Majors Only Decks - for reading?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 08 Jul 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

tarotpharot	08 Jul 2003
Hi Folks. In reading reviews for decks over the years, I've noticed several decks that looked and sounded great - until discovering them to be a majors only deck. I'm curious - what is the real purpose of the majority of these decks? Are there those of you who actually read with them? Are there benefits to using solely majors for certain types of readings? I can recall doing exercises in my fledgling days where I used strictly majors or minors in spreads mainly as a study tool, but restricting readings in this manner seems - well, restrictive. Would love your thoughts on this, Brad }) TarotPharot

Umbrae	08 Jul 2003
I love majors only for 2 and 3 card spreads. They are very “in your face,” and very very accurate. A lot of the European Majors Only sets are specifically for collecting – and showcasing artists works. Jeanette (Tarot Garden), would be the one to ask for exactly why so many are made.

jmd	08 Jul 2003
There is also a European tradition which suggests using only the Majors for readings. Personally, I prefer full sets, but a number of my favourite decks are actually Major Arcana only decks. As to reading with such, and as mentioned by Umbrae, they have a peculiar strength about them which tends to focus towards the essence or source of the concern or situation. As I mentioned, I prefer to use full decks. Major Arcana only decks, however, can also be as useful as full ones for the purposes of reflection and developing imaginative, inspirational and intuitive skills. Also, one need not consider the full deck when contemplating the inter-relationship of the various cards to one another. A great book which does precisely this is Meditations on the Tarot. Therein is very much reflected the way in which each of the major Arcana cards may be used on the path of return. The minors, in such a system, are not less important. They are, rather, considered as reflections on particular situations at hand - and thus subject the the vissicitudes of time and space, as opposed to the pure spiritual impulse of the Majors. Others may of course have differing views...

Major Tom	08 Jul 2003
I learned to read tarot by reading The Magick of Tarot by Melita Denning & Osbourne Phillips. Unfortunately now out of print. I read using the majors only for more than 20 years. The accuracy and intensity of majors only readings is astounding. I only started reading with a full deck when I came here. :joke: My friend Jmd alluded to pathworking and majors are excellent for this. Majors are also good for self-development. I've found that using the majors only, perhaps adding the aces, tend to be more effective in spell work. Then there's those that think the minors are a waste of time. :joke: I would probably advise anyone making their own deck to make the majors first. ;)

Jeannette	08 Jul 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Umbrae I love majors only for 2 and 3 card spreads. They are very “in your face,” and very very accurate... A lot of the European Majors Only sets are specifically for collecting – and showcasing artists works... Jeanette (Tarot Garden), would be the one to ask for exactly why so many are made. Thanks for soliciting my input, Umbrae luv. But I think you've pretty much covered it. And much more succinctly than I'm usually capable of... ...They can have my majors-only decks when they pry them from my cold, dead hands, heh heh... }) -- Jeannette http://www.tarotgarden.com

Logiatrix	08 Jul 2003
Quote: Originally posted by jmd Major Arcana only decks, however, can also be as useful as full ones for the purposes of reflection and developing imaginative, inspirational and intuitive skills. Also, one need not consider the full deck when contemplating the inter-relationship of the various cards to one another... The minors, in such a system, are not less important. They are, rather, considered as reflections on particular situations at hand - and thus subject the the vissicitudes of time and space, as opposed to the pure spiritual impulse of the Majors. I agree completely. This is exactly how and why I use my majors-only set of the Grimaud Marseille. The small spreads I do with this deck are very spiritually based, yet also "in your face and accurate," as Umbrae put it. For clarification, I accompany the Grimaud majors with my favorite deck of playing cards; this combination has made for some of the best readings I have ever conducted. BTW, majors-only decks are also a very practical way to collect good art--portable, inexpensive (usually) and beautiful art! Peace, Tauni :)

Diana	09 Jul 2003
For very very important readings, I will only use Majors. No confusion about what they mean.... Lots of continental Europeans don't bother about the minors at all. I know quite a number of tarologues who never use the minors ever.

Cerulean	19 Jul 2003
I had a gift certificate to cash in at Amazon and the Didier Colin book with cards was available...it comes with a small 22 card Marseilles variant. It lists all combinations of a four card draw with the 22 trumps. This book came in the same mail delivery as a jaw-dropping note from my bank. A check from employer M____ stamped NSF, dated two weeks before I began my direct deposit of paychecks. I left a few telephone messages and hope Monday will bring a timely resolution and some apologies from a dimwit somewhere. I pulled "Justice" and "The Star". Didier Colin notes that in fairness, honesty and a balanced attitude, I will receive what I want. I'm still looking forward to my weekend. I will hope for quick resolution Monday from a responsible person returning from a vacation by next week. The mood-ring pull helps me not be too bummed out and gladness at being careful. On the plus side, I had funds from subsequent paychecks directly deposited. I checked and payments for a class and some bills came successfuly from my account. I had been conservative and had deposited this previous NSF check into the equivalent of savings...therefore, the SNAFU is hopefully temporary. I definitely needed a lift and am more optimistic now.

Kurai Yuko	19 Jul 2003
Hi TarotPhrot! Well, i would never do a reading only with the Major Arcana. Personally, i think it gives quite vague answers and is as accurate as a 'complete' reading. When i was just starting, i used only the Major Arcana, till i started 'studying' the Minor. Now, for me at least, a deck without the Minor isn't a real Tarot deck. It doesn't respect the full structure of the Tarot. Of course, if you have a 'complete deck' and decides to use only the Major Arcana...well, it's called freewill...all up to you ;) ~Yuko

galadrial	19 Jul 2003
I recently did an Hourglass spread : ----------------9---------10---------11-----Sands to fall in rest of year ---------------------7-----------8----------Sands to fall in near future ---------------------------6----------------Present ---------------------4-----------5----------Sands recently fallen ---------------1----------2-----------3-----Sands fallen in last year using a 78 card deck. The final three cards were hard for me to interpret, and the 9 and 10 positions held minors. So I redid all three positions using Majors only, placing them above the cards already drawn, and, ah ha, crystal clarity. I rarely exclusively use majors, but they certainly help clarify "fuzzy" readings.

Woof	19 Jul 2003
I've been seriously thinking of either paring one of my decks down to a majors only or buying a majors only deck for daily draws. What I want a daily draw for is more spiritual advice, just something to keep in mind for the day. My life is rather dull and often I find the cards seem to blow things out of proportion. (Maybe I just haven't learned to scale down some of the messages.) I can see majors only as being very usefull; however, I think you need to adjust your reading style and the spread you use (or are used to using with a full deck) accordingly. Woof

genna	22 Jul 2003
In my first book on Tarot;David V.Barett´s little "The Predictions Library; Tarot";there were six very good spreads. Two were for Majors only;The Whole Person(4 cards);Your Inner Self,Intellect,Emotions,and Spirit,and you were recommended to use The Star(7 cards) with Majors only if the question was important;The Heart of the Matter,Your Present Position,Intellect,Emotions,Desires,What is surfacing and soon becomes known,and Outcome. I still like this book and do The Star,and the other spread, with Majors only occationally.Mostly I use the whole deck,but these Majors only readings give a clear picture sometimes.

The Majors Only Decks - for reading? thread was originally posted on 08 Jul 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.