Different decks' cards---> different meanings?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 23 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

cutiecutie	23 Apr 2005
Hi! I'm beginning to experiment with using different decks for my readings... Usually with the Universal Waite Tarot and Tarot of the Old Path, and recently purchased the Bosch Tarot. I was wondering if there are universal meanings for the cards or do some cards have different meanings depending on the deck? It seems like the Bosch deck has its own meanings for each card different then any others.. Just wanted to know your thoughts about this... Thanks

tarotbear	24 Apr 2005
Tarot is not written in stone. There are no set, standard meanings for any card that would universal for every deck. Misquoting Shreck: Tarot is like an onion, it has layers. Even in so-called 'clone' decks, the artist or designer had specific ideas about how or where or why and if it what the artist wanted, it doesn;t matter what the artists of twelve other decks say about the card. This throws a lot of beginners way off - they think that since they memorized that this card means 'this' and that card means 'that,' something that is neither throws them for a loop. Take the same card from four different decks ( let's say, the Rider, Thoth, Haindl, and Hello, Kitty decks). Take a good look at all of them and try to decide what they all have in common, and what they don't. Look at the 'don'ts' and you will find four unique interpretaions ... and you should learn each one and how to apply it when you are doing a reading. Tarot is not static, either. You can turn over the same card in the next five readings you do and it will have five different meanings depending on where it turns up in the spread. No one meaning of any card is ever 'right' or 'wrong'; there are only different interpretations.

cutiecutie	24 Apr 2005
Thanks Tarotbear, that's very helfpul...I was never quite clear about this, sometimes looking through books which explain definitions for each card, and wondering if they could apply to any deck.

rainwolf	24 Apr 2005
I think there is a theme to each card, but each deck puts their own creative spin on it. That is where the word archetype falls in.

tarotbear	25 Apr 2005
Many people ask why I collect so many decks - and it is for the differences. If you treat 'learning' tarot as 'Five Easy Pieces' - that is -- let me learn five things about each card ... you may well end up never EVER applying any of those meanings to a reading. However, you read that in the XYZ deck that the A card could mean this. You read with B deck and that meaning 'just doesn't seem to fit' in with the concept of the B cards. Someday, out of the blue, you will be reading with B deck and somehow that memory of what the A deck said is going to come through loud and clear - and unexpectedly. Don't ever block yourself into a corner. Many people have described being given readings where the reader said that 'This card means this' because they learned it that way~ they don't apply the card to the reading, just the meaning to the card. Tarot is fluid. Celebrate the differences of the decks!

Citrin	25 Apr 2005
tarotbear said it so well. :) Bought the Moon Garden deck today and when I was looking through it I saw the suit of swords, and for some reason I thought "oh, but how does this mean [rider-waite meaning]?". I meditated a little on a few cards and it just hit me that "HELLO? This is NOT the Rider-Waite"... Each deck is different, but they all have tons of things in common. :)

Clau	25 Apr 2005
Funny, when I first joined ATF I asked the exact same question, I agree with what the others have said But, but, but There is also, different "traditions": RWS and it's clones or "decks based on" have essentially the same meaning but differ in the way the artist depicts it, adding their own interpretation of each card. But if you go Marseille there is a whole new world to explore there. Same happens with the Toth. Sure, if you go to deeep deep down, you'll find eveything's the same I suppose, but there are three strong traditions that have their own particular world of meanings and approaches. My advice? EXPLORE!!

mike gorth	25 Apr 2005
I pretty much agree with all of the other replies. It's your interpretation of the cards that count. Take a close look at each one and find things like in the background and see what they mean to you. Mike Gorth

tarotbear	26 Apr 2005
Citrin wrote: tarotbear said it so well. :) The funny thing, Citrin, is that even though I did write a book on it, if does not mean those are the one and only ways I interpret the cards. You have to stop writing somewhere! LOL! There are times I look at what I wrote and think to myself "Wow! Did I really type that? I don't even think that way anymore!" I tried to include other interpretations by other people in my book so that I could try to keep a balance. As I started working on Tarot book #2, I had to throw out everything I knew about Tarot and come back to it in an entirely different way. I had to 'see things' in cards that would fit into my new interpretations. It also influenced what I do now as a reader. You can't do that by blocking yourself in or wearing blinders. Be open to the differences and learn from them. :smoker:

Marina	26 Apr 2005
I think...although each artist/tarot creator puts a bit of his/her own symbolism in the deck, the universal meaning doesn't change. For instance, there will be never a deck in which the Hanged Man is an 'action' card. Tarot is tarot, no matter the deck. My reason to believe that is that, if the cards 'change' meaning depending on the deck, then it's not tarology - it's '-i-guess-ology'. Then you don't need to study; you just need to guess what you 'see'. I'm not saying that intuition is not important, no, you will *never* hear me saying such an absurdity. But i think one must follow the archetypes and the 'basic' meanings of each card. Anyway, the great thing of getting in touch with different decks, is that you can see all different ways the symbolism of card can be expressed. That's why i'm a sucker for a Tarot decks ;) ~Yuko

Citrin	26 Apr 2005
tarotbear: Yes, it's definitely important to be open to new ways of thinking. You're a writer? Ah thought you had a good way with words... :)

cutiecutie	01 May 2005
Wanted to thank everyone for their replies :) I think that this is a very important aspect in learning the tarot and it's often something they leave out in books or other learning sources... But that clarifies it... Thanks!

The Different decks' cards---> different meanings? thread was originally posted on 23 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.