swimming in tarot's tarot

swimming in tarot

To help myself better grasp the meanings of tarot, I--like many others have done--began making my own deck, for fun. As I've tried to chart a mental table of meanings when number intersects with suit, I've become annoyed by inconsistencies in the logic in the sources that I'm checking, and am now branching off to make my deck follow my own rules. Mission drift, sigh.

If I ever decided to publish my deck (hah):

-How great a crime would it be, if I made the suit of swords with generally positive meanings in the upright, denoting positive and constructive things related to the mind, and saved most of the nastiness for the reverse meanings? I think the swords have traditionally gotten the shaft, which is unfair to their potential.
-How badly would people be bothered if I applied a different numeric logic to the pips, so long as I was consistent and explained where I was coming from?
-How terrible would it be if, for example, I considered seven as an inspired, magical number if you will, and made the sevens pips as dimension doors into the "magical" qualities of the suits?
-RWS is what I'm most familiar with, and in many cards I haven't made a clean break from that imagery, incorporating as I do familiar elements from that system--but they are often greatly tweaked. Personally, I love it when artists make a left turn with the old familiar stuff. How repugnant would it be, if this deck contained thoughts of the RWS without truly being one?
 

Luna-Ocean

To help myself better grasp the meanings of tarot, I--like many others have done--began making my own deck, for fun. As I've tried to chart a mental table of meanings when number intersects with suit, I've become annoyed by inconsistencies in the logic in the sources that I'm checking, and am now branching off to make my deck follow my own rules. Mission drift, sigh.

If I ever decided to publish my deck (hah):

-How great a crime would it be, if I made the suit of swords with generally positive meanings in the upright, denoting positive and constructive things related to the mind, and saved most of the nastiness for the reverse meanings? I think the swords have traditionally gotten the shaft, which is unfair to their potential.
-How badly would people be bothered if I applied a different numeric logic to the pips, so long as I was consistent and explained where I was coming from?
-How terrible would it be if, for example, I considered seven as an inspired, magical number if you will, and made the sevens pips as dimension doors into the "magical" qualities of the suits?
-RWS is what I'm most familiar with, and in many cards I haven't made a clean break from that imagery, incorporating as I do familiar elements from that system--but they are often greatly tweaked. Personally, I love it when artists make a left turn with the old familiar stuff. How repugnant would it be, if this deck contained thoughts of the RWS without truly being one?

It would also depend on what type of theme you were planning on i do like the familiar rider waite meanings for the swords but why not try something abit different and make them more positive? There does seem to be people who for what ever reason will not like a modern take with the traditional type RW system, but it is your creation and your creativity that matters to you and you can express this how you want?
 

reall

it's your deck!^^ you have absolute freedom to do whatever you want!^^
did D.V asked those questions when she Started her *angel/fairy franchise? NO!!! LOLZ :)))
 

swimming in tarot

Yes, people, I realize that's it's my deck...and if I'm the only one who sees it, it really doesn't matter. No argument there. But if I ever decided to publish it, I'm wondering how open people are to systemic tweaks. If their response is "ohmigawd, it's slightly different, we've always done it the other way, couldn't possibly look at things differently, or think about our readings differently if we use a different deck! I mean, there must be a reason why so many RWS clones are still published, still after a hundred years?
 

gregory

If their reaction is omigawd etc - their loss. There are SO MANY decks out there that differ, and that isn't something that generally stops them selling.l What stops a deck selling is VILE artwork, rubbish card stock, excessive prices, IMHO.

If people cannot look at things differently - that makes them less effective readers, I think. You NEED to be able to look outside the box. People who to this day say Empress means pregnancy so I must be pregnant and cannot take on board that I am 70 years old and had a hysterectomy at 40 are the same type. Flexibility is key.
 

Luna-Ocean

Yes, people, I realize that's it's my deck...and if I'm the only one who sees it, it really doesn't matter. No argument there. But if I ever decided to publish it, I'm wondering how open people are to systemic tweaks. If their response is "ohmigawd, it's slightly different, we've always done it the other way, couldn't possibly look at things differently, or think about our readings differently if we use a different deck! I mean, there must be a reason why so many RWS clones are still published, still after a hundred years?

You will always get those types of people even on this type of forum that will try and knock someone's good intentions unfortunately that's just human nature sad but true? and you make a good point with those zillions of RWS clones that i'm so sick of seeing because to me those are just made because creators feel safe with trying to copy a well known system and if you think about it Not really original is it? i think people should start creating new types of tarot systems and see how it can work for them you could end up surprising alot of people with what you come up with.
 

Annabelle

Swimming in tarot, the ideas you listed sound pretty awesome and original and plain old cool to me -- I especially like the idea of the Swords being more about the mind, with less overt negativity. Swords = Mind to me, quite strongly, and as something of a scholar and intellectual, I don't "read" that as negative.
 

frejasphere

Swimming in tarot, the ideas you listed sound pretty awesome and original and plain old cool to me -- I especially like the idea of the Swords being more about the mind, with less overt negativity. Swords = Mind to me, quite strongly, and as something of a scholar and intellectual, I don't "read" that as negative.

I agree :) and don't either tend to see the Swords as negative... the mind is a fascinating place, which may at times have a more solitary feel about it - but to me, that doesn't need to equal bad :)

And yes @swimming in tarot, it is your deck, and creating a deck can be a wonderful way of exploring and learning more about tarot and how it relates to you - nothing repugnant about that :)