Every guitarist I know has a collection of guitars. "You can only play one at a time, I don't understand why you need more than one" is an all-too-common comment from their non-guitar-playing friends (ok let's be honest, it's usually spouses :) ) . But the guitarist knows that each has a different purpose, makes a certain sound, makes them play differently, makes them feel different. And so it seems it may be with Tarot decks.
The deck I currently own, and which I have been using to support my learning is the "old faithful" that so many people seem to default to either because of it's ubiquitousness in shops, or perhaps because it is "the" tarot deck they have seen before whenever Tarot is depicted on TV or in movies. Already though I can see the benefit in having more than one source of inspiration, more than one tool to use. Going back to the musical analogy: some songs are going to sound better played on a different instrument.
So with a wealth of choices out there you'd think I'd be diving right in and enjoying the opportunity, right? Right? Err, well no. In short, analysis paralysis has kicked in and I'm going around in circles. And that's where you come in :-) I know this about myself: when I discuss something out loud (or whatever the internet equivalent is going to have to be here) and I hear other people's input, ideas, experiences I have a reaction, and that reaction kind of kicks my thought process loose: the act of agreeing or disagreeing can help to crystallise the thought process. So to play my role in initiating that, let me declare a few early options for you (in no particular order):
Alchemical Tarot: Renewed :
Website --
Aeclectic Deck Info : Alchemical Tarot
I like the imagery and it has the fact that it's not a strict Rider Waite type as both plusses and minuses. Also the suggestion that cards should be symbols for natural human psychological markers appeals to me, which I think is partly the basis of the this deck
Revelations Tarot :
Website --
Aeclectic Deck Info : Revelations Tarot
Again I like the imagery and although I thought I'd find it annoying as a concept, the pictures of the reversed meanings seem to be done well (from the images I have seen online)
Dame Fortune's Wheel :
Website --
Aeclectic Deck Info : Dame Fortune's Wheel
Visually it has that historical deck feel, in a pleasing slightly modernised way, and I think it is based on the Tarot de Marseille for the Majors which would be interesting for me. I understand that there is a good companion book too - so whilst that could be a plus, it's probably additional expenditure too, because you'd have to get both, wouldn't you? :-)
The Whispering Tarot :
Website --
Aeclectic Deck Info : The Whispering Tarot
At first glance this one seemed a little twee for me, but on closer inspection there are plenty of non-standard elements in the pictures which I quite liked - might be a way to get some original thinking in to my interpretations?
Golden Tarot :
Website --
Aeclectic Deck Info : Golden Tarot
I think this one is pretty well known - nice images and looks fairly "sumptuous" - always a bonus
Any thoughts, constructive, critical, whimsical or unrelated are more than welcome :-)
T
