Odd ideas about Tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 02 Aug 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

tabbycat	02 Aug 2003
Just thought I'd share this experience with y'all, as it's happened to me twice recently. I've started to admit to friends and colleagues at work that I collect tarot decks. On two separate occasions this had been met with absolute slack-jawed amazement and this question - "Why would you do that? Aren't they all the same?" All the same?! I've just told them I've got around 40 decks and they think I have multiple copies of the RW! Sorry - just had to vent over this! I'm still having trouble getting my head around it! Jilly

wavebreaker	02 Aug 2003
A while ago I discovered that an aunt of mine uses tarot too. She uses the Rider-Waite and even though she knew there were more decks, she was absolutely amazed that I had about 20 different ones... Maybe it's because she lives in a catholic area of the country, there aren't any real tarot shops there, so the Rider-Waite deck (and maybe a few others) is probably all she can find in the shops. Oh well, as long as they don't say "78 cards?? Aren't they all the same??" :D

Minderwiz	02 Aug 2003
I must admit that up till a couple of years ago I was only vaguely aware that there was more than one tarot deck - my wife had the Mystic Tarot and I had the Mandala Astrological Tarot, which I found difficult. When I decided to try and get into Tarot I looked for a more straightforward deck than these two (RWS) and assumed that there might be, oh, maybe 10 or so different decks. I never imagined anyone would collect decks (as opposed to using them). Only since I've been a member here have I realised the shear number of decks available and begun to understand why people would collect them (basically because they are there!)

galadrial	02 Aug 2003
Not too long ago, my son wondered aloud whether I didn't have enough tarot decks already- how many did I need? The implication was strong that they were all essentially the same. I think I got through to him (a long-time gamer) when I asked whether, to the non-gamer, all first person shooters didn't look the same (he has a lot more FPS's than I have decks). I explained that they weren't just different artistic renderings of the same thing, but were actually each unique, and that "gameplay" is quite different depending on the deck used. This analogy gave him pause, though he looked doubtful that the two were really equivalent. My friends understand even less, being not into tarot at all. I suspect they just think I'm eccentric:-)

lawguy51	02 Aug 2003
My other passion is clay target shooting. I own one shotgun. Almost every member of the club owns at least 5. They don't work any differently or shoot any better. They just have to have them because some of them have beautiful engraving on the receiver, or the stock is made of high grade walnut, or it's Italian and you can't get them anymore. Gee...sounds a lot like collecting tarot decks! Lawguy51

Cerulean	02 Aug 2003
I remember when I first looked at modern tarot cards. It took some searching to find what they were about, for me. I remember that even among commerative poker card decks that I looked at, the French suits were the same. Essentially the same with some decorative detail. So it wasn't something that I collected and different tarot decks weren't in local bookstores at that time. I found my sister's first tarot deck, the Classic Deck, not to my liking and asked her if I found something nicer if I could get her a replacement. She thought it might be fun. So I found the Ukiyoe after traipsing far and wide, then I decided that I should work with it to find what people were doing with pictures. By the way, it was online, a review by TarotPassages.com, that I found it. While it worked to help encourage Asian-style studies, I wanted to find something more Western and a little closer to what the books were talking about in meditative focus, etc. So the Arthurian by the Matthews was a good teaching tool with the Hallowquest workbook...say about 1997. I think it was 1998 or 99 that historical and European decks were more available to order or find. Now we find some historical and Italian/French decks in major bookstores and Asian anime tarots through the same vendors that sell anime goods... From what I remember, I didn't think it was odd. I thought it was wonderful to find--but in 1996 or 1997, it was harder to find different tarot decks!

Baby Owl	02 Aug 2003
I've had someone question my acquisition of decks because of the whole trees/paper/environment issue. Has anyone else heard that one? Baby Owl

Teranar	02 Aug 2003
Hey - someone could start making tarot decks out of a wood-pulp substitute cardboard. Sometimes people don't even recognize my dragon tarot is a tarot deck, because its not the "Usual pictures." One person even asked why my dragon deck didn't have any naked people. Ah, well, its like some people wondering why little girls collect Barbies... they all seem the same to me.

Dark Inquisitor	02 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Baby Owl I've had someone question my acquisition of decks because of the whole trees/paper/environment issue. Has anyone else heard that one? Baby Owl I suppose now all printing must be banned . I look forward to our new empty world. (What are they planning to use for toilet paper, by the way? ) And how about all those family photographs people take ? You have scared me, Baby Owl. Tarotphelia

Cerulean	03 Aug 2003
You mean books and decks that are made from recycled materials, hemp and soy ink? I guess you could ask the askers if they could tell you what countries they would recommend getting books and such. I think many consumers do what they can. I actually think picture decks are more useful than sooo many junk books and pulp paper mailers (Too many catalogues and telephone books). Another suggestion is to promote trade and recycling with your books and decks; go to used bookstores or buy the items from the secondary discount market so you can rescue the poor souls of trees that would end up in the bargain bin. I think that is what ebay is about, isn't it? Since many of clean, recycle and reuse such items, I think we are trying to promote healthy reuse and not waste. I think card fans also promote book arts and creatively and also try to use digital means when they can (email) to communicate. So the use of cards is a kind of old-fashioned physical game and means to inspire our imagination and perhaps inner perspective. This may not answer the question and maybe I'm guessing too much, but maybe such ideas would assuage card fan guilt on the use of books and decks. Mari H.

Diana	03 Aug 2003
Only a few years ago, I also only thought there was only one Tarot deck. But living in continental Europe, and very near to France, I thought it was the Tarot of Marseille, published by Grimaud. Then I discovered the Rider-Waite - thought it was a gimmick. I didn't think people actually used it for reading Tarot. I thought that illustrated pips were so wierd..... Then I got internet connection, and I discovered all the others....... (I still think the Tarot of Marseille is the only true Tarot, but that is another story.....)

baba-prague	03 Aug 2003
Well, if you think comments on decks "aren't they all the same?" can be difficult, imagine how I felt at sixteen when my mother said "you want ANOTHER book? - you already have books!" Fortunately, even at the time it made me laugh (and I started doing part-time work to get my own books). My mother is still amazed that I need "so many books" LOL.

jmd	03 Aug 2003
Couldn't let this one go by!!! Diana wrote: 'I thought that illustrated pips were so weird.....' Does this imply that Marseille decks have pips without illustrations??? })

Diana	03 Aug 2003
Oh lordy! What have I gone and done? Blaspheming and everything. I will go and do penitence right now.......

Kiama	03 Aug 2003
I too have had this reaction from people when I tell them how many decks I own. My usual spiel runs along the lines of explaining that because each deck is created by a different person, each deck has a different 'take' or view of each card. And since these cards represent different aspects of Life, the Universe, and Everything, the different takes really help one understand the cards and what they represent better. I sometimes link it to an analogy of books: Just buying one book about Animal rights for instance, may only give you one take or view of that issue, whereas buying many different books will give you more than one take, and thus you can understand all the different viewpoints surrounding the issue. My Mother at first would despair when she saw my newest deck acquisitions, but I think now she's learned that deck collecting is a hobby for me just the same as thimble collecting is for her! Kiama

tabbycat	03 Aug 2003
I suppose I've never thought there was only one kind of tarot deck. Long time ago, way back in the 70s, when you could only get the Swiss 1JJ deck, I was aware that the RW and the Thoth decks existed and I'd seen the Witches deck in that James Bond film, so lots of different decks seems normal to me. Maybe it's a collecting thing too - I knew folks who collected stamps, coins, first-day covers and even beermats, and I never thought to ask any of them if they were all the same! I know what you mean about books. The first thing people say when they see mine is "Haven't you got a lot of books!" and the second question is "Have you read them all?" (the answer is yes, most of them all the way through, but some I have just to dabble in). I do feel a bit guilty about hoarding the paper, but masses more gets shoved through my door as snail-spam, which I usually recycle without reading. I don't buy noozpapers or magazines as I consider them a complete waste of trees and I can read what I want on-line anyhow. Jilly

Emily	03 Aug 2003
I started out with my good old Rider Waite and until I joined here I had no idea that there were so many types/styles of tarot deck out there. Once I found out that I could actually purchase these decks online my collection started. My first online purchase was a tarot deck, the Hanson Roberts I think. My husband still doesn't understand why I have so many, even though he can see that they are all different (I usually don't show him my new decks now). I did show my Mom my Ancient Italian which came a couple of weeks ago, her reaction - She wanted to know why I'd wasted my money seeing as I already had so many. Don't think I'll bother showing her any other decks I might order. At least my son appreciates my decks, he loves to look through them, 6 years old and he's interested in the tarot :)

anjocoxo	05 Aug 2003
Well, I don't have that many decks, but this year, on my birthday, I bought three new decks... that raised some eyebrows, especially from my boyfriend. But I just told him "Don't you have 5 or 6 car games? Aren't they all about car racing?"; I think he understood (if he didn't that's his problem, anyway) All my parents and friends think I'm just eccentric, they find my enthusiasm amusing and they're always happy and looking forward to see my new aquisitions (sp?). Anjo

rota	05 Aug 2003
Another odd idea about Tarot: I was talking with a woman I've known for years, when the talk swung around to Tarot -- she was aghast that people she knew studied it. She told me that she had been taught as a child that knowing about, or even touching a Tarot deck was to endanger the future of her soul.

Kiama	06 Aug 2003
rota: I had something similar with a male friend of mine. The conversation turned to Tarot, and this friend started getting really edgy, saying I shouldn't use Tarot, because if I do a reading, that 'sticks' my 'fate' or 'future', and I can't change it. According to him, doing the reading actually made the future happen. Kiama

Armande	06 Aug 2003
I am rather abnormal, I only have 3 decks: Haindl, Universal Waite and the Goddess deck. BUT I have 2 new decks to look forward to! :) :) :) Haindl was the first one I bought btw

LadyMedusa	06 Aug 2003
The one and only time my s/o said anything about the number of decks I have... I walked into the room his diecast car collection is kept in, took a polaroid snapshot, let it develop, then handed it to him. I pointed to my small bookcase with 30 some decks and smiled. He looked at the picture, then at my bookcase, and without another word went out to mow the yard... lol LadyMedusa

anjocoxo	06 Aug 2003
another odd thing: I know this is not related directly to the decks, but many times I find myself saying to my boyfriend "we, the aeclectians, think that..." or "We, in the aeclectic, ...." and he looks at me as if aeclectic were the name of a religious group or something, LOLOL :D Anjo And I haven´t even told him about the Taroholics, eh,eh,eh

tabbycat	06 Aug 2003
Hey, I like the idea of being a born-again Aeclectian! I'll have to go out there and preach the Gospel of Aeclectic and show lots of new tarot decks to the world! Jilly

Alissa	06 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by tabbycat Hey, I like the idea of being a born-again Aeclectian! Does any one remember seeing, like about a year or so ago, the Aeclectic Prayer? Went something like : Our Solandia Who art in Australia Hallowed be thy name. Give us this day our daily forums... It was great...... who wrote that, was that you Diana? I'd love for the newbies to see it.

VGimlet	09 Aug 2003
Nobody has ever commented to me about how many decks I have, except to maybe say, "Wow, that's a lot of decks." Even my in-laws, who really don't understand about the whole "tarot thing", don't question why I have so many, perhaps because they are collectors also. I think Ken is just grateful I'm not collecting something big, like say pianos, or *really* expensive, like vintage comic books or baseball cards. Not that he would ever complain, ask me to explain or anything. He can't tell me no anyway, LOL. He has had expensive hobbies himself (kart racing - 5-6 thousand a year) and his new hobby (the hot rod) is sort of like magic the way it can make money disappear. NOT that I am complaining. :D

Baby Owl	09 Aug 2003
Quote: Originally posted by anjocoxo another odd thing: I know this is not related directly to the decks, but many times I find myself saying to my boyfriend "we, the aeclectians, think that..." or "We, in the aeclectic, ...." and he looks at me as if aeclectic were the name of a religious group or something, LOLOL :D My experience so far has been that Aeclectic members have a wide variety of views, opinions, and methods (which is something I like about the forum). These diverse views are expressed in virtually every thread that I have read. I don't know if I could come up with something that I could preface with "We at Aeclectic think..." How did you do it? Baby Owl

Teranar	09 Aug 2003
A friend of mine expresses genuine conern about my tarot reading, and its not anything to do with misconceptions, but about actually reading the future. She thinks that its bad that I can read it and worries that I'll see something, then stop it, and throw the balance of the universe into whack. Heh, reading all your stories about how you used to think there were several decks reminds me of how I was introduced to tarot, and how there are more than one deck. (My gypsy godmother used at least three, Marsellis, RW, and her much beloved native american. She still uses the NA the most and it is so worn out I expect it to come apart any day now.) Just a bit of curiosity, how would one pronounce Aeclectician?

anjocoxo	10 Aug 2003
It's true that we have different opinions, but in some things it's easy to speak of aeclectians as a whole: * aeclectians are people related to tarot * who have lots of decks (not all I know, but the majority) * they are understanding people, who know a lot about tarot * aeclectians don't worry very much about superstitions in Tarot * live together in a fantastic community, sharing thoughts and ideas On the other hand, for instance, lets imagine a subject which has many different opinions, like reversals; it's easy to say "Gee, we aeclectians have totally different opinions about it....". Because many times I speak about us to express different points of view... Anjo

The Odd ideas about Tarot thread was originally posted on 02 Aug 2003 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.