Your first brush with Tarot... which cards stuck?

Hi guys,

I know that a lot of you have been familiar with the cards from an early age, and some of you may not have come into contact with it until later in your life. I first became interested when I got my palm read for the first time, just last summer. The palm reader took her cards out to clarify a point for me... it was an RWS deck, and she laid out four cards (I think). This was the first time I'd seen tarot cards in use. The two that stuck in my head were the Nine of Swords and Three of Swords - they just felt really relevant to the situation, which surprised me as her history was pretty off when she read my palm. (Personality was spot on though!) At the time, it made me feel as though the cards were more accurate than the person reading my palm, if that makes sense (and isn't rude!) It intrigued me.

It's curiosity in what those cards actually meant that lead to me downloading the Galaxy Tarot app to my phone in order to investigate further - which lead to me buying my own deck a few months ago. ^_^ So, I was just wondering if anybody else had a card or two that drew them in, initially? Or whether it was just 'the cards' as a whole?

What drew me into tarot was sheer curiousity, and novelty for its own sake, if anything. I had no idea of what images comprised the RWS, or any other deck for that matter. It was a natural flexing of my inquisitiveness, an open-minded means towards some new avenues of inspiration. If I didn't experience true prophecy, then atleast some enjoyment could come by making a mockery of it. Or maybe the visual designs of the cards would inspire me on some level. That was my reasoning back then, as an adorable, angst-filled teenager.

The card I personally resonated instantly with (10 or so years ago)as I pulled it was the Queen of Swords. Interestingly, as I study the tarot and divinatory systems, I now realize that she corresponds perfectly with my astrological placements, esp. elementally.

I lost my old RWS deck, yet was able to find the Queen of Swords, who now decorates my mirror, serving as a cutesy meditative tool.

When I first saw the 10 of Swords, I burst out laughing. It's the image par excellence of self-inflicted mamadramallama melodrama. It's those moments in tarot experience when you connect instanteously with the image, rather than interpret them from a more systematic, rational approach, that makes the whole practice fun and inspirational for me.

8 of Swords

The first deck I had was the Sacred Circle deck. Very beautiful, mysterious feeling. I loved it instantly. A card that always shook me when it came up...which it came up A LOT...and unfortunately still does, is the 8 of Swords. I know that when I see the 8 of Swords that I'm in a mess of my own making...AGAIN. lol

I appreciate that card because it's kind of like a head slap/snap out of it moment every time I see it. It's like "oh so I'm the reason everything is sucking right now" lol...good to know.

Aeth said:

Hi guys,

I know that a lot of you have been familiar with the cards from an early age, and some of you may not have come into contact with it until later in your life. I first became interested when I got my palm read for the first time, just last summer. The palm reader took her cards out to clarify a point for me... it was an RWS deck, and she laid out four cards (I think). This was the first time I'd seen tarot cards in use. The two that stuck in my head were the Nine of Swords and Three of Swords - they just felt really relevant to the situation, which surprised me as her history was pretty off when she read my palm. (Personality was spot on though!) At the time, it made me feel as though the cards were more accurate than the person reading my palm, if that makes sense (and isn't rude!) It intrigued me.

It's curiosity in what those cards actually meant that lead to me downloading the Galaxy Tarot app to my phone in order to investigate further - which lead to me buying my own deck a few months ago. ^_^ So, I was just wondering if anybody else had a card or two that drew them in, initially? Or whether it was just 'the cards' as a whole?

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I was initially drawn to Tarot because I was in a very diffcult painful time in my life and I needed answers and comfort. I started with the computer generated readings and they did give me some of that, but then I knew I had to learn to read for myeslf.

But when I did get my first deck and start to learn....The Sun card came up all the time. I asked the same question as lot as I was very upset with that area of my life adn I kept getting The Sun, over and over and over. That is what taught me that Tarot really does work. As there are only so many times in a row that you can get the same card and for it to be random or coincidence. It happened often enough that I came to understand and be sure that something more was going on.

That is where the "Sun" In SunChariot came from. The "Chariot" part was because i learnt that the Chariot was the card associated with my Zodiac sign, Cancer.

But, yeah, my answer is the Sun, it always reminds me of the magic and connection that is Tarot.

Oh and now the High Priestess is my card. It's my Soul card about my purpose here on earth. And it is very much all that I want to be in this world. I am always working to learn more about the spiritual and things that are not commonly known along those lines. The HP just seems to represent me in a deck. It is my soul card and who I am and work to be.

Babs

I don't remember what first attracted me to tarot, though I'm guessing it was the artwork. The first card I felt drawn to was Strength. I love lions, and associate them with courage and personal power. My favorites now are the strength cards that show a woman and a lion in gentle communication, rather than the forceful ones. The concept of "power with" instead of "power over" is a very important value in my life.

I bought my first deck when I was in my early 20s (nearly 30 years ago) and promptly gave it away to a friend who had more time than I did to use them. She still has that deck. Then a few years ago a friend shared cartomancy with playing cards and I had some fun learning that. Later that particular friend kept suggesting that I learn Tarot. At the time I felt that playing cards was good enough and didn't require an explanation if anyone saw them. But she persisted. So I bought a small deck that I didn't really much like when I took it out of the box and The Tower kept coming up. Nearly every spread. I knew what it was about, and what was coming, and I knew there was nothing I could do about it. It even described my attitude towards my job and my family. That's when I finally started to dig in and learn. It probably wasn't all that long ago but it seems like I've been hooked on Tarot forever now.

When my first deck was like... Brand new, I had just got it home from the post office, and the first reading I did was a simple three card reading. So the cards I got was Knight of Cups, Three of Cups, and Queen of cups. that felt empowering.

Like sunchariot l to took up learning the tarot during a very painful period of my life. l thought it would help take my mind off my difficulties, and besides l was always curious about them. My first deck was Kat Blacks Golden Tarot, oh l had such fun studying it and what l remember most is that the High Priestess kept coming up for me, l so loved the picture and still do. Even though l now have many decks Kat Blacks High Priestess will always have a place in my heart.

Thanks for all your stories In a way, I kind of wish it had been more positive cards like Sun, Strength and High Priestess that had drawn me in. Also, the first time I ever read for a friend I had Death come up as the second card and was like 'oh, great!' and kind of worried that that would stick in her head - luckily, I already knew the situation it related to, a major life change which had already passed. It's really good to hear that it's not just negative cards that 'stick' with people, because I did wonder. ^_^

I was curious about tarot (and all occulty things) at a very early age. I can't recall the first cards I ever actually saw. Though I am quite positive they were RWS, and probably Death was one of them.
I drew my first deck at the ripe old age of 10, never having seen a full deck before, and going just by titles. I got some of them right, and some of them very very wrong!

At around the same time, I read a book that described a few cards (no pictures though!) and the moon really stuck with me. Funny, because the description they used didn't fit any Moon cards I know of(actually, I'm still looking for this deck!)

The moon has a special place in my heart...as does the Hanged man (as a card I didn't understand at all until I actually saw it!)
And the first time I got to hold an actual full deck of RWS cards...the Magician and the Wheel both stood out for me. Cards I liked then...and still cards I like today!