tarot in the Spirit of Zen) is a nice companion. It is not a Tarot book in the true sense - it is a collection of Osho wisdoms hand-picked by the author to reflect the spirit of that particular card. I pull a card, reflect on it, then read the book- then that becomes my meditation for the day (or days). I haven't done a proper reading with this deck yet - there is a woman at the metaphysical shop I read at that uses this deck solely for her readings ...... I plan on getting a reading done by her to see how she approaches it. Dan

northsea	21 Jun 2004
I can see how it could be used for daily card readings, but I use my favorite deck, the Chinese, for that. I do really like the artistic interpretation on a lot of the Osho Zen cards, and the book is great for learning more about zen. BUT I have developed a system of meanings for each tarot card based on the Rider Waite meanings so many of the keywords throw me off (turn me off) because they don't fit with my system. So when I read the tarot, MOST of my interpretation comes from ...combining... a set menu of meanings of a group of cards. I guess I think the RW meanings can address the whole range of human experience so why change it. (I've read a few books with widely divergent approaches that make me favor the RW for depth of meanings.) I favor decks that reflect the meanings of the RW, but don't change them. Also, if your going to make a RW clone deck, why not follow through with it on each card? Okay, I'm starting to rant. Bye for now. :)

The Osho Zen deck keywords thread was originally posted on 19 Jun 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.