Marking your tarot cards

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 16 Mar 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Rusty Neon	16 Mar 2004
I thought I'd survey the group on something I haven't seen a thread on yet. - Have you ever marked tarot cards? - Which decks have you marked? - How have you marked the cards? Keywords, Divinatory Meanings, Astrological correspondences, Time period corresponding to the astrological correspondences, other correspondences (Kaballah, Runes, I Ching) ... - Have you regretted it? In my case, I marked the Gareth Knight deck, a Golden Dawn based deck with non-scenic pip cards, which I bought at clearance price in a banged up box. That gave me more of a licence to mark it up. The marking I did was to write Golden Dawn / Thoth keywords on the Two to Ten of each suit of the minor arcana. I thought it would make me focus more on the design and feeling that Knight was trying to instill in the pip cards and not to be distracted by mentally recalling the keyword. Unfortunately, my penmanship wasn't of calligraphers' quality, so I have since regretted it, all the more so since the deck is technically out of print (though still available in some stores). I have also been tempted to write GD astrological correspondences on a RWS deck.

Lee	16 Mar 2004
I once placed little dots with a pen on my copy of US Games's current Marseille deck, just the pip cards, so I could tell upright from reversed. -- Lee

CreativeFire	16 Mar 2004
Have never been able to bring myself to actually write on the cards themselves, but did use sort of "sticky" labels on one of my earlier decks to help associate certain thoughts when I was first starting to learn - was very lucky that they came off easily and you would never know now that they had been there. :) Did make them a bit hard to shuffle though at the time! CreativeFire

ros	16 Mar 2004
My RWS deck & Universal Waite Tarot has taken a pen beaten. I have wrote signs, sayings, elements, actually anything I needed when I was studying. I don't regret it because I have double decks. When I read with the good decks I can remember what I have written on my studying deck, (sometimes). The only thing that bothers me, if I read with my study deck, people try to read what I have on the cards, & my writing is so small that they can't read it so they pick them up or stare at them when I'm reading to them.

Rusty Neon	16 Mar 2004
Creative Fire ... Removable labels are great, but some of them (e.g., computer diskette labels) could still leave sticky film behind when the label is removed. What would be great is a deck whose card coating enabled you to write with erasable marking pen and to then erase without a trace.

Rusty Neon	16 Mar 2004
Ros ... I guess marked up cards would be especially great for people who do phone-line readings and need to work fast.

ros	16 Mar 2004
Never thought of the phone-line readings. I just wanted to speed up my knowledge of the cards.

Phoenyx*	16 Mar 2004
Oh my gosh! Writing on the holy cards?! ;) No, seriously, it never occured to me to write on my cards, hell, I don't even write in the margins of books I own. They're too sacred for me, though, I should start in my books, at least in pencil.

Cerulean	16 Mar 2004
cards that seem to have keyword notes. Depending if anyone else bids on the Italian deck on ebay supposedly from a fortune teller of 1946. I just thought it was an interesting old Italian deck and put a minor bid down. I was thinking of doing divinitory keyword/color notes on reproductions of my di Gumppenberg copies with limited colors (1840) and the Neoclassical (1811), which also has limited colors, to compare my ideas and reactions to both decks with their differing keywords. But I may end up doing a lightened black and white copy of the majors for both decks and do colored pen/black ink divinatory notes instead. Mari H. Mari

ros	16 Mar 2004
I also find with studying Tarot or numerology if I write on the cards or paper it's easier to remember because your thoughts have been written down. I always have a second deck before I mark a deck. There is something about putting my ideas on the cards or paper, any paper whereever I am, helps with the memory. It also takes the pressure off of having to be perfect & remember everything. It's not that I use it all, it's probably a habit by now!

lark	16 Mar 2004
I drew shorts on the 10 of Pentacles in my World Spirit deck. Hey, he was naked from the waist down and there were children present. :confused: I also once put a bannana sticker on the Lovers card in my Robin Wood deck. I was reading for a lady and everytime I pointed to the Lovers card and tried to talk about it she'd say "OH, my!" So I peeled the sticker off my bannana and put it on his little bent bannana and she felt much better for the rest of the reading. Oh, I peeled it off later. :)

Imagemaker	16 Mar 2004
Quote: So I peeled the sticker off my bannana and put it on his little bent bannana and she felt much better for the rest of the reading. Oh, I peeled it off later. Hey, anything to make the querent feel more comfortable with tarot :D I wrote the Osho Zen keywords on one of my miniature Rider Waites, one I carry all the time. I can then do a spread with "either" deck.

ScarabFlight	17 Mar 2004
I have a New Palladini deck and I added some lines because some of the drawings looked kinda wonky to me. I hadn't been using it as much because some of the pictures really turned me off, the magician being a prime example. (is that upraised arm supposed to be foreshortened or does he just have a really short upper arm?!?) After adding a few lines here and there has really helped me to connect with the deck and I use it a lot more. You really can't tell where I added lines, but it worked for me. :D Lark I love that you added shorts! Are you still happy with the shorts?

Phoenix Rising	17 Mar 2004
I marked my very first deck which was a cheapie, so I didn't mind to help me remember, and I thought about drawing the other symbols on it too. But when I got my quest deck I didn't need to because it had keywords and astrological, rune, I ching and hebrew letters and gemstones on it.

Nitegoddess	17 Mar 2004
Hello, and I am glad that someone brought that up... I have been thinking about writing on my RW cards but I am hesitant... maybe the cheap ones I have I will. It is a good idea and great for us newbies for learning. Now, I have been learning the Sacred Circle ... and I just dont have the heart to write on those... I actually get a funny feeling in my stomach to just thinking about it!! :eek:

Phoenyx*	17 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Nitegoddess Now, I have been learning the Sacred Circle ... and I just dont have the heart to write on those... I actually get a funny feeling in my stomach to just thinking about it!! :eek: Yeah, I get the same feeling whenever I even think about writing on *any* of my decks. Being a poor college student, $15 for a deck just to write on it, seems a little horrifying. Though..I do have my mini-RW, and my mini-Hanson Roberts....*shudders just to think about putting ink to those cards*

Nitegoddess	17 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Triquetra Yeah, I get the same feeling whenever I even think about writing on *any* of my decks. Being a poor college student, $15 for a deck just to write on it, seems a little horrifying. Though..I do have my mini-RW, and my mini-Hanson Roberts....*shudders just to think about putting ink to those cards* I know the feeling not only am I a poor college student I am also the mother of 4 and just cant spend as much as I like at times. But, believe or not I found a deck of tarot at a Borders outlet for 2.99. That is why I think I will mark on them.. an old RW.. but the Sacred Circle....OH HEAVEN'S NO!! Wouldn't consider it!!

lark	17 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by ScarabFlight Lark I love that you added shorts! Are you still happy with the shorts? I am very happy with them!!!!! No regrets at all. And the guy on the Ten of Pentacles looks very relieved.... World Spirit is a deck I use alot and now I feel much more comfortable with it.

Kiama	17 Mar 2004
So far I haven't added symbols or keywords etc, to any of my decks (though with my second deck, a real cheapie, I did what Lee did: mark some of the Minors so I could tell reversed from upright...) However, I have recently had to make a few alterations to my King of Pentacles (Robin Wood deck) after bits of him peeled off due to stickyness from the back of another card pulling it off... So I just got a black pen and coloured in where he was previously black, and he looks okay now. :D My boyfriend also decided to 'improve' his Temperence card from the Robin Wood deck by drawing a goatee and glasses on it. }) Kiama

crystal cove	17 Mar 2004
I've never marked a deck, but I am thinking about covering the keywords on my Thoth deck. I despise them.

Emily	17 Mar 2004
I put little black pen dots on my Ancient Italian next to the numbers, because I couldn't tell when some of the cards were reversed, mainly the swords, staffs and some pentacles. Some of the cup cards were already marked with black dots to indicate which was up so I just made the deck look all the same. :)

lunakasha	17 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Triquetra Oh my gosh! Writing on the holy cards?! ;) No, seriously, it never occured to me to write on my cards, hell, I don't even write in the margins of books I own. They're too sacred for me, though, I should start in my books, at least in pencil. LOL!!!! :D I am the same way, Triquetra! I just cannot bear the thought of writing in my books....at all! I always prefer to take notes on subjects that interest me..... *PHEW* I thought I was the only one.....haha:laugh: :) Luna

Jeanette	17 Mar 2004
Lark, your post made me laugh out loud! I might have to consider modifying the Sun card of the World Spirit, he looks creepy to me. And I don't use the deck because of him. Somebody said he looked like Richard Nixon.

Imagemaker	17 Mar 2004
Quote: Somebody said he looked like Richard Nixon. Oh, my, he does! Yuck! It's that square non-baby head and haircut. How about drawing a big frilly bonnet on him.

lark	17 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Jeanette Lark, your post made me laugh out loud! I might have to consider modifying the Sun card of the World Spirit, he looks creepy to me. And I don't use the deck because of him. Somebody said he looked like Richard Nixon. We just had a fun time with little Richie the other day in this thread www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23587&highlight=nixon

Centaur	17 Mar 2004
I haven't marked any of my cards. At least not intentionally! I am considering doing something with my 'blank' card from the Quest though. Might draw something in there. C

Red Emma	17 Mar 2004
And here I thought I was a broad minded old lady, but MARKING YOUR TAROT DECKS! I'm with Triquenta and Lunakasa. OOOhhh Ick! My decks have assured me that they'd make it rain toads on my birthday did I ever take pen and/or ink to them! I'm afraid of those guys. They're connected!

Phoenyx*	17 Mar 2004
*laughs* I'd hate to see what my Thoth would do if I ever took ink to it! *shudders*

crystal cove	18 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Triquetra *laughs* I'd hate to see what my Thoth would do if I ever took ink to it! *shudders* I'd never take ink to it. I'd probably use some type of sticky colored paper and use a scalloped edge scissor to blend it with the existing art. Plus, I don't fear my Thoth. It probably fears me. ;)

firemaiden	18 Mar 2004
LOL. I have thought of crossing out the little XI when it shows up next the Justice and replacing it with VIII, and vice versa for Strength. I hate it when the order is switched. I also despise the key-words on the Thoth!

Imagemaker	18 Mar 2004
Quote: I have thought of crossing out the little XI when it shows up next the Justice and replacing it with VIII, and vice versa for Strength. Radical thought: how about taking all the numbers off the majors to free up our approach to readings. We logical types tend to like the "set order" (makes us feel safe) but Rachel Pollack says in Forest of Souls: Quote: Unlike sacred books, or the works of psychologicist sages, the Tarot can change and become new every time we pick it up. This is because we can shuffle it. We can take the cards, with all their intense symbols, mix them, and lay them out as a new work. (Introduction--she says a LOT there) Some books will say to shuffle the majors and tell a new version of the Journey that appears. I like that idea, too.

Phoenyx*	18 Mar 2004
Quote: Originally posted by firemaiden LOL. I have thought of crossing out the little XI when it shows up next the Justice and replacing it with VIII, and vice versa for Strength. I hate it when the order is switched. I also despise the key-words on the Thoth! LOL firemaiden. :D

Dexter	20 Mar 2004
[quote]Originally posted by ScarabFlight [b]I have a New Palladini deck and I added some lines because some of the drawings looked kinda wonky to me. I hadn't been using it as much because some of the pictures really turned me off, the magician being a prime example. (is that upraised arm supposed to be foreshortened or does he just have a really short upper arm?!?) After adding a few lines here and there has really helped me to connect with the deck and I use it a lot more. You really can't tell where I added lines, but it worked for me. :D Hi ScarabFlight; I know that this is off topic in this thread but when you mentioned the magician with the short arm it reminded me of the magician, medicine man, elder etc in the book Clan of the Cave Bear. Creb was mogur of the clan and he had a deformed (short) arm which made him special and he carried the knowlege and memories and traditions of the clan. Leader of of all sacred rituals. First thing that came to my mind when reading your post. Dexter

Cerulean	20 Mar 2004
Dover Books and Avery labels have made stickers in such a way that they lie flat but are removeable and so far, no film on the coating of the cards. I did so much decoration of flora, fauna, Gaugain and Asian motifs on my Via, it is definitely a different deck. No I didn't put leis around any bare torsos, but I got tired of seeing the sour face of one of the reoccuring characters. In some cases I also found colors that blended into the backgrounds when I found some of the intricate imagery distracting or added a flowing 'scarf' to a figure. In this case, the book has all the originals in black and white and I check this deck out every month or so. I've had it for about a year and like it better this way. I actually think this keeps it from being put in a trade pile. Mari H.

ScarabFlight	20 Mar 2004
Dexter, thanks for the insight. I hadn't thought of it that way because it just looked poorly drawn to me. I like the idea. It makes me feel even better about that card. Thank you. Unfortunately for the poor Palladini I just got the Golden Tarot so I think that wonky armed magician may not see the light of day for a while. lol But at least now he has the possibility of coming out. ;) P.S. There will NEVER be any (intentional) markings on my Golden Tarot, perish the thought! lol

seneris	11 Apr 2004
I've never heard of this method before, marking cards. (But hey, I'm still a beginner) I can imagine it can be helpfull, but I feel that marking cards would be like damaging them. I take good care of my decks and books etc., I also don't write in the books I own. Maybe, if I could ever find some cheap deck I would consider it, because I can see the use in it. Hmmm...

hyatt	04 May 2004
I never thought about writing on my cards until a member here suggested it. I think it is an excellent way to learn. I have a study deck and then a "nice" deck. I don't like people to read my notes when I am reading for them.

jmd	04 May 2004
For those interested in only temporarily writing on cards, I use Scotch's Removable 'Magic Tape' for other purposes (not Tarot, but it could as easily be used thereon). It is a transparent sticky tape which peels off as easily as 'Stickies'/'Post-Its' or by whatever other propriety names the removable and common yellow bits of paper with that special non-permanent adhering glue may go by. On the removable sticky tape, one may then use a permanent (thin) marker (whiteboard markers will efface). Also for those interested, there was an earlier discussion started by Mari_H. (now Cerulean): Altering deck cards.... For those who want to follow Golden Dawn advice, then Mathers writes, in his little booklet Tarot: 'To prepare the pack for Fortune-telling, write on the top of each card its number and signification when in its proper position, and at its bottom its meaning when reversed.' He then proceeds to summarise the meanings, upright and reversed, as he sees these. Incidentally, for those interested - though this goes beyong this thread - he also, in the main section of the text, numbers Justice as eight, and Strength as 11, with, respectively, the Hebrew letters (as he transliterates them) Cheth and Kaph.

wolfen045	07 May 2004
I got one of the early Daughters of the Moon decks which was still in black and white line drawings. I colored the entire deck using colored pencils. That is the only deck I ever marked.... Blessings and Blessed Be, wolfen

Ivy Rhiannon	09 Jul 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Red Emma My decks have assured me that they'd make it rain toads on my birthday did I ever take pen and/or ink to them! I'm afraid of those guys. They're connected! LOL! My Goddess deck wont even let me lay them down on anything but my reading cloth. I cant imagine marking on them!!! I'm with nitegoddess and phoenyx...I'm too poor to afford an extra deck!

Sillanza	09 Jul 2004
I've never written on any of my cards, but I write freely in my books. I also intensely dislike keywords on cards since I often disagree with them, and don't like "arguing" with the cards when reading for someone else. That said, the newest deck I just got was the Quest (why do I do this to myself?). No matter, I bought it for the images, not the words ...

The 78th Fool	06 Aug 2004
My experience is not strictly to do with marking cards - rather to do with changing the back design. I went through a stage of seriously objecting to what I considered to be unimaginative Tartan card backs. I went to a lot of time and effort to 'back' a US Games Rider Waite with red sticky back plastic. I've ended up with a wonderfully sturdy deck but I found that the colour I'd used was just too distracting. I also began to regret that I couldn't just accept the deck for what it was. Consequently I don't use this copy anymore which is a shame. Chris. xx

DuskHawk	07 Aug 2004
I have never even brought myself to write on my books (with the exception of when I was a small child) Once I was going to write my thoughts in my tarot book but I just couldn't do it :)....Like somebody else said I never even thought of writing on my cards. They are too precious to me and I only have 3 decks (no doubles) I would probably regret writing on them if I did

Red Emma	07 Aug 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Sillanza I also intensely dislike keywords on cards since I often disagree with them... That's what finally turned me off Sacred Circle. I haven't the skill to become a professional, and I have hard enough time trying to relate the issue I'm asking the cards about to whatever card turns up. Then when the card itself shouts 'materialism' for instance, and materialism has nothing to do with your specific question... or the answer to your specific question...it's really off-putting.

The Marking your tarot cards thread was originally posted on 16 Mar 2004 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.