Soul deck

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 01 Mar 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

rainwolf	01 Mar 2005
Along my journey of tarot (the journey that will never end which is good and not-so-good) my friend told me that i need to find my soul deck so i will not need to buy anymore (she makes fun of me becaue i have 7!). Although it seems logical to have one deck that you would like so much that you would need no other deck, my rebuttle was that i like a variety of decks that have different tones, but she came back with "that perfect deck will have all tone". Damn! No come back for that LOL. SO...have you found YOUR soul deck? If so, what is it, and if not, what deck is the closest so far? I feel very close to my Navigators deck, its so intriguing!

April	01 Mar 2005
Here's my comeback. If there's a perfect deck then why are there so many different decks. And why isn't everyone using the perfect one. If it's got everything wouldn't it work for everyone. I think it doesn't exist, for me anyway. I also don't believe in soul mates. But I'm sure there are others who have found the one. I have 45 decks and none of them have everything, but of course I like some better than others. I need lots of different perspectives and different decks work better in different situations. I'm not a one deck kinda girl. ;) Maybe it's a personality thing or maybe I haven't been looking hard enough, but I like lots of decks and I don't see anything wrong with it. What's your friend's "soul deck", just curious. Peace, April

Eco74	01 Mar 2005
I have found several soul-decks.. It seems I have a multi-facetted soul because there are differences to all of them. :D One that I really adore though is the Ignaz Krebz Marseilles (Piatnik). But then there are all the others. The Original Rider White, Héron Conver TdM, Phantasmagoric Theater, Fantastical, Crystal tarot... I could go on. In some way I think the idea of "the one deck" goes right along with "the one dress" or "the one way to cook an egg" or "the one person to talk to". There are different dresses for different occations, who wants scrambled or poached eggs every single time it's time to eat, does anyone ever have one person to talk to about absolutely everything (no exceptions at all) and ofcourse there are different decks for different moods or times of our lives. Just tell her next time she asks that the deck you're working with right now is "the one" for this occation and you're very excited to see which one will be "the one" next. ;)

ncefafn	01 Mar 2005
IMNSHO, your friend's statement is based on the fallacious principle of the "soul mate," the idea that there is one person out there in the world who is your perfect match. There is no one "soul mate." Everyone you connect with on more than a superficial level is a soul mate, i.e., someone who has something deep and important to teach you about life, the universe and everything. Just as there is no one soul mate, there is no one soul deck. Each deck you connect with has something to teach you. When the lesson is over, you can let it go. For many of us, the lessons continue for decades, and that is no better or worse thing than a lesson that lasts only a week. Kim the Bwitch

Satori	01 Mar 2005
Weelll. A soulmate begs the question that your own soul isn't good enough, not in some way complete, so that meeting that perfect Other soul somehow completes you.... So. The perfect deck. I was on that quest. Just sort of stopped searching. Decided, hmmm, I reallly love the buffet. Why settle for meatloaf, potatoes and peas when it can be chicken fingers and teriyaki and meatballs and roasted potatoes with garlic and ravioli and manicotti and green beans and chili...... Perhaps some day when I tire of the buffet the perfect deck, the soul deck as you call it, will be rolling off of the presses, but until then, I'll take the #3: appetizer: Tarot of Transformation entree: Vision Quest Tarot side dish: Osho Zen side dish: Merryday dessert: Bohemian Cats dessert: The Fey Tarot Sounds good doesn't it?

rainwolf	01 Mar 2005
April wrote: What's your friend's "soul deck", just curious. She doesnt have one, shes looking. I agree that there are decks for different occasions but she remained stubborn (she IS a capricorn...no offense) and insisted that there MUST be one. I said maybe, but i like my variety because some days i feel like different decks. I dont really read all the time with the deck i find most interesting anyways. I like my navigators tarot a lot, but i use my rider for readings because my interpretations start rolling off the tongue.

Logiatrix	01 Mar 2005
elf, I like the analogy of the menu...very nifty! I, too, went on the quest until I finally stopped to enjoy the buffet. I've subsequently found, not one, but six perfect tarot decks. There are tarotists who are perfectly happy with their one deck, and have no need to acquire others. Of course, if they come to AT, they don't stay single deck devotees for long. ;)

Dark Inquisitor	01 Mar 2005
rainwolf wrote: my friend told me that i need to find my soul deck so i will not need to buy anymore(she makes fun of me becaue i have 7!). This sounds like the remnants of the You Shouldn't Have Very Much Society. You might actually get out of control. And enjoy yourself. That is not allowed. While there is pain and suffering and deprivation to be had !!! Disguised as decluttering. (Run!) So, you need your "soul deck" ? Well how big is your soul? Is it small and compact and only in need of one? Or is it large enough to accomodate many different images and nuances of meaning ? What if all the decks are your soul deck? What if your soul was that expanded that you could use, understand , and get something of value out of every one ? 7 decks will not eat you out of house and home. They will not take up space in the garage. They will not attack your relatives and shove them off the sofa. Neither will they use fossil fuels to drive to work. Their noise will not drive you mad at 3am. (By the way, how many pair of shoes does this friend have? Hasn't she found THE ONE yet? ) She hasn't found this mythical deck for herself yet. But she is certain The One will have it all . Where did she learn this? Does she have one of those 'perfect husband' lists too?

prudence	01 Mar 2005
right now my soul deck is the Thoth, with trimmed borders. We have been thru the emotional trimming process together and now we are really bonded. But, I am waiting for the Sakki Sakki deck(any day now!!!) and have a feeling I will have 2 soul decks after her arrival. astrid

ncefafn	01 Mar 2005
Dark Inquisitor wrote: (By the way, how many pair of shoes does this friend have? Hasn't she found THE ONE yet? ) LOL!!! I love this, DI. Snap!

rainwolf	01 Mar 2005
Dark Inquisitor wrote: She hasn't found this mythical deck for herself yet. But she is certain The One will have it all . Where did she learn this? Does she have one of those 'perfect husband' lists too? Actually...she does believe in happily ever after :) LOL

Dark Inquisitor	01 Mar 2005
I suppose I am being a bit extreme. If a person is happy with one deck, so be it. But I have been followed around by the You Shouldn't Have Very Much Society for most of my life and I am quite sick of them. Sometimes it goes very far back into religious backgrounds that people don't even question anymore. As long as I am not selfish overall , having many decks does not make me a lesser person than someone else . Getting rid of them will not improve me spiritually. In older times, collecting was looked on as intellectual activity to admire . It improved the mind . Now if you collect anything you are clogging up the planet, leading others into sin, and committing social suicide. It is your "personal business" if you sleep with your friend's wife, for example, and how dare anyone judge you ! But have 7 DECKS? Scarlet letter for you. Maybe even a trip to counseling . Failing in our attempts to control the world at large, we turn to controlling one another. As I have said previously, having several decks is actually the sensible thing to do. If you only have one, you will wear it out in no time. But if you continually rotate their use, you will minimize wear overall.

rainwolf	01 Mar 2005
HAHA, ill have to wear a scarlet D on my shirt for evermore, woe is me. LOL

Logiatrix	01 Mar 2005
DI:"Does she have one of those 'perfect husband' lists too?" :laugh: Dark Inquisitor's comment reminded me of a joke I got in e-mail a while back: The Perfect Romance: The perfect romance requires... ...a man who listens intently to your every word. ...a man who cleans up after himself, and maybe even you, too. ...a man who dresses nicely and stays groomed. ...a man who gives you plenty of compliments. The perfect romance also requires that these four men never learn about each other. (I know, off topic, but I had to share. :) )

rainwolf	01 Mar 2005
I resent that LOL

Logiatrix	01 Mar 2005
rainwolf wrote: I resent that LOL LOL, rainwolf...ironically it was my boyfriend who sent it to me! :laugh: To answer your original question (I yabbered on before, but never actually answered the question), the closest I have to a soul deck is my Visconti Gold. It was one of my first decks, and I'm still fond of it the most. :)

prudence	01 Mar 2005
this is way off topic, but Rainwolf, until just now, I thoought you were a young girl!!I am so sorry, I did not pay much attention to your profile! I figured it out due to your laughing resentment of the joke below!!I was like" why is she jokingly bothered by that?". then I checked your profile and voila! You are a man! This is like the 10th time I have had this type of revelation since joining AT. astrid (very redfaced)

rainwolf	01 Mar 2005
HAHAHAHAHA-at least im not the only one

prudence	01 Mar 2005
Thank you for not being offended by this! : ) astrid

Kit	02 Mar 2005
At least you were brave enough to say so, Astrid! I've had misconceptions re: gender/age on this forum, too. :| :laugh: Personally, I'm glad I haven't found my "soul deck" ~ the journey to find the 'perfect' deck for me is a beautiful journey. ;) Besides, if I were to find my 'perfect deck', would I still take the same sort of joy in every new deck? Would there even be a need to find new decks? I can journey for a few more years (perhaps forever) without finding this "soul deck"~ the journey is as (if not more) beautiful than the destination. Kit

Simone	02 Mar 2005
My soul deck, hmmm, might be the Tarot Nova. The one deck that gives me guaranteed inspiration, the one deck that always has an answer... it speaks to me lovingly, with humour and jokes, yet never is afraid of telling me harsher things too, always in that gentle voice that hides a smile just below the surface.... I love that deck! Now, I am also all for buffets, and mine is a bit bigger than just 7 dishes to choose from, in the meantime, so even a soul deck will not prevent me from looking at others ;) Love Simone

psychic sue	02 Mar 2005
At the moment its Morgan Greer for me. I just love the colours and the art, and the fact that there are no borders.

Keslynn	02 Mar 2005
My tarot soul is polyamorous. ;) Kes

Fudugazi	02 Mar 2005
elf wrote: Weelll. A soulmate begs the question that your own soul isn't good enough, not in some way complete, so that meeting that perfect Other soul somehow completes you.... Does it? I'd never really looked at it that way. I think that a soul mate (and I do believe in them, though I've not made up my mind on the one or the few) completes us on a broader level. Not because we are incomplete, but because we can expand. That's it - a soul mate expands us (and we them) so the the whole is somehow greater than the sum of the parts. As for soul decks - mm, not sure. In that case I have more than one, though I would say that any incarnation of the Tarot de Marseille is as close as it gets. I have a strong connection - which I haven't entirely explored yet - with the Tarocchi di Vetro. But I also love the Tarot de Prague, and this engouement has grown. I resist the idea of a soul deck because I like my freedom. That might also be why I've not met (or settled down with) my soulmate ;) It would be like only ever reading one book.

Emily	02 Mar 2005
I think my soulmate deck would have to be the Morgan Greer - I love all there is to love about this deck - the artwork, the colours, the cardstock and size, the backs - but most of all because this deck always has something to say and it doesn't hold its punches. In the year I've been using and studying the Morgan Greer it has given me good guidance much more than any other decks I use and I do use others. The DruidCraft is a deck that got my interest, its a very vocal deck, very nice to use but at the end of the day its still the Morgan Greer I go back to. I don't think I will ever stop buying decks, I have some really nice decks in my collection and I do use them but in the Morgan Greer I have found something that isn't in the others and whatever that is, it keeps me going back for more lol :)

M-Press	02 Mar 2005
I like to think of decks like clothes... There will always be excitement when you get something new, and there will always be the one just perfect for painting the house with... And there will always be the one, that although is so old, has such great fit, that you always keep wearing it, knowing it's a "safe", comfortable and winning choice. The qualities of new, old, familiar, borrowed, given or scratched, are equally powerful, and they all have their place. I actually do believe in soul-mates (and maybe even created my own?), but that doesn't mean I'll stop talking to everyone else!!! ;)

purple_scorp	04 Mar 2005
When I read the opening post, the first thing that sprung into my mind was the "shoe" analogy, so I was interested to read DI's post a little further down. Of course, to take that one step further....once you have the shoes, let's not forget that you have to get the matching accessories (bags, pretty shiny talismen - crystals etc). One of anything is boring.....shoes, food, music, friends.....surely variety is the spice of life. But even from a curiosity and studying point of view. I find it interesting to see as many different decks as possible so that I can compare how a variety of artists choose to interpret and present the same card. It's really an obligation on the tarot journey/path to at least buy a second deck....or three....or four....or fifty....lol. purple_scorp

Maelin	05 Mar 2005
I have a soul deck. In it the cards shift and change depending on the question I ask. Sometimes it looks like the Haindl, with it's dark muted colours and seeming references to times of sorrow, sometimes it is the Ancient truths of the Shining tribe, or the celtic wisdom of the Hallowquest, or the comfortable (now) and familiar symbolism of the RWS- often it is a card that doesn't exist yet, except in a furtive corner of my imagination - the platonic ideal of the Hanged man/woman with all the wisdom it could bring. My soul deck exists in my soul, but I will have little chance of publishing it! You might tell your friend that the decks we buy and create are our efforts to capture the moments of that soul deck that flit into our consciousness. That's why we actually read Tarot in the first place - and so I hope I never find my soul deck in paper, I wouldn't want the journey to be over.

Satori	05 Mar 2005
Maelin wrote: I have a soul deck. My soul deck exists in my soul, but I will have little chance of publishing it! You might tell your friend that the decks we buy and create are our efforts to capture the moments of that soul deck that flit into our consciousness. That's why we actually read Tarot in the first place - and so I hope I never find my soul deck in paper, I wouldn't want the journey to be over. Oh well said Maelin, well said. you might do what I've often thought of doing but have never done. Take all of your favorite cards from a variety of decks and bring them together and create a new deck from them. Sounds great doesn't it?

purple_scorp	05 Mar 2005
Hey, that's why the ATF Tarot decks are great. They are so diverse....and you see elements of everybody's fav deck, and artistic influences. purple_scorp

Satori	05 Mar 2005
If only you get them printed out you know? I'd love to have the ATF decks to play with. How do I get the bootleg copy??? Uhoh, sorry Solandia. I didn't meant that...

purple_scorp	05 Mar 2005
psst, elf....shh, print them on one sheet, laminate them, and cut them into cards....you might need to resize them to the same size ;) purple_scorp

SunChariot	05 Mar 2005
rainwolf wrote: Along my journey of tarot (the journey that will never end which is good and not-so-good) my friend told me that i need to find my soul deck so i will not need to buy anymore (she makes fun of me becaue i have 7!). Although it seems logical to have one deck that you would like so much that you would need no other deck, my rebuttle was that i like a variety of decks that have different tones, but she came back with "that perfect deck will have all tone". Damn! No come back for that LOL. SO...have you found YOUR soul deck? If so, what is it, and if not, what deck is the closest so far? I feel very close to my Navigators deck, its so intriguing! In my opinion, Tarot decks are like good friends. Each has a different personality and some are better at solving differenlytypes of problems than others. I love all my decks very much, but when I have a specific question I choose the deck that will give me the most help in that area. As for "Is there a soul mate deck in this world?" That would imply that there is a "perfect" deck out there that would meet all your needs "perfectly". Perfection is an ideal in this world. It does not exist in reality. Even in the most perfect relationship there are disagreements. So no there is no PERFECT deck out there that will always meet 100% of your needs better than any other deck could. I have heard your friend's theory before too. When I first started, my boss at work who read Tarot also, told me that you should only use one deck. I actually gave my second away, cause I thought you were only supposed to have one. Didn't take me long to see this as another Tarot fallacy. Probably largely thanks to this forum. :-) And that you everyone for that! :-) Bar P.S. I have 9 decks now. :-) Although I am taking a short break from buying more as I am currently learning about Pendulums at the same time. I am sure I will have more decks one of these days though. :-)

purple_scorp	05 Mar 2005
SunChariot wrote: P.S. I have 9 decks now. :-) Although I am taking a short break from buying more as I am currently learning about Pendulums at the same time. I am sure I will have more decks one of these days though. :-) Ah, so how many pendulums do you have? I have at least three that I rotate. purple_scorp

SunChariot	06 Mar 2005
Maelin wrote: I have a soul deck. In it the cards shift and change depending on the question I ask. Sometimes it looks like the Haindl, with it's dark muted colours and seeming references to times of sorrow, sometimes it is the Ancient truths of the Shining tribe, or the celtic wisdom of the Hallowquest, or the comfortable (now) and familiar symbolism of the RWS- often it is a card that doesn't exist yet, except in a furtive corner of my imagination - the platonic ideal of the Hanged man/woman with all the wisdom it could bring. My soul deck exists in my soul, but I will have little chance of publishing it! You might tell your friend that the decks we buy and create are our efforts to capture the moments of that soul deck that flit into our consciousness. That's why we actually read Tarot in the first place - and so I hope I never find my soul deck in paper, I wouldn't want the journey to be over. I love this answer. And all the joy of getting to learn the mysteries of a new deck. If we could find one that was perfect for us and stop there, imagine all the joy of learning new decks that we would miss out on. I wouldn't want that journey to be over either. Also I really like to alternate decks so I don't get stuck on the meanings of just one, as the meanings of the same card are different in each. Bar

The Soul deck thread was originally posted on 01 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.