Which decks are on your "To Be Studied" list?

[Chiriku]

These are the decks you don't feel you get a lot out of by reading "right out of the box," and want to devote some sort of systematic study or special attention to.

"Study" could mean anything from reading the companion book by the deck's creators, to other literature (books, website, or even posts in this forum) written by third parties, to relevant but not directly-related literature on things like Greek myths, astrology, plant lore, etc. But it can also mean whatever your personal idea of study is, which could just be sitting and writing about each image and its components and symbols, maybe looking up some of the latter.

And do you currently read with or otherwise use (gaming, meditating, etc.) the decks anyway and just want to devote greater depth to your study--or, do you sequester them, choosing not to use them until the rainy day when you can devote time to their study, or more literature becomes available, etc, etc.?

I've done two Intensive Deck Studies over the years, with Dame Fortune's Wheel (accompanying study through the books of Paul Huson) and the Maat Tarot (accompanying study: the deck creator's prolific books/materials). I didn't read with the former while doing the IDS, but I did do readings with the latter while doing the IDS (and as this is my "constant companion" deck, my favorite for all intents and purposes, I am technically still doing the IDS with it, almost a year later).

Here's my To Be Studied (TBS) list right now, with my aspirations for study on the side:

TBS Decks I Read With

1. Navigators Tarot of the Mystic SEA (want to read the whole accompanying book instead of just looking up card by card, and get deeper into the Tree of Life)

2. Thoth (read certain third party books I've not yet read, although I've read some, and get deeper into the astrology and Kabbalah)

3. Hallowquest/Arthurian (finish reading the Matthews' book that I have, and read the other accompanying books and possibly go on their systematic yearly program of study for the deck]

4. Magickal Tarot (seek out more original Golden Dawn resources; again, greater attention to astrology and Kabbalah)

5. Tarot of Fire (all this one comes with is the LWB but it's a narrative-based deck so I could always look up the various countries' myths and legends on the Internet or in books)


TBS Decks I Have Not Yet Read With

1. Tarot of the Holy Light (acquire and read Christine Payne Towler's forthcoming--I think-- accompanying book)

2. Celestial Tarot (don't have the accompanying book to this one; want to purchase it and study the system from which the creators derived the Minors)


To be honest, I'm thinking about moving those last two onto the first list and starting to use them.

Of course, I know I can get *use* (and benefit) from reading or scrying anything, including the proverbial strips of papers with words on them or pages torn out of magazines.

But some decks demand more of me, and I feel a niggling urge to rise to their challenge.

And isn't this half of what attracts me to tarot in the first place: the great depth of systematic knowledge and learning underlying it?



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[Le Fanu]

"to be studied" means for many people "hanging-on-till-you-give-up-and-tip-them-into-the-Trading-forum". I notice that Thoth always comes top in these lists of decks people really want to get to grips with.

However, there are many decks when studying is an ongoing thing - as you mention - and doesn't preclude reading with as you learn along the way...For me, Thoth, William Blake, Navigators and Greenwood are examples of these kinds of decks. Also (with less frequent study) the Liber T and Etteillas.

I'm currently studying the Ironwing and doubt I shall ever read for anybody with it. Just knowing that takes an enormous amount of pressure off! There's nothing wrong with just studying and studying and getting deeper and just feeling enriched. it doesn't have to be divination.

I could make a huge list of decks I would love to study one day but I have learnt to be realistic. I doubt I shall ever really make much headway with decks like the Kier Egyptian and the Tarot of Fire, much as I'd like to be able to have the experience of reading with them. However, the deck which feels like a long term project that I just love getting out and playing with and looking at and thinking about and feeling uplifted & comforted by is the Mary-El. I have that wonderful feeling that this is a deck that will be part of my life for a very long time, so no rush...

ETA; Oh and you mention the Celestial. That's on my list - another list - of decks (or the deck; I only allow myself one) that I am permitted to use the companion book with when reading. That's the only way. I read for myself with this, consulting the very dense and useful book. But I'd never memorise all that stuff...

[Chiriku]

You're right, I forgot to add Tarot of Fire to the first list. I do read with it, but I always feel driven to consult the LWB. Of course, I could intuit lots of useful things from the pictures alone, but again, that niggling "there''s more there; discover it!" feeling crops up when I try to do that with system-y or narrative-based (the Fire falls into the latter camp) decks.

I figured some people would cite the Mary-El. This is one I don't plan to own because the artwork is not to my tastes, but I can see, objectively, that it provides great food for deeper thought and would merit more than just readings out of the box.

I wish I could be fully conversant in all these systems and narratives but as you point out, there are not enough days or years in our lifetimes to do so with fluency and command. The best we--I--can do when we are rapacious omnivores in life, casting a wide net filled with divergent interests, is to taste a little of each, at the expense of full digestion of one or two.

ETA: funny how that last sentiment is often vilified, at least in Anglo culture. The idea of "jack of all trades, master of none" is so often denigrated. Couldn't it also be seen as evidence of an active mind and endless hunger for knowledge and learning?

[direwolf336]

Originally Posted by Le Fanu

However, there are many decks when studying is an ongoing thing - as you mention - and doesn't preclude reading with as you learn along the way...For me, Thoth, William Blake, Navigators and Greenwood are examples of these kinds of decks. Also (with less frequent study) the Liber T and Etteillas.

I'm currently studying the Ironwing and doubt I shall ever read for anybody with it. Just knowing that takes an enormous amount of pressure off! There's nothing wrong with just studying and studying and getting deeper and just feeling enriched...

Totally agree with Le Fanu. I read with four decks, Rider-Waite Radiant, World Spirit, Bohemian Gothic and Legacy Of The Devine. However I have many more decks that i have because of the attraction towards the artwork and the story the author is relaying. For instance, I just received The Dark Grimoire and will be studying that but will not read with it.
So on my current list of decks I'm studying is:
Dark Grimoire
The Necronomicon
The Kamasutra

[Rasa]

On decks I've given up on:

The Kazanlar was on my 'to be studied' list for a long time, then I traded it away for a second copy of a reliable old standard, after not getting around to studying it for several years.

I think shortly to be joining it will be Shining Tribe. I love Pollack's writing, so I was excited about a deck by her.. but in the end, it's not too attractive, and not so readable for me. I'm not interested in familiarizing myself enough with the cards and the ideas behind them to make much use of it.

Ditto with Tarot of the Saints... I love Robert Place's art, and I find his books really interesting. When I got the deck/book set a few years ago, I was excited to learn about Saints (something I don't know anything about!). However, I don't think I retained enough information to actually be able to divine with this deck.

I have moved into a phase in my Tarot journey where I feel really burnt out on learning esoteric correspondances and connecting cards endlessly to other systems (I was quite into Thoth for awhile, and that got me interested in Qabala, etc.)... but after awhile it felt too much like intellectual gymnastics and less like listening to oracular wisdom, which is what I set out to do with divination in the first place. Now, I'm more interested in storytelling, intuition, and 'fortune-telling'.. like when I first got into the cards as a teenager.

And those things I still want to pursue:

Lately I've been really wanting to get into Lenormand, because it's so pared-down. More than studying books, I want to 'play'.. discover my own meanings and connections between cards, and write about it.
I'll get around to it one of these days...

I also want to learn more about alchemy and read more with both Place's Alchemical Tarot and the Holy Light deck. I've always been drawn to alchemical imagery, but I need to learn more about it.

[Aliceiw]

Back in 1995 when I was young and part of the Golden Dawn, I bought the “Golden Dawn Enochian Skrying Tarot”, studied it for about a year before deciding that rituals and bowing to some imaginary god and/or aliens was not for me. I keep the deck for sentimental reasons, and the fact that it was an interesting experience.

The “Tarot of the Holy light” is my new learning adventure, but this deck sits in a nice box and gets studied a small piece at a time. I don’t feel that inner motivating push any more, plus the fact that I’m waiting on the book...if it ever comes out.

As far as the “Thoth” goes, I’ve studied this one from the beginning of my tarot studies and will probably pick up little details until I die, but again, not in any hurry.

The “Navigators of the Mystic Sea” is one I can’t seem to warm up to even though it’s a marvelous deck, and since I read some of the book, I’m not interested in confusing myself more with yet a different look at Qabala.

The “Mary El” is another great deck, but I have trouble with all those pendulous/drooping body parts, and can’t bring myself to any desire to study it more thoroughly.

The “Iron Wing” and “Greenwood” will most likely sit in the closet forever. I may get to them someday, but again, no big rush.

I hope this fits into my ‘to study decks’ instead of my ‘why I’ve gotten lazy’ excuse.

[Wendywu]

Ironwing is my go-to, standby and comfort deck that I will read with forever. Having said that I have been studying it for three years now and anticipate a good few more years yet

At the same time I read with, love and study the TdM decks.

But beyond those at the moment I don't read with other decks and don't really plan to, or feel the lack of them. I don't think I've read with a standard RWS deck (other than for a Circle now and then) for years. I have some but just never get round to using them. Ironwing and the TdM decks kinda fill all my tarot needs.

[Carla]

Decks I have that I ought to study but I am sure I won't--notice I said 'ought to', not 'want to':
Arthurian (Matthews)

Decks I have no desire to study and never use and would just as soon someone take off my hands:
Thoth

Decks I would like to study but I probably won't because I'm bone idle:
Sol Invictus
Sacred Sites

I'm liking pips only decks lately, using numbers and suit as my main guide to interpretation. I'm just not into 'study' decks lately.

[jema]

I read with pretty much all my decks, even the more obscure ones, that said I also study all my decks, just that I do it on the go, constantly.
Only way I can learn really. This week I read with Sacred Sites and google the places as I go :-D So maybe it is not a deck I would bring out to the pub for random readings. Although... it might be fun!

I read with Dark Grimoire the last two-three weeks and loved it. But I only read a little bit of Lovecraft, just to get into the mood. The cards work fine just as they are :-D
Same with Holy light. Everyone keeps saying it is so hard and layered, sure it is - but start reading the first layer then, and peel off as you go:-D
You don't need to be expert in alchemy to enjoy it. It is a great deck and I don't know anything about the decans.

With decks that is made by people with different kabbalistic references as mine - I find it interesting and I love to disagree with them and still use the deck with my own Tree of Life and all that. I don't care that Crowley gave Tzaddi to the Emperor, it is perfectly fine that he did, but I just chose not to. That said I still adore the Thoth.

oh right... One deck I have that really could do with some serious study though is the Enochian. It is hardly even a tarot though.

[Grizabella]

I have three decks that are totally new to me that I'm using, but I don't think I'd use the term "study" for those. They're Tarot of Sweet Twilight, Sacred Sites and Dark Grimoire. I have to learn about them to a fair extent, but the word study brings to mind something like school homework and I don't usually approach Tarot like that.

One of my new decks that I definitely will have to study if I want to use it well, though, is the Wildwood. Only time will tell whether I get around to doing that. There are some others that might require study, but they're put away for now and the only ones I can think of are the Native American by Lo Scarabeo, the Sexual Magic, maybe. Well, Motherpeace is another one I've had forever, come to think of it.

Mostly I'm just concentrating on my newer decks and I don't ever make a school-type study effort so I tend to learn as I use them.