major only decks

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 13 Dec 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

firestorm	13 Dec 2003
This musing is coming from a question I asked earlier in the H & I forum. I have a new deck with unillustrated pips, and come to find out, the pips were an afterthought as a marketing device. The author originally intended it to be a majors only deck. So now I'm wondering.....with all the major only decks that are out there, mainly older decks, how important is the minor arcana? It seems to me that many people felt that the majors were all we needed. Any thoughts?

Rusty Neon	13 Dec 2003
hi firestorm ... You asked how important are the minor arcana, and whether the fact that the printing of major arcana only decks indicates the lesser importance of minor arcana. In my view, the minor arcana are important to the tarot deck and the printing of major arcana only decks doesn't necessarily indicate that the minor arcana are of lesser value in divination. Some random and disorganized musings: (1) A person on a French language Tarot de Marseille e-list once remarked that reading tarot without the minor arcana is like reading an "amputated" tarot deck. (2) The esoteric tradition (including the Golden Dawn) recognize the importance of the minor arcana. The Rider-Waite deck (which flowed from the Golden Dawn traditions in part) has made the pip cards more user-friendly, shortened the learning curve for pip cards, and made the symbology of the pip cards more iconographic, so much so that, to my RW-tutored mind, the distinction between major and minor arcana has greatly faded. (3) Most of the tarot decks throughout time have in fact had both major arcana and minor arcana. (4) Various contemporary tarot decks have been published as Major Arcana decks, because the artist's creative statement is best made with the major arcana and there is a lot less novel to do, artistically, for non-illustrated decks. (Many of the contemporary tarot decks that do have minor arcana will have RWS-based minor arcana as this gives the artist some imagery to work with.) Besides, these Major Arcana decks are often conceived as art decks for purchase by collecters, rather than being conceived as divination decks. It should be also be noted that having only 22 cards helps to keep the cost down for the collector, and thus encourages purchases. The collector who wants to use tarot for divination presumably already has enough 78-card tarot decks for that purpose. (5) Many of the Major Arcana tarot decks originate in Italy and other countries with Tarot de Marseille traditions. Unfortunately, divination in those countries is done mainly or exclusively with the major arcana because of the sharper learning curve to learn the unillustrated pip cards of the TdM. This can, in part, also explain why an artist and publishing house who create a deck based on the TdM school (rather than the GD/RW/Thoth school) create major arcana tarot decks.

Le_Corsair	13 Dec 2003
I think that majors-only decks are a way for artists who are not particularly tarot fans to get a collection of their art published at small cost, so as to have something to market to casual art fans. A tarot deck of 22 images is in effect a miniature portfolio, that an artist can use as gifts for friends, to sell at casual shows, etc. Apologies to any of my artist friends who are offended by this notion. :) Bob :THERM

firestorm	13 Dec 2003
I just realized that I forgot the main question I wanted to ask in the thread! Does anyone read with majors only? Thanks, guys, makes sense to me.

Rusty Neon	13 Dec 2003
Quote: Originally posted by firestorm Does anyone read with majors only? I prefer to use the whole deck. But if I were to forced to use a partial deck, I'd be tempted to use the Minor Arcana when using the RWS, and to use the Major Arcana when using the Tarot de Marseille. Some people like to use the Major Arcana when the reading is more important or spiritual, but I don't see why this needs to be done, especially if the particular person is using a fully illustrated deck like the RWS.

Star Spirit	14 Dec 2003
I almost always read with all the cards. I feel that they all have significance, and would rather not purchase a deck that was majors only. I could just as easily remove the minors from one of my own, if I needed to.

Diana	14 Dec 2003
Quote: Originally posted by firestorm I just realized that I forgot the main question I wanted to ask in the thread! Does anyone read with majors only? About half of my readings are done with Majors only. For many months now, my favourite deck for Majors only readings is the Oswald Wirth deck. :)

Darla	14 Dec 2003
I always use both the major and minor arcana. This way it is easier for me to get a more detailed answer. But I think readings for pathworking only would go fine just with the major arcana but if you want to know about practical things in life I wouldn't do it without the minors.

Majecot	14 Dec 2003
Most of my decks are purchased because of the art work. I always thing of Majors only as unfinshed art work. I have in the past used Majors only in spreads that were designated for just that, out of books that I have read. But I feel that using Majors only, like using one suit only readings is a little like stacking the deck. I like to use the whole deck.

ros	15 Dec 2003
I use all the cards. I think just the majors would be good for indepth readings. I feel these cards carry lots of info. I think the minors add the spices to the pot!

Nevada	15 Dec 2003
In another thread, a few weeks ago, Diana urged me to try reading with majors. I've started, as an experiment, doing two daily readings. One is from a full 78-card deck. The other is a majors-only reading. For my majors deck I use the major arcana cards from an old Thoth deck that was missing a [minors] card. (I wanted a separate major-only deck so I didn't have to pick the majors out of my other decks each time I wanted to work with just them.) It's been interesting to see the patterns that have developed. I'll often get a major in my whole-deck reading that also appears in my major-only reading either the same day, or the day before or after. I want to stick with this for a while and then maybe chart the results, but it's clear to me so far that the same energies are frequently at work in both readings. I've found that as I've practised interpreting the majors-only throws I feel more comfortable with them. At first the interpretations didn't seem detailed enough to me, but when I look at two or three cards in combination I've begun to see definite, clear meanings. I also try to be sure that I keep a journal of how my days go, to see how the readings play out in my life. I think this is an important key to learning from an experiment of this type. This has only been going on for a few days. I need to work with this longer before I can say much more about it, but it's been worth the effort (of adding another reading each day), so far. I'm learning a lot about the cards using this process. BTW, thanks, Diana! :) I'm glad I decided to try this. Nevada

Diana	16 Dec 2003
Nevada: I'm glad you're enjoying this. In Continental Europe, reading with Majors is definitely not considered unusual - and some of the most famous Tarologues only use the Majors. (But other famous Tarologues use all 78 cards.) You're right Nevada, that the details in a Majors reading are all there - you just have to read between the cards. One needs to see the cards as a WHOLE - not as separate entities.

jmd	16 Dec 2003
Currently my favourite deck is a partial deck only (ie, only the Major Arcana was produced) - it is a Marseille style deck, the Tarot de la Felicité. I find Major Arcana only decks useful for meditative techniques. I tend to see in the Courts reflections of personality dispositions/types, and in the pips worldly situations and mathematical considerations. As gateways, then, a Majors only deck is not only useful, but wonderful. Of course, I personally consider such, as mentioned, a partial Tarot deck :)

firestorm	18 Dec 2003
That is a fabulous deck, jmd. I saw it at Tarot Garden not too long ago and loved it, but it was an awful lot of money for 22 cards! I still haven't ruled it out though.

jmd	19 Dec 2003
...in my opinion, the cards of the Tarot de la Felicité are far better in the real than on screen! As expensive as they are, I do think that their particular care and finish makes the deck worthwhile. It would have to be one deck I would want to exhibit at some stage...

Agathe	19 Dec 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Dead Star I almost always read with all the cards. I feel that they all have significance, and would rather not purchase a deck that was majors only. Same with me. I cannot imagine myself reading with majors only. But I know some do it and they don't mind it. Blessings, Agathe

yve	20 Dec 2003
The lovers tarot by Jane Lyle are majors only too...considering the size of those cards, 4 1/2" by 8 1/2" i'm glad it isn't the whole deck...who would have hands to handle a full deck of this size!

full deck	20 Dec 2003
I use the majors only from the newer Scarabeo Leonardo Da Vinci deck. I thought to experiment with this based upon what Diana had written about doing such. I also found that I did not like the minors from this deck much at all. Working with majors only changes the way I work and think as compared to using the whole seventy-eight. I do prefer using the seventy-eight. I am also currently working with a minchiate deck and that one I use without the zodiac cards and I have had to keep a color printout of the deck by my workdesk to aquaint myself with it better. The Minchiate is taking longer to develop as a tool but is very interesting to work with.

Keslynn	22 Dec 2003
One of my new favorite decks is a majors only - well, sort of. It's the Triple Goddess Tarot. I find that I get a lot even with just the majors because this particular deck speaks so clearly to me. I don't know if I'd be able to do just majors with any other deck. I'd have to give it a shot. :) Kes

Diana	22 Dec 2003
Quote: Originally posted by full deck I am also currently working with a minchiate deck and that one I use without the zodiac cards and I have had to keep a color printout of the deck by my workdesk to aquaint myself with it better. The Minchiate is taking longer to develop as a tool but is very interesting to work with. Just to share: I used the Minchiate for a reading exchange in the Oracles forum. I used it as an oracle, I didn't attach any Tarot meanings to it. It worked pretty well......

bluediva	23 Dec 2003
I started out learning the Tarot using just the majors of my (Vertigo) deck, did this for about 3 months. Once I became familiar with the meanings conveyed by the majors and got a feel for reading card spreads, I incorporated the minors. Now I find that every few months, it's good to do a couple of readings for myself with just the majors. There are so many dimensions to what any given major arcana card can convey. More than just getting to know one or two key words for each, I've gathered a fairly complex sense of each major's meaning, and how they all weave together. Once in awhile, to do an all-majors reading gives me the chance to re-explore those meanings in depth, and renew my sense of each card's personality, if you will. Yes, these readings carry weightier ideas than using a full deck, but I find it is also a good process to consider how these ideas apply to my day-to-day life. Just from my own personal experience, I would recommend trying this. -Blue

Cerulean	28 Dec 2003
There's a new anniversary edition with 78 cards. The card size is standard with a Rider Waite deck from U.S. Games The courts are very Rider-Waite like in the photocollage with different historical paintings. The pips are only arranged in patterns, although if you look closely, the wands and swords sometimes have more decorative detail. The cups and pentacles /coins have simple patterns, so if one likes unillustrated pips or wants to learn, the 208 page book gives good detail. I like this, as I enjoyed the write-ups of the majors and sometimes did readings with the oversize 22 card version for one or two others to uncover 'themes' in their questions. While the meanings written up seem to be very relational, when I read for others on different questions, I find the meanings from the 'About You' or the first section to be the best in terms of suggestions, identifying ideas or concepts. Jane Lyle also writes in a sisterly tone that I like...so it's a comfort deck for me. I am coming to like the smaller size and full 78 cards, even though I see some flaws in the photomontage. The flaws are somewhat interesting, though, kind of varied in terms of body types shown in historic costume or form. But I have preferences along these lines. Some think the photocollages from historic paintings in this deck aren't appealing--I tend to like them. Mari H.

yve	29 Dec 2003
Thanks for the info Mari...do you have a link to some sample images of the minors? For simple readings the majors only would probably serve the purpose, but for larger card spreads, I think the whole deck would give a more accurate reading, but that may be my personal preference only.

The major only decks thread was originally posted on 13 Dec 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.