What Makes Up A Good Tarot Deck?

Any good Tarot practitioner will tell you that finding the right deck is one of the most important things you can accomplish. It is very important that you find an authentic, strong deck before you begin working with Tarot...but just what is it that makes a good Tarot deck? Is it the card  stock, the images, the size of the deck...or is it something entirely different? This is a question I'd like to pose to you, my readers...tell me just what makes a good tarot deck, email me with your answers,  I'm going to be writing an article of this very subject and I'd love to hear from you!

Happy World Tarot Day!

                                              

                                                                          The World

"Achieving balance, realizing goals and prospering, attainment of the heart's desire, fulfillment, peace of mind."

Today is World Tarot Day, a day celebrated May 25th every year. Den Elder, writer, Tarot Grandmaster and founder of The Church of Tarot, got the idea for World Tarot Day back in 2003, and it's been celebrated by many ever since. Tarot Readers, students, teachers and enthusiasts worldwide celebrate of the spirit of Tarot, and take a day out to promote the use of Tarot for the benefit and growth  and enrichment of the spiritual self.

It was twelve years ago when I got my first Tarot deck..it was the Elemental Tarot, not an easy read for someone just starting out and I indeed struggled to fully understand this deck so with time, it was relegated to a drawer until the day I ran into a gentleman that happened to be browsing the deck selection at my local Barnes and Noble bookstore. I was admiring the decks pondering which to buy when he advised me to choose the Rider Waite Tarot deck, I didn't care too much for the colors but I went on his recommendation and took my purchase to the register.

I worked with it for several months and used friends and family to try out my readings on, after a while, reading and understanding the Tarot came easier and easier. Once I had the basics down I began branching out to other style decks.

Eventually, I came across a book  called "Tarot Shadow Work: using the dark symbols to heal" by Christine Jette and that's when tarot began to enrich my life and solidify my spirituality. I come from a dysfunctional home, my father was a raging alcoholic and my mom was distant and very much co-dependent so I spent a lot of time with my grandparents (whom I miss very much.) Tarot taught me how to reach inside of my psyche and find those shadows that had grown from childhood into my adulthood and that continued to haunt me and how using the twenty-two Major Arcana could lead me onto a path where it was okay to be me.

It was like a light bulb turned on in my head...an "Ah Ha!" moment for me...tarot had far more possibilities than giving advice or entertaining, it  brought to the surface that which was buried deep in my subconscious and brought it out into the light. I like to think that tarot helped make me who I am, it brings clarity and insight into this crazy world and how I fit into it and the peace of mind I so desperately sought for so long. It has taught me patience too, sometimes it's answers were vague but over time I realized that the tarot was quietly teaching me that sometimes waiting will bring about the situations and opportunities in life that I so desperately wanted.

I hope that with every Tarot Tuesday post that I do, I can inspire people to learn, investigate and appreciate the Tarot as much as I do. Now on to the rest of this post...

Using different decks according to the type of reading

I, myself, like to stick with one deck at a time for reading whether it be for questions concerning romance, jobs, spirituality or advice but I took a small poll on Twitter and asked the question "Do you use a specific deck for different readings or just the one that you are working with at that time?" and the answers were pretty split down the middle.

Some readers use a certain deck or decks for romantic issues like the Robin Wood Tarot and other folks use the deck that they are working with at that time... It pretty much just boils down to personal preference with each individual reader.  

~Good, versatile decks include The Robin Wood Tarot which utilizes wonderful colors in traditional visuals. 

~ The Sacred Circle Tarot (by Anna Franklin and Paul Mason), which follows Celtic and Pagan themes. 

~ The Witches Tarot (Ellen Cannon Reed and Martin Cannon) is a powerful deck with clear-cut Wiccan imagery. 

~ The Secrets Deck is romantic and darkly gothic in tone, while the charmingly earthy Fairy Tarot utilizes the German suits of Bells, Acorns, Leaves, and Hearts. 

~ The Celtic Tarot (G. Gaudenzi and S. Tenuta) is a modern rendition that includes motifs arranged by suits for myths; the Tuatha de Danann, who are the Sidhe or Fairy Folk of Ireland, heroes and history. 

With so many styles and designs to choose from, you are bound to find a deck that seems to speak to you, that reaches out to you. When you feel this sensation in the presence of a tarot deck, it is likely to make a good choice.

Serenity Sunday

Dream Pillows Dream pillows are small, decorative pillows filled with stuffing and a small amount of dried, fragrant herbs, such as lavender or rose petals, to promote restful sleep or love. Dream pillows were once called comfort pillows because of their use with the sick. Relaxing herbs, like lavender and chamomile, also helped crying babies get to sleep. The shamans of old believed dream pillows carried messages from the gods. These days, you can make a dream pillow for yourself or others and help everyone sleep and dream like a baby.

Dream Pillow


Combine the following in a bowl:


~ 1 cup mugwort
~ 1/2 cup rose petals
~ 1/2 cup german chamomile
~ 1/2 cup sweet hops
~ 1/3 cup lavender buds
~ 1/3 cup crushed catnip
~ 1/4 cup peppermint


Mix the ingredients together....make cloth bags from a 5 x 12 inch piece of material....fill the bag with your mixture....sew the top of the bag shut.

*Note: Please be careful and do not use any herb or oil that may be toxic, especially if you are giving this pillow to an older child or pregnant woman. If this is a gift for a child, make sure that they are old enough not to eat the contents.





My List:


1.) My kids


2.) Making new friends


3.) Herb gardening


4.) Laughter


5) Nine of Cups days


6.) Roses


7.) My sewing machine


8.) Flonase


9.) Old movies


10.) New tarot decks

Oooo, Another Award!

Wow! I won an award again...Thank you so much to Eliza over at Just Twaddle. This is the second time I've gotten this award so I must be doing something right...hee, hee. Well, onto the requirements....

Hhere are the rules -

* Thank the person who gave this to you...
* Copy the logo and place it in your blog ....
*  Link the person who nominated you....
* Pass this Award on to seven blogs you like and let them know in their comments that they have won
* Name 7 things about yourself that no one would really know.
  

1.) I'm a closet pessimist

2.) I firmly believe that no one can ever have too many tarot or oracle decks (or cats!)

3.) I have little patience for arrogant behavior

4.) The second toe on my right foot is slightly longer than my big toe...Ewwww!

5.) I'm still trying to quit smoking...bad, bad me!

6.) I was blessed with eight green fingers and two green thumbs.

7.) I spend way too much time on the game FarmVille.


Blogs of note to pass this award to...

* A Herbal Journey

* A Racing Mind

* Barefoot In The Sand

* Bringing Up Salamanders

* Bramble Patch

* Crochet N' Garden

* Laila And Minchie

Where Does The Time Go?

Well, I failed miserably in my attempt to decorate my own treasure box,  I just didn't realize just how long it would take in relation to children's squabbles, scraped knees, car repair, homework and after school activities! So, I'm going to give it another try next week. I deeply apologise for my lack of preparedness so I am going to list a few of my favorite tarot and oracle decks and resolve to have the Shadow Work  treasure box ready for next week.

Tarot Decks



Tarot of the Magical Forest




The Gilded Tarot





The Osho Zen Tarot

Oracle Decks

The Faeries Oracle

The Enchanted Oracle

These are just a taste of my favorite decks, I picked the cards that I found the most artistic or meaningful to me... I hope you have enjoyed them. 

Tarot Perfection

There's going to be a new tarot deck this next spring (2010) and I can't hardly stand it. I have never seen such artistry as is in this deck! Shadowscapes Tarot by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law will be published by Llewelyn next year and I can hardly wait...I followed each card as she has added it, put myself on her mailing list so I could get the latest updates...I believe I've even had dreams about holding this gorgeous deck in my hands...Oh my gosh, I'm a tarot stalker!

I came close to this reaction when Ciro Marchetti put out The Tarot of Dreams but it's going to be a close one. I have a list of "must have" decks...some I have already acquired since I started making my list but there are a lot more I've been drooling over, thinking to myself "someday." I remember when I saw the very first deck I simply had to have...it was The Baroque Bohemian Cat's Tarot and it seemed to snowball after that. Tarot decks, Oracle decks, whimsical decks, the Dreaming In Color Luman deck....I could go on forever....

I noticed the popular tarot stores also seem to contribute to my tarot delinquency especially Amazon...who can resist that "Buy Now!" button...well, I can tell you it surely is not me. Anyhow, I believe I digress a bit too much so check out the tarot card links...I know you won't be disappointed!