Decks and meanings

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 07 Dec 2001, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Osher	07 Dec 2001
Do all decks have the same meanings for the same cards ? Or, for example, does the 8 of rods mean something different in Tarot of the Old Path, and the Cosmic Tarot ? Or even, do different packs change over time, so that two packs of the same design will eventually be different ? If so, should we use different decks for different people or situations? Does this change the way we read decks ?

Mojo	07 Dec 2001
Happiness There are no hard and fast rules, but I think YES, for me the images on different decks give variations to the meanings of the cards. But then again, I've never been a fan of keyword systems or cards with pips instead of imagery on the minor arcana. To me, the images define the reading. And more specifically, the different parts of each image on each card help interpret the meanings for each particular reading. In this way, even if the same card comes up in different readings, it has a slightly different meaning each time. For example, take the 9 of Cups. A keyword system would tell you this is a card of fulfillment. However, sometimes I see the smug smile on the figure's face and I will read it as false bravado or someone trying to present themselves as something they're not. Other times, I will see the many cups and I will read it as meaning abundance. And still other times, I might focus on the long tablecloth and wonder what is being hidden. To me, this approach keeps the tarot exciting and fresh no matter how often I read the cards. I do have different decks that I use for different purposes. When I do tarot readings at a party, I usually bring 3 or 4 decks with me so that I have a variety of images to work with depending on the mood at the time or the vibes I get from the person who I'm reading for.

Original Destiny	07 Dec 2001
Hi,I agree with Mojo somewhat. I find that the overall,broad meaning of each card remains the same but the differences in imagery "add" to the reading.

The Decks and meanings thread was originally posted on 07 Dec 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.