The Worst Tarot's Ever?

Dwaas said:

Cosmic Tribe indeed. And I love that deck. Because it makes it easier for myself and certain querents to identify when having specific questions about (sexual) relationships with somebody of the same gender. But to make sure I don't exclude anything or anybody I leave all three cards in the deck when reading.

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Just curious. If you leave all three Lovers cards in the deck when reading for a straight person, then how would you interpret it if the gay and/or lesbian cards came up in the spread. Might this not be a potentially uncomfortable/embarrasing situation for the reader/querent?

I just had a look through the Cosmic Tribe, and I must admit I do find it strangely alluring, but very garish and camp which I suppose adds to the fun of it. I couldn't see myself getting this deck though, as it has a very overt illustrated correspondence between Swords/Air and Wands/Fire, when for me it is the other way round. I find Tarot's bad when this is done. I prefer decks that will show Wands without being surrounded by flames, so the reader can decide for themselves. One of my pet hates. The association of blades with the generative principle as symbolised by fire, heat and light is a religious understanding for me.

I'm not really keen on photographic or computer generated images but this deck does have beauty and an air of fun about it.

I think the only thing that might have tempted me to the Cosmic Tribe is the Knight of Swords. Quite tasty! ( : Can't see how Swords symbolise wind, air and sky though, by any stretch of the imagination.

The Hanged Man said:

Just curious. If you leave all three Lovers cards in the deck when reading for a straight person, then how would you interpret it if the gay and/or lesbian cards came up in the spread. Might this not be a potentially uncomfortable/embarrasing situation for the reader/querent?

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Again, I don't see why a same-sex Lovers card should make a straight person uncomfortable or embarrased, any more than a straight Lovers card should make a gay person uncomfortable or embarrased.

-- Lee

The Hanged Man said:

Just curious. If you leave all three Lovers cards in the deck when reading for a straight person, then how would you interpret it if the gay and/or lesbian cards came up in the spread. Might this not be a potentially uncomfortable/embarrasing situation for the reader/querent?

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I always assumed that the lovers card is about relations, not only sexual relations. So depending on things like question, querent, position of cards it could be, embarrasing or not, be a sexual relation but also business, family, friends or whatever. And again as Lee said before, why would a same-gender card make any straight person feel uncomfortable? Nothing to feel uncomfortable with if anyone told me that I am to marry a hairy male lover like the one of for example the Morgan Greer. I would not stop laughing!
Blessings

What I mean is, if you were to do a reading for say, a straight person about their wedding day, and the gay Lovers card came out for 'Outcome', then how would you intepret this? Might the person being read for not worry the cards are saying her husband will run of with another man! ( :

What about the gay card coming out for a lesbian, or the lesbian card coming out for a gay man - what would these mean?

I meant that a same sex Lovers card, could, in certain circumstances, according to the context of that which is being inquired about, could cause some discomfort perhaps. Then again, I suppose if reading for friends this wouldn't be the case, but I wouldn't do a payed reading for a stranger using all three Lover's, I might end up having to handle a hot potato.

I wasn't criticising you by the way, I'm just curious about how you read with this deck.

Oh, Stairs of Gold Tarot. Eugh! Bloody awful!

Whew, 8 pages, everyone is so articulate and passionate, love it!

"Loathe" is a harsh word for cards that people put time into, so I'd rather say that there are certain decks that just don't do it for me. When I first got into Tarot, I was turned off by the Toth deck. It had too heavy a vibe. Currently, I'm having some trouble warming up to the Medieval Scapini. The Majors are gorgeous, I think he got the medieval feel just right and I like to look at those cards as works of art. But the Minors puzzle and sometimes even turn me off. The one card in particular that really makes me scratch my head in puzzlement is the Queen of Swords. Why are there KKK figures on that card, does anyone know? I know the Queen of Swords can sometimes stand for a judgmental, even harsh, woman, but I don't think those qualities should also mean being a bigot or a racist. So I got turned off using the deck because of that card. Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I'm just sensitive to symbols and their histories.

The Hanged Man said:

I wasn't criticising you by the way, I'm just curious about how you read with this deck.

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No worries friend!
And I tried to explain how I read with the deck. Actually I pull this deck when I think people are openminded enough. Reading should be at least a situation where people feel safe. No need to upset granny with obvious naked people (cosmic tribe), no need to upset any pearl of the world with cruel horror pictures (liber T), etc. So before reading I make a selection of decks of which I think they would appeal. And you would be amazed how many paying straight young adults chose the cosmic tribe! They are intrigued, yes also by the naked people of course, but they also like the possibility of different lovers cards. Now let's say a straight man wants to know about his love life and we would pull the gay-men card from the cosmic tribe, I would ask him, for example if his father/brother/friend is alright with the marriage? Are there any other strings with men involved? Is there perhaps another lover with his fiancee? And if appropriate I might even ask if he has also feelings for men. Just depending on so much. But openminded people who choose this deck are most of the time also interested in all the possible outcomes.
Blessings

Hmm....of my own deck collection, I'd have to say that the biggest disappointment was the Gendron. I bought it for the gorgeous Princess of Swords on the box, thinking that it was representative of the whole deck, but it's just a weird mishmash of styles, some cards with photographic elements, some without, some strangely out of proportion, many showing non-traditional meanings. Plus the same goofy guy is grinning out at me from both the King of Swords card and the Emperor. Maybe it's just me, but I like my Emperors and Kings to have a dignified seriousness to them. I've tried to trade it away, but nobody wants it!

After a couple years of collecting, I'm finally starting to figure out my preferences in Tarot decks, so I'm making fewer mistakes. Here's what I don't like:

--non-illustrated pip cards
--keywords on cards (HATE!)
--big, distracting borders
--stripped-down symbolism
--lots of completely reinvented meanings (I don't mind--in fact I like--a couple fresh re-interpretations per deck)
--when there aren't, for instance, 7 actual swords (or other pointy object)somewhere on the 7 of Swords card (but I'm making an exception for the gorgeous Victorian Romantic!)
--court cards in close-up only (don't like the Tarot of Dreams for this reason)
--court cards with bland expressions
--too many naked people
--washed-out, muted colors
--decks that rename the Death card (but renaming the Hierophant is okay)
--decks that go into contortions to fit the theme (but it's so great when it's done well like in the Mythic).
--decks with no sense of humor or whimsy

Hey, I don't ask for too much, do I??? LOL.
Denise

The way I viewed using the three lovers cards was all about balance of energies. Not specifically looking at them as people. Maybe lovers relationships have lost their balance - too much passitivity, not getting things done together or making an effort; maybe the male lovers suggest too much masculine energy - little tenderness is prominant in the relationship or attention might be needed. The male/female lovers do not have to be the perfect balance in terms of gender-sexuality-relationships, but if all three are used, it might determine where the balance has slipped, if they are determined as energy for 'any' relationship.

Does that make sense? Not sure how to explain that, lol

LB

elysgrl said:

--non-illustrated pip cards
--keywords on cards (HATE!)
--big, distracting borders
--stripped-down symbolism
--lots of completely reinvented meanings (I don't mind--in fact I like--a couple fresh re-interpretations per deck)
--when there aren't, for instance, 7 actual swords (or other pointy object)somewhere on the 7 of Swords card (but I'm making an exception for the gorgeous Victorian Romantic!)
--court cards in close-up only (don't like the Tarot of Dreams for this reason)
--court cards with bland expressions
--too many naked people
--washed-out, muted colors
--decks that rename the Death card (but renaming the Hierophant is okay)
--decks that go into contortions to fit the theme (but it's so great when it's done well like in the Mythic).
--decks with no sense of humor or whimsy

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Oh my! What does that leave us with?

Do you read playing cards by any chance?

LB