why majors only?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 09 Sep 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Pook	09 Sep 2004
I have been pretty quiet here lately. Spending some time reflecting on recent past events and the role tarot has played in them. (Or at least the role that reflecting on the tarot has had in the way I deal with said events) The reason for this post is sort of complex (or maybe I should say that I have a lot of complex questions and they are the reason for this post.) I have read many other threads here in the readings forum that have people doing readings with only the Major Arcana, and I wonder why people deliberately choose to only use the 22 trumps when there are 56 other cards that could help narrow the details down to pin-points. I understand that the trumps reflect the major events and happenings, but with such busy and complex lives that we all surely lead in these times, what is the sense in purposefully eliminating cards that can enlighten and illustrate reasons and choices? I personally have never reduced any of my decks to just the majors or just the court cards for any reading, and I guess I dont understand the reasoning for it.

Diana	09 Sep 2004
Sometimes I need to use only the Major Arcana because I am dealing with very big issues and I feel they answer the questions better. Also, I believe that within all the Major Arcana, can be found the Minor Arcana. The proof is that on Major Arcana number I (The Bateleur in the Marseilles deck, and the Magician in the other more modern decks), there are the four elements. So right from the start, they are there in our hands to use. Also, I find that the imagery and the meanings behind the imagery of the Major Arcana, resonate so deeply in my heart and in my soul that the echos they create in my being are sufficient to understand the answers that they provide. Also, sometimes one doesn't want to deal with details. It's like when you're in an art gallery - sometimes you want to go close up and see a detail on a painting. But oftimes it is sufficient to stand a few meters away and just see the larger picture without the details.

Fulgour	09 Sep 2004
Quote: Originally posted by MoonDreameR ...I wonder why people deliberately choose to only use the 22 trumps when there are 56 other cards that could help narrow the details down to pin-points. It may be that it is not so much why one would read using Majors only, but what happens in a reading when one does.

floracove	09 Sep 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Fulgour It may be that it is not so much why one would read using Majors only, but what happens in a reading when one does. Boy did you just say a major mouth full!

ambermoon	09 Sep 2004
Do you find that you use spreads with fewer cards when you read majors only?

Diana	10 Sep 2004
I never do big spreads anyway. I have never seen the point. So for me, it makes no difference. About half of my spreads, whether I use majors or minors are Past/Present/Future spreads anyway. Three cards. And I rarely rarely use more than 7 cards.

Pook	10 Sep 2004
So is it a matter of the question you ask whether or not you use the majors only or the whole deck? Or do you have certain majors only spreads that you like to use? Or is it just a matter of deciding at that moment that you only want to use the trump cards?.....I'm guessing that at some point all three are true, but Im curious.

ihcoyc	11 Sep 2004
In the French Tarot tradition, one of the most widespread uses of Tarot reading involves using a five card spread --- the tirage en croix --- using only the Majors. I've used this method myself, especially for "big issue" readings. The majors are "more universal" than the minors, in a literal sense. It seems that there have developed a French tradition of Tarot, an English tradition, and a Spanish tradition, an Italian tradition, and likely more. Still, the basic meanings of the majors remain very similar in each branch, largely because the allusions they make are cross-cultural, at least in the Western world. The differences in interpreting the minors are quite deep at many places.

Diana	11 Sep 2004
Quote: Originally posted by MoonDreameR So is it a matter of the question you ask whether or not you use the majors only or the whole deck? Or do you have certain majors only spreads that you like to use? Or is it just a matter of deciding at that moment that you only want to use the trump cards?.....I'm guessing that at some point all three are true, but Im curious. It does depend on the question. But that doesn't mean that for big issues, I won't use the whole deck either. It's more a matter of what I feel like doing and listening to my little voice that tells me what is more suitable for my needs. I do not have any Major only spreads that I prefer to use. I anyway prefer to do one to three card spreads regardless. But the famous Cross spread that ihcoyc mentions uses only the Majors (because you add up the first four cards to get the fifth) is a very very practical spread for the Majors. (The Mat/Fool counts as 22 in a Cross spread, although it does not normally have a number.)

Fulgour	11 Sep 2004
Pulling in cross is a method of tarologic interpretation suggested by Stanislas de Guaita at the 19th century. It is the most used method. For this pulling, one uses the major mysteries (22 charts). 4 charts are chosen (or blades): The 1st blade (the positive one) represents the consultant with his question. The 2nd blade (the negative one) will help or especially oppose the answer. The 3rd blade (the vibration) indicates possibilities, the cause beyond control. The 4th blade (direction) indicates the general framework of the answer. The chart synthesis is determined by the numerologic combination of the drawn blades. It can be the same one as one of the 4 charts. The synthesis lights at the same time the whole and each chart.

The why majors only? thread was originally posted on 09 Sep 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.