BLANK CARD ?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 06 Oct 2001, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Tanya	06 Oct 2001
hey I was reading 'The Tarot Revealed' by Paul Fenton-Smith and in it he talks of the blank card, which some decks have though traditional decks dont include them. The Blank card signifies that life has plans for you, and it means that life will take you in an unplanned direction. I found it very interesting, and wondered if anyone else has heard of this mysterious blank card, and if anyone had actually used it.

Thirteen	06 Oct 2001
Interesting you should mention this as I was just chatting with someone else about the Mandala Astrology deck which has two blank cards. Some find blank cards mystical, both for meditation and reading--very zen. The mist between worlds, or the empty canvass on which you, yourself, paint images. I, myself, have never really found them much help. I love the tarot because the images and their combinations speak to me. So a blank card, for me, is rather like the phone going dead in the middle of a conversation. On the other hand, if I use the Mandala deck, I do keep the blank cards in and make the best use of them I can. I figure they're part of the character of the deck.

orczy	06 Oct 2001
I would be sceptical of this. I imagine that this is because the cards would original be made from sheets, which could fit 80 cards to make it even. One could be blank, and the other could be a "contents" or information card Hence with the Crowley deck, the publishers included 3 Magician cards, because there was room to do so, not for any other purpose. I could be barking up a completely odd tree here though.

deso	06 Oct 2001
I do know that some oracles contain the blank card. The meanings for these cards are usually quite consistent: the great mystery, place your faith in the Universe even if this is a time of great unknown, have patience, time will tell, so on and on. However, I agree with orczy, I have doubts that a blank card is part of tarot tradition.

MeeWah	06 Oct 2001
There was a similar discussion on the old boards regarding this. I think Tarotbear explained it as a certain number of cards produced per sheet of cards which results in 80 cards. The Ryder-Waite deck I have published by Samuel Weiser has 2 blank cards, but I've always put them aside, figuring they were "extras".

Kiama	08 Oct 2001
Quote: orczy (06 Oct, 2001 20:30): I would be sceptical of this. I imagine that this is because the cards would original be made from sheets, which could fit 80 cards to make it even. One could be blank, and the other could be a "contents" or information card WOW- Now I know why most decks have two cards with a 'front page' and a nice quote on them... Like the Gendron and the Universal Waite. I've always wondered about that cuz I always forget to take them outta the dekc before I read and they muck up everything! DOH! Kiama

JC	08 Oct 2001
This sounds alot like the blank rune. Which alot of peolpe apparently don't like; Alliera would be the person to ask about that. Anybody read the Qabbalah Deck yet? It's got a "lost letter" card.

JC	08 Oct 2001
This sounds alot like the blank rune. Which alot of peolpe apparently don't like; Alliera would be the person to ask about that. Anybody read the Qabbalah Deck yet? It's got a "lost letter" card.

deso	08 Oct 2001
The Qabalah deck???? Is this the Tarot of the Sephiroth??? How do you like this deck? (Furtively hopes the deck stinks so that I don't lust after yet another deck, arggghhhhh). :P

JC	09 Oct 2001
Dont't worry, Deso; I think it S-T-I-N-K-S!!!!! The 23 white cards do not have any illustration, just a single, black Hebrew glyph. And the book that came in the pack should have been retitled "Quickie Qabbalah". :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P :P

The BLANK CARD ? thread was originally posted on 06 Oct 2001 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.