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A Difference in Meanings?

I have been using tarot cards as my staple divination technique for some time, and throughout that time have relied on the Thoth, or Crowley Deck. Recently I was a receiving a tarot reading from a woman, and we began talking about and comparing our two decks. She used the Rider-Waite deck. As our discussion continued, we noticed that although many of the cards of one deck appeared to convey a similar meaning as that of the other, some of the cards in the Thoth deck really don't seem to fit with the conventional description, such as the Seven of Disks (Pentacles), usually symbolizing success within reach and accomplished goals, is labeled as "failure" and marked with a dark, gloomy picture in this deck. There are other examples as well, such as the Four of Disks (Pentacles), Four of Cups, Six of Cups, Seven of Wands, Ten of Wands... the list could continue. I know that interpretation of the cards on an individual level is very important in divination, however, why are there so many dissimilarities between the cards general interpretations and that of those in the Thoth Deck? It almost makes it seem that someone using deck A would get a more negative result than deck B, even if the cards drawn were the same, because the cards in first deck themselves are characterized more so with adverse meanings. Why is this? And does it bear any consequence on the divinations themselves?

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Re: A Difference in Meanings?

I love the Tarot, but I see it less as a tool for divination of the future (since I believe the future is never set in stone), and more as a tool for self-exploration and analysis. The intuitive flashes I get from reading the cards usually help me understand my own role in any given situation, as well as any negative thoughts or patterns I have that might be influencing the situation, thus allowing me to analyze many possible outcomes and what I would need to do to bring them about.

With that said, here's my two cents on the altered meanings front... being a more intuitive than logical reader, I'm of the opinion that the traditional meanings of cards are not as important as the individual's interpretation of them. The given interpretations are for me a guideline, but if the card says something specific to me and makes sense while I'm looking at it, that's what I'm going to latch onto. Of course, each card has multiple meanings, and any combination of which may apply to a given reading.

I also like to believe that each deck has its own personality and intelligence. Perhaps that's a flight of fancy on my part... or perhaps there is an egregoric presence attached to Tarot Decks that influences readings done with those decks, affecting what cards with what meanings get pulled for a reading. I read several reviews on my particular Tarot deck, and one person mentioned they felt the deck had a very blunt, no-nonsense, and no-sugar-coating attitude when used for readings.

Yay, food for thought! This forum is giving me lots of it, and that's just what I need!

  • By Draca at 03/20/2010 - 4:49pm
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Re: A Difference in Meanings?

If my memory serves me correct... which it sometimes does not, I think Crowley was rewriting the tarot from his standard and experience with the tree of life. I never dug into tarot too much, but as far as the result I would say it depends on the beliefs and symbolism you have towards the tarot. A friend and I had got into a conversation about enchantment and divination. Discussing in many situations you have to choose one or the other. In this case, wondering if it matters what deck you use might just depend on how you perceive the deck to operate. If its divination you seek... it seems that the future would happen the same way regardless what deck you use, however if you see the tarot as a sort of enchantment I would use the deck with the most favorable outcomes. In either case, I would maybe recommend using both decks, keeping a journal of each deck and the success/accuracy rate and see which one suits you best. Personally I have little interest in divination, though I'm sure knowing the probable future would help enchant against less favorable probabilities.

Punarbhava wrote:
I have been using tarot cards as my staple divination technique for some time, and throughout that time have relied on the Thoth, or Crowley Deck. Recently I was a receiving a tarot reading from a woman, and we began talking about and comparing our two decks. She used the Rider-Waite deck. As our discussion continued, we noticed that although many of the cards of one deck appeared to convey a similar meaning as that of the other, some of the cards in the Thoth deck really don't seem to fit with the conventional description, such as the Seven of Disks (Pentacles), usually symbolizing success within reach and accomplished goals, is labeled as "failure" and marked with a dark, gloomy picture in this deck. There are other examples as well, such as the Four of Disks (Pentacles), Four of Cups, Six of Cups, Seven of Wands, Ten of Wands... the list could continue. I know that interpretation of the cards on an individual level is very important in divination, however, why are there so many dissimilarities between the cards general interpretations and that of those in the Thoth Deck? It almost makes it seem that someone using deck A would get a more negative result than deck B, even if the cards drawn were the same, because the cards in first deck themselves are characterized more so with adverse meanings. Why is this? And does it bear any consequence on the divinations themselves?

  • By chaodiscordia at 08/23/2009 - 11:42pm
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