Ghost Tarot (LoS 2014)

danieljuk said:

thanks for doing a page about it Solandia and your review Rodney.
I was all ready to buy it and like I said in the earlier post it's not my usual deck but it entices me. I like Solandia's phase being "pleasantly surprised" by it. sums it up for me seeing it online. But then in Solandia's review I read the part about it has a theme of romantic gothic (but not horror) and there is an emotional sadness to it.

I wonder what other people think about it. This has made me pause buying it, is it a deck where you do feel sad using it? I am now not sure if it is for me so will read other people's views of it with interest. I know that there is light and dark in decks and I don't want a deck which is made so it's only happy but also not a deck which makes me depressed after a spread

That is weird about that extra card Rodney!

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So, I've only just opened up this deck to play with it and, yes, the images are quite captivating, but I am finding the deck as a whole feels overwhelmingly depressing. Every card is tinged with loss and sadness. The usual happy cards are haunted by tragedy. I have numerous dark decks and none of them evoke such strong emotions as this one does. I think that says a lot about the quality of the artwork. I also think it is a result of the theme in general. I mean, most dark decks use fantasy figures as subjects - vampires, dark angels - things that we know aren't REAL, so they don't affect us as strongly. But DEATH is real for everybody, and we are all haunted (I don't mean literally) by loved ones who have left this world. And we know we will lose loved ones in the future.

So, I guess what I'm getting at is I don't know what sort of questions I can use this deck for. How do all of you use it? Do you find it answers all types of question? Do you also find the answers to be somewhat depressing? It's a beautiful deck, and I will be sorely disappointed if I find that I have to avoid it because it brings me down.

desertrat said:

So, I guess what I'm getting at is I don't know what sort of questions I can use this deck for. How do all of you use it? Do you find it answers all types of question? Do you also find the answers to be somewhat depressing? It's a beautiful deck, and I will be sorely disappointed if I find that I have to avoid it because it brings me down.

Click to expand...

Have you tried FireRaven's "New Deck Interview" Spread or something like it to see what the deck thinks its strengths and weaknesses are?

I watched this on Elendil's blog a few weeks ago
http://elendil23.blog.co.uk/page/2/
(scroll down) 3 per day.

It made me feel very melancholy, which isn't a place I need to be but if that is the intent of the deck they did well.

rwcarter said:

Have you tried FireRaven's "New Deck Interview" Spread or something like it to see what the deck thinks its strengths and weaknesses are?

Click to expand...

Thanks, Rodney, I will try this. I've only just started working with the deck. Not close to giving up on it yet.

i blackened the edges of my Ghost deck today, and it came out
stupendous! i might take a few pics...
i really am surprised how much i am taken with this lovely deck...
i don't find it depressing at all...i find it ethereal and somewhat luminescent...

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Ghost Tarot

In general, I was very impressed with this deck, the art is excellent and it looks like the cards have a finish that may last longer than some of the other black boarder decks I have (time will tell). It seems a bit more durable.
I don't have it with me now, but I do recall there are some cards that have a meaning in the LWB that don't seem to fit. Like the 6 and 10 of pentacles. I find I can work with the 10 in a positive way by finding my own meanings that work, but I'm trying to figure out what to do with the 6 of pentacles. The power of suggestion in a reading can be pretty real for many people, and I often do predictions in readings - who wants to see this 6 of pentacles in their future? The meaning doesn't make any sense to me either in connection with this 6. I need to find a positive way to work with it and that's challenging me with this one card.
Another thing that disappointed me was that I think I'll get really tired of seeing the same pattern on the backs of the chairs of the kings and queens, there could be more variety in the art there, but I don't think that will be a major problem.
Other than those two issues, my first impressions of this deck were very good, it was better than I had expected. I will use this deck during the days around Samhain for questions about ancestors and the past (specifically), but I wouldn't limit it to that. I would definitely not use this deck for someone who is depressed or upset about something.
The 3 of wands has an awesome ship!

What do people make of the water in the Ten of Pentacles? Notice that the whole family is wading through dark water and the building they are heading for is almost submerged. What does it mean? What could it mean in readings? Maybe the water is what holds them together, a representation of the emotional connection they share. or maybe the dark water represents the troubles of life that they wade through and stay together in spite of everything. What's under the surface? I guess it could mean different things in response to different questions.

I once saw a director's commentary for a horror TV show where he talked about filming a scene (a scene with a malicious ghost actually) and putting puddles of water everywhere for no real reason except that "water is always creepy". I suppose it is.

"Mary, grab the baby, the water's rising
Muddy water taking back the land.
This old frame house can't take one more beating
Ain't no use to stay and make a stand..."
--Nick Cave "Muddy Water"

I am surprised at how attracted to this deck I am. It looks very readable. Hm. Might have to snatch it up.

Is this deck still in anyone's usual rotation? I've been thinking about getting it for about four months now and for whatever reason i havn't been able to suck it up and buy it. Everything will probably have to wait until after the holidays now so i have time to brood on it. Brooding...hmm....that would match the deck!