New to Tarot

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Tutmosis
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New to Tarot

Post by Tutmosis »

I'm thinking about getting a set after I heard that using tarot can access higher levels of consciousness.

Do you guys have any recommendations on what type of deck I should get for a beginner?

Any other info will be great too.

Thanks.
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RosieMoonflower
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New to Tarot

Post by RosieMoonflower »

Hello Tutmosis! I typically suggest that beginners purchase a deck that mimics the rider-Waite deck, being that it is the most common deck and there is loads of information on it out there. Once you know the rider-Waite system, you can read any deck that mimics the same system.

You should also try to chose a deck that has imagery and illustrations that resonate with you. For example, if you like animals choose a deck that features animals, if you like fairies choose one featuring fairies.

Some beginners like Oracle cards, which are great but they are very different than tarot. They have writing on them to help the reader remember what the card stands for. I have much more I could share but I don't want to overload you, so I'll wait until you have other Leviticus's questions. Good luck choosing a deck!

Rosie

Edit: Leviticus questions?? This isn't Bible school Rosie... the phone has "one-uped" me again! That should say specific* questions.
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Tutmosis
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Re: New to Tarot

Post by Tutmosis »

No! Please shower me with information! Lol
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RosieMoonflower
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New to Tarot

Post by RosieMoonflower »

You know, I had considered starting my own post on tips to reading tarot, maybe I'll I try practicing that here.

I think the best advice I can give is that I believe it's all about your intuition. I believe the readers intuition trumps and set meaning every time. Some would disagree. For example, if you learn that a certain card has a positive "set meaning", but the imagery on it is negative to you, and you get a negative feeling when you draw it, then you should interpret it negative. That's why I've always been nervous to read for other readers. I wouldn't want someone to say "no, that's not what that means". When it was drawn it was intended for he reader to interpret, and so their interpretation trumps all in my opinion.

That said, the raider-waite system has a method to its madness as each card has a set meaning. You memorize the meanings and you interpret the cards as you place them into spreads (layouts of the cards).

The memorization of the cards takes some time but it's not as difficult as it seams. You're not really memorizing 78 cards with different meanings. The cards can be divided into 2 categories: Major and Minor. Major has 22 cards, and is some respects they tell a story. It starts with the fool and it's easy to think of the following cards as the characters he meets on his journey. The rest of the cards mimic the cards of a playing deck of cards, so you're already familiar with their design. 4 suits. Ace-10 with 4 face cards (while the playing deck only has 3). The suits correspond to the elements and help guide in interpretation. They also move in somewhat of a progressive order that helps with memorization.

Start with shuffling the cards, getting use to their energy. Then draw one card and and see what comes to your mind. It may be the set meaning, or it may be another idea. Do this again and again to get use to your cards and to be able to recall the meaning quickly.

That's all I've got for now! Keep us posted on if you get a deck or not and which one!

Rosie
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Tutmosis
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Re: New to Tarot

Post by Tutmosis »

So what's the difference between decks?

I want to work with a deck that features either angels or shamans but I've also heard of the Thoth deck which interested me because of my familial bonds.

Is there differences between tarot decks?
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Re: New to Tarot

Post by Shawn Blackwolf »

Perception and Interpretation are keywords in difference between decks.

Rosie's suggestion of the Rider-Waite deck, is very good to begin with. Yet most do not even explore the deeper meanings of the pictures on the Rider-Waite deck, such as linkages to body positions and flame letters of the Hebrew Aleph-Beth (Greek, Alpha-Bet.)

Or, as a prime example do not even tell you that the Fool card, mundane version, is a picture of a Fool and a Dog, said to be crossing the Abyss.

Yet, the initiate understands that the 22 Major Arcana cards, correspond to the 22 flame letters in Hebrew, and when you foldthe 22 letters, into an 11:11 form you get the value of the four corner flame letters, which correspond to certain Major Arcana cards, as 45.

And in Hebrew 451=Abyss

In Runic 451=Web Of Weyyrd

The initiate further knows that is *not* a separate Fool and his Dog, on the Major Arcana card, but a Fool Dog, as Coyote or Jackal. And the Coyote/Jackal is said to be a "reverser," or walks backwards. Thus, for the initiate, there is no Abyss. There is a webbed bridge of light, and connection.

(See Below: Note the double eleven columns as connections)

Now, not only the double eleven columns connected as 11x11, but then there are connections from the first card / letter to second, first to third, first to fourth, etc...to the twenty second card.
Then you do that with the second to third, second to fourth, second to fifth, until you get to twenty first card connected to twenty second card. The 11x11, produces 121 connections.

The second method, produces 231 connections, known as the "Gates of Wisdom" in Hebrew,with all inherent meanings of each Hebrew letter, and Tarot card related.

(you said you wanted info :P)

Here are two sheets, the 11x11 connections, and the web it produces. And the Runic symbols, which correspond to the Major Arcana, and Hebrew.

(When you add the Runic into the equation, you add all meanings of Runes)
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rsz_18tarotattributions.jpg
rsz_20fourierdiagram.jpg
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Tutmosis
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Re: New to Tarot

Post by Tutmosis »

Wow that's some useful information. So there's more to tarot than just the basic meaning behind the characters, this seems to be something of another dimension. Perhaps you can use tarot to peek into different dimensions?
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Re: New to Tarot

Post by Shawn Blackwolf »

It is wise (The Tarot was called the "Art of the Wise"), to begin by learning what is called the basics, and the meanings of the Tarot cards, and how to read them. However, we call that "low end usage" of a "high end system." From another website I post on, I posted this. Note the mention of Ariadne. The above connection grid, is Ariadne's thread.

.........................................................................................................................

"As I said previously, the numerical sum for the 22 symbols, Obri, or the Runic comparison, was 1495. Yet,there are other values, due to five symbols, having high and low values. Thus, one value can be 2535. Let us observe and consider a formula:
Ariadne's = 813; Thread = 23; To Know = 84; Connection = 210; Between = 62; Twenty = 264; Two = 279; Obri = 282; Runic = 283; Symbols = 236; = 2536. And the four corner runes in our dual eleven columns, equal by number value 451.
Wired = 451; Web Of Weyyrd = 451.
Further: Queen = 236; Of = 150; Wietches = 288; Green = 38; Snake = 171; Skin = 137; Garter = 404; Secret = 70; = 1494.

I refer you to a story, a true one, of the King of England, the King's Ball, and a dropped snakeskin garter. Thus, was the Royal Order Of The Garter born. Now, further, we are looking at an illustration of interconnections between two columns of eleven symbols, each symbol having 77 levels, producing 121 primary connections (11 x 11). However, when the Obri is overlaid the Runic, we have 242 primary connections,and one may note in gematria, Recollection = 242. Yet, it does not stop there, as one must make further connections, from the first major arcana, to the second, first to third, first to fourth,
continuing all the way through all arcana connections, until one has come to twenty first connected to the twenty second,
with all possible permutations of combined meanings, coming into play, and integrated. Something to note, is this produces 231 combinations, commonly called in Obri/Hebrew the 231 Gates Of Wisdom. Yet in gematria: Apple = 231; Turned On = 231;
Karma = 231; (make of that what you will). Then as the code is an architectural language, the combined shapes of each pairing of symbols whether Obri, Runic, or a combination of both, must be considered as geometric constructs and the mathematics accompanying them from 2d, onwards. Now, if one observes the horizontal lattice,
above the 11x11 diagram, one may ascertain with careful study, this is a compressed version of the same structure. Meditation on this structure shall divulge forms such as "faces of Buddha,," or other geometric constructs, which have become utilized in ritual practice. Yet, what this diagram is,, is a 2d version of a multi-dimensional tesseract. Interestingly, the lower numerical gematria value for the word: Ariadne = 253, which as well equals: Tesseract = 253. So, could there be a connection between vast amounts of information input into the human bio computer and a tesseract ? What if we rotated that compressed construct, so we were looking into the end of a 3d tube? What if that tube, and the interconnecting lattice,, was rotating? Ariadne/Tesseract = 253 + Compressed Information Data Disc = 1495. So now, we have rotated the construct, then flattened it, with all the data on it's surface , and embedded in it's depths ready to be unfolded with the proper key. Now, first, consider this. The sum of one to eleven, inclusive: 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10 + 11 = 66. And the word in gematria:
Key = 66
What if we look at another formula before unfolding information? Compressed Information Forms Internal Tesseract In My Mind = 2212. Thus the initiate was not just learning how to use the tarot, and major arcana as a way of divination, yet opening wormholes between dimensions in the mind, to travel the tree, and mapping the Otherworlds and Otherside."

....................................................................................................................

So, yes, eventually the Tarot is, or can be a vehicle for multidimensional travel, via compressed information, though only "part of the whole vehicle."

Very good you saw it. :wink2:
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Re: New to Tarot

Post by Shawn Blackwolf »

By the way, in gematria: Initiate/To Initiate = 78

As in the 78 cards of the Tarot, among many other layers of possible meaning.
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RosieMoonflower
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New to Tarot

Post by RosieMoonflower »

I don't use numbers myself. I'm not good with them anyways, they've just never really set right with me. I tend to use astrology and elemental symbols represented on the cards to get deeper meanings than what the base picture is meant to be. I also use color sometimes to derive a new meaning from a card, but only if my intuition is telling me to do so.

Also, you asked about the Thoth deck. This is merely a different system than the Rider-Waite deck.

The rider-Waite is an older deck. In my opinion it is very plain, but it gets the job done. Here is a picture of the first card in the deck, the fool. The fool is always card 0.

Image

Now, I'll show you two other fool cards from decks that mimic the rider Waite. For simplicity I just chose the decks I own, even thought I got these images online. First is the spiral tarot deck fool card.

Image

And here is the fool from the Joie de Vivre deck. Very different from the spiral or even the original rider-Waite.

Image

The fool card represents the beginning. It depicts a naive young person beginning their journey without the fear or hesitation that can come from experience. All 3 cards show that, but each one is different. The spiral card shows an angel guiding the fool. The animal companion is a cat instead of a dog. So if I drew this card, maybe it would represent the nativity of the questioner, but if my intuition tells me to focus in on that angel, then I have an added layer of symbolism and meaning to interpret this card with. Or, with the Joie de Vivre deck, my intuition may tell me that the spider is important in this reading, to which I would apply spider symbolism and lore to add a layer of depth to original idea of the naive fool. Does that make sense? Each card in a rider Waite "copy" deck, will mimic the original rider Waite deck, but may have adaptations that can help derive new meanings.

I also use the elements that are associated with the 4 suits to guide my interpretation as well. To explain for a beginner, the fool is the 1st of the 22 majors, in the rider waite deck. But, after that come the suit cards and you have 4 suits: swords, cups, Wands, and pentacles. Swords = air (intelligence, communication, etc.), cups = water (emotions, feeling, love, sympathy, etc.), wands = fire (passions, action, etc.), and pentacles = earth (physical, body, health, money!) one thing that took me a long time to figure out if to notice if there is a pattern or abundance of one suit in a spread. That can give you an idea of the overall theme. For example, of the majority of cards in your spread are cups, you can interpret everything from an emotional perspective or assume the spread could be interpreted with more depth by considering the love/emotion/ feelings, etc. surrounding the question.

Thoth deck, which you had asked about @tutmosis, is a completely different system than the rider Waite. I cannot speak to it because I do not use it. If my memory is correct, and it's usually not, don't you use a Thoth deck @firebirdflys?

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Tutmosis
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Re: New to Tarot

Post by Tutmosis »

I have actually just did my fortune with a three card, past present and future spread.

I got queen of wands for past, king of wands for present, and the world for future. I'm still not quite sure what that means
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Re: New to Tarot

Post by RosieMoonflower »

I suggest drawing 1 card from your deck at a time and trying to recall the meaning first. Once you can go through the deck without having to look up a meaning if a card, then do a reading. The message is meant for the reader so we may all interpret it a little differently.

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Tutmosis
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Re: New to Tarot

Post by Tutmosis »

Lol there's a lot to remember
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