Different Decks for Different Questions

[Metafizzypop]

I own several Tarot decks and I have used them all to ask about practically everything at some point. I've asked them questions regarding jobs, family, romance, legal matters, friends, etc. And though all the cards give answers, I have found that different decks give clearer answers in different areas. For example, my Vertigo deck gives the most detailed answers for questions about writing and artistic pursuits. My Alchemical deck is really good for health-related questions. The Housewives Tarot is one of my favourites, but it's not so good when I ask it about careers and business. OTOH, it gives me good common-sense answers for people's behaviour and motivations.

So my question is, have others found that different decks are better for different kinds of questions? Are there decks that you find especially good for certain topics, or especially not so good?

I'd love to hear about other people's experience with this.

 

[Annia]

hi
I absolutly agree with you.
I had a Jane Austen Tarot and a Robin Wood Tarot and an old Rider Waite Tarot.

I thought that the Jane Austen was especially good when it came to relationship questions, whereas the Robin Wood was better when it came to personal questions as in "What can I do..." (Though they work for relationship questions too)
The Rider Waite I sometimes used when I wanted to enlighten a card I didn't understand from either one of the two decks mentioned

(I also had a set of Lenormand cards, but those I used in a completly different way)

 

[Le Fanu]

But isn´t it something to do with "getting into the zone"? I mean, no coincidence that Jane Austen (for you) suits relationships. You know what the deck conjours up for you and it clears away inner clutter and you can just zoom in.

But I think I know what you´re saying. I find the Golden Klimt great for relationship / sexual issues. All that sensuality tweaks something in the reading side of my brain.

 

[Annia]

yes, I'm pretty sure that each one of us would see different Tarot decks appropriate for different areas

but I believe that some images speak a clearer language in a certain domain than others

 

[Oddity]

I think different decks can be better for different questions, but what deck works for what question depends on the person reading. If you know what i mean.
Because we are all different people, and so each person has a different way to connect to the cards and the art.

A long time ago I only had two decks that I used, Vertigo and Robin Wood. I found that the Vertigo was great for "outer-world" questions, practical stuff, like: What can I do? Which of these plans is better? How will living with the new housemates work out?
And the Robin Wood deck would be great for "inner-world" searching, things like: What do I want? Why do these feelings come up? What do i need to work on within myself? etc.

Try to ask the Robin Wood deck a simple question, and two hours of deep psychological analysis would follow...
Whereas the Vertigo would give really down-to-earth, clear and straight answers, no fussing about.

Funny, that the deck with the clear & light artwork would never give a straight answer, and the deck with the shadowy and dreamlike art would give such practical and down to earth readings.

I haven't used either of them in a while so I don't know if it would be the same, now.

 

[Metafizzypop]

I understand what you mean about it depending on the person what cards work for what. I think it's very true. It has to do with the person's psychology, and how s/he connects with the cards. In fact, I saw that you were using the Vertigo deck in different ways than I generally do.

Then again, some cards I think really do lend themselves to certain topics. Annia said that the Jane Austen cards were good for relationship questions. I can see that, because Jane Austen wrote about relationships a lot in her novels. In this case, it seems to be a perfect fit.

Now, the Thoth deck, OTOH, I would not use for relationship questions. I've done it, but I found the answers distant and cold and even a little cruel. That's the nature of the deck, I would say. Which is what makes it perfect for asking about business and finance and careers, lol.

 

[Oddity]

Yes, I think some decks are more versatile, and others will have a sort of built-in "voice" or "attitude" that makes certain types of readings easier than others.

I haven't tried reading with Thoth yet, but I will someday.
I have used the Swedish Witch tarot, which is Thoth-based, but I found that worked okay for relationship readings.
I wonder now if that might have something to do with the pictures, the pictures are friendly and humorous, and that sort of softens the readings a little. Even when the answer is not what I want, it is delivered with a bit of humour and compassion, IMHO. A bit like advice from an older sister who sometimes will roll her eyes and make a little fun of you but never in a really bad way, because when it comes down to it she likes you very much...

I remember I have used the Vertigo to figure out plots for stories, too, now that you mention it. It worked very well. I'm not sure why, exactly. Maybe because Dave McKean is an accomplished writer/artist himself, who knows. Or maybe it just fits well with my way of thinking.

 

[Mellifluous]

No, I don't find it makes any difference.

 

[Logiatrix]

I thought it didn't make a difference, and I was even happy with using my Tarot of Love for all manner of readings...for a while.

Then one night I forgot it on an outing, so I used my carry-along Hanson-Roberts deck to do a few readings instead. After one reading in particular, I realized that some of the cards, had they been the Tarot of Love, would not have made any sense. The Tarot of Love has several cards titled according to relationship issues, such as "Companionship" instead of The Chariot; that was one of the cards that came up in that reading with the Hanson-Roberts. Sure, I could have made it work with the Tarot of Love and the unique card titles, but I think that would be silly to force it. It helped me realize that it's best if The Chariot is just The Chariot for most readings, and the Tarot of Love is best left to the "love" readings.

So, I think it does make a difference, if the deck is skewed toward a certain topic; in other words, if it has that built-in voice or attitude that Oddity spoke of. The Tarot of Love is the only deck I have like that, and it is in fact an excellent deck for love and relationship issues.

 

[voodoobot]

I mostly read with either my RWS deck or my Victorian Romantic.

No surprise, the Victorian Romantic suits me very well for relationship and romance readings, and I find that my interpretation of the cards tends to be a bit more open ended and gentle, whereas the RWS deck is better if I need straight forward, practical advice.
Like Oddity, I think it's got to do with the pictures. It makes sense that the elaborate, fanciful illustrations on the Victorian Romantic come across a bit more softly than the images on the RWS, which are rather stark in comparison.