Strange Story with Tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 24 Jun 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

.:C:.	24 Jun 2004
i am not quite sure where to post this...sorry if it is in the wrong place. i have a little situation that i would like your opinions on. one of my good friends gave me a deck of tarot cards. it is a rider-waite deck, very good condition. you can tell they have been used before. i thought it was really nice that she was giving them to me, and then she told me the story behind them. . . . her mother's friend works in a bank. after a certain amount of time, after unclaimed...they go through safety deposit boxes and clean out the content - this tarot deck was in one. nothing else was in the box but these cards. when she opened the safety deposit box she said it smelled like roses (which the cards did aswell) the lady did not know why they were there, and passed them to my friends mom (who has always been interested in new age/occult stuff) then she gave them to my friend...who gave them to me. now when she first gave them to me, i didn't know the story, and i opened the box, and kinda looked through the cards a little just checking them out, and i had a reaaally unsure feeling. i accepted the cards anyway. when i took them home, i told my mom the story, at this point i was somewhat fascinated, and she right away said "give them back" - seemingly alarmed...that was her only response, besides, "i do not want them in my house". so now i am a bit worried. i go to my other friends who are very in tune with the earth, and very trust worthy...and they didn't know what to think just like me. we went from thoughts of they could have been meant to come to me, to these are bad, give them back. we were most alarmed with a lot of the unsure feelings that came with the cards...with the thought...with the reaction...with the "mysterious" safety deposit box story. i think that is what bothered me the most...why were they in there? anyway, my friend suggested i cleanse the cards, and see if i feel more comfortable with them. i did this. and i felt a little better. i was only able to actually have enough courage to take these cards out twice. only once for an actual reading, which was a somewhat strange reading. i always had in the back of my mind an odd feeling about these cards. three days after that last encounter with the cards, i finally contacted my friend that gave them to me, and we ended up getting together for a movie that weekend. i gave the cards back. i felt kinda sad, kinda unsure that was what i was supposed to do...but at the same time, i feel relieved. i would really like to hear some of your opinions on the whole situation, the story, if you think i should have kept them or given them back...all comments would be greatly appreciated.

Little Baron	24 Jun 2004
Maybe it is just me, but I like the idea of the cards having a mysterious background. The fact that they were in the safety deposit box must have meant that somebody must have valued them at some point, and possibly, that person may have passed away and never collected their treasures. Maybe the cards were peeved for sitting in that box for such a long time and wanted someone to use them; maybe that was the bad vibe you gor from them. There is something wonderful about buying a new deck, as you all know - unwrapping it, the smell of the new card and ink, looking through it, digesting it. However, a passed down deck or one with an unknown background really gives me a pleasant and excited shiver. There is something quite attractive about a used or old deck with a history, even if you are not totally sure what that history is. I think that you did what you had to. If you were uncomfortable with them then that doesn't make for a good deck. You say that you considered the fact that they 'were meant to come to you'. This is a possibility, but the fact that you passed them on, maybe the fate in the situation is that they 'were meant to go to someone else!' and you had to decline them to make that happen. Do you read tarot? Do you have decks already? Just wondered if this was a new thing for you or if your friend gave them to you because you already had an interest. Best wishes and don't worry. Yaboot

dadsnook2000	24 Jun 2004
You might have had success in asking the deck if it could be safe and happy in your possession, if it be your companion and leave the past behind it. Tarot is very flexible, the cards are just cards but the essence of the users/readers seems to travel or stay with them. In human interactions, talking often leads to a clear space -- its the same with the cards. Dave.

.:C:.	24 Jun 2004
i just had the feeling that they didn't belong to me. in time with having them, i grew a little attached, but i really they weren't supposed to be with me. i too was liking the idea that they were used before and such...when i touched them that first time i had a somewhat negative feeling. it was definitely odd. i just realized something i left out. when i was at my two friends house when we were discussing the situation, when i was walking to my car there was a red bag laying on the ground in my path. brand new, seeminly silk, but it was actually nylon. i thought that was a sign i should keep them. at the same time though, it made me even more uncomfortable. to answer your questions, i have been into tarot for about seven years now. and yes, i have some decks. thanks for responding!

Sulis	24 Jun 2004
Hi C, First can I welcome you to Aeclectic. It's good to have you here. I think that this is one of those occasions when you're best to go with your gut instinct and do what feels right for you. If you don't feel right not knowing where those cards have come from and what their history is then they're obviously not the cards for you and considering that you were getting strange feelings from them then I think that you did the right thing. I don't know what I'd have done in your situation - I think I would have kept them after cleansing them with some frankincense or sage first but then I'm already obsessed by tarot and the excitement of finding a new deck would have got the better of me :) Love Sulis xx

purple_scorp	24 Jun 2004
Hi .:C:. Mmm, tough call. I think curiosity would have got the better of me, and I would have probably tried a little reading with them (after a cleanse, as Sulis suggested) to see if you could find out anymore about their history. Then again, I have a lot of second-hand decks and am used to dissipating other people's energy. Cheers purple_scorp

Diana	24 Jun 2004
Are bank employees allowed to dispose of objects found in safety-deposit boxes as they please? What kind of bank is this? Sounds most unprofessional to me.

Imagemaker	24 Jun 2004
I agree with Yaboot, maybe you were a link in the chain for these cards to go to their best destination. It would be interesting to know if they end up in the hands of someone who knew the original box owner. Wouldn't surprise me a bit!

Savoyali	24 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Diana Are bank employees allowed to dispose of objects found in safety-deposit boxes as they please? What kind of bank is this? Sounds most unprofessional to me. That's because you're used to Swiss banks :P I would think it is a rather long period of time until they clean out those boxes, probably additional to the time the box has been paid for in advance. At least that's how it works in the banks I know; you rent a box for x weeks, months, maybe even years, and by then you either collect the contents or extend the rental. They'd only be opened and cleaned out if you couldn't be found to do either. As for your experience, C, it seems to me your decision was right, too. There's no point in keeping them around if you don't feel you can work with them. (And just think, if Yaboot is right and they were pissy for being locked away and not played with so long, what would a couple of more years stowed away in a drawer have done to their energy! :D)

hyatt	24 Jun 2004
Interesting story. I wonder what else was in the box at some point. I am sure that someone didn't rent it just to keep their RWS cards in. Then you couldn't read with them! Perhaps the objects the cards were stored with could be the problem. My parents have a few of those and keep my adoptions papers and keepsakes from my grandfather that passed away. I think that they could be stored with things that were negative. And then just left there. Maybe there was some injustice in what was retrieved and what was left behind. It's no way to live, locked in a steel box with unfriendly objects crammed next to you and then being left. I think I might give off some negative vibes for a while too.

.:C:.	24 Jun 2004
just the cards...that is all that was in the box. i tried everything i could to "get along" with these cards and feel comfortable. but something was always lingering in the back of my mind. my insticts are pretty strong, and i do not feel i would have been able to do it if it wasn't right. i think these cards are on a journey. if they were meant to be mine...they will find their way back.

SongDeva	24 Jun 2004
It's possible you were picking up on a spirit associated with the deck. They can give you that "uncomfortable" feeling if you're not used to them.

Flavio	24 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by hyatt It's no way to live, locked in a steel box with unfriendly objects crammed next to you and then being left. I think I might give off some negative vibes for a while too. This remind me when I put my first RWS in a wood box, everytime I passed in front the box I could feel the deck "screaming" to get out, the wood box now is for candies... I can imagine the anxiety of the poor deck in the bank locked for a long time, maybe that was what .:C:. felt.

Alissa	24 Jun 2004
I think you did the right thing, C, by following your gut instinct, as Sulis said. But wow... that really captivates my writer's imagination. WHY would someone put Tarot cards... in a safety deposit box? First answer : they're valuable. But it wasn't a rare, or valuable deck, correct? But ... value does not always equate to pricetags. Emotionally valuable, perhaps. Were these beloved cards of someone's? But... if they were, like also said... why would you lock them away, where you couldn't see them or use them? If they weren't in mint condition, then there is no point in trying to "preserve" them that way, I'd think. [unless an *extremely* rare deck]. But, a safety depost box... they are there for SAFE keeping. What if the motivation was to be safe FROM them... like locking up demon in a bank-style oubliette? What if the deck was believed to be "evil" oir "possessed" by the safety depost box holder? Perhaps they believed they were protecting themselves by locking it up, but ... it would make far more sense to destroy something, than to pay to keep and preserve it. What if the person believed that by "hurting" the cards (throwing away, burning) they might suffer some mysterious, evil fate? So, they locked them away... a metaphysical stalemate. I see a hanuted house, with the poor Tarot cards to blame for the mischief. And really, they were left behind by the previous occupents who moved away mysteriously, but used them once to try and communicate with the undead residing in their home. The cards were found by a new owner, also plagued by the poltergeist, and ... frightened... she fears for her safety by destroying them, but is desperate to have a peaceful home. She decides to lock them away, call it a truce... a draw. Soon after, the bumps in the night stop. (Sorry... but these kinda puzzles intrigue me sometimes.... the "what were they thinking?" kind) })

Little Baron	24 Jun 2004
Alissa, you got my mind working over time as well!!! As I was reading your post, exactly the same thoughts were going through my mind a paragraph before you said them. Spooky, eh? LOL This reminds me of a book I read a long time ago by a horror writer called Christopher Fowler. It is called 'Rune'. Has anybody read it. I don't remember the plot so well, and I think I lent it to someone so I can't refer to it ... but the essense was that there were runic symbols that once interpreted by someone caused their death. Will have to check both my (and my friends book shelves) for that one. Here's a link - a great writer by the way. http://books.fantasticfiction.co.uk/n0/n2615.htm?authorid=1007 Best wishes Yaboot

.:C:.	24 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Alissa What if the motivation was to be safe FROM them... like locking up demon in a bank-style oubliette? What if the deck was believed to be "evil" oir "possessed" by the safety depost box holder? Perhaps they believed they were protecting themselves by locking it up, but ... it would make far more sense to destroy something, than to pay to keep and preserve it. this actually crossed my mind...it was my first feeling actually. the question was always in my head, why were they in that box!? another thing i should mention...you can tell the cards have been used before...but not often at all. definitely under 10 times. the box was in great condition, and the little book was in the box too. the cards seemed brand new but like i said, used.

Alissa	24 Jun 2004
This really fascinates me..... Some version of your tale will end up in one of my own stories someday C... it is just ... "fascinating," to quote the Vulcan. }) It's a great story opener, can't you see it? A person is notified they are the rightful heir to the contents of the safety deposit box kept by their mysterious old aunt who recently passed. No explanation as to the contents or what to do with them is included, only the key, to arrive parcel post from overseas in just days. Is it money, jewels? Deeds? Stocks? Riches flow through the person's mind as they wait, and then... they're there. At the bank. The key is in their hand. Together, they fit the locks, and turn. At last, they open the box.... And... It's a pack of Tarot cards. A standard Rider Waite deck. Nothing more. Nothing less. WOWOWOWOW~! I just really dig this if you can't tell.... the possibilities are endless.

SongDeva	24 Jun 2004
True, let's write it around the fire at SWAT. This very issue is what first intrigued me about this post.

Alissa	24 Jun 2004
Sounds like SWAT fun to me, SongDeva~! :D (For anyone who doesn't know what SWAT is click here).

.:C:.	24 Jun 2004
i should get a copyright here!

mercenary30	24 Jun 2004
Too late!.....hehehehe Just kidding. Get that deck back...we all want to see it!!! So intriguing...

DewDrop	24 Jun 2004
Alissa, you link was not informational enough... Is there a regular SWAT meeting here at AT for the time being? Where do we go to join it? I think it sounds to be a greate idea to take this to the SWAT :)

.:C:.	24 Jun 2004
i do not know if i can get it back, or if i want to... it is a regular RW deck. i checked the box out for value or rarity, but looks to be just like all the other ones. another thing i forgot to mention...remember how i told you the cards smelled like roses when i first got them? the last time i used them, they had a STRONG medicinal smell to them... any thoughts?

katie_here	24 Jun 2004
my first impressions on reading your story is that the cards were locked away on purpose, because of something the original reader had seen in them. I think they fortold some disaster on more than one occassion as if they tempted fate in some and were locked away so no more harm could be done. I also get the feeling that they were locked away, rather than thrown away so they could not fall into the hands of anyone else, because as someone has said, when you use a safety deposit box, you don't expect anyone else but yourself to open it. tried to think of something positive, but this is what jumped in my head when I first read your story.

Alissa	24 Jun 2004
Quote: Alissa, you link was not informational enough... Is there a regular SWAT meeting here at AT for the time being? Where do we go to join it? SouthWest Aeclectic Tarot gathering, or SWAT, is being planned for late May or early June, 2005 ourside Albuquerque NM, USA. It is a meet and greet retreat for our site's members, and open to all who wish to attend, subscriber or non-scubscriber alike. There is no cyber version of this meeting place... unless you count the Tarot Chat room, which is of course, also open to all. :) Check out the Advertisements forum for other SWAT threads too, such as the campsite pictures, and the poll to vote your best date to meet!

.:C:.	24 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by katie_here my first impressions on reading your story is that the cards were locked away on purpose, because of something the original reader had seen in them. I think they fortold some disaster on more than one occassion as if they tempted fate in some and were locked away so no more harm could be done. I also get the feeling that they were locked away, rather than thrown away so they could not fall into the hands of anyone else, because as someone has said, when you use a safety deposit box, you don't expect anyone else but yourself to open it. tried to think of something positive, but this is what jumped in my head when I first read your story. same here...same here. i thought along with this, that if i kept them, i would at least know how to handle anything that would happen, or could happen. also that i would be keeping somebody safe... ??? i really thought long and hard about keeping/giving back these cards. obviously, i am still confused!

SongDeva	24 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by .:C:. i thought along with this, that if i kept them, i would at least know how to handle anything that would happen, or could happen. also that i would be keeping somebody safe... ??? i really thought long and hard about keeping/giving back these cards. obviously, i am still confused! Hon, even if awful things were foretold with the cards, the ability and the gift did not come from the cards. The cards were a focal point that enabled/triggered the gift of the original user.

.:C:.	24 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by SongDeva Hon, even if awful things were foretold with the cards, the ability and the gift did not come from the cards. The cards were a focal point that enabled/triggered the gift of the original user. very true. i get so wrapped up in thought about this so easily. i tend to forget sometimes. you see...this is one of many reasons i do not have these cards any longer.

Sulis	24 Jun 2004
How old were they? Did they have the horrible blue plaid backs that the current edition has or were they different? See what I'm like, the thought of an old deck of cards is just too much for me :) Sulis xx

.:C:.	24 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Sulis How old were they? Did they have the horrible blue plaid backs that the current edition has or were they different? See what I'm like, the thought of an old deck of cards is just too much for me :) Sulis xx yep! the horrible blue plaid. they are exactly like the ones you can find in the store today. copyright on the was 1974 i think...but i am pretty sure that is normal.

Sulis	24 Jun 2004
I feel better about you giving them back now I know that :) Sulis xx

katie_here	24 Jun 2004
Now you've got me curious! why?

lark	24 Jun 2004
Quote: Originally posted by .:C:. when i took them home, i told my mom the story, at this point i was somewhat fascinated, and she right away said "give them back" - seemingly alarmed...that was her only response, besides, "i do not want them in my house". so now i am a bit worried. That deck might have ended up in a safety deposit box for the same reason. Someone objected to them being in the house so the owner put then in a safety deposit box. Maybe they went once in awhile and did a reading right there in the bank... How interesting! And for pete sake someone do a reading on "Why and How those poor cards ended up in a safety deposit box..... Hey! We don't have to guess!! We're psychics and tarot readers here. :) I'll come back later and do one but I'm off to the vet now... Loved your story .:C.:

Riversea	30 Jun 2004
I'm interested that no-one has discussed the rose smell (changing to medicinal). I don't know much about aromatherapy, but aren't roses generally a positive scent, with a high vibration? My first thought was the stories about the crypts of some Saints being opened after decades of the Saint's death, the body being in perfect condition with the scent of roses (or floral) rising from it. In such cases, rose scent is often taken as a sign of blessing or holiness. That it changed to a medicinal smell... hmmm... could it be a sign of healing and cleansing? I don't really have anything else on this. But I do find the scent very intriguing, and would like to hear others thoughts on it.

TheLovers2	01 Jul 2004
C: This is so interesting. You see, this is one of the reasons I love this site. Tarot readers/lovers will discuss and analyze anything related to Tarot, tirelessly. Whenever I visit Aeclectic, I feel I'm among family. I'm with people who share my enthusiasm and excitement for all things Tarot. NOW, (and I hope this thread continues) what I want to know is why do you suppose your mom had such strong, adverse feelings regarding these cards? You, obviously, read and work with cards yourself (at home) and I assume your mother knows this. So, if she's okay with your having other cards "in her house," then that would mean that it was those cards, in particular, that she had a problem with. Have you asked her "why?" Or, do you have any thoughts yourself as to why her reaction was so strong? Also, another question I have is if your friend's mom is into Tarot, do you know why she chose to give the cards away? Is your friend into reading Tarot? Because if she is, then that's at least two people who didn't want them, besides you. Now, that they have been returned, what do they intend to do with them? It seems NO ONE wants these cards! My comment re: you giving the cards up is that you did the right thing. Why force it? The safety deposit box thing, the passing from person to person, the rose fragrance to medicinal smell thing is stranger than fiction. Hmmm. I am interested in seeing what a reading my produce. Not me, though. Ha. I'll leave this to the more experienced Taroists. Is that a word?

Cerulean	01 Jul 2004
So if there was an alcohol-based scent, I could sense a medicinal whiff remaining. Old cosmetic bags or other used items might have traces of old scents. I have a 1940 Vissone deck given to me free, aged with wear and probably stained with old residue of tobacco and alcohol. The cards are too bent and worn and stained to be of much use, but I was thinking they could be a great prop. Or maybe a story inspiration. Some aspects of the design is interesting to me as an older Italian playing card, but I sense nothing else from them. If you sense things and want to give them back, there are probably will be other people who will not pick up anything or will discard or use them as they please. Good luck with whatever you decide. Regards, Cerulean Mari

DarkElectric	01 Jul 2004
This is indeed a good story. My mom was a manager for a bank once. When the staff had occasion to clean out abandoned safety deposit boxes, they found all sorts of things. Items which were seemingly ordinary, with no apparent reason to be placed in safe deposit. A pair of gloves was in one. Inexpensive watches. Eyeglasses. Things of that nature. What my mom & staff began to realise, was that people were putting objects which were precious to THEM in the boxes. It wasn't that the particular things in themselves held value as such. Perhaps the gloves, eyeglasses, watches, etc, had belonged to someone dear, and these objects were the last links to that person. For whatever reason, the boxholders wanted to keep these SAFE. The bank was the most secure place they could imagine. The boxes were abandoned due to the death, moving, or financial insolvency of the renter. Many times people intend to retrieve their items from a safety deposit box, only to find that too much time has gone by, the box has been cleared and re-rented, the things in it gone. It is quite possible that the story behind this deck may be something like that. The scent of roses may be the vestages of old perfume. The medicinal smell may well be the scent of the bank safe deposit vault itself, in which the atmosphere is kept relatively dry, and mold free, for obvious reasons. Nobody wants to open a safe deposit box with important papers in it only to find that they've decayed beyond all use and recognition. I think it was a good idea to go with your feelings and return it. My suggestion to you is this: If you are developing an interest in Tarot, go to a store which sells decks, and pick out a new one for yourself. This way there will be no other past experience associated with it. If you decide you like it, you might end up branching out into different decks, and then one with a history of mystery might be less disturbing.

MeeWah	01 Jul 2004
I have thought about this thread & find the account most intriguing--& not just that the Tarot cards were found alone in a safety deposit box but the rose scent they possessed. From the first, I think I would have considered keeping the deck barring any sense of discomfort associated with those cards. The scent of roses is one of the highest vibrations, as is sandalwood. That the deck possessed that scent would make me consider keeping it & especially after the synchronistic finding of a red bag sometime later as the bag for the deck. As for the rose scent changing to a chemical scent--depending on the original source of the fragrance such as natural or artificial, the scent could have deteriorated with exposure to air & due to age. On another note: DarkElectric is correct about people keeping items of personal significance in safety deposit boxes. Many years ago, I worked for a large commercial bank in New York City's financial district that took over another banking institution. One of the officers of the latter bank was temporarily assigned a desk behind mine. Some time later, he was charged with going through the contents of a number of safety deposit boxes deemed inactive. As I was busy, I was unable to converse with him at any length nor stop to see, but he was puzzled at the variety of apparently personal items of little value represented.

tmgrl2	01 Jul 2004
Alissa, you got me cooking too with the questions. It definitely is a piece of literature in the making. I always say, "Follow your instincts." I recently ordered some Tarot books..used ...through Amazon.com. I wanted a friend of mine to have some of my favorites. Anyhow, one of them, which came from a small vendor of used items, came in its own package and when I opened the book, a little plastic bag with may 13 Trump cards (they had a commercial 800 number on the back) fell out. Also inside this bag was the ash from burned incense zipped in with the cards. I opened them (nosey me) and looked at the cards. Suddenly I got a very "scivey" feel from them. I stuck them back in the bag with the ash and threw them away. Can't tell you why. Just did it. terri

lionette	01 Jul 2004
an aside ... Scent is a very powerful sense, not often realized or recognized to be as powerful as it is. ps. This thread has been an interesting read :)

TheLovers2	01 Jul 2004
tmgrl2: I am curious. Did you say that there were 13 trump cards total in the bag? What deck were they from? TheLovers2

tmgrl2	01 Jul 2004
It had no name, but each card had a phone number on the back. It looked like these were samples from a deck someone created. They were almost like the Simple Tarot. Very modern, but clean line drawings and colorful. The 800 number looked like an ad to call maybe for a reading? Puzzled. terri

MeeWah	01 Jul 2004
Tmgrl2: That deck of only trumps with an 800 number on the backs sounds like a partial deck of The Caring Psychic Family Tarot. Its publishing date is unknown but may have been intended as a promotional item. See here & click on the "More Samples" button to view additional cards: http://www.tarotgarden.com/database/dbsearchengine.php?search_type=blob&pageenter=0

tmgrl2	02 Jul 2004
MeeWah, That was it! It was so strange that there were ashes in the bag, though. I think someone turned in the book to be sold and that was just in it. terri It's somewhat of an interesting deck. I took a look. Thank you.

The Strange Story with Tarot thread was originally posted on 24 Jun 2004 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.