Age

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 18 Apr 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Phoenix	18 Apr 2002
I was just a little curious. If no noe minds me asking, how old are you, and how old were you when you got your first deck?? I am kinda interested to see the age range of the people here. I am 18, and I got my firs deck, The Universal Waite deck when I was 16.

Original Destiny	18 Apr 2002
Don't mind at all...I was 24 and i saw the Tarot Marseilles in a shop window...and the rest was history...I don't use this deck but it started me on a life journey...I am 51...and still learning...:TFOOL

lunalafey	18 Apr 2002
My aunt showed me a reading with playing cards when I was 11. Did not come across Tarot again until I was in my late teens, got my first deck given to me when I was 22.

Logiatrix	18 Apr 2002
i'm 35...got my first deck about two-and-a-half years ago.

Umbrae	18 Apr 2002
First deck @ 17 now am 48 RW standard ay?

Andryh	18 Apr 2002
I am 31. I got my first deck at 19 (a Rider-Waite deck). Unfortunately my response to the deck was not too good. I didn't click with the deck, and interpreted that to mean that tarot was not for me. Back then, there weren't nearly as many decks to choose from...At least not at the book stores where I was shopping. At 28 I rediscovered the tarot. I found not one, but several decks that "clicked". I've been a tarot-holic ever since.

Zhritza	18 Apr 2002
I was 14 or 15. My best friend gave me the Medieval Scapini. She didn't do tarot, she just thought I would like it for some reason. She knew me very well, I guess. :) I'm 27 now.

Temperance413	18 Apr 2002
I'm 34 and have been drawn to the tarot since I was ten. I used to do readings for my high school homeroom class my senior year. Then I got told I was going to hell, by a born again friend of mine, so I gave them up. I was eighteen. Last year I picked them back up and threw caution to the wind, and have been hooked ever since. They are my constant friend. My first deck was a Hanson Roberts. My favorite is the Motherpeace only to be followed by the Nigel Jackson. I on't know how I survived the last fifteen years or so, but now I know I will never give them up.

amyel	18 Apr 2002
I'm 39 and a friend gave me my first deck, The Mythic Tarot, when I was 24 or 25. I forget now. Anyway, I still have the deck and until recently, it was my primary deck, although I tried others.

RedWood	18 Apr 2002
I was 18..I got my first deck-rider-waite...Stopped for a couple of years because of my childs health issues..I am 21 and picking it back up.

cricket	18 Apr 2002
24 (going on 5 at times :D )... I got my first deck when I was eight and instantly clicked with tarot. Unfortunately, my family decided I was hellbound and got rid of all my things when they found out. I was 12 then. Then I got to college.... hehehe.... got another deck when I was 19 and have been going strong since.

Cocobird55	18 Apr 2002
I'm 55. I got my first deck when I was about 20. I used it for a few years, and then put it away for a long time. About six months ago I resurrected my interest in tarot, and decided to learn more about it. I still had my original deck, but it was mouldy so I threw it away. It seemed like a cross between the RW and the Marseille. Sue

Tarotbear 2	18 Apr 2002
8) 46 pushing 47 (in 3 weeks, in case you want to send a card, or a deck as a gift). I remember my sister with a Rider deck when I was in early teens, but I myself did not get into tarot in much of a way until I was 34 or 35 and made a robe for an astrologer who ran a bookstore in trade for the Robin Wood deck which was still not published at the time. 8) 8) 8)

zorya	19 Apr 2002
i'm 41, my first deck was the 1jj swiss, when i was 10 or 11.

DollChica	19 Apr 2002
I'm 39 and got my 1st deck at about this time last year. I was raised with the Tarot, but my mom didn't know what the heck she was doing and it scared me off of it for years. Out of 5 kids, I was the one least likely to have anything to do with tarot, wicca, alternative therapies, etc... Now here I am with nine tarot decks and doing spells :D

Kiama	19 Apr 2002
I first started studying Tarot when I was 9. Didn't get a deck til I was 12, and even then that was a freebie with a magazine (I believe I posted a thread with a link to go see my first deck!) Am 17 now. Kiama

blue	19 Apr 2002
I was in my middle teens when I got my first Tarot deck. If I recall it was the Swiss J11 (I think that's what it was called). I'd found a Gypsy Fortune Telling deck before and thought it facinating but was ready for "Real" fortune telling. The swiss deck was the only one I could find back then. That was when occult was still a four letter word. I'm now 48 and realized Tarot is much more that fortune telling.

kayne	19 Apr 2002
I am 24 and got my first deck when I was about 17... I think. :D

Jenny-Li	19 Apr 2002
Whoah - I'm impressed how young you all were... Or maybe it's just me having had my head in the sand for 28 years before I even realized what Tarot was and that it was actually something that could be a learning project at all... I'll be 29 in a week so I've been at it for almost a year now... Some days I feel I've learned tons in the last 12 months, other days I feel just as lost in this thing as I was then...!! :D Love and light, Jenny :)

aeonx	19 Apr 2002
Greetings Phoenix. I'm 21, will be 22 the 9th of September. Got into occult stuff at the age of 15, tarot the last two years (much off and on). Got my first deck when I was 17, a Rider-Waite. Now I got 15, I think. Have to count soon. :)

Kiama	19 Apr 2002
Quote: Originally posted by blue I was in my middle teens when I got my first Tarot deck. If I recall it was the Swiss J11 (I think that's what it was called Yeah! The first book I got about Tarot used the 1JJ as the deck to go by... I bought the book by Kaplan at one of those rest break places, which had quite a cool rest break shop. This book cost me a whole 99p! (Which, for a child of 9 is v.expensive! lol) For ages, I studied the pictures of the 1JJ Swiss, so this deck, whilst I cannot find it, and never had in real life, has a special place in my heart.... (All together now, Awwww.....) Kiama

arizonagirl	19 Apr 2002
I'm 55. I got my first deck about 3 years ago.

Liliana	19 Apr 2002
Im 25, and I made my first deck when I was 13 or so by copying the cards from a Nintendo game called Taboo:the sixth sense, that read cards for you. I did readings in school and someone said I had porn because the lovers were naked, with each others hands covering the others genitalia, so I got in trouble. I moved on into runes andonly got into tarot again about 5 years ago I think, when my husband gave me a wonderland tarot because he knew I liked Alice in Wonderland, I then bought myself the Spiral deck to actually learn with.

rostie	19 Apr 2002
i'm becomming 23 next month and began with tarot last year. my first one was actually an oracle, the goddess oracle (marachinky, janto). i saw it on a exhibition of books and couldn't resist it, my sister bought the tothdeck. i became curious about oracles and tarot and looked it up on internet. i felt in love with the new palladini and bought it, but i almost never use it. now i work most of the time with my osho zen and the faeries oracle. i use my goddess oracle on regular basis when i'm in (deep) trouble and need immediatly advice. now i'm looking to get a copy of the rider waite tarot (pocket).

Rhiannon	19 Apr 2002
I'm 27 and I bought my first deck (RWS) when I was 16. A friend of mine at the time bought the Tarot of the Witches and we'd read for each other even though we had no idea what we were doing. I lost interest in it for a while (give me a break I'm a Gemini and I was 16!) but about 4 years ago I picked it back up and now I can't get enough time to spend with my decks. I've just started thinking about making my own deck, still in the research phase right now. Rhiannon :)

purplelady	19 Apr 2002
I'm 39 now. I think I actually bought my first deck...............about 10 years ago , so I would've been 29. For about 3 or 4 years before that , I learned using my boyfriend's (ex-husband's) decks, the rider-waite-smith and Thoth decks. When he moved out I bought motherpeace, medicine woman and enchanted decks :D . I also had the power deck by v.c. andrews, an oracle deck. I would Love to find one of those now! I gave it away and it's now out of print!

napaisti	19 Apr 2002
I was 17-18 when I first was introduced to tarot (I had a couple of friends with decks) but it was nothing serious at the time. I got MY first deck at about 27, and I turned 30 this year. I have 6 decks at the moment (had 7 but gave one that didn't work for me to a friend's daughter, for whom it works really well) and a wish-list a mile long. napaisti

Nightwalker	19 Apr 2002
I'm 41 and have always been interested in Tarot and cartomancy. I got my first deck about 5 years ago. Haven't really gotten serious until this last year and I've also added two more decks to my collection. Nightwalker

Maan	19 Apr 2002
I'm 22 and i got my first tarot deck as a graduation present from my parents when i was 16 ( norse tarot) Best present ever!!!!!!!:) love and ligth Maan

faunabay	19 Apr 2002
I'm 40 yrs. and got my first deck alittle over a year and a half ago. But I found aeclectic right after that so feel I've learned much, much more from everyone here in such a short amount of time it seems like I've been reading for much longer than that. Then of course there's all the decks I own now, because of you all!!! LOL

fairyhedgehog	19 Apr 2002
I'm 48 and got my first deck (the Hanson Roberts) about 2 or 3 years ago, I think. I never meant to collect decks but I've got 7. Or is it 8? Eeek, they must be breeding :eek: FH

Marion	19 Apr 2002
I am 53. I bought my first deck, Rider Waite, at age 22. Used and studied it for a few years, and gradually trailed off. Studied I Ching from age 35 to about a year ago when I found this forum and turned back to tarot. Now mostly use Robin Wood, Osho Zen and Chinese tarot (new). Have a couple of other decks but rarely pull them out any more.

Emily	19 Apr 2002
I'm 36 and purchased my Rider Waite just over a year ago which has now been joined by the Spiral, Hanson Roberts, Tiny Universal Waite, Robin Wood and The Celtic Dragon tarot (in that order lol) - new to tarot but not to divination, tried a few other methods through the years :)

VGimlet	19 Apr 2002
I'm 40, and got my first deck, the Aquarian Tarot, when I was about 10 or 11. I remember seeing that black box in the case, and wanting it so badly. Yes, the box used to be black, and my deck was published by Morgan Press, not US games, LOL. I had wanted tarot cards before, but *those* - they were so wonderful... I remember it took forever to save up half (my dad paid for the other half) and I was so excited when I got them home. I still have that deck, and have used it, off and on, all this time. But I'm just now starting to really study the tarot in depth - the more I know, the more I want to know.

Strange2	19 Apr 2002
I'm 46 years old, and I got my first Tarot deck when I was around 21. It was a Rider-Waite, and that didn't do too much for me. Then I got a Crowley/Harris Thoth deck, as I was studying some of Crowley's works at the time. However, I still didn't get into Tarot much then, and the Thoth deck sat in my drawer for over 20 years. I seriously took up the study of Tarot about a year ago, and now it is a vital part of my life!

Pollux	21 Apr 2002
I'm 18 (in little more than a month 19, so PLEASE SEND ME CARDS AND GIFTS after you sent Tarotbear...). I don't know when I got my first deck. Probably I was 14. Or 11. DUNNO! :( However, I consider myself a Tarot Reader since my 16.

Phoenix	21 Apr 2002
Wow. I didn't realize that there was such a vast age range here. And I am surprised that there are more "seasoned" people here, as opposed to younger ones. I thought that there would be more younger people here.

Kitty	21 Apr 2002
I am 24 and got my first deck in a local bookshop about 6 months ago, rider waite based. I now have 7 decks, 3 of which are gifts from friends and family.

DeLani	22 Apr 2002
Began doing readings with mom's & my teacher's deck at 13. Got my first deck at 14 - the Aquarian. I didn't like it, though. I am now 29. Blessings, DeLani

Bings	23 Apr 2002
I'm 36 and will be 37 in just 2 weeks. I got my first deck 4 months ago. Dianne

sarahenglish	23 Apr 2002
I am 41 (as of last Tuesday) and bought my first deck on March 20th (as in a month ago, LOL!) I found Aeclectic the night before when I was researching decks. I feel like I am light years ahead because of the wisdom on this forum. I am amazed at the depth of wisdom I have seen here especially from a few of you who are much younger than I would have imagined. Wise beyond your years!

Mystick Dragon	23 Apr 2002
I'm 18 and got my first deck on September fourth. Hehe, it was the Dragon Tarot, and then I got the Tarot of a Moon Garden, and then the Celtic Dragon Tarot. I love the art! --Dragon

Red Emma	23 Apr 2002
From my point of view, all the fore-mentioned are very young, as I'll be 76 in June. I got my first deck, Tarot of a Moon garden about 5 or 6 years ago. I didn't connect with that deck and kind of forgot the whole business until a young friend introduced me to Motherpeace. It was my first, and only love for a long time. I broke my ankle a couple of years ago, and had fun telling "fortunes" for everyone who came into my hospital room (I was there for a month) -- doctors, nurses, aides. By the time I got home I was beginning to be quite experienced. After Motherpeace came Daughters of the Moon, the Goddess Deck, Tarot of the Southwest Sacred Tribe -- which then became my favorite. I've recently added Sacred Circle and Shapeshifters. My grandson wants to learn and I thought Moon Garden would be pretty good for him, but I can't find it. Maybe it got mad and left home. Aeclectic has been a Goddess-send for me, and tho I may be the crone of the group, in this subject I'm not the wisest. But with your help, I'm getting there.

catlin	24 Apr 2002
I am 31 years old. My first tarot deck was the home made Majors only cut-out one I found in a woman's magazine when I was 13 years old. I worked with it for several years. At the age of 17(?) I bought me the Marseilles one during a trip to France. I stuck to this one until the age of 19. Then I switched to the RW to which I remainded faithful until the age of 29. Then I got a bit bored of it (although I still use it for most of my clients and in my public readings - it is still the most known deck here in Germany). When I found aeclectic.net someday in early summer (?) in 2001, I caught the collecting and trading bug. The rest is history. :) :) :)

Aerin	24 Apr 2002
I'm 40 and got my first deck (a R-W) about three years ago. Then I realised there were all these wonderful decks and books and etc and got hooked. Fortunately for my credit card I am yet to develop a yearning for bags and spread cloths yet. Still buying decks .... My favourite to read with so far is the Matthews Arthurian Tarot (Hallowquest). It was the first I really connected with. I also have some rather nice non-Tarot decks (Huna, Celic Animal, Medicine Cards), the Ralph Blum runes and some animal runes. Aerin

Summerdream	24 Apr 2002
I'm 34 and got my first deck at age 18. It was the IIJ Swiss Tarot. I never really connected with it. I purchased about 5 more decks during my 20's but still no great connections. It wasn't until 2 months ago that I purchased the Univeral Waite and really connected with it and have gone off and purchase 9 more wonderful decks since then. I've always done them on and off during those 16 years but since January I've been working with them daily.

Kaleidoscope Eyes	27 Apr 2002
Guess I was around 14 when I got my hands on a Rider-Waite deck and matching book. Let's see, that was... in the Pleistocene era, or Devonian, or... well, long ago, once uponny time. I'm 48 now (and in denial about pushing hard on 49!)

Morgeinne	27 Apr 2002
I was 13 when I got my first deck (Legend: The Arthurian Tarot, use it only for spells and symbolism now) and am 14 now (my other deck is Dragon Tarot, that's the one I usually use for readings.)

Persha	29 Apr 2002
I am 18 and got my 1st deck (Robin Wood) at the beginning of the year, inspired to do so after I found Aeclectic. Now I stay up late checking out the forums every 2nd night. Dammit, you people don't let me get any sleep! -Persha

Lion-O	29 Apr 2002
I'm 31 at the moment and I started with Tarot a couple of years ago; I think 2 - 3 years ago.

Sam	29 Apr 2002
see last post by me. | V

wavebreaker	30 Apr 2002
I'm 35 and got my first tarot deck only a few months ago.

Sam	03 May 2002
Age=11, almost 12 First deck= New Pallidini Tarot, at the start of 11.

Jewel	06 May 2002
37 now, got first deck (Raider Waite) when I was about 28 or so I guess ... within a month or so I got the Robin Wood which is the deck I really learned on.

Ravenswing	12 May 2002
i got my first deck when i was about twelve-- an iij swiss (or something like that. it didn't click too well, so a few years later i got a rider... i spent most of high school and the fisrt two years of college living in a denim jacket with the magician painted on the back (intil it more or less disintegrated...) now it's 34 years and god doesn't even know how many decks later. i think i'm really starting to learn some things. and it would probably be the hermit i'd be wearing. and what card are you? love, light and life steve

jema	12 May 2002
i am going to be 35 in just a few weeks. i bought my first tarotdeck out of spite. not a good beginning, huh? i was at the time 21 years old a discontent jehovas witness. tarot was my way to rebel. i since left that sect and am now a freethinking heathen:-) the first deck was a miniature waite. i liked it a lot and quickly bought the marsielle deck too. i also got a blank notbook and wrote my first tarotjournal as i learnt, still got the journal, gave away the waite deck many years ago. then a year after i bought the herbal tarot and finally the hanson-roberts. many years passed, i worked with my decks, content and happy and then booom, the addiction hit me. at least it is easy to buy me birthday presents:-)

Kiama	13 May 2002
Quote: Originally posted by jema i was at the time 21 years old a discontent jehovas witness. tarot was my way to rebel. i since left that sect and am now a freethinking heathen:-) Jema, I know its alot to ask, but would you mind possibly posting something about what exactly Jehovas Witnesses believe and do? I have seen so many come to my door telling me that the end of the world is coming soon, according to Revelations, and that I should join them, but I still don't know really what they believe! Is it true that they don't celebrate birthdays or Christmas? (I think this is untrue, but it is a belief about JVW's that many people still believe...) I would be very grateful. Kiama

jema	13 May 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Kiama Jema, I know its alot to ask, but would you mind possibly posting something about what exactly Jehovas Witnesses believe and do? Kiama i'll see if i can get a post up in the spiritual section this week. it is a big subject and since i am an ex-witness i am of course biased but i'll make my best to be fair.

magicmadrigal	13 May 2002
I'm 48. I bought my first tarot deck when I was probably 15 or 16. It was the Rider-Waite deck. I played with it for awhile then it got lost in the moves. I bought The Mythic deck in my early thirties, I love this deck but still had problems reading with it intuitively. Then I found the Hanson and Robin Wood's decks - I've purchased many different decks along the way, but, Robin's deck just rings for me. I started studying and reading again in my late 30's and finally took a class right after my 40th birthday. The best thing I learned from that class was to listen to my own intuition. Magicmadrigal

Kiama	14 May 2002
Quote: Originally posted by jema i'll see if i can get a post up in the spiritual section this week. it is a big subject and since i am an ex-witness i am of course biased but i'll make my best to be fair. Thankyou so much! I look forward to reading it! Kiama

Violet Gargoyle	14 May 2002
I'm 29. I got my mother's French deck back when I was 13 and she wasn't using it anymore. She had thought it portrayed only bad luck, I never had that problem, even when I was building card houses in the back of my English class with them. Got a Waite deck when I was about 17. The first deck that "clicked" with me was actually a deck of playing cards with a little book of meanings to go with them. A lesson in mind over matter (will make the Pooh unfatter?) if there ever was one.

Butterfly	14 May 2002
I'm 28. I started using different oracles about 12 years ago, and about 5 years ago, a Wiccan friend recomended I try tarot. That was when I first discovered this site (or around the time) but it didn't have forums then.

The Age thread was originally posted on 18 Apr 2002 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.