When is a door not a door? (split from VI Pentacles Interpretation in RWS)

[rubyyarn]

I have been trying to learn tarot for a long time, but I have been inconsistent in my study (yeah, I am a Taurus...)

Anyway, this card turned up for a Daily Draw. My first guess for this card was 'plenty to have, plenty to give'. Maybe it could imply management of resources, to give everyone a little rather than to give one person a lot.

The card today was from the Shadowscapes deck which showed a piper sitting on a waterspout draining out pentacles...totally different scene from Rider-Waite.

Does this mean a card can mean different things in different decks? I'm really confused now...

 

[Barleywine]

I have been trying to learn tarot for a long time, but I have been inconsistent in my study (yeah, I am a Taurus...)

Anyway, this card turned up for a Daily Draw. My first guess for this card was 'plenty to have, plenty to give'. Maybe it could imply management of resources, to give everyone a little rather than to give one person a lot.

The card today was from the Shadowscapes deck which showed a piper sitting on a waterspout draining out pentacles...totally different scene from Rider-Waite.

Does this mean a card can mean different things in different decks? I'm really confused now...

Usually the LWB will shed some light on the creator's personal vision for a card, and sometimes that means a departure from traditional meanings. But if they go too far afield they risk being branded as an "oracle." Certainly Moon in Taurus could mean "having plenty" (or possibly just gaining a lot of weight ), but I think it's silent on what you might do with it. I've always seen the acquisitive side of this card but just can't interpret it as "generosity."

 

[Dercetius]

Your personal interpretation; the vibe you get from the cards should prove most relevant.

I personally find that the six of pentacles, representing the harmony of Tiphereth, is the balance of the earthly plain. It is managing things justly; knowing their value and judging them for no more and no less.

Some attribute the six of pentacles to Moon in Taurus.
There's steadiness (exalted by the harmony provided in Tiphereth), but also kindness and balance.
In the RWS, notice how he stands with the scales on his left hand, representing equity, balance, justice in its truest form. After the five, he knows what it's like to be in need. Now, he is able to be equally fair by redistributing the excess. So, it really comes down to what you said, it is managing in a pure way; giving and taking.
The Shadowscapes' version does not seem that different. He is playing the instrument and pouring his spirit into the water fountain. It is the moon enforcing the kind and creative spirit; to act altruistically.

This isn't something you do out of need, it is a level of consciousness acting on its own, hence its beauty.

 

[rubyyarn]

I am still finding my way around this site and figuring out what goes where.

Right now I am trying to learn and remember the meanings of the cards. The way I am doing it is a Daily Draw. Whatever card comes up, I research in the books I have plus the information here on the site. Then I try to see how the card might or might not apply during the day.

Dercetius and Barleywine, I appreciate both of your answers. There does seem to be a lot of discussion about this particular card. I guess my question is, does a card always have the same meaning no matter which deck it comes from? Or does the vision of the artist shift the meaning a bit for the reader?

 

[Dercetius]

Each creator will pour his own vision into the cards. Some decks vary not only in meaning, title, but also the number assigned to each Major Arcana (see the famous Justice/Strength controversy).

Some meanings may be somewhat universally agreed upon. Others not so much, especially when it comes to the minor arcana. What we have is a mixture of numeral, astrological, kabbalistic and even neoplatonic associations. Although, we know that these meanings are construed and given sense at some point in time. Some people may even tell you to dismiss these associations. Others will interpret things intuitively.

There is no de facto institution of Tarot to enforce rules and meanings to the cards. Bearing this in mind, it should be relevant to understand each deck's creator's own understanding of the cards, along with the symbolism borrowed in their design (or lack thereof).

 

[Barleywine]

I guess my question is, does a card always have the same meaning no matter which deck it comes from? Or does the vision of the artist shift the meaning a bit for the reader?

Only if the reader chooses to let it. I occasionally use the RWS deck for reading instead of my usual Thoth, but I don't let go of my Thoth assumptions in favor of those described in the Pictorial Key to the Tarot and shown in the illustrations. I keep what I find useful and let the rest go; at best, I get an intuitive "nudge" from the pictures. It's a blending rather than an outright substitution, since both decks were nominally based on the same underlying system. The same would be true for any "clone" of either deck. If the creator offers unique insights that blend well with your previous knowledge of the original, there's no reason not to adopt them. From an interpretive standpoint, I tend not to pay much attention to the scenic narrative content in most tarot decks anyway, preferring to apply what I've already internalized.

 

[rubyyarn]

Gentlemen, you have set my mind at ease. Each reader is different, each seeker is different, and each situation is different. In my own experience, there are cards that make no sense to me, and there are those that just 'click' and I know This Is The Answer.

I appreciate the time you have taken to help me. I shall continue my daily study and trust a bit more to intuition and a bit less to 'da rules'.

:: rubyyarn bows and puts her feet back on the path ::

 

[ana luisa]

Being a reader who relies a lot on visual clues, I would say that yes, same cards can have different meanings in different decks AND in different readings as well !
Just to illustrate, take the Tower from the Illuminati, the Tower from the Llewellyn, and the Tower from the Fey Tarot. The first rendition is your classic "shaking your foundations, changing what used to support you for a long time". The second Tower shows water (emotions) trying to beat the Tower which, however, remains strong. The third is even more interesting. You keep a lot of what you had but use it in different circumstances (the whole Tower is being transported and will NOT be destroyed). So, to me, at least, changing the deck can and will change the meaning. You may also see the same card in different days and readings and get a completely different message.