Time for a New Deck?

[Marquise]

So I'm having a bit of an internal conflict concerning my Rider - White tarot deck. This was my first deck, and I have been with it since I was in sixth grade (I'm 20 now), and was given to me by my father in an attempt to get me interested in reading books. He brought me this deck, and a book on tarot interpretation. Here's the problem:

1) Obviously the tarot deck is old, and while the designs are still sharp the edges (not corner) are showing signs of wear, and are now darker.

2) My page of cups card has a slight tear on the side that I made when I was having a bitch fit in my younger days, and for some reason I took it out on that card. Mind you it wasn't that I was taking my anger out on the cards it was just one of those days when i was throwing things around all over the place.

3) It just so happened that on that day I threw the deck at the wall. Again I know that sounds stupid but that day I was throwing all types of things around.

I've heard of negative energy being stuck to cards. I really don't want to throw it away since I really like the deck, and it was a strong sentimental value to me. However if need be should I get myself a new deck, and retire this one?

The rider deck has worked better for me the thoth. What do you think?

 

[KarlThomas]

I would hold onto that deck with both hands. Forgive the tantrum thrower, resolve never to throw it again, and read with it. The cards are ink and paper, not energysponge and magnet. You are the magic: do what rituals you need to put the "deck abuse" behind you and your deck, and roll forward.

And its fine to own more than one deck, too.

 

[Debra]

Even if you decide to get another, keep this one. My original Rider Waite has coffee stains etc. from 25 years of abuse and I still love it.

 

[SunChariot]

There is no reason to stop using the deck unless it is not working for you. If something works in Tarot, keep doing it. And this deck clearly has sentimental value to you and that is reason enough to keep using it.

Negative energy, is in the eyes of the beholder. If you tell yourself it has negative energy and believe it, then that could affect your readings.

BUT what if instead you chose too see the deck like a dear old friend who has been through it all with you, has seen you at your best, at your worst and everything in between and still loves you all the same, loves you unconditionally no matter what you say or do. If that is what you chose to tell yourself then there is nothing negative there.

And where will you find another deck you can develop that deep a connection with? It might take you years, of decades to develop that again.

I'm not saying you should never get a new deck. But just that there is no reason to even think of it as negative energy unless you choose to. If it were a used deck and someone else had thrown it and damaged it, then I could see it might contain THEIR negative energy.

But if your deck has been through it all with you and is still accurate then it loves you unsconditionally and is a friend for life. And there is nothing negative there between you.

Babs

 

[w0ndrfulelectr1c]

keep it!

I totally agree that you should keep this deck and continue to read with it, even if you get a new one. Just move on from the abusive part. If the deck still works then I doubt it's holding some kind of psychic grudge. It's seen you at your worst and your best and through all those years; hang onto it for dear life.

 

[nisaba]

There is no reason to stop using the deck unless it is not working for you. If something works in Tarot, keep doing it. And this deck clearly has sentimental value to you and that is reason enough to keep using it.

Negative energy, is in the eyes of the beholder. If you tell yourself it has negative energy and believe it, then that could affect your readings.

That being said, (and Sunchariot is usually wise), while I'll agree with this, there are a couple of things I'd consider.

The damage to the Page Cups - was this related to a boyfriend at the time whom you identified with the card? Is he still attached to the card? It might be worth getting another deck if he is - old emotional attachments are really draining, and hte same image in a shiny new card may or may not remind you of him for a while, but it won't have the same tug at your heart. Also, does the damage to this card make the shuffle more difficult or less random? Then if it does, you need a new copy.

Years ago, after having it gather dust for a lot of years, I chose to give my Rider-Waite away. Then I started teaching, and I bought first one (full-size), then a mini, then a couple of others as teaching tools. The one that is a duplicate of my first copy feels like my given-away copy to me, reads for me fine when I choose it or when a client chooses it.

If the fact that it was a present from your Dad makes it sentimental but there is a problem with damage or attachments, buy it a really nice velvet bag (Sulis makes some beauties), wrap it up and keep it as a personal treasure, while using a newer copy of the same deck or another deck as your primary reading deck. If you like or are comfortable with Rider-Waite symbolism but like richer, jewel-like colours, you might try the Morgan-Greer. You might also like to buy a completely diffrerent deck as an experiment, or for a change. you may only be comfortable with the RW, but you'll never know unless you try, and even decks I don't read with are still loved by me.

 

[Storm82]

dont throw it away, keep it

if you still want to use it you can cleanse it (with crystals and other for example)
or buy a new deck,

do what feels right for you

 

[firecatpickles]

I can only speak from personal experience, but I traded my original deck and it cost me a pretty penny to get it back! I would keep it if I were you. You are only twenty. Hopefully you will have many, many more decks (stick around here long and you are bound to acquire a few more )

 

[Cactus]

Yeah, keep it! I have sold a few decks that I wished later I didn't.

You can keep that deck and also get a new one! If you really aren't sure what to do, buy a new one without getting rid of the old one. See how you feel about the new one. If you love it and feel you're ready to give the old one the boot, you'll feel better about doing it because you'll be ready to do it.

If you find that you are not feeling right with a new deck, then you've answered your own question. And you can go right back to your other deck that you haven't gotten rid of! You can keep the new one for later or sell it here on the trading forum!

 

[starrystarrynight]

A tarot deck is only a stack of cardboard pieces with pictures on them. You are the one who does the "magic" in reading with them. They are tools and cannot (In My Opinion) pick up or dispense energy of any kind. So trade them, sell them, or throw them away, if that's what you want to do.

I would never do any of those things, though. All my decks have sentimental value to me of some sort, and I have read extensively with ALL of them at one time or another.

I would be more afraid that the tear in the Page would distort shuffling or always cut to it or something like that. Or that the rip would get bigger over time, making it physically unusable. That would be the only reason I would put the deck aside (but again, I have never thrown out, traded or sold a deck--I've maybe lost a few during moves or whatever, but never on purpose.)