I think I need a 12 step meeting...

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 19 Oct 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

bodhran	19 Oct 2004
Okay, it's confession time... I'm new to tarot and I can't seem to stop buying them! I've learned I can get some great deals on ebay (used decks). There are so many beautiful, interesting decks out there. How does everyone keep from going into debt collecting all those luscious "temptations" out there? I am powerless... :-) Bodhran

littlehermit	19 Oct 2004
That is, indeed, one of the burning questions on here. One of the attempts to answer it is "The De-Enabling Thread", which can be bumped as needed by people who need to be talked out of buying something. :D http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30324

Kittaine	20 Oct 2004
Bodhran, most of us here have gone through what you're going through. But believe me, it'll totally stop at some point. :) In the meantime, read deck reviews first before buying decks.

HudsonGray	20 Oct 2004
Just don't--do NOT--EVER go over to www.tarotgarden.com Just a warning. She has something like 2,000 different decks listed over there for sale. OR limit yourself to only $30 a month for deck buying. That should, conceivably give you about 18 new decks a year & still keep you on budget. (But primarily it's a lost cause, you'll end up buying what you want. Right?)

Umbrae	20 Oct 2004
Quote: Originally posted by bodhran How does everyone keep from going into debt collecting all those luscious "temptations" out there?... I suggest a second job.

ferrous	20 Oct 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae I suggest a second job. rotfl!!! Nice answer, Umbrae. :D Yep, we've all been there, are going there, or are currently there, bodhran. Welcome to the club. :)

Eco74	20 Oct 2004
We don't... And until we don't we expand our "want-lists" and then we get all antsy about what deck of the whole bunch we'll be getting first and hopefully, before we decide, the money will be spent on more useful things like rent and food... ;) Yes, Rent and Food really ARE more useful than decks and here's why; If we have no place to live, the decks will not be kept safe from the elements and would be damaged beyond repair and we really can't have THAT. Also, if we never eat we will not live long enough or be healthy enough to thoroughly enjoy all those decks that we've accumulated. Ergo, when Rent and Food have been taken care of, the time comes for the decks. Friends? Nah, Talk to the Cards! Work? Aw, I guess it's good for rentmoney if nothing else... *sigh* Hanging out? Hah, the only dude worth hangin' with is the hanged one... Surfin' the net? Well, sure, but only to check email and muddle about on aeclectic. :D

WolfSpirit	20 Oct 2004
There are indeed so many decks out there. Once you have a few you really really like, you will notice the urge to buy lots of decks lessens (somewhat ;) ). Postponing to buy also helps: some decks don't look so appealing any more, or maybe you will even want it more and more - then that's one you really want. But yeah I think it never really goes away.

Cariad	20 Oct 2004
Good to have somebody to bring us down to earth eh Eco!!!!!!!!! Ask all you'r friends and family to buy them for you for Xmas and you'r birthday, develop a "wish list"! Be realistic some of them cost a fortune especially the customised ones! Good luck with you'r collection! Love B

Eco74	20 Oct 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Belly-B Good to have somebody to bring us down to earth eh Eco!!!!!!!!! *heh* Well, I try. My own reasoning hasn't worked on myself yet but there might be some less critical takers out there who might just buy it. And thus leave more decks on the market for MEEEE!!! *insane laughter* :D Ah, but it's such fun though.. One good thing (for the personal finances) is that the need for similar decks is bound to lessen with time. When you have one vampire deck another may seem redundant, and not many people collect all the versions of the Rider-Waite-Smith (radiant, original, 1970 ed, 1985 ed etc...) just like they don't usually get every version of the Marseilles or every animalthemed deck or every feminist deck and so on.

Cariad	20 Oct 2004
My Bank Manager would totally agree with you Eco! and I am more discerning with my buying power now!!!!!!!! that is until I can afford a customised Gilded!!!!!!! I Wish

Emily	20 Oct 2004
I've just updated my tarot list and I'm surprised at just how many I have. I didn't think my tarot bookcase would hold that many decks. So no new decks for me for a while I think until I get to know some of the other decks in my collection. :) But I agree it does get hard - I have the mindset of a collector and when I see a new deck that really catches my eye, I have to resist - well now I have to either that or take out a loan. :)

dadsnook2000	20 Oct 2004
First, recognize that you have caught the "AT flue." There is no cure. Second, buy a big trunk, about 3 ft by 4 ft by 6 ft. This will hold all of the tarot decks that are available to buy at this point in time. Third, recognize that you will have to spend a lot of money to buy a lot of decks and that when you have purchased all those that are available in today's market -- well, you'll probably need to go out and buy another trunk. Good luck. Dave.

Majecot	20 Oct 2004
Hahaha.. First of all Welcome to Tarotholics Unanimous :D the "AT Flu" can strike anyone at anytime! Some here have been more aflicted than others. When I first started tarot some 8 or 9 years ago, I did the same... buy buy buy...BUT I stoped when I had 6. Then right before I joined AT, I had gotten myselfback down to one deck... yes I said ONE! It did not last very long, because shortly after that I decided to actually join the site that I have been a voyer of for so long.. and I think maybe I have ?23? decks now?? One more in waiting..... I have learned to budget myself, well sort of. It is inevitable, your going to shop... so just enjoy it :D, but try to limit yourself, one deck a month helps. (Except when you go through a dry spell of shopping, then the crazy urge hits you like it did me this month, and I made up for all the months I did not shop)... Oh what the heck just do like Umbrae says and get a second job!

ambermoon	20 Oct 2004
I was wavering on the edge of being a collector, for a few weeks, but the feelings have subsided. I think joining AT opens you up to sooooo many possibilites, especially the one of shared excitement over new purchases. If you're destined to be a true collector, there is no cure. :) You just have to manage yourself and stay on the right side of the line between collector and addict. But newbie enthusiasm calms down. I think I've just hit my calm point, three months into my AT sojourn. I don't want any new decks right now. I already have decks that don't work for me, and I have only three that I am using on a regular basis. But, without the exposure to different decks here on AT, I would have only had one deck that works for me, so I'm grateful for the opportunities/temptatations that have come my way. I am going to keep the decks that I don't use for reading, because I connect with them in some lighter way, mostly because I admire their artistry. ambermoon

bodhran	20 Oct 2004
Thanks everyone for the replies. I loved the de-enabling thread little hermit! I will keep reading that one when the urge hits me. I just got my credit card bill so that will help dampen my desires a bit for awhile :-) Bodhran

Tarot Sparrow	21 Oct 2004
Well, let me tell you...when I first joined here a little over a year ago I had but one deck....I now have 16. But, I'm not so compulsive anymore....okay, so I did buy two of them a couple days ago....yeah...so??? :D But really, they were one sale! And one of them I am REALLY in love with so I'm not worried. But I've come to the point where I've realized that I have a million decks on my wishlist, but when I look at it now I don't actually want them. I'm trading one of the ones I have, at least. You just get so into the whole tarot decks buzz that you can't stop buying. But for me, I've realized that most of my decks don't even get used, and the ones I'd like to use don't really get used much either because I'm too busy, and when I have time I have so many decks I don't know where to begin studying. The more decks you purchase, the harder it gets to get to know them all, and that kind of defeats the purpose. They just become decks for artwork or simply to have them. My suggestion, now, is just to let your addiction run its course. I mean, if you can control it great, but if not...then it's best to just let it out. Try not to let it get too out of hand, but I'm sure there will come a time when you'll stop and think, huh, I better slow down or all of these decks are going to go to waste...there's too many! And you'll realize which ones you treasure the most and which ones are only there because you had an impulse. Just ponder that one, that's what's happening to me. Ah, but thank god for the trading forum ;)

wildchilde	21 Oct 2004
Quote: Ah, but thank god for the trading forum EXACTLY! However, you know you have hit bottom when you start buying or trading for decks just so you have something to trade with on the forum that magical day when another member posts the deck you really want! ROFL "Hello, My name is wildchilde and I'm a Tarotholic" ;)

Tarot Sparrow	21 Oct 2004
Quote: Originally posted by wildchilde EXACTLY! However, you know you have hit bottom when you start buying or trading for decks just so you have something to trade with on the forum that magical day when another member posts the deck you really want! ROFL "Hello, My name is wildchilde and I'm a Tarotholic" ;) True, but I'm just selling :) I have this thing about decks that aren't brand new. I suck.

TheLovers2	21 Oct 2004
Tis nothing you can do, really. You may hit a peak at some point, become saturated, and leave off buying decks, but, for some like me, it can take a quite a while for that to happen. I have tapered off and that not too long ago. My last deck was the Gilded and I'm close to praying when I see a deck that I haven't "met" before that I won't want it. "Please, please don't let me be attracted to this deck." There is now a sigh of relief when I don't feel drawn to a deck. I, too, have decks that I haven't used/looked at in such a long time -- they probably wouldn't even "speak" to me they've been ignored for so long. There is the temptation to feel guilty when you have decks that you haven't really gotten to know and yet, you go out and purchase another. HOWEVER, it is also a nice feeling to remember what drew you to a particular deck and why you purchased it, when a feeling is rekindled, say, because someone else was talking about how much they like it, etc. At those times, it is nice to say, "Oh yeah, I have that one. I think I'll get that deck out of it's box and spend some time with it." It's been nice at that point to know that "now that you're falling in love again," you don't have to spend any money. Bottom line is the addiction is very real, and how deep it goes into your pockets differs depending on the person. BTW, I refuse to think about how much money I've spent on my decks. I am so proud of the fact that I haven't seen a deck for a little while now that I want to buy. I feel so very, very MATURE. I want to say, "Look at me world -- look at what I can do. I'm not itching to buy a deck. There is no deck calling my name." Hmmm. :D You see, that really is a good thing because when there is, I am consumed with the desire until I have it in my possession. :) TL2 :TLOVE

ferrous	21 Oct 2004
Buying decks that you end up not liking is not always a bad thing, as some members have alluded to. It's almost like having to have a few partners before you find "the one". You can't know what you really want in a person until you've been with a few that show you what you don't want. It's the same with decks. Once you've bought a few & have been disappointed by one or two or more, your tastes become more refined & you know what you really do like when you see it.

CreativeFire	21 Oct 2004
LOL ferrous! your analogy makes sense to me! :D Ahh yes, the "AT flu" even though you may be warned about it when you first join, and possibly think that you may be immune for a while, it can creep up on you and before you know it - strikes out of the blue! ;) I think I had about 6 decks when I first joined and within a space of 6 months I was up to about 13!! I knew I had to take some action to stave off the flu taking complete hold so I decided to have only ONE deck on my 'wish list' at any one time. (Don't have time for a second job!!!) ;) I know you say that this may only be a shortlived remedy but I figured that if I pick decks that are still in progress or only just published that it would slow me down a bit. So just got my Gilded Tarot a couple of weeks ago after having had it ordered from my local shop for ages but now I really need to get a new ONE on the 'wish list' quick so that I don't have a relapse!! :D I DO like the look of the Tarot of Dreams . . . and the . . . CreativeFire

punchinella	21 Oct 2004
I think there is a general consensus here that after awhile, the compulsion does go away (sort of . . . ) I used to be really, really bad, but right now, at this moment, I don't have my eye on any new deck at all! Cross-my-heart, hope-to-die, stick-a-needle . . . Since 'deciding' to read with pips (& subsequently discovering that I actually prefer them) the drive to find the deck has gone into abeyance, since specifics of the deck (or, at least, specifics of the minor cards) make so much less difference in readings. Diana & others have pointed this out before . . . just thought I'd add it to this thread :) [edited to add: i didn't exactly put that right, specifics [i]do[/i] matter in that the pips need to be proper pips . . . etc. etc. etc. . . . :D ]

The I think I need a 12 step meeting... thread was originally posted on 19 Oct 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.