My Tarot collection is now complete!!!!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 05 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

IDN	05 Apr 2005
Hi, Today I received the final deck to make my Tarot collection complete. The deck is the Hadar "Le Veritable Tarot de Marseille" I made the decision last week (after thinking about this for a long, long time) that I want to limit my collection to 5 decks. By doing this I can really get to know each very well. I want to use "all" my decks. I don't want to neglect any of them. In deciding what decks would make up the 5, I have chosen different styles and decks for different purposes. I appreciate that I am leaving out many, many good decks. To me, my Tarot journey through the rest of my life will be taken with my 5 friends! It is my personal opinion that by constantly moving onto new decks, yes you are learing "new" facets; but you stop learning about the ones you have moved on from. I think about this in the same way as having a life long partner. The fascination is getting to know them inside out, over a life time! My 5 decks are: Original RWS (My first deck- I absolutely love it!) Thoth (Fascinating deck- years of study ahead of me) Cosmic (Love the artwork- a good alternative to my RWS for clients) Haindl (A lifetime of depth in here- love the earthy tones & the majors) Le Veritable Tarot de Marseille (Didn't want to miss out on the whole Marseille "thing"!) What's especially exciting for me is that the final deck (the Marseille) arrived today on my birthday! And what a deck it is! For anyone who thinks they are not keen on Marseille decks, have a look at a Hadar. The colours are amazing. I can't wait to get stuck into this one. The decks I am stripping out of the collection are: Morgan Greer (nice deck- but too similar to my RWS) Osho Zen (Nice deck- but it's yet another system to learn) Spiral (Nice deck- but bought on a whim and not my sort of thing really) Cosmic Tribe- I bought it because it looked "trendy"- I prefer more classical looking decks than fashionable. Pocket RWS- decided I don't need both sizes. The only other deck I will consider buying in the future is the large Thoth- because it may help with the study of that deck. But I wouldn't consider that buying "another tarot deck". Of course, I will still read with great interest all the reviews and experiences people are having with all sorts of wonderful tarot! The buying has stopped- Let the journey begin! Take care, Regards, Ian

inanna_tarot	05 Apr 2005
Well, I'm glad you have found so early in your tarot path that you can only learn so many decks in a life time lol. I collect decks mainly because I like the artwork or the message they bring out - but recently my favourite decks are the Druidcraft and the Legend, as I get down to really study them and they truly become friends during readings. A bigger Thoth is definately something to consider - my study of the deck has come leaps and bounds now I can really see everything in the card - maybe even trimming the borders of the regular thoth might help bring out the artwork more? Yaboot's pics of his trimmed thoth has had me itching for my scissors lol. Pure study into the Haindl is definately a life time of work - one that I cant really dedicate myself too now, but one day I will. I love the artwork, the message and those handy books. There such a wealth of information and other tangents to go off on that deck that its difficult to know where to begin! Its a wise decision and one I wish I could make - but I've been drooling over the Archeon and the Revelations tarot for too long to quit now lol. Wishing you the best on your tarot journey! Sezo x

similia	05 Apr 2005
I remember the days when I had only 3 decks, and was happily oblivious to the existence of thousands more. Now I've been sucked into the AT vortex, have about 12 decks and still want more }) I wish I had your resistance to impulse buying Ian! (although now I have three favorites...;) ) Nuff about me, just wanted to say happy birthday!! Hope you get many years pleasure out of your new deck :) I would actually quite like that one myself. The backs alone are worth the buy.

IDN	05 Apr 2005
Thanks Similia and Sezo! I am under NO illusions that it's going to be difficult to stick to the 5. I am always going in to my loca new age shop and looking through the Tarot portfolio. I check this forum avery day- many times a day. But I've made the decision and I'm going to stick to it!!! Thanks again Regards, Ian PS: If any of you "ever" see me start a "I've got a new deck" thread- I want a VERY severe ticking off!!!!

similia	05 Apr 2005
I would refer you to the "de-enabling" thread. but they will just convince you to buy the Druidcraft. LOL :)

Sulis	05 Apr 2005
Well happy birthday to you Ian. Glad you're happy with your tarot collection. I think I have the same idea as you do about getting new decks. I have many that I don't use and around 4 or 5 that I use regualarly. I think it's a very good idea to know the decks that you do connect with 'inside out' as you say. I like the way you've chosen decks from different traditions. I've tried this too but I've discovered over the last few years that the decks I really connect well with are based on the RWS system. Good for you Ian Love Sulis xx

Breathhh	05 Apr 2005
I can't stop at 5. wanna..wanna. and I really only use 2 decks. the beauty of the different decks seduces me into their magic and... well... happy birthday Ian. breathhh...

Myrrha	05 Apr 2005
Happy Birthday, Ian! Wonderful that you have made this decision and I wish you luck in your partnership with these carefully selected decks. I tried to limit myself to just a few decks (and may try again) but the problem is I keep changing...or discovering new facets to self and the world, and then look for decks that reflect those changes. Maybe it is a personality thing. It would be so nice to only have a few decks though, I really envy those that do. --Myrrha

Jewel-ry	05 Apr 2005
Happy Birthday Ian, You have some good decks there! Suggest you check out Kris Hadar's site http://krishadar.com/ for some good info on his deck. If you become a member you are entitled to free courses which give even more detailed information on the cards. :)

IDN	05 Apr 2005
Thanks to Everyone for all the great birthday wishes and general comments and advice. Take care, Regards, Ian

Elizabeth Genco	05 Apr 2005
Only 5 decks -- what a great strategy! Not the strategy for me, mind (:)), but a fabulous strategy nonetheless. I love the "Tarot as life partner" analogy.

Moonbow*	05 Apr 2005
Happy Birthday Ian, and what a wonderful present to have on your birthday, even if gifted to yourself. :) I admire you being able to do it. Infact you have given me incentive, I think I'm going to stop too.......... at 45 :) ....... maybe! :) I would say that I read with less than 10 though. Some I have got for study, comparison and research - like my various Marseilles decks. I have others that I bought because they say are based on a specific topic and say more than any book could. ... and then there are others that I bought for the art work and those I just enjoy looking at. But I still think that you have absolutely the right idea for getting to know a deck inside out. The difficulty with having many decks, is wondering which one to pick up next - therefore it's easy to skim the surface of a deck and never really be able to get to know it.

IDN	05 Apr 2005
Many thanks for your message Moonbow. In my (very limited 9 month ) experience I have found that the more "comfortable" you get with a deck the more it speaks to you and consequently the more you get out of it. So following that train of thought, logic tells me to stick with a very limited number of decks and see just how much they can talk to you over many, many years. It's going to be a life long experiment!!! Take care, Regards, Ian

Moonbow*	05 Apr 2005
Ian I am envious of your conviction, it is definately the best way to go (in my mind) I'm afraid I am way past being able to do what you are doing now, although I have slowed drastically, and have traded or gifted some to try and get mine down to a workable 'collection' - (hate that word, I never intended to collect, I was just seeking the perfect deck - for me). Of course it is still nowhere near the workable size it should be, but I admire you doing this.

IDN	05 Apr 2005
I cant get over how pleased I am with the Hadar Marseille. I am so happy it is one of my limited number of decks. As yet, I don't know what to do with it but shuffle! I am going through all the Marseille related threads on here! Regards, Ian

Little Baron	05 Apr 2005
A great deck, Ian. I love all of my Marseille decks. It is those that I use the most. I also use my Morgan Greer, so like you, I only work with a good three or so decks. It is nice to tighten it down like that. Since purchasing the Marseille decks that I do have, I havn't felt the need to buy any others - I do have a 'Russian Gypsy Fortune' deck coming through a trade but as far as tarot goes, unless it is a Marseille that I havn't got, I doubt I am likely to buy any more. I suppose you never know. I find that having too many packs is confusing. I know little about all of them but want to know a lot about one or two, so I can understand where you are coming from. Hope you had a good birthday. LB

Moonbow*	05 Apr 2005
Try the 'How may it be read' threads in the Marseilles forum. I think these are an inspiration for anyone reading with Marseilles cards. Each of us sees something different in the cards, depending on the situation at hand and what comes to mind at the time of a reading, but reading the way that others 'may' read the card gives confidence and shows that there is no right or wrong way to read them. To me, it means looking carefully at the card and in your heart. Then there are the pips, which strike some people as the most difficult to understand, and yet to me, give the most freedom of interpretation. You are gonna love this deck!

laura_borealis	05 Apr 2005
I'd love to get down to five decks.... or less. I think I could do it, too. *ponders*

muteswan	05 Apr 2005
I just posted in the "what decks do you have?" thread about only having 3, hehe. I've not so much limited myself as I want aquiring each to be special, each deck I have was aquired with a story, and I love that. Now I feel like getting to know my Golden Tarot of the Tzar again, I don't use it often for fear of rubbing off the gold leaf!

The My Tarot collection is now complete!!!! thread was originally posted on 05 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.