Extra cards in a deck?

[jackdaw*]

I'm just wondering what everyone's take is on the "extra" cards you find in some Tarot decks.

I am thinking particularly of such decks as the Cary-Yale Visconti, which has the female Knight and Page cards, and the Minchiate, which has all those extra trumps. I'm thinking these two because I just received the Cary-Yale and am awaiting the Minchiate. But there are other modern decks of course - the Faery Wicca springs to mind.

Does anybody read with these extra cards in the deck? If so, how do you interpret them?

QofP

 

[Chronata]

It depends on the deck.

for me, I usually have no problem with one or two extra cards (the Sakki Sakki Artist, the Osho Zen Master, the BBCats Hermes...)

And I think that the Minchiates are very cool. It really makes the deck more of an oracle...and less of a traditional tarot...but then I love oracle decks anyway. a Minchiate seems to combine systems in a way that works for me.

Now...when it is a tarot and the extra cards really seem to have no business being there they can get a tad overwhelming.

I didn't think the extras in the Faery Wicca were really all that necessary...and I really don't like all the extra cards in the Shapeshifter either.

If it's a tarot...more than two extra cards becomes cumbersome for me.

If it's a minchiate, I don't mind...
but when there are entire extra suits and such, I really wish the creators had just gone ahead and made an oracle instead of calling it a tarot.

 

[seneris]

I think it's a very good idea that with the Tarot of Prague you can choose between two death cards. That way you can make the deck a bit more personal.

 

[la-luna]

there is one other deck also with variations of a card in them to make things more personal and that i like and came immediately to my mind
namely the Cosmic Tribe : 3 lover cards for each of the 3 sexual orientations (very nicely done) and variations that i use ! (being gay myself and reading for gay's lesbians and straight persons)

 

[jackdaw*]

Thanks for the replies!

I agree with la-luna and seneris, in that for some cards I also prefer having a choice in certain cards. I like decks that are inclusive off all orientations, such as the choice of Lovers cards in the Cosmic Tribe, and although I always use the "scarier" Death card from the Tarot of Prague I appreciate the choice. The three Magus cards in some versions of the Thoth deck also spring to mind.

And like Chronata, I think an extra card or 2 (if well-chosen) add to a deck's interpretation.

Anyone else? Minchiate lovers, I'm looking at you ...

 

[la-luna]

anaother comes to mind the 2 Temperance cards in the "golden dawn magickal tarot"

 

[Genna]

I love the Hermes card in Baroque,Bohemian Cats´Tarot.There is one interpretation for it now on the site for this deck,if you click on the cat in the green dress,standing by the statue,but I have a special meaning for it,because of the caduceus Hermes is holding.It´s like a hope,or guardian angel card for me(a bit like Temperance can be read).

Being able to choose from two Death-card in Tarot of Prague was nice. Now,I´ve got used to the memento mori card and might switch.I know there is a new card ;Prudence(to get the four Virtues;Temperance,Justice,Strengh,and Prudence) complete,instead of the second Death-card in the new edition.

A few days ago I read a little Tarot book illustrated by the Hanson-Roberts´deck;Tarot Unveiled by Laura Clarson.She means that the extra card in the Hanson-Roberts´ deck should be used as "the unknowable,a secret we need to keep for ourselves".She writes it works like "a red flag",that we have entered "forbidden area",but that in later readings this veil can be lifted,when we should to know about it.The restriction then is only tempory.I use the "for the believers" card with Hanson-Roberts´ deck now,after reading about this.
Maybe I will start use "the extra card with lay-out for spread" in other decks,but I don´t know yet.Maybe too confusing.

I thought The Moon also could mean that you are not supposed to mean yet, in some readings.I do think the 78 cards can confuse us without extra cards to help,if we should not know.The extra cards can be nice,though.