Puzzling Decks! Help!!!!

[Ranzel]

I am wondering, why is it that everytime I buy a new deck of tarot cards, the card's meaning in the book included (LWB), sometimes has completely different meaning from the other deck of cards I bought? Does every different tarot deck has meaning of it's own?

I notice from the readings in this forum that the meanings given by the readers all depends on the deck being used. For me, I find it difficult to change meanings from deck to deck. Please help! I'm puzzled!!!!!!

- Ranzel

 

[FaeryGodmother]

For me each deck is different. My Whimsical deck speaks with a completely different voice then my Fey or my Cosmic. But I get my readings from the images themselves.

For example, in the Whimsical the 10 of swords is represented by Humpty Dumpty falling off the wall, whereas the Fey shows a faerie dissolving from the bottom up. Same card, same basic meaning (disaster, calamity) but two vastly different approaches to that meaning.

One thing that is stressed over and over here at AT is that each reader is different. For me, an art/ deck by deck basis works for me because I am far more of the 'intuitive' school. You'll find there are many other readers who are far more of the 'symbology' school; ie those that have invested a lot of time and effort in learning individual symbols, history, iconography etc. Both 'schools' work just as well as the other.

 

[Ranzel]

So, is it perfectly alright to read, whatever deck I'm holding, back to its basic meaning while at the same time ignoring the artwork of the cards?

 

[Alta]

To me, yes. When readings are posted in Your Readings, for example, when I reply it from basic understanding of tarot, not the specific deck. However others ask for the deck and images and that can make a difference. Largely depends on reading style. I think that is why I usually don't mind which deck I use, because I always just read tarot.

 

[Ranzel]

So, will the design of the cards affect the meaning and outcome of the reading?

 

[aranarose]

So, will the design of the cards affect the meaning and outcome of the reading?

I think that depends on the reader. Some readers use only the base meaning, and don't pay attention to the design of the card at all. Other readers pay only attention to the design on the card, and have no consistent base meaning for the cards. I think that for many readers, myself included, it's a combination of the two.

Some decks, for instance the Crow's Magick Tarot, I just can't get into the picture at all. I pick nothing up from the pictures, they have no meaning for me. But, because I have a basic keyword structure that I use for the Tarot, I can still give very rich and meaningful readings with that deck.

In other decks, the imagery inspires me to go beyond the basic meaning of the cards. There have been times when a specific detail of the cards has caught my eye and brought out an entirely different meaning.

 

[Forensic]

I think it's acceptable to go 'back to basics' as it were, to get to a meaning in the cards. However, sometimes I can see in the card that the artist had a different sort of meaning in mind for that card and I strive to keep that in mind when I read the cards. Especially if that card speaks to me that that's the meaning it wanted used.

 

[Splungeman]

This is why it is best to throw out the LWB and write down your own meanings for each card. The decision to assign meanings to each card is an arbitrary one made by whoever is writing the LWB. Aren't we all just as capable of making arbitrary assignment of meanings?

 

[Ranzel]

Thanks to all of you for your wonderful insight regarding this matter. I think the best way that I could do now is to stick to the basic meaning of the cards and add my own meaning depending on the dictates of my intuition. So, that applies to the rest of whatever deck of cards I'm using.

Best Regards, - Ranzel

 

[MysticalMoose]

That sounds good to me. ..I have probably 6 or so decks out of my collection that are my "reading decks" & I do find that my interpretation of a said card differs from deck to deck mainly because altho I have a general "feeling" for each card by name, I will be "reading the card(s)" picture in conjunction with what my intuition is telling me... also...I could read with the same deck for 3 different people in a day & get the same card in a spread for each....but it wouldnt necessarily have the same meaning in each reading.

MM