How many decks do you actually use?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 20 Feb 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

seapearls	20 Feb 2005
Out of all the decks you own, how many of them do you actually use? Some for collection only? Some you only use for certain times or types of readings? Some you only use for yourself and no one else? (I was thinking of getting an Egyptian deck only for doing my husbands readings because thats what he likes. Like his personal deck but he's has no interest on reading cards himself or if he ever does he'll have his deck already.) What about decks you own that just don't thrill you like you thought you would when you bought them so they hardly get touched?

Lewen	20 Feb 2005
Right now, I'm admiring the newest deck to my collection, The Robin Wood. I started out with the Visconti-Sforza, which is my own personal deck, but I'll use it if I want clear answers. My Universal Waite, I use for reading for others as it has a funny way of talking to me in my own personal readings. I have The Thoth deck which I've admired and am fixing to study more in depth and now the Robin Wood. I'm waiting for my Green Man Oracle to come in the mail, it should have been here by now and I'm impatient. I think above all, The Visconti is more my personal deck but I would use any and all of what I have so far if someone wanted me to. I've found that I do have a better relationship with some decks versus others. very interesting. So far, I love all my decks that I have, even though the Universal Waite and I have gone round and round a bit...it's seems that deck has a sense of humor to me! Lewen

Stregaverde	20 Feb 2005
Right now I have 13 decks in my collection, not counting the Black Tarot which is going away in a trade. I actively read/study (daily) with three (Baroque Bohemian Cats, Hanson-Roberts, Housewive's) and less often with five others (Celtic, Golden, Crystal, Mermaids, and Old Path). The others are put away for now, either because I had trouble working with them (Ancestral Path, Casanova), need to take time to study them before using them (Renaissance, Tarot of Prague, Art Nouveau), or are being saved as collectors items (1st ed. ToP). However, between this trade and what I've ordered recently on super-sale, I'll be up to 21 decks in a few weeks! One is mainly for collecting purposes, but I still plan to use it--the others are all to be reading decks! :D And I think that my hubby and best friend got me decks for my birthday, so that'll up the total. So many decks, so little time to study!

HudsonGray	20 Feb 2005
Out of about 25 decks, only three are used regularly. But I've got a learning curve on 4 of the 'collector' decks that I haven't had time to tackle yet so the usability factor may change once I learn them. There is one really blunt deck I use for relationship questions--the Tarot of Origins. It's like being blundgeoned, but it gives answers really plainly! I haven't pulled that out for a while though.

tmgrl2	20 Feb 2005
I have about 30 decks....I use five or so at a time...but then remove one or two and put another in... I would say I use 11 or 12 for reading. Some I haven't worked with yet, like the Thoth or Robin Wood or Victoria Regina....will get to them. No rush. terri

psychic sue	20 Feb 2005
I have 5 (a small collection compared to some!) and I use whichever one whenever I feel drawn to it. I think I only have five because I very rarely see a deck that I connect with instantly, but I am always scouring the net anyway, just in case one jumps out at me!!

Gyda	20 Feb 2005
We have 5 in the house, I only use one and have for a few years. 2 of the decks belong to my husband to be he liked the art work on them. The other three are mine but the one I use was my third try on trying to find one I could read. Gyda

Alta	20 Feb 2005
There are about 12 decks I am fully comfortable with, but I can easily read with another 20 or so. The rest, well I enjoy them one way or another. :)

WolfyJames	20 Feb 2005
I have 22 decks and I use them all, some more than others. I've been using more the ones with unillustrated pips, or difficult pips, like the Crystal, Bosch, Fournier, Sola-Busca, lately, because I remember the cards by heart now. I don't think I am a collector, I view my decks as all being readable (to me), and I feel bad when I use some less.

Chronata	20 Feb 2005
I have over a hundred decks...a mix of tarot and oracles. And, sadly, I must admit there are only about three that I use with any regularity. But certain times, and events, and types of readings call for very specific decks, and so I do use more of them from the collection when whimsy strikes.

Rusty Neon	20 Feb 2005
Regardless of how many decks I own, I always go back to the Marseilles and RWS decks, and sometimes the Thoth. Those three decks define categories.

SuzanneMoon	20 Feb 2005
Although i only have 3 decks i would say the ones i use the most would have to be my Teen Witch deck. I have the Star Tarot too which are pretty new to me, need to study them more. But i feel more attracted to the teen Witch ones at the moment they are beautiful cards.

mnemosyne7	21 Feb 2005
I love every one of my 20-some decks, but 99% of the time I only use the Tarot of the Spirit to read. Occasionally, I'll do a reading fair and bring along the Merryday Tarot, as well. I use most of the other decks in my classes to show my students alternative symbolism. And I might use any card from any deck for a specific meditation. Lately, I have been spending a lot of time with Froud's Faerie Oracle for meditation (yeah, I know it's not a Tarot deck - but it's just so beautiful). Mnem

snowy25	21 Feb 2005
I use all my 11 tarot decks and one oracle deck to study. There are three decks I use to read with. I read the Fey for myself and one friend of mine. Another friend is adicted to the Cosmic tarot. The RWS is the deck I alsow use for selfreading and reading for others. Snowy25

ncefafn	21 Feb 2005
seapearls wrote: Out of all the decks you own, how many of them do you actually use? I'm referencing only true Tarot decks here, not oracle decks. Druidcraft, Fey, Universal Waite regularly. Semi-regularly, Ator, Robin Wood, Hanson-Roberts, Halloween, Goddess, Housewives. Rarely, Gnomes, Roots of Asia (more for personal use), Ferret, Whimsical, Mermaids, Pagan. Quote: Some for collection only? Tarot for Cats, Epicurean, Tarot de Marseilles. Quote: Some you only use for certain times or types of readings? Roots of Asia only for spiritual questions. Gnomes only for financial or job-related questions. Mermaids only for love questions. Whimsical for questions relating to children, even grown children of the querent. Ator for when I think the querent is ready for a blunt answer; Hanson-Roberts for a gentle answer. [quote[some you only use for yourself and no one else?[/quote] Very rarely do I use the Roots of Asia in readings for others, simply because very few people come to me with questions about their spiritual path or development. Quote: What about decks you own that just don't thrill you like you thought you would when you bought them so they hardly get touched? Gilded (finding myself more and more disinclined to pick it up); Goddess, because it's so one-sides; Pagan, same reason; Ferret and Halloween, because I fear the querent will feel I'm not taking their concerns seriously. Napo and Tarot of the Saints, which I've been trying to off-load for quite some time. Also Cosmic Tarot, which has ceased to charm. I still own the Mythic, one of my oldest decks, but feel no great desire to sell or trade it away.

Rosanne	21 Feb 2005
I have a basket of decks from which a querent chooses, with a few exceptions are mainly RW based. For myself I have 5 decks that I use for different reasons. RW 'cause I learned with it and always check back to that deck. Spiral Tarot because it gives me heaps of inspiration, even tho I'm not fussed on the minors. Thoth since I trimmed it has stayed out of the basket, but that is open to change. My latest keeper is The Golden Tarot of the Renaissance- have used it for over a year and it is personally great; for some reason I am reluctant to put it in the basket. I am such a wus! I have non Tarot tarot Mantegna which I use for visulisation practice. I hope soon to have a Tarot de Marseilles and when I get it Thoth goes to the Basket. Back into the basket after a long time is Phantasmagoric,Inner Child, Hansen Roberts and Morgan Greer. BY my bedside I have Frouds Faeries not for reading but for happy wonder. ooohhhh I love my cards. Rosanne

tarotbear	21 Feb 2005
Rosanne - I like the idea of a deck basket - kind of like soaps for them to chose from! I have some 30+-odd decks and my deck of choice is the Robin Wood -I have at least two for personal and ritual purposes; my daily cards use Tavaglione's Tarot of the Stars which I have as a paper deck and on CDROM; I teach with the RWS since it's the easiest deck for students to find - and I used it to illustrate my book.

contrascarpe	21 Feb 2005
I have close to 100 decks and I use each of them daily. OK, maybe not. Actually I have used quite a few, but not all. Like most everyone, there is a small handful which I could say I use regularly, but I bet I use close to 30 of them on a semi-regular basis. I typically have about 15 decks in my Tarot bag at any given time, even though I usually only take out 4-5 during my bookshop readings. When I am traveling (as I am now, stuck in an airport for 16 hours) I take one or two. I have to admit though, that there isn't just ONE deck I use for most occasions - I like to get different viewpoints and not let my readings become stale. Dan

tinkerbell	21 Feb 2005
i currently have 10 decks. my favourite reading deck is the robin wood but i'm also becoming nicely familiar with the universal waite which i'm currently using to do TABI's online course. of the others, i love the druidcraft and would love more time to study it properly.i have found some of the readings from this deck to be eerily accurate! i also own the housewives tarot,gilded,connolly and several others. i like them all but the constraints of time force them to sit unhandled for long periods of time! they also have to compete with an ever growing collection of oracles which dosen't help! when i use the others, it's usually for purposes of comparison, rather than reading for the time being. how people who "collect" decks which run into hundreds cope i have no idea! tink xx

RedMaple	21 Feb 2005
Rosanne wrote: I have a basket of decks from which a querent chooses, with a few exceptions are mainly RW based. For myself I have 5 decks that I use for different reasons. RW 'cause I learned with it and always check back to that deck. Spiral Tarot because it gives me heaps of inspiration, even tho I'm not fussed on the minors. Thoth since I trimmed it has stayed out of the basket, but that is open to change. My latest keeper is The Golden Tarot of the Renaissance- have used it for over a year and it is personally great; for some reason I am reluctant to put it in the basket. I am such a wus! I have non Tarot tarot Mantegna which I use for visulisation practice. I hope soon to have a Tarot de Marseilles and when I get it Thoth goes to the Basket. Back into the basket after a long time is Phantasmagoric,Inner Child, Hansen Roberts and Morgan Greer. BY my bedside I have Frouds Faeries not for reading but for happy wonder. ooohhhh I love my cards. Rosanne I love your basket of cards! I have a miniature cedar chest for the decks not in active use at the moment. The ones on my bedside table include the Golden, which I use everyday, the Prague, which I'm learning and just starting to read with, much to my delight, the trimmed Spiral - so much information in these cards, trimmed Crystal - very beautiful, and I'm learning how to interpret the pips; trimmed Nigel Jackson - I love the colors, just wish it weren't so male; and trimmed Secret (Jane Lyle's) -- elegant and unusual, and the HR - an old favorite. Of these, I rely on the Spiral and Golden the most at present. In the cedar chest, the Whimsical is one I go to often, especially for readings about children, or when I want a light-hearted but honest take ont things. The Hudes is one that I have recently taken out again, I forgot what an amazing deck it is -- it is one of my favorites. The Goddess Tarot is still one that I take out for certain women's questions, or to balance the Nigel Jackson. The Buddha deck I use only for myself so far, but it has been very accurate, both about specifically spiritual questions, and other types of questions -- but it always shows me the spiritual dimensions of any situation, which I love. I rarely use the Bosch or Victoria Regina. The Inner Child is one I mostly play with and use for storytelling with my grandson. I have had very good readings with it, but I'm not using it for that right now. I love my decks. I'm looking forward to getting the DruidCraft, Golden Tarot of the Renaissance, and Mantegna. I keep thinking of the Froud's Faerie Oracle as well, but I'm not sure....

Logiatrix	21 Feb 2005
Greetings, seapearls... :) The total count of decks I have is seventeen; twelve tarots and five oracles. I use all of my oracles and five of my tarots. The Diamond, Inner Child, Sacred Rose, Visconti Gold, Healing Angels Oracle, and playing cards are all decks I share for all manner of readings. I don't use particular decks for certain questions; the deck I use just depends on my mood and what I feel will appeal to the querent. The Animal-Wise Tarot is the one I've set aside for my SO's readings. He's blind, and readings have often become frustrating for him, as he tried to grasp the card images. The Animal-Wise is perfect, in that I can just say the animal on the card, and he instantly knows what it looks like, and can easily relate it to the meaning of the card. He still admires other decks with me (we are bad with online shopping), but now his special readings will be with his very own deck. :D The Angel Oracle (Sulamith Wulfing) is my personal meditation deck, and I also do personal I-Ching readings with I Ching cards. I don't have a personal "just-for-me" tarot deck right now (it was supposed to be the Sacred Rose, but--oops--I shared! ;) ). I'm wavering between the Hanson-Roberts and the Zerner-Farber right now. The other seven tarots I have are a combination of decks I keep for study, and a few I hang on to for sentimental reasons. I'm not a collector, but I do still purchase decks that interest me. I eventually pass them on if I'm not going to use them, and I definitely don't hang on to decks I don't like! :cool:

NightWing	24 Feb 2005
Out of too many (dozens) decks, I really only have about 5 or 6 in constant rotational use, and then 2 or 3 emerging from storage and several more going back in. I have some decks just as collection pieces, that I've never used for readings. In use right now are Universal Waite, International Icon, Golden Tarot of the Tsar, Via Tarot, Knapp-Hall, Moon Garden, Ansata, and Kazanlar. Just emerging are Intuitive, Celtic Dragon, and Arcus Arcanum. About to go back into storage are Haindl, T. of the Spirit, Stairs of Gold, and Old Path. Just for collecting are the Lovecraft, Rohrig, Voyager, and Nefertari. My "personal favourite" keeps changing, not helped by acquiring new decks! (The Celestial T. arrived just today.) As they say, "So many decks, too little time...and cash".

BlueLotus	24 Feb 2005
I have decided to pick a different deck a day for my daily readings, until all the decks have taken their turn. But, during the week I must admit that when I do readings or need insight into a certain issue, I would just trust a few selected decks, which get to be repeated regularly. These are Morgan Greer, Spiral, Sakki-Sakki, ToPrague, and maybe a couple of others. It is really a sad situation, but I console myself with the fact that I never deprived myself of a deck I felt an urge to get at the time. Now, I am being much more cautious and picky with my deck selections.

Emily	24 Feb 2005
I love all, well most, of the decks in my collection but there are some that I just can't read with but I've tried. I find that I can read with RWS and clone decks, Thoth and Thoth clones I tend to struggle with. I use mainly 2 decks for reading and study - The Morgan Greer and the DruidCraft but I also use the Golden, Tarot of Prague, RWS when I feel the need to look at different artwork. :)

Ahria	25 Feb 2005
I only have three decks (getting my fourth today) but I use all of them, they all give me different attitudes so depending on how much gentleness, or bluntness I want is how I choose.

Jewel-ry	25 Feb 2005
seapearls wrote: Out of all the decks you own, how many of them do you actually use? I have around 40-50 decks and actually use about 10-12. I did my first real-life reading (other than for family) this week and used the Soprafino (classic) which was just a dream to use and I think has become quite special to me in recent weeks. I also use all of my TdM decks - particularly Hadar, Conver and Fournier quite regularly. I actually prefer the unillustrated decks over any other type. Other decks I use include Crystal, Tarot of Prague, Morgan Greer, Vision Quest, Sacred Circle, Golden and Roots of Asia Quote: Some for collection only? Yep, I have the Royal Fez Moroccan, ToP limited edition, Dusserre Dodal, and a couple of Soprafino limited editions which have never really been used. Quote: Some you only use for yourself and no one else? Most of them :D Quote: What about decks you own that just don't thrill you like you thought you would when you bought them so they hardly get touched? Celtic Dragon!!! I just can't GET this deck. It is in pristine condition and sat in its box, just like the day I received it (any offers, particularly in the UK please pm me) Tarot of Paris which whilst I like the cards and the book is wonderfully written I just dont like the re-naming of the cards so I don't use it (again pm me if interested) Tarot Sutra, Animal Wise, Goddess and Motherpeace

bleuivy	25 Feb 2005
I currently own 9 decks, and I use 3 regularly: The Universal Waite, the Secret, and the Gilded. I am starting to study the New Vision and the Fey, so they will probably begin creeping into my normal rotation. I have only three decks that I don't use at all: the Thoth (trying to trade that one away, so if anyone's looking for it, toss me a PM :)), the Goddess, and the Buckland Romani. I received the Buckland Romani as a gift, and while I love it, I don't feel I'm ready for it yet, so it's in waiting. I've studied the Goddess on and off, and while I don't use it now, I can see myself beginning to in the future. I think it's interesting how different decks begin to take on different personalities. The Gilded is for every day use, the Universal Waite is for study, and the Secret is for readings that I feel are very important or fundamental. I have also learned it's important not to let the tarot collection increase too quickly. I hate having decks lying around that I don't know inside out and backwards. So, while there are so many lovely decks out there, I'm limiting myself to only the occasional deck purchace or trade so I can fully appreciate the decks that I do have, and only aquiring new decks when I see a hole in my collection. For now, of course. New tarot decks are redicuously addictive. Interesting question. PS - Jewel-ry: you have a PM. ;) You see? I'm already thinking of adding a deck to my collection. So addictive!

Sulis	25 Feb 2005
I have around 25 decks. I use 3 of them regularly: Morgan Greer DruidCraft World Spirit I do have other decks that I use from time to time (as Emily says, when I feel the need to see some different artwork). Tarot of Prague, Merryday, RWS and Cosmic would fall into this category. I have just bought The Sacred Rose tarot and I have a feeling this will become a deck I'll use - don't know how much yet till I've trimmed off the white borders and studied it a bit but I really do like the artwork. Love Sulis xx

Satori	27 Feb 2005
I'm gonna have to post this and then go do a real count on my list, but I have around 40 or so what with the Oracles and the Tarots. I've got some new stuff coming in, and I really need to sit and count properly, but I do try to use all of the decks, and find myself cycling in and out of decks. My association with AT has increased my deck collection and my skills, and I wonder if the two have anything to do with one another! (Another thread for another day!) I like to use oracle decks with my Tarot readings. So I will almost always pull a few Virtue angel cards or a couple Kryon cards before my readings. I sometimes pull Medicine cards before a reading and have had some fascinating parallels when I do that, because the Medicine cards often give me insights about the personality of the sitter. Anyway, sometimes I'll use my pendulum to dowse a deck for a sitter and say, "Is this World Spirit Tarot the best deck of these three for reading for Sue?" or something like that. Some sitters just love this. But I haven't done this for a while because it seemed a little flashy. So I'm comfortable with quite a few of my decks probably 15 or more.

Cerulean	27 Feb 2005
And I use most of my tarots each year. Thanks for asking! I'm evaluating my next few 'picks'. I've been told I don't have that big a collection...mainly because I clear out up to twice a year in terms of books, etc... Regards, Cerulean

Dylan	27 Feb 2005
I have four, but then i am a beginner. I have RWS which i keep on my desk to use for study. I have just recieved the Universal Waite Pocket last week. I plan to use these if i need to take a deck out with me. The Robin Wood, which i fell in love with when i saw a picture online. I had to have them and these are my deck i wish to carry out readings with. And i ordered the Druid Craft last week and am awaiting delivery. They look so beautiful, cant wait to look through them.

rainwolf	01 Mar 2005
I use some decks more than others, i dont use my world spirit one very much at all, i use the rider and navigators one usually. I dont really like the hanson roberts one either...that and the world one are too childish looking.

Annabelle	01 Mar 2005
I have over 30 decks currently and my collection is still growing. In one sense or another, I "use" most of them. Some of them I look at for enjoyment, but don't use for readings, such as the PoMo. Others I use for readings pretty often--the RWS and the Thoth, for example. Still other decks I use occasionally as I feel called to them, but don't look at every day (I have too many to look at all of them every day!). And of course, there are a few that were impulse buys that I simply don't connect with, such as the Connolly. Eventually I'll trade or sell those, or just give them away. At the moment, I don't have any that I only use when reading for myself, or only use when reading for others. But then, I don't do a whole lot of reading for others yet. I do have a couple--such as the Prague 1st ed. and the Place Alchemical--that I certainly would not let others handle, and that I'm especially careful of. And as for decks that I use only for certain types of readings, I typically use the Enchanted only for love-related readings. The rest are multi-purpose, though. One final category for me would be Marseille-style decks (I have two currently that qualify)--I haven't learned to read "plain" pips yet with much success, so these largely just sit in their boxes except when I take them out to admire them from time to time. But someday I'll take the time to learn to read with them.

Little Baron	01 Mar 2005
I have about 40 decks, I think ... but I only ever use a couple ... I learned the RWS symbolism and am currently studying the Morgan Greer. I have a few Marseille decks and use those for reading; I read those decks differently from the RWS. I find the Marseille style interesting as there is so much to explore. My reading of the Marseille has become even better since I started taking part in the Cartomancy forum. LB

beithe	01 Mar 2005
I think I have nine decks now and a Rider Waite on its way in the mail. I started with the Thoth deck and use Arriens Tarot Handbook with that one. I also recently bought Kat Black's Golden Tarot which I am using alot right now...thus the Rider Waite deck (all the recent books I have purchased have that one in the forefront). I use Froud's oracle still occasionally and I have Healing with the faeries oracle which is nice for quick "me" spreads. I do not tend to use the oracles quite as much. My other decks, such as Matthews Hallowquest deck, I have never had the time to master them as I would like. So some such sit around looking "pretty". Too little time and tooooooooooooooo many cards left to buy! :) :)

seneris	02 Mar 2005
I have about... twelve decks and so far I only used the Rider-Waite, Karma Tarot and the Gothic Tarot by Vargo. When I got my first deck (the Karma Tarot, I got it from my aunt) I tried to read with it, but I found it quite difficult. Some time later I got myself a Rider-Waite and that's my main reading deck now. It works very good for me. Lately I'm experimenting with the Gothic, using it next to the Rider-Waite (I draw cards from the Gothic, and in my interpretation I look for the corresponding cards from the Rider-Waite) It works very well. I want to try and read with the Taort of Mermaids, but I haven't gotten to it yet. I have a few decks that I don't think I can really read with, like the Marseille, Thoth or Old English. I like looking at pictures and finding the meaning from it, but with those not so illustrated pips... Hmmm. Still, they will stay in my collection.

Nethilia	02 Mar 2005
I have three decks - four if you count my playing cards. I rarely use my playing cards, but the other three stay in rotation. I specialize my decks. The Dragon is only used to read me and my husband, as he bought it for me and it was my first deck. My Goddess is only used to read women, especially women close to me. My Robin Wood is going to be my general reading deck to read everyone with.

gollog	02 Mar 2005
I have 7 decks of which I use three on a regular basis, although usually one of them is the favorite for a certain period. I use the russian and the raider waite both a lot for about all sorts of question. The Dali only for questions related to lovelife. The other 4 I don't use very often, the Thoth because I just don't get it, the nova because it has very little symbolism, the tarot of the witches because it has no scenes in the minors and the medival scapini because I haven't gotten to it yet, but I do love this one.

Bob Hollister	03 Mar 2005
As y'all know, chronata has a metric TON of decks! I have been known, occasionally to use one or two of them when she gets backed up doing a private party. I'll grab a deck from the bag, usually one that shares symbolism with RWS, and help her out. For my own stuff, chronata traded my old Norse deck for Northern Shadows, which I'm enjoying. I'm also a fan of the Hanson-Roberts. Clean, clear illustrations with transparent symbolism. I think I might be something of an anomaly out here, though. I tend to use whatever deck might be available to me at the time, because I'm much better at reading the people than the cards. Some of you might know what I mean.

VGimlet	03 Mar 2005
I have well over 100 decks, even if I only count Tarot. I use the Universal RWS, Gilded, Thoth, Aquarian, TdM (Conver) on a regular basis. I have about 15 other decks I use only with certain people (Whimsical, Gay, Fey, Teen Witch, etc.) and probably close to 40 that are collection only decks. Of the rest, there are only about 5 that I plan to eventually get rid of. I study a deck a year, and at my age I hopefully have at least 40 years (maybe only 30) to learn the others. :D

hdarpini	03 Mar 2005
I have my original RWS deck that I'm using generally to learn the Tarot and do readings, and just yesterday I purchased a Universal Tarot deck that I'm using to study the Tarot at work (during my lunch break, of course!). I wanted a second deck for work so that I wouldn't have to schlep my first deck back and forth and risk damaging or losing it. I decided on a variation of the RWS deck as a second learning deck because at this point in my Tarot education (one month in), when I'm still learning card meanings for the first time, I need that consistency in imagery and symbolism from which I can derive and develop a unified Tarot framework. If I'd bought a non-RWS deck, I might have gotten conflicting or contradictory impressions from the same cards in each deck Someday I'll probably buy a less "traditional" Tarot deck (I've been looking at Celtic-themed decks recently), but for now my focus is on learning the RWS deck. Once I have a good grasp on the card meanings there, I'll think about branching out. Hal

smokey	06 Mar 2005
I tried to catalog my decks 'oer the week- end, but something came up, & I had to postpone temporarily _(I stopped @ 50 some -odd; with not too many to go)_ & I only use 3 to 5 of my Personal faves from them to read with...YET...ALL my decks are truly Beloved, and I get Some'Thing' out of them ALL!

SunChariot	06 Mar 2005
I have 9 decks, 8 that I use regularly. I find they all have quite different personalities and I try to match the deck to the question being asked, and to use them all equally so no one feels left out. LOL My 9th deck is just a mini deck I carry around in my purse. I play with it sometimes but don't use it much for readings. I use them all only on myself, as I use Tarot just as a means of self-growth and enlightenment. I don't really read for other people. Bar

shadowdancer	06 Mar 2005
At the moment I have 22 decks, of which I have used to date all bar 3 or 4. I tend to dowse the spread to use, (most of my readings are on an internet forum so have no information to go on other than a request for a reading). I then dowse the deck and find a trend has come out. For example when doing a very blunt and direct reading I often find the Gilded or Celtic deck is chosen. For those readings which have a softer or gentler message often the Fey or Pagan is often chosen. Otherwise I do feel that the deck is chosen according to where the cards are within the deck. I'm not sure this makes sense but I feel that when shuffled each deck would have different cards in order once shuffled. By dowsing I know I am guided to the right deck so that the correct cards surface each and every time. Hope this made sense....lol In addition I do like to use Majors only occasionally, particularly my Slumberland deck. One lady was very stressed when I did her reading with these cards, but the images helped to calm her down considerably. I may find some are used more than others, but each deck will be worth keeping, even if it is only used the once to help someone with an issue that is important to them at that time.

Nevada	06 Mar 2005
I own 17, but I switch between 3 or 4 at any given time. Nevada

LadyMedusa	06 Mar 2005
Out of my 55 tarot and 3 other decks, I regularly use 4 for reading. The Golden is my main deck, with the Universal Waite, Russian St Pete's, and Greenwood closely following. I have about a dozen others that fit certain people or issues that I pull out occasionally. The rest I have either for meditation, study, or because I just plain like looking at the pictures. LadyMedusa

yve	06 Mar 2005
The decks I use change with my moods....I have about a dozen that I alternate depending on my mood and the question...

Lolith	07 Mar 2005
I currently have four decks, but the only deck I use regularly is my Robin Wood one. A few months ago I bought the Gothic Tarot of Vampires, and I am planning on setting aside some time so I can start getting to know it as well. The other two decks are ones that I acquired somehow, but they just don't click with me do I don't use them.

The How many decks do you actually use? thread was originally posted on 20 Feb 2005 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.