AJ
I did this comparison with five decks when I first started studying. 5 because I had room on the copier to do that many 
I had them out a few days ago looking at something.
I had them out a few days ago looking at something.
studying 8 magicians from 8 decks, and on down the line
Thoughtful
Wonder if anyone has made one 'super deck' from all the cards they liked the most for various decks?
Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]
You may be interested in reading this thread, there are others but this would start you off.
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=232542&highlight=patchwork+decks
CharlotteK
You may be interested in reading this thread, there are others but this would start you off.
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=232542&highlight=patchwork+decks[/QUOTE]
Thank you
DavidMcCann
Of my tarots, 65 live in big albums, 4 to a page, arranged in order, so I can see all the examples of a specific card by taking out the relevant pages and spreading out all 18 of them on the floor!
The cards are also arranged in a meaningful sequence: for the trumps, traditional playing cards, then occult ones. The latter are then arranged by French tradition, English tradition, period designs (e.g. Steampunk), fiction-based packs (e.g. Necronomicon), exotics (e.g. Etteilla), and ethnic packs.
It's interesting to see the imaginative choices for some designs. For the Fool, I've got a card-reader (Ancestral Path), a hitch-hiker (Vanessa), a visionary committed to an asylum (Dark Grimoire), Lan Caihe (Goddess), Enkidu (Babylonian), Balder (Norse).
I've often though of the idea of a super-pack, but the different ideas are so very different. The stone-age Magician in the Old Path would be a bit bemused by the elegant woman in Vanessa's Moon (who's just eaten the crayfish...)
The cards are also arranged in a meaningful sequence: for the trumps, traditional playing cards, then occult ones. The latter are then arranged by French tradition, English tradition, period designs (e.g. Steampunk), fiction-based packs (e.g. Necronomicon), exotics (e.g. Etteilla), and ethnic packs.
It's interesting to see the imaginative choices for some designs. For the Fool, I've got a card-reader (Ancestral Path), a hitch-hiker (Vanessa), a visionary committed to an asylum (Dark Grimoire), Lan Caihe (Goddess), Enkidu (Babylonian), Balder (Norse).
I've often though of the idea of a super-pack, but the different ideas are so very different. The stone-age Magician in the Old Path would be a bit bemused by the elegant woman in Vanessa's Moon (who's just eaten the crayfish...)
Morwenna
I really like this idea of comparing. Of course I'd have to do them in batches... But I do find, just from experience, that different decks do have the same meaning while putting different spins on it, as Babs has said. It does help to show how many ways the "traditional" meaning can be read. If nothing else, it helps to get over the one-interpretation mentality that's so easy to fall into.
I used to do this back when I had only a handful of decks. I really should try it now with some of my more recent favorites--and even with some of my more recent not-so-favorites.
If I were to make the ultimate composite deck, though, I'd want to be able to draw better so I could re-create each image to be coherent with all the others and the same size with the same kind of border (if any). Obviously, considering copyrights and all, it would be just for myself.
I used to do this back when I had only a handful of decks. I really should try it now with some of my more recent favorites--and even with some of my more recent not-so-favorites.
If I were to make the ultimate composite deck, though, I'd want to be able to draw better so I could re-create each image to be coherent with all the others and the same size with the same kind of border (if any). Obviously, considering copyrights and all, it would be just for myself.
Nemia
I used to do this a lot, and I use my deck of 1000 spreads to get more out of it. I take a position card ("problem" or "solution" or "negative influences") and then compare, which aspect of the card's answer each deck emphasizes. Now I have too many decks and I'm too lazy - but should do this also with my newer deck.
When I'm stuck with a reading, instead of pulling a clarification card, I take a different deck and have a look at the cards there. It's funny how for exmpale the Wild Unknown and Touchstone can augment each other - one without humans, the other focusing on people.
I used to have a magnet board where I could make exhibitions of the card of the week from different decks - it's a pity i've stopped doing that!
When I'm stuck with a reading, instead of pulling a clarification card, I take a different deck and have a look at the cards there. It's funny how for exmpale the Wild Unknown and Touchstone can augment each other - one without humans, the other focusing on people.
I used to have a magnet board where I could make exhibitions of the card of the week from different decks - it's a pity i've stopped doing that!
Amsonia
For what it's worth, the way things work for me, the same card in different decks has identical meaning to start with. For me. Eg Strength will always be inner strength for me, no matter what deck it comes with. The Heirophant, always lessons from the past...These little set meanings I have are set, for the most part and apply to most decks. (Unless I pull out a truly original deck like Osho Zen and those rules don't apply).
But generally speaking the set meanings I have are identical for all decks. That is what lets me pick up a new deck I have never used before and immediately read with it. That is how it works for me.
BUT the set meanings I have make up a very small part of the answer. Most of the answer comes to me intuitively through the card image. And yes, because each deck has very different imagery, the same cards in different decks have something very different to say.
And, for me, the majority of the answer comes from what i see in the image each time.
I've done what you mentioned in the past. It did help me at the time, but in the end for me it turned out to be that the card meanings that I had in mind for one deck was the same for all decks. Just the image gives vastly different spins on it.
That is where I am now anyway, Things keep evolving.
Babs
I agree, I definitely think the cards have a basic meaning that is 'set'...that's the way I think too...this exercise is helping me keep that straight, in fact, reinforcing that main meaning for me is really settling in my mind because of the comparisons...and I'm going to be able to have a finer understanding of variations based on the card image because I know now what is the 'set' image/symbols and what is the deck's 'personality' image symbols. Yep, I think we are pretty much on the same page here...I'm just still in the 'nailing down the set meaning' phase of learning.
WOW, you have some truly beautiful decks there! I am duly impressed. And thank you for sharing all of this and your experience with us.
Babs
Thanks
I did this comparison with five decks when I first started studying. 5 because I had room on the copier to do that many
That sounds like it worked well...and yes space is definitely the limitation with this method.
Putting the cards in an album is a new idea for me...it would help protect the cards for sure!
I like the idea of a magnet board...that would solve the problem of having a reading lying around on a table and get it organized up out of the way where you can see it, but aren't apt to set something on it or have someone else mess them up...I have a good space for that and might just take this idea for myself...thanks
Amsonia
So I'm through the Major Arcana...as I mentioned, I ended up pulling out almost all my decks to compare these cards. I was surprised by the end of it that two decks I Never felt any connection to and at one point was ready to trade away became crystal clear after the comparison exercise...The Shadowscapes and the Mucha. The Mucha is really really close in symbolism to the Waite on every major...
So now I've started the minors...I picked 4 decks to continue the study with...because of space. I'm looking at all four suits at one time for each card...so 16 at a time (4 suits from each deck) so I can see ALL the aces...then going to ALL the twos...because I know that the numbers have some similarities across suits and I think this will be a good way to see those.
I'm using the Victorian Fairy, Shadowscapes, Waite, and Mucha.
Here is a poor (netbook camera) picture of my study of the twos.
So now I've started the minors...I picked 4 decks to continue the study with...because of space. I'm looking at all four suits at one time for each card...so 16 at a time (4 suits from each deck) so I can see ALL the aces...then going to ALL the twos...because I know that the numbers have some similarities across suits and I think this will be a good way to see those.
I'm using the Victorian Fairy, Shadowscapes, Waite, and Mucha.
Here is a poor (netbook camera) picture of my study of the twos.
Attachments
Sassyinkpen
This is a really wonderful idea, and I think I'm going to try it for myself.
I did a flip-through comparison of some of my decks when I first got them and was really brand new to tarot. I helped me see how the Rider Waite imagery is recreated in some other decks (Paulina, Tarot of the Pagan Cats). I did find that helpful in the sense that the decks no longer seemed so foreign from each other (like I would have to learn a whole new system for each one).
Now that I'm a little further along and really working on learning the meanings, the elements and how the cards tie to one another, I think a much more in depth comparison of all three would be pretty useful to me.
Thanks for sharing your idea!
I did a flip-through comparison of some of my decks when I first got them and was really brand new to tarot. I helped me see how the Rider Waite imagery is recreated in some other decks (Paulina, Tarot of the Pagan Cats). I did find that helpful in the sense that the decks no longer seemed so foreign from each other (like I would have to learn a whole new system for each one).
Now that I'm a little further along and really working on learning the meanings, the elements and how the cards tie to one another, I think a much more in depth comparison of all three would be pretty useful to me.
Thanks for sharing your idea!
Amsonia
just an update...I'm done with my comparisons up through the 10s. Only the court cards to go.
I really feel, for the first time, that I'll be able to do readings now without any references.
When I look through the threads on "using tarot cards" now I can almost always picture the cards in my mind...without having to look them up. I almost feel like someone who has studied a foreign language, and then realizes they are not only fluent, but find themselves dreaming in the new language...anyway...again, I'd HIGHLY recommend this method of study.
I have been studying cards during readings for years now, so it wasn't like I was starting from scratch, but this method just really cemented everything...I think it is the comparing aspect of the exercise that really does it.
I typically do about 8 cards a day (like all 4 of the 9s and all 4 of the 10s in one day...doing the numbers together like that also helped A LOT for remembering the images.)
I really feel, for the first time, that I'll be able to do readings now without any references.
When I look through the threads on "using tarot cards" now I can almost always picture the cards in my mind...without having to look them up. I almost feel like someone who has studied a foreign language, and then realizes they are not only fluent, but find themselves dreaming in the new language...anyway...again, I'd HIGHLY recommend this method of study.
I have been studying cards during readings for years now, so it wasn't like I was starting from scratch, but this method just really cemented everything...I think it is the comparing aspect of the exercise that really does it.
I typically do about 8 cards a day (like all 4 of the 9s and all 4 of the 10s in one day...doing the numbers together like that also helped A LOT for remembering the images.)
