Shades of Meanings with Different Decks

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 04 Jan 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Ophiel	04 Jan 2003
Clearly, many of our members use 'more than one' deck of cards. And judging from some of the posts, perhaps some use a different deck each week. lol. I wonder...if the different decks are like different mindsets, if using one deck over another influences your interpretations ever so slightly? I suppose the only way it wouldn't is if the reader had set definitions for each card predetermined, and could basically just read the cards if they were just named instead of illustrated. However, I see that many of you extract additional information from things you notice right on the cards. Do you feel inclined to certain decks for certain types of inquiries?

WolfSpirit	04 Jan 2003
Excellent question, I was just wondering myself last week if the meaning of a card is for me a combination of the different meanings for different decks or if I have a basic meaning with variations. And I must say at the moment I don't really know :D I think the first impression is the image I see before me, sometimes this is enough to trigger my intuition, sometimes I have to search more for the meaning, and I think I am influenced by other decks. I don't have set meanings for every deck neatly separated, I think I get influenced by other decks with different meanings (or: different ways of formulating the same meaning). Sometimes I do this on purpose, I lay the same spread with a different deck to see what that looks like and how it would be different. I use the shapeshifter deck mainly for spiritual questions, the animal wise works good for general readings over a longer period but not for relationship spreads (human relationships are more complicated than animals unfortunately }) ), rider-waite clones like the halloween work with almost everything for me but sometimes I want to use a deck with artwork that inspires me more (or am I just bored with the same pictures ?) I use the sacred circle mainly for meditation not for readings. I have lots of decks, with many decks I'm still in the experimental phase how I want to use them ;)

truthsayer	04 Jan 2003
i definitely find different shades of meaning depending on the deck i use. ssome decks are just better for some things than others. my hanson roberts is superb for general readings. the cosmic tribe when you need to know the bitter truth. the inner child is great for personal issues that have an archetypal feel. relationships the matt myers. templar i use for spiritual issues. something about the different feelings i get from each deck influences what i use it for. i'm not saying i couldn't use my HR for a spiritual reading but i like the atmosphere i get from the templar better. differences in colors and symbols on each card affect my reaction. in my mind i have meanings catalogued for each card but i don't want to use the perceptions i gained by mainly using the rws for over 20 years. different decks shake up those old tapes and adds new life to my intuition.

Thirteen	04 Jan 2003
Different decks certainly have different "feelings" as well as different interpetatons or emphasis for similar cards. I mean, there's certainly a different spin put upon the Last Judgement card depending on if the image is The Last Judgement or a Pheonix (as discussed in another thread). The meanings may not be worlds apart, but the focus and emphasis is different. What I find best about having different decks is that you can fit them to different people or readings. For example, I use a different deck for different times of the year, or for special readings--like a New Year's reading or a Halloween reading. Most important, if asked to do a reading, I try to pick cards I think the querent will identify with. It's difficult to get into a reading when, after laying out the cards, the querent looks down at them and gets this dismayed look on their faces and says, "Yuck! I hate those cards!" I've a pretty good sense of what deck to use for what person--and the readings seem to be more solid when, even before I start, the person says, "Those cards are really speaking to me" or "Wow, this deck is for me!" Afterall, that's why we bought those decks for ourselves, because they spoke to us, appealed to us, made the readings come alive. If we have a variety to chose from, shouldn't we use a deck that we feel will speak to the querent as well?

Sara	05 Jan 2003
The various shades of meaning, the various interpretations, are one of the reasons I collect the decks. I think that each one can give different insights, each artist has different insights, experiences that they bring into tarot. The various thought processes at work in making a dek intrigue me, and I often wish authors and artists would write more about what made them choose a particular symbol or theme for a particular card. Some do, most just write the meaning of the symbolism. I've always been curious about why that meaning or symbol was important to them. I like your question. Sara

Trogon	06 Jan 2003
Yes Ophiel... I definitely get different feelings from different decks. Many of the "meanings" of the cards are similar, but with slightly different feels to them. Sometimes even a very different feel to them. I notice this the most in the Minor Arcana rather than in the Majors. For the most part the Majors seem to follow along pretty well with each other (in the decks I'm currently using, anyway), but I do find more variation in the Minors.

Ophiel	06 Jan 2003
Yes, I also collect decks because they are different, feel different, look different, speak a different language. Some Tarot artists even change the Majors around quite a bit to suit their own particular vision. For instance, THE HIEROPHANT in traditional decks "can" symbolize exoteric religion, which is often different than a deeper personal spiritual path. Some decks depict this symbol (my symbol, anyway) as the wise one. I see the HIGH PRIESTESS and THE HERMIT as the wise ones. Perhaps give THE HANGED MAN a gentle push so he starts swinging back and forth, too. (I'm not picking on the Hierophant, mind you, just using this card as an example.) I tend to be more of a traditionalist when it comes to the Majors because they are my primary focus with the cards and I study them for more esoteric meanings that an artist might or might not be in touch with. So I collect decks for different reasons, and some of mine have other than traditional majors.

The Shades of Meanings with Different Decks thread was originally posted on 04 Jan 2003 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.