Decks for different readings

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 14 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

cybercat	14 Apr 2005
Do you use a different deck depending on the reading? ie a love reading as opposed to a business reading or a family or spiritual or career. You get the idea. If so please tell us the deck and for what type of reading and why. What decks have you found are not good for certain readings? What works for the majority of your readings? Do you use a certain deck depending on where you are reading? If so which ones and why. i.e. store one deck, friends home another, fair another yet. I am curious for I have seen some readers talk about the above question a little bit here and there. Thought it should be in one area to get a good study on it. Cat

Nina*	14 Apr 2005
A Marseilles deck works for every reading :) and right now I am finding that the Druid Craft does too :D I do not use decks that I can't use for all kind of readings. xxx Nina

Little Baron	14 Apr 2005
I use the Marseille for all readings. It is a good all-round deck for all questions and is very deep. The more it gets used, the more I get to know it and the more layers it develops. I don't think I would consider another one, regardless of situation or question type. It is non-threatening and from what I see, querants respect it's age and wisdom. Very interesting question. Look forward to other responses. LB

Gwynne	14 Apr 2005
I use which ever deck the client picks out for their readings, although I limit their choices to ones that I know I can read with. When reading for myself I tend to use either the Quest (which isn't liking me so much anymore...) or the Tarot of Northern Shadows (which is why the Quest isn't liking me so much anymore...) and try to use others as well, but tend to keep falling back to those... Although now that I've got the Pagan Tarot (LS) I might use that for personal readings. And I do enjoy readings with the Housewives.. I find for deep work the Thoth works best, and it's that deep inner work that is the only thing I use the Thoth for! Other than that I use whatever deck feels right at the moment.

mingbop	16 Apr 2005
I used to love the russian st petersburg.....the colours and the artwork...but those cards were SO bleak..."DEATH "! "RUIN"! "DESTRUCTION"!---jeez, just you try reading for a fluffy, nervy, anxious, wee lady wi that lot ...I had to use the quest alongside it to prevent mass suicide !

Mesara	16 Apr 2005
They are very bleak indeed Mingbop, but I love them so. That is my favorite and most trusted deck, I can always count on it. It took a lot of work to befriend it the way I did though. Sometimes if I want a lighter side to things I will do a comparison reading with my Victoria Regina, they seem to compliment each other well. And sometimes I use the Thoth deck for my own private use, when Im feeling dreamy or subject to impressions that I can't put words to. Sometimes I draw from the Golden Tarot of the Tzars to see what can be learned from the lives of the saints or other inspirational religious characters, I try to apply that to the day ahead. But really Im pretty exclusive to my St.Pete's deck, it is the one Ive come to understand and trust the most in any given situation.

mike gorth	16 Apr 2005
I just use my good old hanson-roberts for everything. Sure I have other decks but I only read for my self so that's not much variety. I haven't done any readings for anybody else. I also use it for different kinds of questions like dreams, school, life...

HudsonGray	16 Apr 2005
Hmm, Tarot of the Origins for down to earth, nitty gritty, bare bones relationship readings. You feel sort of bludgeoned after using it, but it does get right down to the basics! Pet readings -- Tarot of the Animal Lords is excellent for when I've used it for cats' readings. Same for the Baroque Bohemian Cats Tarot. Everyday readings, the Robin Wood. For family readings, the Ancestral Tarot, but I only used it for a few of those so far.

Annabelle	16 Apr 2005
Well, keeping in mind that I only read 1) for myself and 2) for others here at AT in the various reading exchange circles.... I find that the Universal Waite works wonderfully for all types of readings. So does the Tarot of Prague. I expect that the Marseille would as well, but I'm not very good at reading with it yet. The Gothic (Vargo) and the Halloween are also good all purpose decks for me, although I imagine that they might not be to everyone's taste. The Ship of Fools tarot is a good all-purpose deck, too, but I find that it is especially good for business-related readings. The Enchanted deck is wonderful for love-related readings. I suspect that the Lover's Path might be too...but I don't own it (yet) so I can't really say. The Whimsical, the Inner Child, and the Roots of Asia decks are wonderful when the querent is seeking inspiration. And there are others that I read with as well--these are just some of the ones that come immediately to mind.

Fudugazi	17 Apr 2005
I agree, the Marseille works for every reading. I've done readings for business, love, the soul, travelling, the body & health, psychological exploration, psychic exploration - every human preoccupation you can imagine. It can be brutally practical, splendidly imaginative, deep, light, very spiritual, etc. Tarot de la Réa - based on the Marseille but full of masks and fantastical art, is like Marseille on peyote. The Crystal Tarot is delightful, beautiful and very deep - but I find it is working best with questions that touch the imagination, the unconscious, the emotions, travel (the adventurous rather than the practical side) and not so well (with me) on practical questions. The Mythic is good for Great Questions and for the unconscious (all those Myths!). I'm not getting much out of it these days for daily preoccupations, but that might just be me. I'm finding the DruidCraft good for questions of imagination, and also for anything practical - work, etc - because of its closeness to the land. I'm also finding - because of its strong reference ot Celtic mythology - that it also good for Great Questions and for the unconscious. I'm still getting to know it. It is probably good for natural magic, but I've not tried that - I'd be interested to read the points of view of practising pagans. I'm trying out El Gran Tarot Esoterico and Tarot Balbi at the moment - both very different Spanish Tarots - and Balbi is lovely and colourful (psychedelic even). I am testing them with all sorts of readings to see how they work - so far they've answered relationship and work questions, but they have given me a hint of spiritual force too, Esoterico especially. The Tarot of Prague is wonderful for all questions involving the heart - though I've also used them in practical questions: strangely it always seems to highlight the emotional aspect of even the most down-to-earth of questions (e.g. about the practicalities of moving house). It's also good for political, public affairs questions, and I suspect - though I've not tried it - for questions of secrets, magic, etc. Having (at last) succeeded in reading with my Housewives, I'd say it is good for business and finance questions and - of course - questions about the home, admin, taxes, etc. Tarot Erotica is good for - well, you can imagine ;) I have just done a first reading with the Röhrig - a question on the unconscious - and it seems to be working well - certainly the gorgeous dreamlike images are great for that. I have also done a couple of readings with the Gothic Tarot of Vampires, and I'd say it is good for exploring obsessions, nightmares, fears, etc. It's an amazing deck, but not for the faint-hearted.

Formicida	17 Apr 2005
I use the RWS for very practical, down-to-earth readings. When what's on my mind is a "should I buy this, should I go there, should I say this to this person," then the RWS is just what the doctor ordered. I can't get much deeper with it, but then I haven't tried very hard. The Navigators Tarot, on the other hand, seems to feel the need to go deep with every question. It can be exhausting; I'll ask it the silliest question and get a serious answer about my spirituality. A very difficult but fulfilling deck for me. The rest are less marked; I can use them much more easily for any kind of reading.

The Decks for different readings thread was originally posted on 14 Apr 2005 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.