Friday, May 27, 2011

Tarot Tarot Tarot

I adore Tarot.  I say Tarot as if it were a sort of universe unto itself and it kinda is.  You have your regular ole RWS deck (Rider Waite Smith for those in the know) with attendant books and interpretations, as well as  your good ole tarot card readers--like moi--who read for themselves or friends and strangers for money or gifts.  That is the base of the Tarot universe but there is much more than that of course.

There are the decks!  Oh, the tarot card decks that are out there nowadays.  RWS clones, Thoth clones, Marseilles styles, and so on and so on and so on.  Cat Tarots, Vampire Tarots, tarot decks around historical eras, mythical cycles, favorite novels and sports.  Whatever your interest or fetish there is a magazine and a tarot deck out there.  It's great!

Then there are the podcasts, the books, the websites, the conferences.  And this is just the stuff I myself am into.  There are any number of other accoutrements--bags, boxes, and I know not what.  Not to mention all the different attitudes and approaches to the thing.

Now, I don't love all things tarot.  I keep most of my decks tied up in cotton string except for the one I actually read with (the Universal Waite which is part of a special little corner of the Tarot Universe; RWS re-colored cards) which I keep in a plain black woolen pouch.  So I don't have a lot of decorated bags and boxes for them.  I don't love oracle cards or decks that are too far off the traditional designations.  I just never cottened to them I guess.

People who love Tarot often have many many many decks.  Some are for reading, some are for studying, and some are just for looking at.  I think I have nine or maybe 10 decks.  I read with the Universal Waite deck which is just a regular RWS with softer coloring.

Let me leave you with this lovely tidbit that I originally found on Mary Greer's blog.