Is this bad luck??

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 15 Nov 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

The Enchanter	15 Nov 2002
I heard if you buy you first deck fr yourself its bad luck. Is this true?

Phoenix	15 Nov 2002
Depends on the person. If you think it does, than it will. Most people here, however, have bought most of their decks, and that they work for them. I guess it just depends on how you personally feel about it.

violinlily	15 Nov 2002
hey "Bob" I bought my deck, and it works just fine for me... remember??? I also think that it depends on the person. violinlily :TPC

allibee	15 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by The Enchanter I heard if you buy you first deck fr yourself its bad luck. Is this true? where did you hear that one? allibee

dangerdork	15 Nov 2002
You must be violinlily's "friend...' ;) I wonder if you heard it from MY post HERE I don't remember where I heard it, but I heard it like 25 years ago... LOL

dangerdork	15 Nov 2002
LOL THAT didnt work... how do y'all DO that?

allibee	15 Nov 2002
Hi Danger, copy>paste from the address bar on the page you want to link from :D allibee

violinlily	15 Nov 2002
yup, he's my friend!! uhhh, if you look in "f.a.q." there's a thing on how to type the smilies and stuff like that, there's a thing to type links w/, I forget what it is though, sry, dangerdork, violinlily :TPC

RingTheory	15 Nov 2002
Hmmm...I don't see it'd be bad luck, but I have heard that saying before.. But I've also heard you should be careful if you receive a deck as a gift. I'd probably get someone I liked and knew to buy it for me, or just go ahead and buy it for myself. I've bought them for myself, new and used, had others buy decks for me, and have decks that were in the family and heavily used for generations, and I don't see any difference....

Joywalker	15 Nov 2002
Hmm...never heard of that one... For those who have bought their first deck for yourself,did you recall having bad luck at the point of time? For myself,I don't think so. So,I guess it's not true. ;)

The Enchanter	15 Nov 2002
I don't think it is bad luck either, i was just wondering what everyone else thinks. Thanx

Teranar	15 Nov 2002
I can't remember for the life of me wether I was given my first deck or I got it meself... Actually I couldn't have gotten it myself because it's so old.... I actually have no clue.

HudsonGray	16 Nov 2002
I don't think it's bad luck at all. I've been told (WAY back around 1984) that your first deck is supposed to be given to you by someone else..........all that will get you is a deck you may never be able to use because it's the wrong one for you. I've bought all my decks. No bad luck to it at all. I'll even give people a Christmas list of the ones I still want! Or take a gift certificate for them! Don't stress out over the mythology about tarot reading. There's all sorts of stuff out there about how to shuffle, how to wrap a deck instead of keeping it in the cardboard box, how to do this, that & everything. Just do what feels right & if that means buying the deck you want vs getting a terrible one you don't want, then do it. Besides, if you WAIT for that first one and nobody gets it for you, you could be waiting forever.

MystiqueMoonlight	16 Nov 2002
From what I understand it is bad luck to buy your own deck because you're out thirty bucks. Now if someone else buys you the deck that's good luck because you can use that 30 bucks on lunch :)

MeeWah	16 Nov 2002
Enchanter: This is one of those "myths" that has persisted. I have acquired nearly all of my decks via purchases or trades. If I waited to receive a deck as a gift, I would only have 2!

Major Tom	16 Nov 2002
You really shouldn't do it. First you buy yourself a deck. Then another one catches your eye and you've got to have that one too. Then another. Then another. Next thing you know you've got more decks than you know what to do with. You're rearranging your home to accomodate them all! It's a long, slippery slope this buying of tarot decks and can only lead to the shame of being a tarotholic. })

Dark Inquisitor	16 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by The Enchanter I heard if you buy you first deck fr yourself its bad luck. Is this true? No. It is bad luck to listen to rumors & people that tell you things like this! Tarotphelia

Silaria	16 Nov 2002
I've heard this and similar Tarot myths many many times over the years. I tend to believe that you should choose your own deck because you'll know what deck "hits" you and what decks don't better than anyone else. This doesn't mean other people can't give you decks as gifts; just tell them exactly what deck you want ahead of time so you get the right one instead of one of their choosing.

DeLani	16 Nov 2002
I think this is one of the older myths around tarot. Even my teacher, who learned to read during WWII, heard this one. I think it is more about "lineage" than anything. Back in the day, there were probably only like 2 decks available anyway, so it wouldn't matter if you bought the RW or someone bought it for you. But if someone bought it for you, it showed a "lineage" or a teacher had brought you up right (so to speak). I did get my first deck as a gift, from my mom. The Aquarian. But truthfully, I really didn't like it and traded it away a few years later. I have gotten other decks as gifts too: My teacher gave me the Karma Music deck when I was about 14 or 15, and my mom gave me the large Thoth deck for my 15th b-day. I love both of them very much, both as very good decks and for sentimental reasons. But my most popular (most often used) decks are the ones I bought for myself. So do whatever you think is best. But if you wait around for someone else to give you what you need, you'll never get it (5 of Pentacles).

Kazz	17 Nov 2002
I was given my first deck as a gift by my closest friend who also reads. I also have been told that it is meant for you if given as a gift (your first deck), but that was years ago and not knowing a great deal about the tarot back then, I believed it. In saying that, I think, whether you are given your first deck or it's purchased by you, it is meant for you. But.....if I hadn't been given my first deck as a gift, I really don't think I would have bought one for myself, so to me, this gift was the beginning of a wonderful journey that I would have otherwise never have travelled......so for that I am grateful! Cheers Kazz :TQC

Pollux	17 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by MystiqueMoonlight From what I understand it is bad luck to buy your own deck because you're out thirty bucks. Now if someone else buys you the deck that's good luck because you can use that 30 bucks on lunch :) I never had bad luck. Most of my decks were gifts, so it didn't even *occurr* to me that the 30 bucks I had saved could be used for lunch. So where's the use of it? You know what MystiqueMoonlight? It means I'll just have to see how I can get free lunch, and then use the money I have saved for decks... }) *LOL* This topic has been raised many times. And As many we say it is just a superstition invented by those privileged ones who had a tarot pack in the old days when decks were rare - professional competition or instinct of survival? ;)

DarkElectric	17 Nov 2002
I am constantly amazed at the absolute myths and psuedo-legends concerning tarot. Such as this one, about "bad luck buying your own deck", 'You shouldn't read for yourself" or other such silliness. One Geek's Opinion: Horsefeathers. I think that good and decent shopkeepers who are purveyors of Tarot decks should start a campaign to drive all specious rumours and innuendo out of the marketplace, and back into the murky pool of ignorance where they justafiably belong. They're bad for business.

mrsjvan	17 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by HudsonGray I've been told (WAY back around 1984) that your first deck is supposed to be given to you by someone else..........all that will get you is a deck you may never be able to use because it's the wrong one for you. This is exactly what happened to me. My husband bought me my first deck. The goddess Tarot and although it is a beautiful deck, I never connected with it. I used it for about two weeks and haven't used it since.:( Maybe I should trade it, huh?:) mrsjvan

Sea Sprite	17 Nov 2002
I agree completely with DarkElectric! :)

MystiqueMoonlight	17 Nov 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Pollux This topic has been raised many times. And As many we say it is just a superstition invented by those privileged ones who had a tarot pack in the old days when decks were rare - professional competition or instinct of survival? ;) Or perhaps it's the old Christmas superstition of "what I want for.." Ah commercialism and it's strangle hold on new religions. })

The Is this bad luck?? thread was originally posted on 15 Nov 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.