21st C idea ? cards are supposed to speak to you?
I don't own a Rider-Waite deck and don't want to. Is that a bad thing? Someone told me everyone should own one of those but I really don't like them at all. I thought the cards were supposed to speak to you in some way.
I always saw the RWS, which I equated with Tarot, as having strange, magical mysterious symbols which made me curious and interested. I never asked if I preferred this art etc, or did I "connect". I just thought of learning all the mysterious symbolic meanings, and the strangeness was part of the curiosity and mystery.
I love the RWS and feel it is very important to learn and understand, but that is just me
If all I had seen was the new edition now being sold, I would probably not like it either. I do love the Universal Waite edition, but imho the Centennial cannot compare to the older RWS editions. For me, the older editions are essential!
I think this is a new idea: "I thought the cards were supposed to speak to you in some way."
I have been thinking a lot about this. Do you think readers in the 1600's, 1700's, 1800's asked if their Marseille Tarot deck spoke to them lol? Yes, there are different editions, but I think aesthetics had less to do with making a new edition than meaning/interpretation. I have been wondering how our social/cultural influences, such as capitalism and materialism, may have influenced this, as we all salivate over the next new deck. It has been ingrained in us that we always need something else, something more, by advertisers and companies just trying to make money. Sometimes as consumers we forget this, and do not reflect on these urges to buy. This is not a criticism
I have been on an eBay buying spree for 2-3 months, constantly checking, a bit obsessed but lessening? now that I have many decks I wanted. Just received my first Thoth deck. I could not resist newer vintage deck for great price ($37.00 total also included mini RWS, 2 pendulums in bag and another bag)
I think the new Rider decks have garish, gaudy colors especially the "yellow" which is more of an orange yellow. My first deck (10 years ago I finally opened my husbands deck, packed away for 20 yrs of marriage! I can't believe I was never curious to open it) just happened to be serendipitously, a Blushing Fool RWS pre-copyright edition, w/soft colors and better cardstock- matt - papery feel. (I had no idea it was rare and special for months!) You can still find a regular vintage edition (not blushing Fool) on Ebay for 30-40$ (watch closely many are over priced etc). The NY editions (address on LWB) Park Ave has no copyright, and E.32nd St, has copyright, but still soft colors and same or nearly same cardstock. I just scooped up one (Park Ave/no copyright edition) -buy it now for 24.99 !! I could not resist at that price! Rare but it does happen:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252945638993?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
EVERYTHING on the RWS cards have a meaning and reason/purpose for being on each card; every object, colors, background/no background etc. The color/objects are not there just for looks
As I learn about all the symbolic meanings including flowers/birds etc it helps me understand and Remember the card meanings. If you use decks with the RWS style, you will discover how much is often left out by other card creators, as if all they need is to put people in the same situation! There is so much more that is often left out that I feel is important ie 6 of Swords- the water proximal (close up- usually on right) is choppy w/ waves and on left and in distance is smooth water. It bugs the hell out of me- pet peeve-rant, when there is no difference. This is just one example, where everyone includes the boat & people (main image), but miss the details and do not substitute with other symbols (I find substitutions creative & delightful).
I am in the process of learning and collating many sources ie numerology & elemental meanings, Marseille developmental changes/meanings, RWS meanings, Thoth meanings and astrological & kabbalah meanings. It seems like a lot, but most have similar reinforcing meanings. I thought at first I would first learn RWS, which I have been doing for past 1-2 years casually, and do not know all cards yet. I thought I needed to learn one system at a time ,but now that I have been reading tons on history, and have some pip style decks that review numerology, and so many different decks, I want to put it all together rather than compartmentalize which as a newbie, I thought was the way to learn from what i have heard some say. I was under the impression I should first learn RWS, then add on either Marseille or Thoth etc. I am in the process, so I can't say which is better, but I am finding many similar meanings, versus having to learn all different meanings. All the LWB's (BP Grimaud Marseille, Thoth, RWS) seem to have unusual card descriptions/keywords compared to modern day interpretations/explanations I read in books and online.... I am the type person that has to understand everything about a subject, so it took me this much time to learn about the religious, social, cultural, art influences over the centuries when Tarot started and developed, the changes when individuals adding occult meanings etc. I now have a better understanding and it is starting to come together.
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