Newbie seeks advice from the experts on card meanings from different decks

[jcwirish]

Babs,

I agree with what you said about special decks that are unique. I am on the list to get one of the Tarot of the Tree decks that a fellow At'er created. I read her story and background and all the information about her artistic process. I love the artwork, and I think that this deck will be special for me because it is handmade and has a lovely story behind it. I can understand how a deck like this would become a unique favorite for a reader. I can't wait to get it and see how we connect with each other.

 

[SunChariot]

Thanks! And I can sure that that after 5 1/2 years Tarot has never lost any of its magic for me. It's all still there and more.

Babs

 

[Alan Ross]

I am struggling to understand the idea of subtle differences in a particular card from different decks. In other words, if I am looking at a five of pentacles from a Rider Waite deck, and a Five of pentacles from another deck with the same basic set up, then wouldn't the meaning be the same for both cards?

As I see it, even for decks closely based on RWS, there may be different shades of meaning for the same card across different decks. For example, here are three different Seven of Swords, one from the Rider Waite, one from the Vanessa, and one from the Druidcraft:

http://taroteca.multiply.com/photos/album/84/Rider_Waite#photo=85.jpg

http://arcanaxv.multiply.com/photos/album/51/Vanessa_Tarot#photo=57

http://www.albideuter.de/html/druidcraft_56.html

In his "Pictorial Key to the Tarot," Waite suggests the following interpretation: "Design, attempt, wish, hope, confidence; also quarrelling, a plan that may fail, annoyance." The image on the RWS card does seem to suggest a risky undertaking, a "plan that may fail."

Although Waite doesn't suggest it, the image also seems to imply an act of thievery. This is the particular slant that the creator of the Vanessa Tarot chose to emphasize in his version of the card. The act of thievery is no longer implicit, but is made explicitly clear with a depiction of a burglar making off with a safe.

The creators of the Druidcraft Tarot decided to emphasize a different aspect of the same card. The figure in the RWS version can also be seen as avoiding direct confrontation and choosing devious means to achieve his goal. This is the inspiration for the Druidcraft Seven of Swords, which shows an old man in his study who has set aside his swords, preferring careful strategizing or devious plotting over a headstrong charge into battle.

I think this example illustrates that one should be careful when applying "standard" interpretations across different decks. the Vanessa and the Druidcraft Seven of Swords have little in common with each other even though they are both inspired by the RWS Seven of Swords.

Incidentally, RWS seems to be less accepted as a universal standard in Europe than it is in English speaking countries. There are many decks by European designers that deviate substantially from RWS. Some may be influenced by other traditions, such as the divinatory interpretations of the French occultist Etteilla. Also, many German decks are based on Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot.

Alan

 

[Alta]

Thanks Alan, nicely expressed. I try and stay aware of the range of meanings with each card and while I consider and use the image, a lot of background information comes into play when I read. To me, reading strictly from the image is 'using tarot like an oracle' and to me there is so much more to it than that.

 

[jcwirish]

Alan,

Thanks for your input and for illustrating these differences for me. I'm getting a better education on things here from all of you then I would in my books. I'm fascinated by all the knowledge, and a little overwhelmed... but in a good way. basically, there are as many ways to look at the tarot as there are people doing the looking. I think I need to take a breath and absorb all of this, then figure out what truly feels right for me. I want to say a big thanks to everyone for all the thoughts and insights.

 

[SunChariot]

For what it's worth, for me I did not just sit back and think out intellectually which methods were best for me or would be most compatible with who I am inside. I read my 40 books (LOL) tried everything that I liked in them and kept what worked best for me and let go of or adapted what didn't. Eventually, I learnt to combine the methods that had worked for me in different and unique ways and even not to be afraid to invent new ways when I could not find one that was giving me enough.

But for me it was not a case of "Hmmm I am an intuitive person so how can I learn to read using that." It was more of a try everything and every method I could get my hands on, and by trying I found that the intuitive methods worked best for me. So it was more " Hmmmm, I really seem to be best at intuitive readings, so underneath I must be an intuitive person. Well what do you know. I never knew that about me"...than "Hmmm I am an intuitive person so how can I read intuitively?" I didn't even KNOW I was an intuitive person until I tried everything and found that by far that is what works best for me. By now I use my intuition all the time, but it took learning to read to teach me that I even have that in me and how to use it.

Learning to read teaches you so much about who you really are inside, not just the readings do, but just the process of learning to read is like a course in finding yourself.

I am big on trial and error when it comes to Tarot. I think it's one of the best tools. Just try every techique you feel drawn to and keep doing whatever works well and is fun for you.

Although, I have to admit I also learnt more from AT than from books. Love this place!

Babs

 

[jcwirish]

Sunchariot

Yep, I'm in the right place. Patience is not my strong point, but this is not something that's going to happen overnight.. no matter how much I whine about it, LOL. This is an exercise in re-connecting to parts of myself that, frankly, have been ignored for a while. It's good to know I have a lot of experienced folks out there to bounce ideas off of.