How "small" is your Tarot Deck collection???

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 21 Nov 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

IDN	21 Nov 2004
I know there are many Aeclectic Members who have hundreds (thousands?) of decks in their collection..... But what about people who have been into Tarot for a long time and have (through choice) a very few decks? 'Would love to hear from people have been into Tarot for "at least" 2 years and have fewer than 10 decks! Which do you have? Why are you immune to the deck-buying fever?! Sorry- it doesn't count if you've had a larger collection and then "pruned" it! I am genuinely interested in the people that "limited" themselves in the first place. Take care, Regards, Ian

Sulis	21 Nov 2004
Well I've been reading for about 3 years. I have 20 decks but I only ever use 3 for reading and one for magic. I very rarely buy decks now - the reason; I've found my decks. The ones I use are the ones I was searching for when I was buying lots of decks. Now that I have my usable decks I don't need any more so the others sit in a drawer - I very rarely even look at them. I think once I have a Tarot de Marseille my collection will be complete but I don't feel ready for a TDM yet so I'm waiting. Love Sulis xx

Rusty Neon	21 Nov 2004
Alas, the smallness of my tarot deck collection is decreasing with time. :)

Cielo	22 Nov 2004
I have been reading for about 6 years now and actually I only read from the Osho Zen untill about half a year ago....Eventually I decided to get a RWS deck and learn from that but I am still new to this kind of symbolism. Still I have only 4 other decks in my collection (also RWS inspired) and somehow I don't find any others that I really like. I suppose we are all looking for that one speciel deck that will be "The One", but with the variety out there it is hard to choose. I have found that not all decks that look good on the net neccessarily meet expectations once I get them....However, right now I really enjoy reading from the Radient Rider Waite deck, it's simple and complex in perfect balance, but I still enjoy my Osho deck. Sort of like first love, I'd say. *lol*

Simone	22 Nov 2004
Teehee, maybe I am in the cathegory you're looking for here, but just barely: I have 10 decks now, after all those years (let's say 12 or 13, I don't remember exactly). I used to have 4 decks for a long time, but in the year since I've been here, my "collection" has more than doubled in size (hope it does not go on at this rate!). This is mainly because I have been offered decks unexpectedly on several occasions. I used to have: - Marseille (Grimaud) - Rider Waite - Thoth - Enchanted (Zerner Faber) - Then, after seeing all the references to it, I bought the Osho Zen. In the meantime, I got offered: - the Spirit of Flowers Tarot - the Tarot of the Cat People - the Gilded Tarot - the Vision Quest - and finally bought the Awakening the Wild Spirit Tarot when I was at Mysteries in London with Moonbow* ;). How have I limited myself? It was easy: we only have one Esoteric bookstore in my part of the world, and only a minority of the decks on offer are of my taste (those are already in my posession) and I do not have a credit card to go shopping online (my choice - the reason for this is a long story to be told in another place). Why? Because I always thought I anyway can only read with one deck at a time (which I now know is not true! ;) ) and anyway I am not much of a collector's nature.... guess I've never been bitten by the "must-have-bug" }) Oh, but I might add I have my very own deck in creation, nr 11 (to be visited in the Tarot Deck Creation forums). Love Simone

Gerbear	22 Nov 2004
I don't fit into the category now, but I did have less than ten decks for a period of thirty eight years, which is longer than some have been around. I used the Rider-Waite. Thoth, and Tarot of the Spirit mainly, for reading. During that time, tarot wasn't a major part of my life, as I was traveling, and seeking new experiences, plus my work with psychic phenomena. It's only in the last two years that my collection has grown. "Small" didn't match the expansive thrust of my life, and with a re-newed focus on tarot, my collection grew.

HearthCricket	23 Nov 2004
Well, my collection certainly is not big, by any means, but it continues to grow. Gendron Universal Waite Goddess Bruegel Old English Renaissance Victoria Regina Sacred Rose Medieval Scapini Robin Wood Legend Gilded (loving it to death) And many more to buy!

ciliegia	23 Nov 2004
i bought about 20-30 decks but right now i use only few decks. Rider,scapini,Haindl. so my collection is very small:D

WalesWoman	24 Nov 2004
I've been doing Tarot for two years or so...guess it will be three years in June. I've got three decks...sort of by choice, sort of by circumstance, and sort of because it takes a long time for me to "know" a deck. I figure the more I use one, the better I will understand it and get better readings from it. I've seen tons and tons of decks I would love to get my hands on, but luckily for me, there is only one store on the island that carries anything tarot, and usually only have new decks in at Christmas time and usually none of the ones I've drooled over. Going into the "big town" on another island is a different story... last time I found the Radiant Rider and had to have it, but the selection is limited. (I didn't have any RWS decks...good enough reason) Altho' since then I have discovered there is another place that sells Tarot decks and books and I am going to put that on my to do list. I'm rationalizing that I could probably get one deck a year and study that deck for a whole year...but then if I can only get one, which one will it be? It could take me a whole year to figure that one out. Morgan-Greer Radiant Rider-Waite Legends

Rusty Neon	24 Nov 2004
I know one reader who uses one, and only one, tarot deck for readings which he replaces with a different deck about every 7 years. He's currently using the Thoth which he reads intuitively, and when I was speaking with him, he was in his fifth or sixth year and he hadn't yet decided what his next deck would be.

cheekyminx	24 Nov 2004
I have 3 decks. - Radiant RW (read with this one) - Celtic Dragon - Celtic Tarot Still haven't found anymore that I'm drawn to and I lack funds!

Shining_Moon	25 Nov 2004
Yeah, I don't have that many - although my collection has just expanded rather rapidly in the last few weeks. I have Orginal RWS (first deck -had that for about 12 years before I bought another one) Glastonbury Tarot of the new vision Universal RWS Mini universal RWS Motherpeace Gilded Tarot of Marseilles Cosmic Buckland's Fortune Telling Kit Visconti (came through today) Not many then :D! Vix

RedMaple	26 Nov 2004
I've been reading for 20 years, and had only 3 decks for a long time. First, the Aquarian, which I didn't connect with all that much, and gave away. Then the RWS, and then the Motherpeace. Eventually, I got the Universal Waite, because I liked the softer colors, and I got a small Motherpeace as a carrying deck. I really learned on these two decks. I gave my original RWS to a friend. Then I was away from Tarot for several years. When I came back to it, I really wasn't connecting with the Motherpeace anymore. And there were so many new decks, and some were so beautiful, I was really in Tarot lust! I've gone through a period of trying new decks, some of which I love. The Morgan Greer and the Hanson Roberts have both been good reading decks for me. Lately I also use the World Spirit deck, which I like for its diversity, and the beautuiful images. I love the black background. I also recently got the Golden, which I think will also become a much-loved deck. The Buddha Tarot is also one I really connect with. But there are many decks I've tried and just don't like, so I am now in the process of trading them, giving them away, etc. I'd like to get down to those I really connect with. I'm not really a collector at heart, but I was drawn to find that special deck, and I still feel that from time to time. Decks I've rejected include: Cosmic Tribe Thoth Shining Tribe Waking the Wild Spirit Renaissance Enchanted and Zerner Farber Decks I'm still not sure about include the Celtic Wisdom, the Robin Wood, The Nigel Jackson, the Legend Arthurian and the Haindl. And I still feel drawn to the Gilded....and the Brueghel...and.... Someone said recently on a thread, forgive me for not remembering who it was, that each deck has its own language, and I like that idea ....having decks that speak differently, or play in different keys. But I don't want to have so many that I don't know each intimately. And that takes time with each deck. I really admire being able to stay with one deck for 6 years at a time -- but right now I'd never be able to do it. :)

Lurea	27 Nov 2004
I had ONE deck for twelve years-- the Rider-Waite. The only decks I saw around tended to be cartoony ones that didn't do anything for me. Then I decided to seriously study the Tarot, so I bought some books. So then I looked up the decks the authors recommended. I bought five more, also trying and rejecting the Cosmic Tribe. :laugh: Then I found AT. :) Acquired six more decks in as many weeks. :D So now I have ten, and I'm spending some time with each one, seeing which I bond best with. My goal is not to have a big collection, but enough decks that I like so I can switch around a bit. ;)

tatsi	03 Dec 2004
I've been into Tarot, since the early 80's, but it wasn't until the internet age that I got real serious about it. The variety of decks, the chats with other enthusiasts, study groups, etc. The internet allowed me to change from a dabbler to a student of the art. My tarot collection is not big, but it continues to grow with much help from this site *LOL* For a list of the Tarot and Oracle decks in my collection, see my Profile. tatsi

Majecot	03 Dec 2004
For about 7 years I had only the same 6 decks.. then I was down to one, because I figured.. I only read with one anyway. Immediately regretted my decision, and then I joined here.. and well the rest is history.

gypsy_morrigan	03 Dec 2004
Well, I've been reading for only about three years and have less than ten decks, only two of which I've really clicked with so far. I think it helps that I'm so picky. However, I haven't sold off the ones I don't like yet: anyone want them? Love: World Spirit Goddess Just got the Golden and know I'm going to love it OK: Buckland Romani Victoria Regina Dislike: Wild Spirit Both Art Nouveaus

The How "small" is your Tarot Deck collection??? thread was originally posted on 21 Nov 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.