Using two decks. Whaddya do? tarot with tarot and tarot with oracle Answers needed!

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 05 May 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

mike gorth	05 May 2005
I've seen different spreads for multiple decks but how do you use them together and why? How do you incorporate oracle cards into them? Do you take one from 1 deck and the next card another deck or what? Wondering on whether to get an oracle deck but I'd like to know how to use them together.

snowy25	05 May 2005
When I use two decks I draw the cards with one deck and pick another deck for clarification. Here's an example: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=39985 I drew the cards with the Cosmic Tarot and picked by each position a deck that would feel good for that position. Sometimes my partner and I do Fighting. He does it with runes and I'll use the tarot. (We each ask a 6 questions, we both need to anser all 12 of them with the deck we choose)

mike gorth	05 May 2005
Thanks snowy. Any more responses?

Rogan	06 May 2005
Hi Mike - Im currently exploring this too, at the moment… Im creating a spread (and nearly happy with it) Just a bit more tweaking before I go public with it… It uses one full pack for the main spread, and the majors of the second pack for the second complimentary spread. I think it would be just perfect for what you’re looking for too – Especially using the Oracle cards in replace of the majors for the complimentary spread. If you want, I’ll keep you posted. Rogan.

Emeraldgirl	09 May 2005
I am exploring this at the moment to. I am keeping the decks serperated at this point in time and grabbing from each as i feel the need. There was a thread a while agao about getting 20 decks shuffling them all together and going from there on a huge spread. I think that may be a rainy day activity though :)

Elven	09 May 2005
Hi Mike, How are things going?:) i just thought I'd post with a few ideas as I have mostly read with Tarot and Oracle cards together. I find that one will compliment the other and add a supplimentary meaning to the overall placement and entire reading. I think it may depend on which Oracle deck you use with which Tarot deck. This is a consideration. Some oracle decks have pictures, some have just words. I prefer to use an Oracle deck with words as apposed to picture cards. This might be runes, bones, Sabian Symbols, I ching, coins, etc. The reason for this is that the Tarot provide the basis of the reading and have the 'picture element' - visual assocoiation. I can then look to the 'words' for another communication - impressions. I use this process for all types of interpretations. I recently posted a dream spread using oracles and Tarot. It is a complicated spread and may not be suitable for what you would like to do at the present as I think when using Oracle and Tarot together you can get quite a detailed answer with fewer placements. If you would like to look at the spread it is here; http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=40709 This spread uses the Majors only. I chose this method because the spread has sub elements which I wanted to sort with the Oracle deck. I find using the Majors only is also a great way to work with the oracle deck. :)So my thoughts would be to choose a Tarot deck you have a good association with firstly. Choose a form of Oracle that you find speaks to you and you can interpret without too much complication. See if they communicate well together (Tarot, Oracle and you) - you will know as the placement of the Tarot card and oracle will blend effortlessly, as you will find it easy to interpret. :)You can choose anyway to deal the spread that you feel comfortable with. I tend to use the Tarot first and lay out all the placements. I then use the oracle to suppliment the Tarot placements. Then I interpret them (the Tarot card and the oracle card - or stone or whatever you are using) togethert and then suppliment it with the Oracle meaning. :)Some other thoughts and methods are: Not every Tarot card may need an Oracle to go with it. As an example: You can choose an Oracle over the first question and the last if you wanted to. You could use an Oracle to clarify a placement in a spread. You could use an Oracle as a Signifier if you didnt want to use a Tarot card - this will also allow you to use a full deck of Tarot cards instead of taking one out for the Signifier. You could use just Majors and Oracle. You can use the Oracle as your basis and then use a Tarot card to suppliment the meaning. You can throw some oracles - such as Runes - over a Tarot spread and read which land on which cards and interpret them. You can use a Tarot to pose the question and use an Oracle to relay the answer. Start off with small spreads: One Tarot card and one Oracle - a daily draw may be useful of the two. Then maybe a three Tarot card three Oracles together. Go to a five placement spread. Try a Celtic Cross. In the Oracle section on ATF there are weekly reading study groups using Oracles only. Maybe try that for a while, do a few readings with the Oracle and see how closely they interpret to the Tarot. You may even find that in this way a deck that 'sounds and feels' like the Oracle may be easier to match with it. I hope this has helped. Good luck - Oracles are great fun to use!!! Many Blessings Elven x

earth en lady	10 May 2005
Hi Mike ,I haven't tried this but while reading Eilleen Connolly tarot for the Master she says to have one complete deck ,lay out a celtic cross ,if you get more than 4 majors she says to keep the court cards and majors to one side reach for your majors only deck and lay the spread again as the cards have a deep spiritual message ......haven't tried it but sounds interesting.It's called a malkuthian cross or something like that .. Blessings earthen lady I use two decks while reading for myself with the Dreampower for the unconcious and Merlin to show how the unconcious will manifest,I simply use both decks side by side in the same spread and relate each card ...If that makes sense

Pipkin	10 May 2005
Just very recently I incorporated two decks into a spread. I used my trusted tarot deck first in a chosen spread and for some added input I pulled a card from another deck (Osho Zen in my case) to go on top of those already drawn. I used the Osho Zen because it has an image but essentially a carefully chosen word on the card, I find this deck quite psychological in nature and complements a tarot deck. I'm sure there are many possibilities with combining and many different ways to incorporate into a spread.

mike gorth	10 May 2005
Thank you to all. I really like your suggestions. I'm most probably getting the goddess like i've said before. I love mythology and these paintings are extraordinary. Mike Gorth

Moonbow*	12 May 2005
I've only done this a few times but I used the Thoth and Lenormand decks with really interesting results. I didn't read for anyone else as I was more playing with the decks and wanted to see how they would work together. It turned out to be interesting because, as you know, the Thoth can give very straight forward answers and I find after alot of use and getting to know the deck better can be very honest and blunt with it's answers (or is it me - lol). The Lenormand tends to give a more balanced response - it's definately not so militant. Another interesting exercise is to ask the Thoth a question and ask the Lenormand for the answer. I love playing with decks in this way and probably do more of this than reading at times. If you look at this thread Delving into Egyptian Mystery Readings. You will see some examples of readings that Mercenary30 did with two decks.

The Using two decks. Whaddya do? tarot with tarot and tarot with oracle Answers needed! thread was originally posted on 05 May 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.