How many "main / primary" reading decks do you use?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 09 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

IDN	09 Apr 2005
Just wondered how many main decks do people use? 1,2,3,10? Regards, Ian

laura_borealis	09 Apr 2005
This changes over time for me... usually I have one deck I'm using for readings at a time, then I transition to another deck. I guess I circulate through about 3 main ones.

Annabelle	09 Apr 2005
This is a tough question. I own a lot of decks, but I probably only circulate through about 15-20 of them for readings right now. The others I'm still learning, or plan to learn some day, or keep just for the art (such as the PoMo). I love to use different decks from day to day and week to week, so I'm definitely not one of those folks who sticks just to 2 or 3 main reading decks.

Gwynne	09 Apr 2005
I have 2 that I use for readings, Quest and the Housewives. Although I've only got about 4 decks anyway.... LOL

Elven	09 Apr 2005
Hi IDN I have one main deck which I read for others with an use when I'm on ATF. The other decks I am studying some - like the Thoth deck - I have had for years but have only just become interested in it again. Some decks I use for teaching and these have handwritten and typed meanings and symbols on them. Others I have sitting in my cupboard just waiting for the day when I will bring them out and use them. Elven x

shadowdancer	09 Apr 2005
To be honest I use them all, but dowse each time for the most appropriate deck. Out of the 25 decks, maybe only one or two are used slightly more than others, but they all seem to find a reading suited to them. I do have favourites though, but they don't get used any more than the others in all honesty. Davina

Alta	09 Apr 2005
I can use most of my decks. I tend to cycle through favourites and to be honest no single deck is "the One". At given time though I am using around 6 of them.

Sulis	09 Apr 2005
I have 4 main reading decks: Morgan Greer, World Spirit, DruidCraft and RWS Love Sulis xx

bassetized	09 Apr 2005
I use between 5 and 15, though some of them rotate. A few decks I have for study/comparative purposes or for the art, but I read with most of my decks. I have different decks I use for different types of readings. I learned on RWS, so I go back to that deck or a RWS-influenced deck to learn new concepts, spreads, etc. I use new decks for my daily card draws as a way of getting acquainted. --bassetized

SunChariot	09 Apr 2005
9 going on 10, one more is in the mail on its way to me. I am sure I will adore it too. I use all my decks regularly. Of course I only have 10 real decks and one tiny mini one (that one I rarely use).\ Bar

SunChariot	09 Apr 2005
shadowdancer wrote: To be honest I use them all, but dowse each time for the most appropriate deck. Out of the 25 decks, maybe only one or two are used slightly more than others, but they all seem to find a reading suited to them. I do have favourites though, but they don't get used any more than the others in all honesty. Davina I find that fascinating that you dowse for which one to use. I was just thinking of trying that. I think I will make a fan chart with all my decks names in it, and see which one to use for a reading that way. Is that what you do? Has it worked for you? Bar

moonlight	09 Apr 2005
Well I'm a sad one LOL. I only have two decks - RWS and Tarot of a moon garden - and those are the decks I read with LOL. I don't read so much with RWS though, but I am starting to use it a lot more now. Moonlight

bassetized	09 Apr 2005
SunChariot wrote: I find that fascinating that you dowse for which one to use. I was just thinking of trying that. I think I will make a fan chart with all my decks names in it, and see which one to use for a reading that way. Do you think it might work with a fan chart and a pendulum? I don't have any experience with dowsing, although I'd like to learn.

satinangel	10 Apr 2005
moonlight wrote: Well I'm a sad one LOL. I only have two decks - Moonlight You're not alone! I too, only have 2 decks, Robin Wood and Gilded. I tend to bounce back and forth between the 2, depending on my mood or if a querent has a favorite of the TWO...

moonlight	10 Apr 2005
Satinangel wrote: You're not alone! I too, only have 2 decks Well that's a relief! Now I don't feel so alone. You have the Gilded :( I want the gilded! lol. Take care Moonlight

Little Baron	10 Apr 2005
Occasionally, I use my Morgan Greer, but on the whole, I use my Marseille - it is the one that I study with, read with and carry around. I look at my others but the TdM is always in the back of my mind so it is the one I use most regularly. I have about forty others in my room, but they hardly see the light of day. I just traded my Buckland Romani away. As much as I like the art work, I knew that it would never come out for a reading so off it went. I see this happening more with others as time goes on. I have never been an Oracle reader but if I buy anymore decks, I think that that is what I will be buying. Would like to try out the Soul Cards. As far as tarot goes, now that I have settled with the Marseille, I don't see myself buying any other kind of deck. I have managed to erase a lot of the RWS system from my mind so that it is no longer my default, which I thought would be very difficult, so a lot of my decks are a bit redundant. Having said that, I would never get rid of my Traditional RWS. It is old and battered now and was a big part of my journey. LB

IDN	10 Apr 2005
Moonlight and satinangel- you are my heroes!!! I really admire people who have stuck to a limited number of decks and really know them inside out. Not knocking people who are collectors. But for me, tarot is like, say, performance cars- there are lots of nice ones about- but they have a purpose- to be driven hard! To me, it's a real shame if they just sit in the garage being polished once a week! That was the purpose of the thread- to try and see how many decks people can use (regularly) and still do "justice" to each one. It seems this figure ranges from (on average) 3-10. I have chose to have only 5 decks- period. I am currently selling the surplus ones- got 3 left to sell. Regards, Ian

rosyelf	10 Apr 2005
IDN, I agree with you that Tarots are to be driven hard. As it were. Though I have quite a few at present, I don't intend to have a static collection just sitting on shelves. My primary decks vary. Currently, I am spending a lot of time with Baroque Bohemian Cats, Greenwood and the Swietlistej Drogi, with Moon Garden for those "gentler" moments. :)

Darla	10 Apr 2005
I use all of my decks depending on the mood I'm in and the question I'm asking. Although some of them don't get a chance too often, since I clearly have my favourites: Robin Wood, Tarot de Marseille, Gothic Vampires and Secret. But it is nice to have a little range of decks to choose from. The one deck I use the most seems to be the Robin Wood. It is just great for general readings, easy to read and uplifting.

shadowdancer	10 Apr 2005
Hi again Most of my readings are for people who are member of an internet forum. Therefore they cannot easily choose the deck themselves, thus the dowsing with a pendulum. I am so in tune with it having used it for years as part of my crystal healing practise. I basically just ask for a yes reponse when my hand is over the correct deck to use. I use the same system for choosing the spread. Amazingly in nearly 90 readings using mainly tarot (sometimes runes) the correct spread has been chosen for their current situation. It works for me, as this is the only way I know I am being guided by higher realms so to speak. I appreciate it will not be for everyone, nor will everyone agree with this method. Otherwise, for face to face readings I would let the guest choose as appropriate. Davina

Emily	10 Apr 2005
My main reading decks are :- Morgan Greer Spiral DruidCraft Rider Waite Bright Idea Deck :)

mike gorth	15 Apr 2005
I have six decks but I only really use my Hanson-Roberts because it's nice and the art is original and easy to understand.

Requiella	17 Apr 2005
...but I only read with one deck: the Spiral. I have about 12 decks, but the rest are for study or just to add to the collection. Most of these were bought in a quest of trying to find the right deck for reading, and I finally found it. I also have a miniture-sized universal deck that I carry in my purse, just to be prepared for whatever comes up.

Elizabeth Genco	17 Apr 2005
I have a gazillion decks in my collection (which is still considerably less than a lot of people here, who seem to have several gazillions). I read with a few of them, here and there, for a couple of weeks or whatever -- I've used the Morgan Greer and the Hanson Roberts on a regular basis. But 99.999% of the time, I use the Universal Waite exclusively. It's gotten so bad that, even when I am reading with another deck, I'll often substitute the images on the cards with the Waite-Smith images in my head. I will especially do this if I'm reading for someone else.

Little Baron	18 Apr 2005
Requiella, You are not the odd-ball. I do pretty much the same now. I have many decks and they never see the light of day anymore. Occasionally, I will pull one out just to look at the artwork ... but that is all. Like you, I was always looking for the 'one'. Each time, I thought I had found it. Each time, I had a feeling of disappointment. Now, however, I have found the 'one' and I cannot imagine replacing it. It's a funny thing because it just happened. I was always on the look out, consciously, before - trawling through internet scans, looking in local new-age shops and bookstores - thinking 'ooh ... that one feels 'like me' and 'that one fits better'. Each time, my expectations were crushed - there would be a card or two that didn't feel 'right' or that I just didn't like; the art of the minors would not be as strong as the majors; they may have keywords on that I didn't agree with etc etc etc. Then, I started working with my only Marseille deck. I had previously disliked the artwork but in a way, that stood in my favour - I neither, at that point, liked or disliked any image more than another. The pictures were consistant. I took it away with me for a week away. It was the only deck I had and I worked with it solely. I started smiling when certain courts came up and I started getting little favourites. Layers of meaning and interpretation started to build into the cards as I read some of the great posts here and performed readings for myself and others with it. The cards started to get used more and were broke in from what was a stiff new deck, to something that was beginning to feel more 'me' than any other deck I have owned. I started learning about numerology and prefered it to pictorial minor cards. The deck was starting to come alive and was working through me; offering advice, showing me the light and dark of situations in my daily draws. I was becoming very fond of the artwork and generally, the deck was feeling like a tool that was personal and mine. I don't feel a need to buy anymore decks (aside from other Marseille variants, if I am struck by one). It has become my default now. Whatever deck I had before, I would always think of cards from other decks. Now I don't. It is just me and 'him' - I am aware of a lot of female Marseille decks, but this one is definitely male. I suppose that what I am saying in this long-winded response is that I feel (at this point - never say never) that I don't need anymore than the one deck, and that without noticing, this deck cropped up and is the 'one'. Really interesting to read everyone's responses. LB

rainwolf	18 Apr 2005
My preference is the RWS and navigators, but i have several other decks that i offer to use when in the reading exchange.

Little Baron	18 Apr 2005
Just to add, because the memory of it made me laugh: I remember sitting in my friend's office, looking through scans on the internet a few years ago. At that time, I was still on the lookout for the 'one' and was scanning through a page of the cards of the 'Vertigo'. Of course, I was thinking 'this could be the deck for me' as I 'ooh-ed' and 'ahh-ed' through the images. Something must have been wrong with the site because amongst the 78 thumbnails, rather than the Vertigo 'Ace of Wands', there, unashamedly and brashly in it's place, sat the Marseille 'As de baton' - the beautifully slick Vertigo tarot was harshly interupted by this bright green baton; thrust inbetween the moody, photo-collaged deck. I remember my friend saying to me 'Oh my god ... do you think the artist had a bad day? ... it looks like that one's holding up a stick of celery'. Noticing obviously, that the Marseille card had found itself on the wrong page, we both laughed. At that point, I would never have even considered a Marseille deck and would have laughed even harder if someone had told me that that 'stick of celery' was going to be part of the 'one' deck I would ever need - I wish someone had, lol ... it would have saved me a heck of a lot of money I spent in future years. It's funny how things change. I never did get my hands on the Vertigo, by the way. I would have probably loved it at that point, if I could have. However, that card, falling into the wrong page, was the beginning of what has become a great journey with my 'primary reading deck'. LB

ThePlayerOfGames	21 Apr 2005
I only own three and am planning to circulate between them once I have studied them all in depth but the only one I ever use for readings at the moment is the robin wood as it's just so clear! Planning on buying tarot of dreams as well though just because it looks so amazing *blushes*.

Cerridwen	21 Apr 2005
I only have 2 decks I use Gilded Tarot if reading for others and have the Waking The Wild Spirit tarot for readings for me :) I also have another on the way :D

Requiella	21 Apr 2005
LittleBuddha wrote: I remember my friend saying to me 'Oh my god ... do you think the artist had a bad day? ... it looks like that one's holding up a stick of celery'. Noticing obviously, that the Marseille card had found itself on the wrong page, we both laughed. LB Funny story! I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one who's happy with just one deck. :) Like you, I have no real desire these days to go out and purchase more decks. Maybe that'll change, and maybe it won't. But right now, I'm satisfied, after a long time of looking around.

Dwaas	28 Apr 2005
For study, reading and to carry random with me: Thoth, Morgan Greer, Marseille Fournier, Tarot of Prague, Tarot of the Magical Forest Blessings

kerri28	28 Apr 2005
Two that I use for readings being DruidCraft and Oracle Tarot, others (3) I guess I just like to have.lol Poor things are collecting dust on my book shelf. I also have 4 oracle sets which I use occassionally. Two again that i use on a regular basis are Archangel cards and my Tao Oracle. So all up 5 tarot and 4 oracle.

The How many "main / primary" reading decks do you use? thread was originally posted on 09 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.