Majors only anyone?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 06 Oct 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Macavity	06 Oct 2002
I find some of the major arcana only decks rather appealing. Are they any use in practical Tarot terms? (Briefly!) Can one get any useful readings from spreads of just MAJOR arcana cards or maybe even as a subset of a normal deck? :)

Lion-O	06 Oct 2002
I think so, absolutely. After all, the major arcana represents the strongests influences in the deck while the minor cards are a bit more detailed (iow; not as heavy as the major arcana is). In fact, I think this is an excellent way to start using the Tarot since you will totally focus on the major issues without having to worry about any things in between. Now, it has been a while for me but if my memory serves me right this has even been an excercise in my Tarot learning period. Simply to make you focus on the major issues without having to worry about all details at once. So, to answer your question: Yes. I definatly think this would be usefull in real readings. However; I also think that these readings won't be as detailed or precise as a "regular" deck can present you with.

Diana	06 Oct 2002
edited

Kath	07 Oct 2002
Great timing for this thread! I have just bought Tarot For Cats, it's a Majors only deck and I was wondering how I could use it, and now I know :) cheers Kath

Major Tom	07 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by Diana I often use only the Majors. Old habit of mine. Like my friend Diana (hope I'm not giving away too much here) I used the majors only for all readings for many years. On their own the majors can give as much detail in a reading as using the whole deck. They definitely provide a more intense reading though. }) Edited to add: The only spreads I used were the Celtic Cross or the 6 - pointed Star. ;)

Ravenswing	07 Oct 2002
macavity-- majors only works well-- i just keep to no more than 6 cards in a spread. it's courts only that i would have LOTS of trouble with. LOL!! is it princess or page?? ravenswing

Lee	07 Oct 2002
Sallie Nichols, the author of "Jung and Tarot," does all her readings with the Majors, the Courts, and the Aces (i.e. all cards except the 2-10 pips), so it's a 42-card deck. It seems to me that if you assign more generalized meanings to the Courts and see them as more than personality profiles, then this would be an excellent vehicle for readings. Also seems like a good way to work with non-illustrated-minor decks. -- Lee

Laurel	07 Oct 2002
I think Major only readings are effective- as long as the spread is small. Its perfect for a three card spread, breaks down after the seven or eight card mark, when you've got a third of the Majors laid out. Laurel

Macavity	07 Oct 2002
Thank You... Peter and Major Tom for the encouragement, Diana for wisdom (esp. in the Links), Kath as the essential ailurophile, Ravenswing and Laurel for pertinent observations on card numbers and Lee for Jungian insight - Phew :) Indeed more highly useful stuff to ponder... Now I can think of *something* to "DO" with most of my modest (but increasing) collection of decks. Only really need ONE more now - A decent Marseille type - Then down to some hard work - Honestly! :D Mac

Indigo	08 Oct 2002
I have to read with only the Majors, Courts and Aces with my Winged Spirit deck. That's the only way they make sense to me. The Major Arcana of that deck speaks to me, but the pips are like trying to make sense of a bad mime.

evangelion	08 Oct 2002
First of all, I've seen some awesome Major only decks: Geiger, Portal, a few anime decks. I would buy them mainly to collect but there's some really awesome spreads using only the Major Arcana. I would only use them for a Karma spread I use: 1. What I (or querent) put out, what you did to initiate Karma, what started it all. 2. What is expected to come back 3. What I can learn, will learn. The Karmic lesson. So dont hesitate to pick up a deck you like, even if it's just the Majors. It's a great investment :)

Mystica	08 Oct 2002
Recently I have been trying out majors only with the Sacred Circle deck. I agree with the others who suggested small (3 to 5 card) spreads. The readings I've done so far have been amazing!! Of course, I've been obcessed with my Sacred Circle deck for about two weeks now! Vianne

WolfSpirit	09 Oct 2002
Thanks for this thread. Seems like I'm finally going to use my Merlin deck ! I love the majors and court cards in this deck, but I really hate the pips. The majors, court cards and aces are beautiful illustrated IMO, looks like it's been designed for using only these ! Never done it like this, can't wait to try it out...

Zhritza	10 Oct 2002
I tossed the minors of the much-maligned Tarot of the Witches (see here: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/tarotwitches/index.html ) and, as I had hoped, I now have a very nice, whimsical majors-only deck. My favorite 3-card spread is a very simple A+B=C advice type of thing: 1) do this, 2) and this, and 3) you will get this positive outcome. It works well for very specific how-to queries.

Cerulean	30 Jan 2003
I just found this thread, searching for Merlin info. Majors, aces and courts...that describes the Merlin well. Also a few of my really nice anime decks. Might also work for the Mitelli deck and an oop (Duomo Siena) one that I have, so thanks for the ideas.

ZazaZ	30 Jan 2003
And I bet that the B.O.T.A. Deck was the very first modern "Major's Only" deck (published in 1922, i believe?) for I cannot think of any other one, can you?

Umbrae	30 Jan 2003
I like a daily draw of two cards. Sometimes it is Soul Cards, Sometimes Giger (aka Baphomet). The first card is the challenge or issue of the day. The second is the solution, or the lesson.

Cerulean	30 Jan 2003
I don't know if you mean 22 trump decks in the U.S.? Because I do have an odd novelty called Jeu de Revolution, a reprint from the 1800s, that I will need to count...but I think it was based on the idea of only trumps and it is French. The Mitelli, circa late 1600s were a pattern from Bologna that had around 62 cards, so there may have been other countries or majors only editions of tarocchi card decks between 1600 and 1912 in Europe. I do know Argio Orell painted 22 trumps as a novelty for the Italian steamship line of Modina to Austria and it may have been earlier than 1912. I may have been mixing it up with the astrology-based Calistro, which was published around 1912 with the pseudo Egyptian trumps. It is kind of hard to know, even with checking Stuart Kaplan's Encyclopedia of the Tarot. Thanks for history note---I'll check my timelines.

The Majors only anyone? thread was originally posted on 06 Oct 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.