Tarot of Marseilles help desk (Frequently Asked Questions): Non-History

Welcome! I'm starting this thread in response to a recent suggestion by Moonbow.

The purpose is for newcomers and veterans alike to have a convenient thread where they can ask (and read answers to) general, non-history questions about the Tarot de Marseille, about studying the major and minor arcana of that deck, and about using that deck for divination, meditation, etc.

Before posting the question to this thread, I'd recommend that you read any relevant threads listed in the Forum Table of Contents at http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8356, especially if your question is about a specific card for which a thread may have already been started. If there is a relevant thread, please try to post your question to that thread, rather than to this thread.

However, if your question is such that you think starting a new thread makes more sense, don't be shy about doing that!

Note: Anyone among us is free to answer questions posted to this thread!

OK, I have a question - loads actually - infact you are pretty much going to get fed up with me (if you're not already!)

I have one Marseilles deck (Hadar). I go by the colours for readings and anything else that comes to mind about the cards, e.g numerology, expressions, which way they face etc. BUT, how much notice should we take of the colours if in other decks the colours are completely different?

M*

PS I think there has been a thread recently about Hadar colours but I can't find it so just tab this on to the end if that is preferred

Do you need to know anything about the history of the cards to use them?

Just adding to Moonbow*s topic, I imagine the cards can be read intuitively.

If you did that you could attribute any meaning to the colors and the plants could you not?

Are there any commonly accepted intepretations to the Marseilles symbols?

I imagine your intuition would be evoked in the context of the question and anything that came to mind might be appropriate.

Please let me know if that is not so.

For instance I am looking at the 10 Wands now. Such a taut and balanced card. All the energy that has been required up to now has been used and the Wands are in a kind of repose. It looks as somethinghas been finished but as one meditates on the card it also looks as though the cards are forming some kind of springboard on which to launch into somthing new. One can see, perhaps, a kind of tension building up.

The Wands are red, so represent the Fire energy to me, but they become blue in the centre, just augmenting the springboard idea. You could stand on this springboard to launch yourself into something new.

Alternatively, the blueness could represent the energy becoming cooler, weaker, signifying staleness perhaps and the need to move on before one becomes too "stuck".

So that was a small attempt to read this card intuitively. I haven't read anything else about it.

As I write the thought occurs that maybe there is some kind of tradition around reading the Marseilles - some kind of special grace that often comes with tradition. Perhaps like ballet or ballroom dancing, when balance, rhythm and rituals have particular importance and meaning.

Could this be the case? I imagine it could be.

Many thanks ~

Moongold

If Moongold continues her explorations, she will soon be the Reading the Marseille expert of the forums.

Great interpretation Moongold.

I would like to know specifically about the Hadar as that is the deck that I have. On his site, Kris Hadar is quite specific about what each colour represents, and I have used his ideas for my readings. Could I use my own though? Could I change his? If I did change this, would someone pick me up on it and say that I was wrong? (this is all hypothetical of course)

M*

This is just my opinion, but in my opinion the answer to the questions about colors is, you're free to interpret the colors however you want. There are no standard color interpretations, because, as Moonbow* has pointed out, each deck's colors are different, and I imagine that Marseille authors (who write in French which I can't read) interpret the colors differently as well.

If Kris Hadar had created an entirely new deck, I would be more inclined to defer to his own interpretation of his deck's colors. But since his deck is not an entirely original deck but rather a version of a classic deck, in my opinion we can take or leave his color interpretations.

By all means, develop your own interpretations or use someone else's if you like them. I think the thing to avoid, though, is developing a dogmatic attitude, as in "this color in the Marseille means such-and-such."

-- Lee

I think my questions got lost in the verbiage but it seems as though Lee may have answered one of them.

As for colour, there are few standard symbols in the Marseilles...or should I say, things that are conventionally interpreted a certain way in the Marseilles. Are there?

Are there conventions around the way you write readings?

Moongold

Moongold,

When I read with my Marseille, I always tend to go with the number/suit associations. I can't help it. I am hoping, however that by reviving the pip threads that I will be able to use more of my intuition as well when I use this deck.

Mimi

Moongold said:

As for colour, there are few standard symbols in the Marseilles...or should I say, things that are conventionally interpreted a certain way in the Marseilles. Are there?

Click to expand...

Yes.

Ooops!!!!!!! I had to come back and edit this. Because I thought you said "a few" standard symbols.... but you said "few". That makes a big difference.

So you may ignore my "yes". I would say that there are quite a number of standard symbols, including colours, which most people I know interpret more or less the same way - give or take some nuances.

Are there conventions around the way you write readings?

Click to expand...

No.