How popular are the Thoth and Tarot of Marseilles with professional tarot readers?

[Mi-Shell]

I'm not a professional tarot reader, but -- if I were -- a major objective would be to have my clients return for further readings, and tell their friends (in a good way). To that end, I'd wish to use a tarot pack that looked impressive... and probably one short on images that look too scary.

One reason I wouldn't use the RWS is that some of the cards look quite scary when they shouldn't. I think especially of the Seven of Cups which (judged solely on the image) has always looked to me as though it should mean something very bad. Another reason I wouldn't use it is that it doesn't look (or no longer looks) sufficiently impressive. It's imagery has grown overly familiar (used, for example, in the "Bitter Suite" episode of "Xena").

The Crowley/Harris pack has the advantage of less ubiquitous imagery -- and, I think, looks suitably impressive. I may be forgetting something important, but I don't recall it containing any images that would frighten clients overmuch.

I don't think I'd use the Marseille tarot... or, if I did, only use the majors. The cards from ace to ten might (from their appearance) mean almost anything. Clients might think that I was making it up as I went along... Or, at least, that's what I'd expect clients to think.

I think that, were I professional reader, I might opt for one of Kat Black's tarots: either the Touchstone or the Golden.

Impress clients with pictures on cardboard????
The only thing that impresses my clients is the truthfulness and accuracy of my readings and the valuable pointers they receive from it to help them in their daily life.

 

[Melia]

I agree Mi-Shell. I don't think the cards a reader uses matters as much as getting the messages across to the person. Hand-drawn cards seem to have been perfectly fine for your gran.

 

[Sulis]

I don't think I'd use the Marseille tarot... or, if I did, only use the majors. The cards from ace to ten might (from their appearance) mean almost anything. Clients might think that I was making it up as I went along... Or, at least, that's what I'd expect clients to think.

Are clients really bothered where you're getting the message from? I'd say not.. They're bothered about what you say and how useful it is to them. I really don't think they're bothered about whether you're making it up or not.. I'm not sure how a scene on a card would be any more understandable to most clients than a pattern of cups or swords would be anyway.
If you're bothered that they think you're making it up then explain what you see in a way that shows you've got it from the cards.

I think the message is the most important thing and if a reader gets to that message best through a TdM or a Thoth deck then they're the decks that reader should use.
I think that most people use RWS based decks when reading professionally simply because most readers use those types of decks.

 

[Melia]

Some observations of mine which should not be generalized:
The RWS is very common in Germany. It is easily available, there are many different sizes available in bookstores that have Cartomancy things in store. The Thoth is also present but in most cases combined with a book (not Crowley's but something by Banzhaf or Akron). Some also have a TDM deck but I have the feeling they are not as prominently presented as the RWS. And then, there are lots of Lenormand or other oracle decks available at the moment, far more than Tarot decks. I know of one single bookstore that has the German versions of Shadowscapes and Wildwood in store but that's very much it when it comes to more modern decks. Again, this refers only to the region I live in and the stores I frequently visit, maybe this is different in other parts of the country.
Similar to this TV channel in Spain, there is also one Tarot-Oracle-Astrology-call-in TV channel here. But whenever I switch to there they are reading with Lenormand cards. I have never seen a Tarot deck being used there ... but I don't watch it that often.

Thanks for sharing your observations. I have had a reader read for me with the Lenormand deck, but I'm not sure it is all that widely used here. But this is only my personal view based on experience.

 

[Pet Jeffery]

Impress clients with pictures on cardboard????
The only thing that impresses my clients is the truthfulness and accuracy of my readings and the valuable pointers they receive from it to help them in their daily life.

Are clients really bothered where you're getting the message from? I'd say not.. They're bothered about what you say and how useful it is to them. I really don't think they're bothered about whether you're making it up or not.. I'm not sure how a scene on a card would be any more understandable to most clients than a pattern of cups or swords would be anyway.
If you're bothered that they think you're making it up then explain what you see in a way that shows you've got it from the cards.

I think the message is the most important thing and if a reader gets to that message best through a TdM or a Thoth deck then they're the decks that reader should use.
I think that most people use RWS based decks when reading professionally simply because most readers use those types of decks.

I suppose the people to ask are those who pay for readings from professionals.

Personally, I've never consulted a professional reader (and am pretty sure that I never would). I deeply distrust many professionals, including doctors.

If I did go to a professional, one of the things I'd be looking for would probably be a degree of showmanship. To that end, an impressive-looking pack would certainly help.

But, as I say, I've never consulted a professional reader (and am pretty sure that I never would), so my feelings on this matter may be wide of the mark. Also, the only person I've heard tell of paying for a professional reading (in an actual face-to-face real world conversation) was someone I regarded as a gullible fool. On that tiny sample, I couldn't (of course) generalise about people who consult professional tarot readers, but it may have coloured my view.

 

[Alta]

So, coming back on topic.

I have seen a fair number of readers, and even had readings done and have never seen the Thoth or TdM used. The closest I came was when Scion used the Liber T to give me a reading, so that would be 'almost-Thoth'.

I also have been told that the Major Arcana of the TdM are commonly used in French-speaking parts of Europe but don't have first hand knowledge.

ETA: personally I love the Thoth and have done many readings with it. But, I am not a professional reader.