Own interpretations Vs. Lil-white-book

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 22 Jun 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

G.I.R.	22 Jun 2003
Last nite I did my first reading in which I was able to give my reading and allready knew what most of the cards meant. Some of which I found out (Being new to tarot, I still check the little white book) My definitions difered from the book. And as the reading went I found that My definitions/intuition applied more than the book's. Although mine applied more, the book's applied too but in the particullar reading, the person found that my definitions applied to the more important parts of the issue and were also more blunt. Most of all this happened with The High Priestess. When I laid her down before I checked the book, my first reaction was that it symbolized a person who was non-emotional or to be more precise didn't have emotions toward the person I was reading for. But... the little white book didn't say anything about emotionlessness (this is the Vampire Tarot I was using) Although I do know that the St. Petersburg tarot does say emotionlessness. What was weird is that the person this card applied to also fit the description that the lil white book gave me. So far, I'm begining to think that my intuitions are telling me the more important things, and the book is giving me what I don't have the skill to see yet. Also, as I have heard from ever-so-many people in the forum, I'm seing the little white book as just a guideline to help me along in my beginings with the tarot. Anyways... what's YOUR opinion on this? Also I'm sure that there is another thread on this subject, so if there is, tell me. pleeze. :)

HudsonGray	22 Jun 2003
I've been ready to chuck the little white book in the trash, too--I get more off the card images than from the memorized meanings. BUT it pays to learn the regular meanings first, just to get a foundation under you. Just last night Steve came in as I was hunched over a spread (3am, I'm allowed to hunch!) and went uh ohh... but asked me to pull a card for him 'just for fun'. I finished the other reading, shuffled & pulled the 2 of Swords. Umm...'for fun'? 2 of Swords -- balanced decisions, crumbling ruins, approaching storm, blindfolded....OH! She's BAREFOOT! He just got two new pair of shoes for his hard-to-fit feet & had worn both pair in the last two days...did they hurt? NO! But his old pair did because the heels were so worn down. So the card was the balance of the old pair vs the two new pair (swords cut and hurt), it did come out as a 'just for fun' card after all. Course you won't find that application about shoes in the LWB! Go with your feelings & hunches, intuition, whatever is moving you, you're on the right track.

Chronata	23 Jun 2003
When I used to teach classes on how to read the Tarot, the very first thing we did on that very first day was to put the little white book away. I made everyone go through each card, and write down a paragraph of what they saw. Or what they felt.... Or what they believed was the story behind the card. It is amazing to me still, how accurate a person's first impression/intuitive response is to the cards. (especially in kids below the age or 15!) Later, I would teach them the basic meaning of the card and then a couple of other meanings from different tarot authors. But I would always allow each student to continue using the first reaction to the card, if they so chose, to be the meaning that mattered. after all, The Tarot is a tool, and not everyone uses them in exactly the same way!(as I found out in all the different classes I took, and Teachers who approached things so differently!) I applaud your efforts, G.I.R.! I think you should always trust in what you feel first, and then look to the "authorities"...only if you want to! Good Luck with future readings! That deck you are using is a really nifty deck for visual imagery!

Trogon	23 Jun 2003
Howdy G.I.R., Definitely... go with what you feel about the card in the immediate context of the reading. It seems to me to be the best way to go. For me, I really don't refer to the LWBs during a reading any more (though, like you, that was what I did when I was first starting out). I do still, sometimes, refer to my own notes from my studies of the cards to help me focus my thoughts when I am having trouble putting them into words... but this is in order to communicate those ideas to the person for whom I am reading. But... there have been a couple of times where I'd refer to my notes only to say to myself... "no... thats not what I'm feeling about this card this time - it's more this..." Then I go with what I was feeling. I'll usually go back and jot a brief note about that "new" interpretation of the card in my note book.

tarotpharot	23 Jun 2003
Well, not excactly. At least put it away, especially at first. The best thing about LWBs is their ability to help serve as a check when one gets that ambigous or uncertain spread or card. There have been times that I was thankful for the LWB or book which came with the deck especially when I just couldn't relate to the symbology appearing on a card. LWB are also helpful where themed decks or oracles are concerned. Blessings of the day, Brad }) TarotPharot

Minderwiz	23 Jun 2003
I agree with all the rest. LWBs do have a place but what matters most is your own feelings and interpretations. The value of LWBs and other books is that you can actually broaden your own interpretation by looking at how others work out their interpretation, especially if you are having problems with a card. BUT be prepared to reject other people's interpretations and substitute your own - providing they work consistently for you.

raeanne	23 Jun 2003
Hi all, I don’t think the problem is with the LWB – it is with the way it is used. Most of these books have “key words” or they just list a string of words that are supposed to tell the beginner the meaning of the card. Beginners assume that they have to memorize all of these words. If the LWB told the beginner to look at the card and see if any of the words in the list seem to match the picture, it would help the beginner learn HOW to use the LWB. They should tell the beginner that they don't have to use all the meanings listed. I think all LWBs need to included the following: REMEMBER: Key Words are just that – keys. Some keys fit the lock and some don't. These keys may help you unlock the locks but you still have to push the door open and walk across the threshold all by yourself!

Macavity	23 Jun 2003
I suspect they might not be too useful when e.g. they give the standard GENERIC meanings that come with many Rider-Waite Clones! However some LWBs seem to have been produced with a higher degree of thought - notably in collaboration with the deck artist. I find these latter rather useful, especially where they refer to an extension or departure from the "traditional" meanings. A particular case in point is the Nefertari Tarot's Two of Wands. Being, I suppose, a Thoth-ite, I mostly associated this with "Dominion", (the guy who has everything, but is frustrated by "something" lacking!) But as a fan of all things ancient Egyptain, I had wondered about the image of Tutankamun - "propped up" by (historically accurate!) walking sticks. And, sure enough, the LWB meaning also says "Disease and uncertainty in abundance". Poor old Tut to a tee! Such things (imo) give a new, and interesting twist to many of the more usual meanings, and sometimes ones that I might not have thought about. :) What we wouldn't give for an accompanying LWB with many artworks? Macavity

Alissa	23 Jun 2003
G.I.R., my first post ever was my own crisis of faith ... whether I should follow my intuition, or the book's teachings. Here's a link, as I think the information many kind folks have posted may be insightful for you. It was for me. ;) http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6390 It's funny, although I have resolved the issues I first discussed when opening the thread, folks will still bump and respond to the issues within it as well. You're not alone in wondering which was is "right" -- it's just hard when finding your own "correctness" at first. Your intuition should be encouraged. The book learning can come with time, if you decide you can't live without it. Or, do like my sister, sagitarian, recommends. In her words, "You don't read a book to fall in love." So you could trash the little white book and just listen to your cards. I know others here on this site who've proposed little white book burnings....

sagitarian	23 Jun 2003
:) lovingly at her sis Alissa! You're so sweet! When I first learned tarot, my tarot mentor lead me by teaching me how to have faith in my intuition, how to listen, and how to open up to what I felt and heard. I was always thankful for that, as he really did teach me how to listen to my intuition. After several several years, I decided to begin learning the traditional meanings of the cards. Please, go with your intuition. Don't refer to the book. I know sometimes it may be embarassing to do a reading for someone and not know what the card means, but if you softly explain to them that you are just learning, most people are very forgiving of that. If your curiousity has got the best of you, and you just HAVE to know what the lwb says, then look it up after the reading is over. If you draw a COMPLETE blank, then it's ok, just kindly let the person know, I'm sorry but I'm not getting anything from this card, I don't understand it. Or try to remember some very basic things, like pentacles is earth, representing earth work, however you interpret this in your personal definition is up to you. Perhaps key things of the sort will help you at least mention a part of the cards definition if you can't hear your intuition. My main point being that intuition takes presidence over the lwb anytime, anywhere, anyday! :)

G.I.R.	23 Jun 2003
Thanks for the advice everybody. I don't think I'm going to go to the point of buring the LWB (new abbrev. for me). After all, what did it ever do to me. Also, I'm a bit of a perfectionist and would never want to lose something that came with my deck whether I use it or not. Today I just started back at using my journal (it's been too long), so I've added some things to my entries. Now instead of just putting my personl reactions to the cards, I have added the LWB interpretations And uderlined the ones my intuitions agree with. Then I wrote the order of how quickly I agreed with the idividual words. So far, I agree with all of the LWB defiitions. I just find they're missing a lot of major things. Then, under that I added what I got from my intuition after reading out of the LWB. And after that, I have a list of people who I find has a connection with the card that I'm studying. For instance, for The Fool, I put two people, my friend, Tray, and Micheal Jackson (I still find that one really funny). And for The Magician,I put Gandalf, Merlin, and Yoda. So far I only have the first three cards of the Major Arcana "done" (not really done because I left a page worth of extra space for addition, not to mention the fact that I'm planning on eventually adding the reversed meanings too) I think I'm gonna start bringing my notebook to all my readigs. (for those who would like to know, I doubt anyone does, I use a black-paged gel pen notebook, and a neon green gel pen and I underline with orange. This means I can write in the blacklite. I also use my notebook for a regular journal sometimes.) for now I think I'm gonna use mine and the book's interpretations when I do readings. Mostly cause I have problems using my intuitions. (I have a tendancy to think in flashes and have too many thoughts at once. I think that's why the LWB says a lot of things that my intuitions agree with yet I didn't allready write it down. Also, getting a lttle off subject, even my dreams work the same way as my thoughts I think that's why I never remember them.) Yeah. I got way of the subject. sorry about that. :)

tarotpharot	23 Jun 2003
Sounds like you're well on your way GIR! Writing down YOUR impressions and complimenting them with the LWB meanings is a great way to go. I've done it myself from time to time. I also like your idea of associating people with cards (I can see Michael Jackson moonwalking right off the stage!). After a bit, you may discover you've designed your own Tarot! Blessings of the day, Brad }) TarotPharot

G.I.R.	23 Jun 2003
My thanks to the pharot. Well, I've spent most of the day on my journal. I just did my page on The Lovers. My interpretation of The Lovers sounds exactly like the earlier part of my present relationship. If I had give this interpretation for The Lovers in any other deck, I'd have thought I just had Kristin on the brain, but in The Vampire Tarot, the picture even looks like me and Kristin (as vampires though). It's kind of creepy. Also, a lot of my character relations were linked to a video game I have called Vampire Night. I think it's because some of the cards are similar to the characters and being vampires just makes it a pefect fit. For instance I found that the Empress and Emperor are very much like the last two bosses in the game (in the video sequences, not in battle). I also think this is because Vampire Night used to be my favorite PS2 game and is still my favorite Guncon game. (for any gamers, I totally recomend this game although it's kind of short. It's still the best of it's kind.) Also, I am still finding that my intuitions are incuding most of the LWB. I think that some of this may be due to me having allready used it with the LWB. I don't know, but I feel that I'm really starting to get a clearer vision my own intuition than I have ever before. (Also, for other people who are using the idea of people that cards remind you of in your journal, I've started uing the abbreviation P.I.R.O. (People I'm Reminded Of) simply because it does't take up so much room (not to mention that the prefix pyro is just a good word for memory and it's catchy)) And something I almost forgot, as for the LWB defintions that I don't see an imediate connection with, if I look at the card and my interpretation again, I see that it either is a little detail that relates to my definition, or a more vague version of it. I'm realy seeing that Ms. Hertz didn't just write a bunch of random R-W-C definitions. P.S. Did Nathalie Hertz write any tarot related books? If not, then someone needs to tell her to. Because I think that readin a book by the creator of my deck would be a lot easier than any oher book. (I'm currently am planing n buying a Tarot book and am as of so far planing on Tarot for Yourself by: Mary K. Greer. It was most recomended on the thread I set up) Once again, I'm totally off subject.

Little Baron	25 Jun 2003
I spend a lot of time learning and thinking to myself 'Do I trust my intuition?', 'Do I read the accompanying LWB?', Do I check peoples responses on the internet?'. This forum has probably been one of the best things I did because when I ask a question, someone steps in and answers it. However, I believe in the power of intuition. After all, is that not what the cards are for? Beautiful images that poke different areas of our subconcious. It is good to have a grounding of knowlege and interesting too, but if all of us learnt those LWB deffinitions and stuck to them, our readings would be very dull and there would not be anything for us to share. Yaboot

sagitarian	25 Jun 2003
Sounds like you're doing great hon! Then again, there is no "wrong" way with tarot, not that I've found anyways!

The Own interpretations Vs. Lil-white-book thread was originally posted on 22 Jun 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.