Favorite reading deck for others

[GlitterNova]

Here's a question for those who read publicly or professionally. What are your favorite deck(s) for when you are reading for others, and why? Do you think your choice of decks influence how querents regard you? Thanks

 

[greatdane]

Good question, GlitterNova

It depends on the crowd, the group, what type of event.

I like really small groups, so I think that makes it easier. If you know the type of group, how many, who will be there, I can bring a few decks I think they might like.

I have an older Universal Waite I really like. I think the coloring appeals to many.
The Anna. K is another I would think of bringing.
I might bring the Morgan Greer because it just pops. I just got this one, so I don't know how it would go over, but the colors and style I think are great.
But again, depends on who, how large a group and the occasion.

If it was around Samhain/Halloween, I might bring the Bohemian Gothic and/or Place's Vampire tarot as well.

I would be more likely to read Lenormand than tarot for them, but if I went with tarot, it would likely be a few from the above list.

I do like to pick decks I think someone or a group will like, something suited to the occasion.

But no, I don't really worry how they will see me. That ship has sailed....

 

[velvetina]

once upon a time, I used to read for a living.

the other readers would laugh at my choice of deck, which was the Madonni. I preferred it because it didn't convey much in the imagery to the customer. I didn't want to have much, if any, input from them until the end of the reading. If, for example, they saw a man surrounded by swords, they might worry.

I had a limited amount of time to interpret & deliver the reading & didn't want to waste it with reassurances concerning an out-of-context illustration.

One summer I read at various biker/ rock music festivals.
I used the Londa, purely because of the aesthetic!

For a few years I'd read at an annual Woman's Day festival, and I'd offer the Motherpeace, even though it wasn't really my cup of tea.

Towards the end of my "career", I'd use a trimmed Thoth, and that tends to be my deck now if I'm persuaded to do readings.

for friends, I usually use a Rider Waite. In this case, I find it useful to have illustrative examples of how they might be feeling - a heart-broken friend will pull say, the 3 of Swords & feel that tarot magic is working! We can devote hours to this kind of interactive reading, that I sadly didn't have time for when I was working in half-hour sessions. :/

 

[Kelsey]

I live in a strong catholic area. They are generally accepting of tarot, but not so much with overt pagan imagery. I often use Hanson Roberts, Connolly, RWS or RWS clone. I used Vanessa and Albano Waite for a prom I did this year.

 

[nisaba]

Here's a question for those who read publicly or professionally. What are your favorite deck(s) for when you are reading for others, and why? Do you think your choice of decks influence how querents regard you? Thanks

On my reader's table I always display the LoS gold-foil Visconti-Sforza, one of my Marseilles decks, the Thoth or Haindl (at the moment, it's the Haindl), and one deck plucked at random from my collection, which changes every day that I work.

I want easily recognisable and respected decks (hence the modern Thoth and RW), older, more traditional decks (hence the Marseilles and Viscontis) and one that's chosen just for cosmetic reasons (the floater, usually whatever catches my eye that morning). The floater can be just about anything.

 

[Freddie]

Golden Tarot of Tsar - People ask for this one. Use that Golden Jesus one Freddie ...lol...

Fournier Marseille - Mainly because I like it and I love Spanish/Mexican art/ colours. I use Grimaud as well, depends on me mood.

Tarot of the Angels - I like Angels and I like the Golden Dawn/ Rider Waite system so this one works for me. Thoughtful images that relate well to real life



Freddie

 

[foolMoon]

Robin Wood or Golden Universal Tarot. But sometimes, querents will be asked to choose a deck from 5 or 6 of decks all contained in black boxes.

Neither querent nor me know which deck will be used for the reading until the querent chooses a box, and the deck taken out for reading.

 

[ShinyAeon]

The World Spirit Tarot is my go-to deck for reading for others. I started off reading with the RWS & a few close friends: The Aquarian (my very first deck, actually), The Herbal Tarot (the RWS...with herbs!), the Robin Wood, etc. But when I started doing the occasional party at a small bookstore, I wanted something a little more...multi-cultural. Yes, I deliberately went looking for a new deck just to be more P.C.! But since it led me to the World Spirit, which I adore and use for myself as often as for others, I refuse to feel silly about it.

I also always have my Albano-Waite along as well, in case someone wants a more traditional reading, as well as my Beasts of Albion oracle deck and some runestones or rune cards. Anything else I leave up to sudden whim.

 

[FLizarraga]

Robin Wood or Golden Universal Tarot. But sometimes, querents will be asked to choose a deck from 5 or 6 of decks all contained in black boxes.

Neither querent nor me know which deck will be used for the reading until the querent chooses a box, and the deck taken out for reading.

That is a really cool idea!

 

[FLizarraga]

It depends on my mood, or my flavor-of-the-week deck.

But, more often than not, it's the Golden Tarot. Probably because I know it inside out, I guess.