New Decks & Cold Decks

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 07 Mar 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Fulgour	07 Mar 2005
I'm starting to think decks like to have a shuffle and spread all to themselves first, before going ahead and doing a read. This seems especially true if a deck hasn't been used lately. In such cases it often helps to do one spread for the deck, just to let it "air" out and blow off any steam, and after that then go ahead and ask it something specifically for yourself. Does this seems like being too cautious, or even a mistake?

Sulis	07 Mar 2005
I agree with you Fulgour. Yesterday I pulled out my Morgan Greer deck to do a reading. I've been using it for study a lot lately but haven't read with it for ages. Needless to say I couldn't make head nor tail of the cards that came up. Think my deck needs a little bit of time alone with me then I'm sure it'll be back to it's old, reliable self :) Love Sulis xx

temperlyne	07 Mar 2005
I never believed in a decks soul or personality. After all it are just images and they are brought to life by what I see in them. But when I recently took out my haindl after a very long time, it kept showing me the 10 of swords. It made me feel like the deck was sort of upset with me for neglecting it for so long after having served me so faithfully. In order to get it to 'open up' to me again I've aired it, shuffled it and physically cleaned it. But I suppose it was me that had to warm up again and not the deck, I had to adjust myself again to its images and the best way for me to that was browsing and doing readings. So ina way I think you are right, I just feel that it is ourselves that we need to warm up instead of the cards.

Annabelle	07 Mar 2005
I think you are right, Fulgour. I've had the same experience lately with new decks and infrequently used decks. I have to take some time with the deck first, shuffle it, look at the cards, just hold the deck, etc. before I can do a serious reading with it. If I just give a new/unused deck a quick shuffle and try to do a reading, I get nonsense, every time. In a way, I'm inclined to think that the "bonding" process with a new deck is all in my head and has nothing to do with the "soul" of the cards. On the other hand, last night when I tried to read with a new deck for someone else (I was trying to do my Circle of Stones reading for the week), I drew all court cards (8 court cards!!!)--it just completely didn't make sense, and didn't feel right. So I gave up for a couple of hours, then tried a different deck, but first "warmed up" the deck a bit by holding it, shuffling it gently, studying the cards, etc. Then when I pulled the cards for the reading, it immediately felt right...and thankfully I didn't get a whole string of court cards!

lark	07 Mar 2005
I've noticed this too. I keep 6 decks packed for the Spirit Fair. But I also like to bring 2 different, lesser used decks with me so they can get some playtime. I have learned to always pick those decks in advance and spend some time with them during the week before I bring them. I limber them up by doing my daily draw with them and generally looking through the deck and admiring it. This came about because I noticed that cold stiff feeling you're talking about Fulgour, if I just picked them at the last minute and throw them in my bag. Also I let my clients pick a deck from an assortment of decks. They would make a U-turn away from the unused decks and always go to the well limbered up decks..like the Gilded, Robin Wood and Universal Waite, and Golden. I brought my seldom used Light and Shadow deck Sunday. I had spent the week before using it and getting familar with it again. Given a choice everybody was all over that deck Sunday. So go figure.... it's a strange thing. Thanks for bringing it up Fulgour.

Fudugazi	07 Mar 2005
I do the same. I might even have a little conversation with the cards as I go along. Refreshes my mind and my eye - or gets them used to the newness. For a new deck, I always ask how it wants me to treat it and what it wants to teach me.

Keslynn	07 Mar 2005
Maybe I'm a weirdo, but I have gotten some of my best readings from a brand new deck. I'll look through it a few times first, but then I just dive right in with a reading. I find that this is the best way for me to learn a deck. It's similar with decks that I haven't used in a while. Sometimes I don't even look through them again before using them, and the readings come out well. Often, I notice details that I had forgotten or had never noticed. I love it. :) Kes

bleuivy	07 Mar 2005
You know what, Fulgour, that is a great idea. It had never occurred to me before, but it does make sense. I'm not a big believer in innanimate objects having souls or spirits, but as I work more with tarot, I'm beginning to change my oppinion. A few nights ago I tried doing a spread with my Gilded deck, which I haven't used in a while. I felt like it was speaking ancient Greek or something, lol. I put the cards back into the deck, shuffled it a few times, just sort of held it for a while, and then did the spread over again. It made much more sense the second time. I think now if I'm using a deck that I haven't used in a while, I'm going to spend some quality time with it first. I'm beginning to learn that these little decks of cards can have quite quirky personalities, lol.

Emily	07 Mar 2005
I think that happens with decks that don't get used for a while too - you get them out and all of a sudden new details come straight off the cards to you, things you've not noticed before. I didn't like the Radiant Rider when I first bought it but after putting it away and leaving it for a while, also writing a few scathing posts about it on here :D, I took it out and I liked it. Sulky sullen faces didn't seem sulky or sullen anymore and I had some amazing readings with it. I still prefer the Radiant over the Universal Waite now.

WolfSpirit	07 Mar 2005
temperlyne wrote: In order to get it to 'open up' to me again I've aired it, shuffled it and physically cleaned it. But I suppose it was me that had to warm up again and not the deck, I had to adjust myself again to its images and the best way for me to that was browsing and doing readings. So ina way I think you are right, I just feel that it is ourselves that we need to warm up instead of the cards. I agree with this. I don't personify my decks - but I know I want to get used to them before I start using them. I never do a reading with a new deck straight away, I wait until it feels right. And it is the same for decks I haven't used for a long time.

bleuivy	07 Mar 2005
WolfSpirit wrote: I never do a reading with a new deck straight away, I wait until it feels right. And it is the same for decks I haven't used for a long time. I do the same thing with new decks, WolfSpirit. I wait for the deck to "call" me, in a sense. I've had the Fey for a few weeks now, but I didn't really feel the need to read with it for a few weeks, though I have been constantly shuffling it and studying it. Then, all of a sudden this morning, it just felt right. Pretty strange, too, as I usually do tarot work at night. The deck feels bright and sunny, though, so I guess morning makes sense. But now I think I understand the deck better than I would have had I just started reading with it right out of the mail. I like the concept of waiting for the right time: it's a great way to get to know your decks for the first time.

Fulgour	08 Mar 2005
I find it easier to talk about decks as if they were conscious, just like I've always done with my car (don't let her hear ;)). But really, when I say they may just want to blow off steam, it does feel like there's some pent up energy wanting release. New decks always seem to want to have an inaugural spread where they can stretch their legs... get a breath of fresh air. Some really beautiful cards have appeared in first time deals, the DruidCraft was marvellous, and I'll always remember the Ukiyoe showing me what it could offer, just simply beautiful. * One thing I like to do is use a person's favourite deck for their reading, and if I have a copy I almost always will use that one. And it seems here especially, the cards need something more, like a spread of their own to clear the cobwebs and say Hello. That's one reason I feel it may be important, for those readings, because I am putting a lot of effort into them (often hopefully), and yet I've had times when the cards there were very difficult. I'm about convinced, letting the cards out to play first helps. :)

Lurea	08 Mar 2005
Sometimes I've had good luck with my first draw from a deck, but usually it's more like gibberish. :) I usually have to do several daily draws, and a lot of shuffling before the throws start making sense to me.

psychic sue	09 Mar 2005
[quote=bleuivy]I do the same thing with new decks, WolfSpirit. I wait for the deck to "call" me, in a sense. QUOTE] I agree with this comment. When I get a new deck, I sit in my bedroom, reading the paper or watching tv and just shuffle, shuffle, shuffle. Then I do a few readings for myself, then my best friend. When I feel the deck is ready, I use it for other readings.

bleuivy	09 Mar 2005
psychic sue wrote: When I get a new deck, I sit in my bedroom, reading the paper or watching tv and just shuffle, shuffle, shuffle. That's the same thing I do as well. When I get a new deck (especially if it's a used deck), I shuffle constantly while watching TV. My friends think I'm nuts, ut I tell them it's a calming meditative process. And it is! But mostly, I'm just trying to get to know my new deck.

Chronata	09 Mar 2005
If I have not used a Tarot deck for a while...especially if it is one that I use fairly regularly anyway...I also tend to get that cold feeling and jumbled sort of reading. At that point, I usually re-order the deck, then shuffle it good before the spread makes any sense at all. The strange thing is that this never happens with my Oracle decks! In fact..they seem to work better if I just pull cards from them without any sort of reintroduction or even shuffling.

Myrrha	09 Mar 2005
When I switch to a different deck for daily draws it takes a week or so before the cards seem to really speak about my day. Fulgour wrote: I'm starting to think decks like to have a shuffle and spread all to themselves first, before going ahead and doing a read. This seems especially true if a deck hasn't been used lately. In such cases it often helps to do one spread for the deck, just to let it "air" out and blow off any steam, and after that then go ahead and ask it something specifically for yourself. This sounds like a good idea. How would such a spread work? Do you just say "Deck, is there anything on your mind?" and then look at the resulting spread as relevant more to the deck than to you or the querant? Maybe this is like knocking on the door or saying hello to the spirit of the deck. In the BBC cats deck perhaps the Hermes card could be used in this spread as Hermes has to do with opening the way, communication, and baba-prague has posted that the card represents the spirit of the deck in a sense. I wonder what cards would represent the spirits of other decks? --Myrrha

Namaste	09 Mar 2005
I have found that, Fulgour, and I do believe that each deck has a spirit of its own. They actually "call" to me. Suddenly I will feel like taking a deck out, using it for a reading (for myself or someone else), or just starting with one card and letting the rest of the cards speak for themselves. They are very eloquent when allowed to speak without my "forcing" them into any particular direction (as in a layout, for example).

Dylan	10 Mar 2005
I have a RWS deck which sits beside my computer on my desk, unboxed. I use this for quick access to cards while im learning. I may just riffle through, grab one, then look at its meaning etc. Now i plan to start a daily 3 card reading for myself to help improve. Do you think it would be wrong to use that exact deck? Unboxed, no cover, really just used as a workhorse in a way. Its definately not the deck i would use for a full reading, but as a quick reading for myself, its easily accessable.

Fulgour	12 Mar 2005
Dylan wrote: I have a RWS deck which sits beside my computer on my desk, unboxed. I use this for quick access to cards while im learning. I may just riffle through, grab one, then look at its meaning etc. Now i plan to start a daily 3 card reading for myself to help improve. Do you think it would be wrong to use that exact deck? Unboxed, no cover, really just used as a workhorse in a way. Its definately not the deck i would use for a full reading, but as a quick reading for myself, its easily accessable. Some things to consider about using your rough and ready study deck as a tool for doing daily readings as a way to improve your basic skills: 1.) Will your daily readings also serve as spiritual guideposts? 2.) Are you also going to seek for deeper, ongoing revelations? 3.) Do you plan to make a commitment to the daily readings? Such considerations as these might present you with an opportunity to select a special deck just for your daily readings, a deck you will form a bond with as part of a meaningful personal growth-oriented activity. :)

bleuivy	12 Mar 2005
Fulgour wrote: Some things to consider about using your rough and ready study deck as a tool for doing daily readings as a way to improve your basic skills: 1.) Will your daily readings also serve as spiritual guideposts? 2.) Are you also going to seek for deeper, ongoing revelations? 3.) Do you plan to make a commitment to the daily readings? Such considerations as these might present you with an opportunity to select a special deck just for your daily readings, a deck you will form a bond with as part of a meaningful personal growth-oriented activity. :) Fulgour, those are great suggestions to bear in mind for selecting a deck to use for daily draws. When I first started studying tarot, I used my Universal Waite for daily draws, which was also my study deck at the time, as it was the only deck I had that I connected with. I moved on to other study decks, but the relationship that grew out of those daily draws is still something very special. It's still the deck I feel the most connected to, in part for that reason. I'm now starting to do daily draws again, and am still shopping around for a deck that I want to make that sort of deep connection with again. Good advice! :)

The New Decks & Cold Decks thread was originally posted on 07 Mar 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.