Dark Tarots

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 16 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

bladeraven	16 Apr 2005
Okay this sounds silly but I'm looking for a dark tarot deck...I have an image in mind but can't seem to locate any that fits....I broke down and finally bought the housewives tarot because it was only 9.98 (13.47 with shipping and handling) and it works when I read for "moms"..... Could anyone help me locate a deck that would work..I keep thinking dark, gothic, stormy, lightening..LOL...okay I'm a dork.

Fudugazi	16 Apr 2005
Why don't you have a look at the thread on shadow cards has been running in the past few days in the Tarot decks section? VERY good choices there! http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=40179

bladeraven	16 Apr 2005
neat..thanks :)

muteswan	16 Apr 2005
The black and gilt version of the Visconti may appeal, as well as the Crowley Thoth. Other than that: Archeon Tarot Gothic Tarot

bladeraven	16 Apr 2005
I like the Archeon Tarot...it looks very appealing...intimidating but I like that..I'm wanting something that will help me get more out on a deeper level..I guess the secrets in the darkness that we're afraid to see when we peek out from under the covers....

Rusty Neon	16 Apr 2005
Dark decks include: Rider-Waite Tarot de Marseille woodcut reproductions Thoth But, actually, it's all relative. If you show even a fluffy bunny tarot deck to someone who thinks tarot is evil, they'll find the deck dark. Even a fluffy bunny deck can have some cards that are particularly dark. And, although I don't do 'dark' things, people can do all sorts of 'dark' things with even a fluffy bunny deck.

Eco74	16 Apr 2005
Aside from the gothic and vampire-decks there is also the Fantastical. Fantasy-ish images and dark, a little nightmarish style somehow and yet it speaks to me so softly.. There are a few images of it here on Aeclectic but alas, I'm too tired to find actual links now. Should have gone to sleep hours ago.. *sighs and stares longingly on the wall between myself and the bed*

Deana	16 Apr 2005
It truly depends on the person. I honestly find the Tarot of the Moon Garden "darker" than the Thoth. Before you think I'm completely nuts, the night landscapes with fairies hiding behind trees, and some cards where you don't see anything hiding but you just *know* they're there. Fairies scare me. In old stories, they were not fluffly happy beings, they were something that lured you either to your death or to an alternate realm in which you got trapped that was even worse for you than death. I know so many people find Tarot of the Moon Garden way too cutesy, but honestly I can't see a single cutesy aspect, just creepiness. On the other hand, I consider vampire decks outrageously fluffy, and vampires do not strike fear into me as fairies do. So they bite and suck blood. Big deal. That's not like wandering lost in the mists for eternity.

NightWing	16 Apr 2005
Actually, I rather agree with those who say that the Tarot of a Moon Garden has a certain darkness about it. I've reconsidered it as a deck for children. But the deck that contains the most darkness for my money is still Joseph Vargo's "Gothic Tarot". It is beautiful, almost monochromatic art, luminous, and evocative of everlasting night. Great stuff! })

mike gorth	16 Apr 2005
I know people are going to think I'm crazy but I find the Merryday tarot really creepy. I imagine a clown sneeking into my room in the middle of the night laughing. AAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!!!

BlueLotus	17 Apr 2005
I particulary like and consider these two decks really dark, namely, Barbara Walker's and Vargo's Gothic Tarot; You may want to check them out.

WolfSpirit	17 Apr 2005
I don't have it yet, but I am looking forward to the Tarot of the Secret Forest. Not really "in your face" dark, but more sombre, dark in a quiet way, atmospheric... (there is a thread on it in the deck section)

Emily	17 Apr 2005
What about the Liber T - now thats a dark disturbing deck.

bladeraven	17 Apr 2005
LOL....Great great...now you have me thinking of that freaking clown in Poltergeist....We all know now whose sleeping with a baseball bat in their bed tonight.....LOL Wow...love the response that this thread's has turned out...I had actually thought about getting H.R. Giger's Tarot deck but I think what I'm looking for is somethign that is really going to force me to face the darkness and do some major soul searching in the night so to speak..........Shadow cards I think they call it........ I think tarot cards with clowns will have me looking for where I put the baseball bat...

muteswan	17 Apr 2005
bladeraven wrote: I think tarot cards with clowns will have me looking for where I put the baseball bat... The Victoria Regina Tarot: XV- The Devil :D Of course, I love this deck to death. I always had this thing for clocks...

bladeraven	17 Apr 2005
aahhhhhhhhhhhhh....where's the baseball bat?? Okay now that is a SCARY card.

WolfSpirit	17 Apr 2005
Emily wrote: What about the Liber T - now thats a dark disturbing deck. Yes, nice bright colours that lure you in but so dark in meaning... I could not work with all the negativity in this deck and traded it away, but some find it interesting. It is definitely different.

Emily	17 Apr 2005
I've still got mine WolfSpirit - have no idea why - I'll never use it. Think I might get it ready for trading too. :)

Cerulean	17 Apr 2005
http://www.tarotpassages.com/Pages2/secretforest-as.htm Interesting deck to me. Regards, Cerulean

smokey	19 Apr 2005
Sorta' kinda' the the Vertigo,for starters; & Vargo's Gothic for another, But also the 'Gothic Tarot' by Leilah Wendell, (I LUV This one).. I't's dark enough on just the fact of everThing in cemetaries, & tho' I've Neva' Read w/ it (shudder) I do find a certain peaceful (tho' Still very Dark!) tranquility 'round her pics. (I'd definitly give this one a slight nod, IMHO!) @ Least a quick look-see!

bladeraven	19 Apr 2005
Cerulean wrote: http://www.tarotpassages.com/Pages2/secretforest-as.htm Interesting deck to me. Regards, Cerulean OMG..I love this deck...I tried to see what the cost is for preordering but the link didn't work..pout..is there another link??

Nydia	19 Apr 2005
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0738707635/ref=nosim/aeclectic/ The Tarot of the Secret Forest is $13.57 for pre-order at Amazon. I'm glad it was brought up here. I had forgotten the name of the deck with the black and white drawings on the backs of the cards.

bladeraven	19 Apr 2005
Saw snaps of the cards...they are very amazing and enticing...defintely thinking I may get these to use as a shadow deck........

smokey	21 Apr 2005
How Could I have FORGot about the H.R.Giger (Baphomet)!?!!! Geez!!! Talk about Dark!, LoL!!! I've always passed on this one!!!! _(maybe some cards from the Barbara Walker Tarot,too)

RufusJ	22 Apr 2005
I gotta admit that I like the Haindl. It's dark in a different sort of way but the cards make me think I can walk right into them. Lovely lovely....

bladeraven	22 Apr 2005
I'm in the process of getting another set...I agree with you about the Haindl..though funny thing when I got them I didn't click with them...I wish I had kept them instead of gifting them to a student (who I found out now doesn't even touch or read Tarot...sigh)... I think I wasn't ready to go into the darkness like I am now.

The Dark Tarots thread was originally posted on 16 Apr 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.