Majors-only

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 Aug 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Sullanciri2002	14 Aug 2002
ALthough I've been reading and stuyding the tarot for years, I've always worked with the full deck of 78 cards. I'm intrigued with the idea of working with major arcana only. ANy tips or pointers towards info, websites, articles ... and about why/how to use majors only ... would be welcome.

Kiama	14 Aug 2002
Hi SullanCiri! I have been considering using Majors-only for gift reading for my boyfriend's newly born niece as to the main life lesons she will have to go though in this life. It occurred to me that such a reading may ot be any good with the Minors in it aswell, as the Majors tell of th ebig things,whist the Minors more of th eeverday things, which are really of no concern in a reading of this type... But that's all I can say on this matter, as I haven't ever used Majors only exceot in my first eck which consisted of the Majors and four Aces... Kiama

Minderwiz	14 Aug 2002
I've been trying to get 'serious' with the Tarot for about six or seven months now. When I first started I only used the Major Arcana so that I would get familiar with that part of the Tarot first. I'm not sure whether this was a good thing or not but I found it worked quite well. The Minor Arcana open up more possibilities and also are perhaps more useful for the 'here and now' mundane issues but if you are wanting to look at a situation in a more general way or looking for an overview and using a fairly small spread like the three card spread then the Major Arcana can give useful insights. Minderwiz

HOLMES	14 Aug 2002
there is some that believe there are five elements, 1fire 2,water 3, air 4, earth and a fifth one it is called ether. it was the center of the four element therefore it is made of a combonitation of all the elements and someting more.. a lfe force to the best of my guidace i can figure out. i know not about alcehmy, yet they say light is the source of all life so perhas that is the force in the middle ? where does this tie into the 22 majors only \ is it possibl that they can be considered the ether suit as the majors spiritual forces flow into minor events,and court cards people and personaliies ? and furthermre why 22 major arcanas. specifically ? is there 12 planets, which have dual polarities to make 24 (guidance is making me wonder that the last few months) i am trying to figur this out without going to see planets on line. i see there wil be 2 more majors as being 24 for each hour of the day, ?

Keslynn	14 Aug 2002
Holmes, I also wonder why 22. It doesn't seem to fit into any other system, except... the 22 majors do correspond nicely to the paths between the sephiroh of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. I don't think that Qabalah holds the origin or the final answer to tarot. Still, it is interesting to notice the correspondences, and Qabalah is yet another tool in helping to further tarot studies. :TQS Kes

Laurel	14 Aug 2002
My theory as to why there are 22 Major Arcana is that it directly relates to astrology/alchemy & the Hebrew letters. 3+7+12= 22 3= 3 Mother Letters (Aleph, Mem, Shin which in turn= mutable, cardinal, fixed in astrology and Mecury, Sulfur, Salt in alchemy) 7= 7 Double Letters, the 7 ancient planets, the 7 alchemical metals listed in the alchemical star 12= elemental letters, the 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 stages of transmutation. Mark Filipas provides some convincing arguments that as far back as the early Marseilles tarots there was a direct link between the Major Arcana and the Hebrew alphabet. See http://www.spiritone.com/~filipas/Masquerade/Essays/allusion.html The Hebrew alphabet already had astrological attributions long before astrology as we know it reached Europe. Laurel

Kiama	15 Aug 2002
Why 2? I know ths is a really boring and uromantic theor, bt I reckon it just IS! It just occurred to the creatyor that he couldn't thnk of any more cards for the Major, and any less would miss out some really important facets of life, so 22 it was! Just as with the Courts... They COULD have had morethan 4 courts, but hey didn't, but for some reason we don't see any metaphysical and philosophical theories about why there are only 4 courts in each suit... And another thing about the 22 Majors... When the Tarot was first created, not only was it un-numbered, but later on the Fool was leftwith nonumber whilst the rest were given numbers. If the Qaballah is linked with te Majors, then why were the first Majors un-numbered, and can we actually say that the Fool counts, as it remained un-numbered for quite some time... Just some ramblings... I don't mean any offense, this is just the way I have seen it. Kiama

Pollux	15 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Kiama Why 2? I know ths is a really boring and uromantic theor, bt I reckon it just IS! It just occurred to the creatyor that he couldn't thnk of any more cards for the Major, and any less would miss out some really important facets of life, so 22 it was! I agree with you on this one... Probably facts are the only thing we can take into consideration when we consider the origin of tarots... Hasn't anyone thought of CALLING the soul of the Miniaturist who released those Visconti Cards - and that might NOT Bembo - to ask him? Quote: Originally posted by Kiama Just as with the Courts... They COULD have had morethan 4 courts, but hey didn't, but for some reason we don't see any metaphysical and philosophical theories about why there are only 4 courts in each suit... Ops... There is an explanation related to Qabala for someone... I posted some notes here - last post I think: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2889 ========================== Back to the main question... I think you might find at least some spreads in the boards - possibly in this section itself. I suggest that you do a search if you have time (Everyone is going to hate me, I am always suggesting to do searches...:(). As for articles/websites/whatever, I have no suggestion for you. I used to consider Majors only too, but in my early "studies" (I think this term is too smug though). As Kiama said, I can suggest that you use Majors only when you are not concerned with the FACTUAL ACTUAL events that might happen, and the everyday situations you might be faced with, but when you rather want to spot the lessons, the values or a lack of them in your life, something related more to the big picture... Like for the Wheel of the Year spread: I used to use only Majors, since I liked the idea of a "balance" between the good and bad, and 22 cards were enough for that, and because wanting to spot specific things sounded too... restrictive. I preferred to refer to a wider picture, and let the person see in which way that"major" (bad pun ;) *LOL*) influenece was to manifest itself in the year. Maybe I was lazy... ;) *LOL*

Diana	15 Aug 2002
edited

Hummingbird	15 Aug 2002
That would be a pretty small reading. Maybe a 3 card reading. Don't forget, the Majors are representative of MAJOR life occurrences. Unless we're in an extraordinary phase of life, most of our lives consist of Minors, with a few Majors here and there.

napaea	15 Aug 2002
i have some cards i designed that represent my totem animals. i made a picture of the animal on the card and listed some of the qualities they can bring into my life. yesterday i decided to see if a tarot card/entity whatever would match up with my totem animal, and see if i could combine these energies to work for me. i decided to use only majors for this, because i didn't feel like the 2 of swords would have much impact on my Opossum energy!! it worked out nicely, and i wasn't surprised by the cards i got, but i know it wouldn;t have worked as well with the minors.

Diana	16 Aug 2002
edited

Sullanciri2002	16 Aug 2002
for all the advise so far. Diana - found the thread, sure helps. Still - I'm open for more hints and tips - grin.

Pollux	16 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Diana I know of some professional readers who never ever use the minors. They use majors for all their readings and all their clients. Well, I know a reader that spotted once tachicardia, a stroke and some other minors diseases only with majors. I would never read about health, just in certain cases, and not for a diagnosis (I am also studying at the medicine school! *LOL*), but, hey, when you find someone so skilled... aweeeeeeeeee... :D I guess it was all about the position of the Moon, Sun and Strenght, and their relation. Too complicated for me - I only noticed that the cards where what he was referring too... Maybe I should call up that friend... ;)

Kiama	16 Aug 2002
Pollux: Tha's a very interesting point raised. 'd love to know howspotting specific illnessses can be done with the Tarot.. I see a new thread coming! Kiama

All Is One	16 Aug 2002
Hi Sullancini, You happened to give me the thread I needed info on at the point where I finally dropped a 10 -15 yr prejudice... I got the Giger deck recently. Only Maj cards..still~ I may have to post a thread on the amazing double back flips that deck will do as you try to convert it to a disciplined focus. This deck is a totally new enntity to me (Thoth is looking tame now) I read up on Crowley's majors only spread and tried it years ago. My problem is that as someone who has read pro and read obcessively for the sheer beauty of it... I have always wanted to see the proportion of maj to min to see the depth and point of the reading. So- my prejudice was against using all majors because I felt I naturally got so many in each reading that I needed the 78 cards to prove the significance of the majors and where they fell~ i.e. it felt like loading the dice to use maj only. I have revised my opinion~BUT~ (for me) only by using a deck that only has maj...and I almost did not buy this deck because it has maj only. Stupid! That is what prejudices and assumptions do...convert the mind to mushy old wet newspaper.

Cerulean	16 Aug 2002
I've only done a few majors only reading for the closest of friends or family with the Jane Lyle oversize deck called the Lovers Tarot. I know there's a smaller 22 deck called the Love Tarot with similar style medieval collages, but it doesn't have the impact for me that the oversize cards did. In each case, it seems the majors only was a snapshot of the person's circumstance and feeling about the circumstance. I think the strong feeling of concern or caring that I have for brother/sister readings tend to make me soft-focused with my messages. For more detail I tended to pull a deck of an art style they liked and do draws from majors and minors. I used Marseilles-based decks. Maybe I am a dimmer reader with them that style---I can use the Thoth for myself, but never tried to read for others. I'm probably not a true or strong reader for loved ones. I'm more like someone who shows another take on a situation with archetype examples and whose viewpoint tries to be caring. In other words, a hopeful and compassionate reflection. But I'm a dim mirror compared to others.

jade	17 Aug 2002
i recently had a birthday reading done by diana. she used only majors for this reading and wow, i have never in my entire life had such an accurate and excellent reading as hers. she is extremely talented and her reading was soooo deep. there were things that she definitely had no knowledge of, that my guides have been teaching me and telling me, and there it was in her reading too. :D so it can be done with only majors, which by the way, i never believed until she did this reading for me. love jade

All Is One	17 Aug 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Mari_Hoshizaki -I can use the Thoth for myself, but never tried to read for others. I'm probably not a true or strong reader for loved ones. I'm more like someone who shows another take on a situation with archetype examples and whose viewpoint tries to be caring. In other words, a hopeful and compassionate reflection. But I'm a dim mirror compared to others. [/b] Hell- M.H.~ all that insight and you have the nerve to be that humble? I think the image of a "dim mirror" is a perfect description of the Thoth and of Taro itelf. Do you write much poetry- or do you save it all for the forum . ;) I see your description of your readings, esp the archetypes and the CARING..as the very essence of a true reading. Many want a "reader" in a purple turban and silver stars over their eyebrows...but you are the kind of reader I was then and now...honest... and I firmly believe that if one loves and studies this Path enough it is available to many. I am not as humble as you - but the "dim mirror" phrase...I may need to steal that for a poem or two. Thanks, ~a

Cerulean	17 Aug 2002
Another suggestion for majors only. Gareth Knight had a lovely suggestion for doing a spiral layout. Roughly: (the layout didn't show up right) The fool is in the middle, the magician next, until chariot and lovers at the bottom (6 o clock), Justice (or strength) is on the leftmost point (9 o clock), tower is roughly on top (12 o clock) and the world is the right most (3 o clock). This makes a lovely progression and somehow helps me to get to know a deck. While Gareth Knight goes on to suggest Aces and the elements and points on the compass for minors, you might want to substitute another oracle deck that goes into East-West-North-South or seasonal attributions. The original title for his book is Treasure House of Images. The oracle that I'm going to try laying out around my majors only (haven't decided which mahors only deck) will be The Fairy Ring, as it has seasonal courts and Aces. Some odd art decks majors actually might work for this spiral. I mean an odd art deck such as Dante---which is very dark for some. With this spread, I may wait for Journey to the Orient or the Tarot of the Fey for interesting majors. Hope this is fun. Thanks for encouraging notes, Mari the dim mirror with a grin *********************** "Whose the ferret of them all?"

All Is One	17 Aug 2002
Watch out- all of you- for a truly humble Taro reader...they will usually be the most insightful into the things about yourself that you yourself may not be willing to face... I'd say those last two puns just about did me in; All hail Mari The Dim~ Ferret of Them All!!!

The Majors-only thread was originally posted on 14 Aug 2002 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.