the all-singing, all-dancing ENABLING THREAD!

missy

Sorry; this is a short answer to your very eloquent long answer; perhaps I can get a long answer in later. :heart:

[EDIT: "short" answer turned into long answer! ack!]

I have looked at photos of this deck: http://www.quantumtarot.co.uk/ and I don't know, can't explain it. I have trouble getting into the deck's imagery.

I don't really like photorealism in a deck. Seeing "real" people in a deck makes me think of them sitting there, in a photographer's studio, having their photo taken so they can be the King of Wands. I find myself wondering where the King of Wands is going to have breakfast this morning. Or maybe he's taking a fine jog in Central Park.

I've read some of the card explanations. It seems too esoteric for me.

But ... I have had decks which, for no apparent reason, I resonate with, which I didn't necessarily think I would. Like the Rohrig. But the difference was, I loved the artwork of the Rohrig from the start.

I'm saying I do believe sometimes one can have a negative reaction to images online yet find a deck in person very readable.

I just don't know if this would be the case for me.

I've heard people say they love it, but people say that about many decks on here. I don't know if I've heard that many people say they can read with it.

Although I admit that the story about the mother (Peruvian village woman) of the 71-year-old daughter who loves it is impressive!

Lots of times, bandwagoners get on here to chime in about a deck, how much they want a deck, how much they can't wait to get a deck, and then except for "I received the deck and it's beautiful!" you never hear any follow-up comments about if they actually ever *used* the deck. Did they use it, or did they just casually toss it among their ever-growing deck collection, off to think about the next conquest?

And about Star Trek, no, I didn't mean the cheesy costumes, etc. I meant when they are whirling through space, going past other planets. I didn't study physics so didn't know what that meant, but on the website http://www.quantumtarot.co.uk/ they do a fair amount of talking about planets, which is what makes me think of Star Trek, since it opens with the ship going past all the planets in the Solar System and beyond. King of Wands: "Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and is almost a mini-star, with four large moons and 59 smaller ones in its orbit. It’s a cloudy, turbulent planet – its famous red spot is a storm that has been raging for hundreds of years." etc. So I guess that is why I got the idea about it being about planets.

I will read and digest what you said. I do like that you said the deck feels substantive. And I understand better what the deck is about now, since I never studied Quantum Mechanics.

But for me, looking at this deck is kind of like looking at a math problem. I never was very good in math, and I wonder do I have to be a physics nerd in order to be able to read with this deck.

I will keep reading the Quantum Tarot site; maybe something will click with me.

But I have tons of decks on my wish list, so I need to make sure I'm getting a deck that is useable, readable.

Thank you for your enabling attempts! I am open to all follow-ups and suggestions. I feel I must be missing something. Maybe it would be different if I were holding the deck in my hand, shuffling the cards. Has anyone felt ambiguous about this deck, only to buy it and really click with it?

Okay, I'll shut up now. :bugeyed:

Thanks again. :heart:

nisaba

missy_ said:
I don't really like photorealism in a deck. Seeing "real" people in a deck makes me think of them sitting there, in a photographer's studio,

Me too, normally. But the faces fade into the background, and are overlaid by other work, and are sometimes just a human eye in a horse's head (that image always makes me shiver with horror and delight!), so although the deck is well-populated, the people don't get in the way as they do in - say - the Sacred Circle deck <throws up>.

missy_ said:
I find myself wondering where the King of Wands is going to have breakfast this morning. Or maybe he's taking a fine jog in Central Park.

<grin> I think he's more likely to be caught in his studio, designing a tarot card ... incidentally, in a "the most beautiful Tarot image" I chose that one not for -er- the King's face exactly, but for the crackle of heat and light and electricity. <glances around nervously to see if Cirom is watching>

missy_ said:
Lots of times, bandwagoners get on here to chime in about a deck, how much they want a deck, how much they can't wait to get a deck, and then except for "I received the deck and it's beautiful!" you never hear any follow-up comments about if they actually ever *used* the deck. Did they use it, or did they just casually toss it among their ever-growing deck collection, off to think about the next conquest?

It's a killer deck to use - streets ahead of thousands of them. I have put it aside - but I always pull it out again, a few hours later.

missy_ said:
But for me, looking at this deck is kind of like looking at a math problem. I never was very good in math, and I wonder do I have to be a physics nerd in order to be able to read with this deck.

Well, I'm not - in high school, I did three-unit (advanced) English, 3-unit Music and 3-unit Ancient History; in university I did an arts degree with a double-major in Middle-Eastern History and Literature. Hardly science, more anti-science. In high school, I once got 4% in a maths test for bothering to turn up at all (by then, my teacher had given up). Not a science nerd, oh no. But I *did* have a five-year live in relationship with a physicist who was one of the best Tarot readers I ever knew. (Used and uses the Mythic deck).

missy_ said:
But I have tons of decks on my wish list, so I need to make sure I'm getting a deck that is useable, readable.

Oh, it is. And in five years' time when you finally realise that and have to buy a battered, dog-eared copy with four cards missing on ebay for $690.95, you'll regret not buying it now, even if you have to put it away for a few months to ready yourself for using it.

nisaba

Did I mention the lush, lavish and luxurious silver-gilt edging, so much cleaner than gold gilding?

zan_chan

hi missy--

i had thought all the exact same things you posted when i first saw the quantum. i dont like real people photos in decks. they usually make me sad, thinking about how their childhood acting dream has turned into modeling for a deck of tarot cards. and it just generally struck me as new-agey and just not my style.

but then i saw the "quantum OOP" thread and thought, "well, silver edging sounds nice so i might as well get it while i can, even if i never read with it." that was a only a couple of weeks ago but ive barely read with anything else since it arrived, especially in the evening.

and plus, you're more than welcome to ignore all the science stuff if you choose to and just see it as pretty. but the science really does add a surprising fun factor to your readings.

anyway <ENABLE ENABLE> get it while you can!

missy

nisaba said:
Did I mention the lush, lavish and luxurious silver-gilt edging, so much cleaner than gold gilding?

Out of everything you said -- and it was all good

-- this is the part that got to me!!!

Silver-gilt edging? *faints* :party:

But SERIOUSLY ... I went back to that site, and read more about Greek and Roman gods and planets and constellations and thought I was going to be physically ill ... I just want to READ with the damn thing, I don't want a lesson on any of the above. :bugeyed:

And the imagery, it makes me want to gouge my eyes out! :bugeyed:

(sorry)

*runs!*

The imagery is soooooo .......... OUT THERE. As in, WAYYYYY OUT THERE. As in, WHAT THE HELL out there.

It kind of reminds me of the Voyager tarot. That thing (Voyager) ... :bugeyed:

people seemed to love it, but it looked like a hot mess. A hot mess of collage and photorealism and people tripping on acid and oh look it's Woodstock on the cards, and not the cute Snoopy kind, and the Beatles' Yellow Submarine all rolled in one. A hot mess of WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?

But now I can't get the silver gilt edging out of my mind. And a nice, thick, sturdy deck. Grrr.

Oh and I might look into that damned study group. Just LOOK, I said, mind you. Just a quick look.

nisaba

<covers mouth, cackles quietly>

My Work Here Is Done.

Oh, and you can always memorise key-words for each fo the cards if you really have to - the LWB has a single pointed question for each card along the lines of "What are you trying to hide now?" or whatever, which without any of the science imagery alone would be a great starting-point for an interpretation, looking at the questions for each card in the spread and how they and their possible answers mesh together.

It *really* is an easy deck - you just have to not expect it to be nerdish. You can make it as nerdish and sciencey as you like, but really, that's not necessary. Just be carried away by its loveliness.

missy

zan_chan said:
hi missy--

i had thought all the exact same things you posted when i first saw the quantum. i dont like real people photos in decks. they usually make me sad, thinking about how their childhood acting dream has turned into modeling for a deck of tarot cards. and it just generally struck me as new-agey and just not my style.

but then i saw the "quantum OOP" thread and thought, "well, silver edging sounds nice so i might as well get it while i can, even if i never read with it." that was a only a couple of weeks ago but ive barely read with anything else since it arrived, especially in the evening.

and plus, you're more than welcome to ignore all the science stuff if you choose to and just see it as pretty. but the science really does add a surprising fun factor to your readings.

anyway <ENABLE ENABLE> get it while you can!

Oh dear. More stuff to ponder ...

Someone who actually felt like I did about it, I think, sort of. And yet look! This person is reading with it.

Thanks, zan_chan. :party:

Okay, I am going to *peek* AND I SAID PEEK! at the study group. :bugeyed:

Just as an aside ... is anyone currently offering Quantum Tarot readings in the Reading Exchange? Maybe I would do some Transparent Tarot in exchange ... I find it difficult to see how anything could top the Transparent! For me, *that* was a brand new take on the tarot!

*ahem* As I said, I will take a peek at the study group.

*goes to look*

Sidhe-Ra

zan_chan said:
i had thought all the exact same things you posted when i first saw the quantum. i dont like real people photos in decks. they usually make me sad, thinking about how their childhood acting dream has turned into modeling for a deck of tarot cards. and it just generally struck me as new-agey and just not my style.

As one of the models for the Quantum I can assure you that my acting career was quite groovy and I do occupy my time in ways other than posing for Tarot cards! lol!

nisaba

Missy_ - Here you go.

zan_chan

Sidhe-Ra said:
As one of the models for the Quantum I can assure you that my acting career was quite groovy and I do occupy my time in ways other than posing for Tarot cards! lol!

er, well, I, um, didn't mean you per say. I meant the, um, other, sadder ones. <crawls into dark hole...> Did I mention how much I love your work?

see, nisaba, that's why I need a tarot buddy haha