NEW MEMBERS - Tell us your Tarot Story

[Genna]

Many years from now I wanted to be a witch and a witch had to know if a spell was to turn out well or no, so she or he must know some divination. I had read a very interesting Swedish book by Jolanda or Rosie Björkman called "The Witche´s Tarot" and with the book came the Tarot Majors in black and white drawn by Hans Arnold, a great horror/fantasy artist. Rosie had a studio in Stockholm and I went to her for readings. She used a mini RWS then, because her deck was not ready yet. Later she and her readers used the Jolanda or Swedish Witch deck. I loved going to Rosie and the others. Except her book I read two really bad Swedish books (Rosie´s book was very good).

I started with buying a mini RWS like Rosie´s, but then I found a methaphysical bookshop in Kristianstad and got a deck I really loved; The Tarot of a Moon Garden. The deck I started to learn on was the Hanson-Robert´s.

Then I become a member of Aeclectic Tarot, and then I started to learn in earnest. So many people helped me there! I was also member of a free course online.

My favourite Tarot today is the Alice Tarot by Baba and other Baba decks, but I still love Tarot of a Moon Garden, and Hanson-Robert´s and RWS. I like a deck with quite a bit of RWS symbology. The Tarot of a Moon Garden really has that if you look carefully.

I guess I´m a collector today, for the joy of lovely Tarot decks.

[Holdit]

Hello,

I've been fascinated with Tarot cards since I was a young teenager. I think it was the end credits from "Tales of The Unexpected" that started me off.

Me "What are those funny cards"
My mother: "They're Tarot cards...they're used to tell fortunes."

Something in me responded to the images and a few years later I had my own Rider-Waite deck (in Internet terms, this was the Before-Time). I never really learned them, though but enjoyed taking them out and looking at them and reading about some of the meanings. Years later I was going through a bad patch and threw them away because I'd got it into my head that they were bringing me bad luck.

Fast-forward a few decades and my wife bought me a new Rider-Waite deck (I've always preferred that deck's symbolism) and I picked up a couple of books on the subject and they've sat in my desk drawer for months until recently when I've decided to put a bit of effort into learning them properly and maybe even try some readings after a while.

As far as belief in the occult and parapsychology goes I'm skeptical, but not excessively. I do keep an open mind in the sense that today's magic can be tomorrow's science, but I'd be fairly rigorous in terms of the evidence I'd need to see in order to be convinced. I claim to have no psychic ability whatsoever; Marley's ghost could be reading my computer screen over my shoulder and the Flying Dutchman could be parked on my driveway, and I'd be in a tranquil, vibe-free zone (although I have had a few odd experiences in the past). I don't believe there is any magic in the cards, or this reader, but I think they can still be a useful psychological tool in terms of providing cues to assist stepping back from a problem and perhaps seeing things, and even solutions, more clearly. Something along the lines of Carl Rogers and Humanistic Psychology perhaps.

I'm looking forward to participating in the forums.

Paul

P.S. Where is the best place for a newcomer to ask questions?

[Joan Marie]

P.S. Where is the best place for a newcomer to ask questions?

Hi Paul! Welcome! Glad you found us!

There is a section called "Learning Your Craft" where all questions are welcome. We changed the name from "Beginners" because we are all constantly learning and we are all beginners in one aspect or another.

That said, if you see a topic or area you think your question would fit, just go for it.

Have fun and let me know if you have any questions or need anything.
Cheers,
Joan Marie

[Lily76]

How did you get started in Tarot? Oracles? Lenormand? i got started after being linked from one facebook group to another there was a tarot group kinda got iintrested from there
What was your first deck and where did you get it?my first deck was rider waite deck and i got it at a local magic shop
Do you have a favourite deck? Why? i only have one at the moment
Do you have a favourite topic or area of interest in Tarot, for example, symbolism, history, reading groups, collecting, etc..? symbolism

[archimedes]

I don't believe in it either - everything is subject to natural law.
...
I'm not an atheist myself, BTW. I suspect there's something behind everything, but it's bigger and weirder than we can get our minds around, so there's no point in pretending we know and trying to push our horribly flawed concepts of it on everybody. I guess that makes me kind of agnostic?

Oh I love these thoughts, Katrinka. I tend to describe myself as an atheist, but then, I suppose I could think of the universe itself as a deity but we are part of it, not separate to it. We are created by it in the way that we create our fingernails. The commandments are the laws of physics. Does that make me a pantheist, if I were a theist? I love the idea - who was it from, Joseph Campbell? That we are the universe discovering itself. The curly bits at the end of the unfolding fractal.

, social media cannot replace the richness of old fashioned discussion boards. Social media is fast food. Here there's time to indulge and to take time to enjoy the food placed on the table. ...

I love this idea.

My Tarot story: I'd occasionally been vaguely interested in them, but dismissed them as weird occulty fortune telling stuff like ouija boards that had little substance, just a 19th Century superstitious invention. But then a writer friend told me about her Goddess tarot and how she used it and how she thought of it in rational terms with the subconscious, and it kind of made sense. So I got a couple of decks a few weeks apart - I forget which came first, the RWS from a shop or the Spiral from ebay - and started to read. The book I had said to choose a significator, so I did. Queen of Swords. Then I shuffled the deck and asked it who should be my significator and drew the Queen of Swords. So. That was that.

[devin]

everything is subject to natural law.

Everything, including your thoughts on the matter?

Does that make me a pantheist, if I were a theist?

Yes, it would most definitely make you a pantheist. And if you added the Campbell bit, it would make you a pantheist with personality!

@Holdit

Hi, Speaking of humanistic psychology, I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that Maslow had an interest in tarot cards? Anyway, if I could just offer a word of warning: Beware, here be dragons! (A.K.A. The tarot has a strange habit of overturning expectations.) Enjoy.

[archimedes]

@Holdit
Hi, Speaking of humanistic psychology, I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that Maslow had an interest in tarot cards? Anyway, if I could just offer a word of warning: Beware, here be dragons! (A.K.A. The tarot has a strange habit of overturning expectations.) Enjoy.

Interesting point about Maslow, one of my favorite psychologists. Nice to be reminded of Rogers, too. I've been working in other areas - I must revisit these authors. If you're interested in early ideas about psychology, check out the Freud-Jung letters. Their correspondences are fascinating.

[wences]

Hi there,
My name is Paulo Wences (you can call me Wences) I live in São Paulo, Brazil. Being a writer and having a mother that is kind of psychic I think I;ve always like the occult. Few years ago I've found a deck called "Storyteller Tarot" from the late Rosanna Raphaela Rogers that's from the 1980's and unites astrology, tarot and storyteller so since then I'm looking for the 96 page manual booklet that she wrote to understand better this curious and mistery deck. The deck I feel more connected is the Kim Kran's Wild Unknown Tarot and I really into the anciente decks such as Sola Busca, Mitelli and others. Studying a lot to create what will become my first deck and I guess it will be related to alchemy and storytelling of course...It's nice to be part of this great Forum and really happy to be here learning from you guys!

[Joan Marie]

..It's nice to be part of this great Forum and really happy to be here learning from you guys!

So nice that you have joined us, welcome!

[fire cat pickles]

I like your forum design. Nice and simple.

• How did you get started in Tarot? Oracles? Lenormand?

• What was your first deck and where did you get it?

• Do you have a favourite deck? Why?

• Do you have a favourite topic or area of interest in Tarot, for example, symbolism, history, reading groups, collecting, etc..?

Good idea....

I got started with tarot in 1988 when my sister bought me a tarot book for my high school graduation (I actually graduated in 1987). In 1988 I bought the Dali deck for $88 (guess how I remember the details?). I bought it at a game store in a (gasp) shopping mall. I couldn't read with the minors in that deck so I read Majors only until 2002-3 (ish?) when I joined aeclectic. My first book, since I didn't mention it before was, "Tarot : A New Handbook for the Apprentice" by Eileen Connolly. I am still a big Connolly fan although I do not own a Connolly deck after all these years.

My favorite deck is the Minchiate Fiorentine by Constante Costantini. I had a dream about this one, and the next morning found Aeclectic on a search. After going through nearly every deck in their database, I finally found it. It's how I wound up on AT way back when. And that's when I started reading with the Minchiate. (hard to believe this was over 15 years ago!)

I am more of a collector now with 100+ decks. While I do read and offer help with others' readings, I rarely write out or post my own readings. Sometimes I do, but more often I will do a quick draw and look over the cards for myself without much thought on hashing my ideas out "on paper". I read Lenormand now and have been studying traditional Lenormand technique for about 10 years.

Anyway, it's nice to be here. Thanks for having me.

[Joan Marie]

Anyway, it's nice to be here. Thanks for having me.

So glad you have joined us! Welcome!

[archimedes]

...l 2002-3 (ish?) when I joined aeclectic. ...
Anyway, it's nice to be here. Thanks for having me.

Ahhh FireCat, good to see you ... starting to feel like home....

[fire cat pickles]

Thank you!

[cha]

Hi Cha here :}
I didn't like tarot for years - I was only Lemormand etc focused - short and sweet.
But tarot has been growing on me - and finding Benebell Wen and her Spirit Keepers Tarot deck has changed all that. Now I'm hooked! And I have so very very much to learn and eager to tap in wherever I can with whatever resonates for me. Thanks you for having me here :}

[Joan Marie]

Hi Cha here :}
I didn't like tarot for years - I was only Lemormand etc focused - short and sweet.
But tarot has been growing on me - and finding Benebell Wen and her Spirit Keepers Tarot deck has changed all that. Now I'm hooked! And I have so very very much to learn and eager to tap in wherever I can with whatever resonates for me. Thanks you for having me here :}

So happy that you have joined us cha, welcome and enjoy!

[Lucifall]

Hello, I am Lucifall from the Netherlands.

My tarot story started 20 years ago after a long time soulsearching (15yrs) in mainly Eastern spirituality. I was on a reading in a Free State (Ruigoord) where good old provo Gerben Hellinga told his story about his card reading for Madonna. I was inspired as the layout then with only the luck cards in it really foretold the Star she should be. Not for the Madonnathing; but those cards..

Next day i bought the RWS in our local bookshop and fell in love with tarot and embrased it as i knew this / those cards will be my companian for the rest of my journey..
A month later the Crowley tarot was added in my tiny collection. I loved the Artwork but somehow i could not really connect with the thothdeck. After i found a box full of old tarot and Lenormand sets in a second handshop my collection started to grow. Now i have around 150 sets.

My favorite was the RWS. I think the main reason for this are the pictured minors. I work simultan with BOTA, RWS and the hermetics for study.
2 weeks ago i should have written: My favorite is the RWS.
But adding the Sola Busca in my collection some weeks ago really has changed this. My new goal is now to start studying the Sola Busca intensively. The only problem is the lack of an intensive instructional book.
I choosed for the Sola Busca museum quality box of Lo Scarabeo as they mentioned there will be a 144 page book in it. I was a bit disappointed to learn these 144 pages are multilingual with only 36 pages in English.

There is not really a favorite subject for me in tarot. I love the stories, the legends, the symbolism. I love to collect and look for special sets. I love to do readings (mainly for myself).. I just love everything of tarot.

Why Let's go Sola Busca in the subject?
All the knowledge on this forum, the lack for instructional books,. Shouldn't it be a nice challenge for tarot lovers to dig together in the Sula Busca and start a study group for this precious deck so seekers will be able to find more additional information than available now on the www?

Love and Light
/ - \
Lucifall

[Joan Marie]

Why Let's go Sola Busca in the subject?
All the knowledge on this forum, the lack for instructional books,. Shouldn't it be a nice challenge for tarot lovers to dig together in the Sula Busca and start a study group for this precious deck so seekers will be able to find more additional information than available now on the www?

Welcome Lucifall!

I too am a Sola Busca user. But it has been a while. I tend to go on Sola Busca binges. And I know what you mean about the dearth of information. I would argue that Sola Busca is the most enigmatic of the decks.

We do have some discussions here including an interview I did with Giordano Berti
Elevating Dimensions: Giordano Berti on the Sola Busca


You will also find a few more discussions about it in the Historical Decks section.

ALso, a while back I did some reading exchanges in which I used the Sola Busca. You can see that here in case you are interested in how I used it.

But still, you are right, tHere needs to be more discussion. Please feel free to start it. I think there are at least a few of here who are into it.

That's a bummer about the "144 page book. " That's kind of a joke, isn't it?
I did read one very interesting book about the Sola Busca, called "The Game of Saturn: Decoding the Sola Busca Tarocchi" by Peter Mark Adams.

Anyway, we should probably continue this discussion in the Historical Decks section.

Welcome!

[JulianneVictoria]

Hi,
I'm Julianne Victoria, but you can call me Julie. I was gifted my first Tarot deck 23/24 years ago and have been studying, practicing, and reading Tarot (and Oracle cards) most of the years since that first deck. Funny, story: my first Tarot reading was about a year before that by none other than...Miss Cleo! I'm also a deck creator, and recently published my fourth deck (second Tarot deck): Sigilla Mediaevalia, The Medieval Sigils Tarot.
Now I'm looking forward to participating here more and getting to know folks in the cult.
Julie

[Joan Marie]

Now I'm looking forward to participating here more and getting to know folks in the cult.
Julie

I'm so happy you found us. It's wonderful to have you here.

[Diana]

Hi,
I'm Julianne Victoria, but you can call me Julie. I was gifted my first Tarot deck 23/24 years ago and have been studying, practicing, and reading Tarot (and Oracle cards) most of the years since that first deck. Funny, story: my first Tarot reading was about a year before that by none other than...Miss Cleo! I'm also a deck creator, and recently published my fourth deck (second Tarot deck): Sigilla Mediaevalia, The Medieval Sigils Tarot.
Now I'm looking forward to participating here more and getting to know folks in the cult.
Julie

Julie, it's lovely to welcome you to our beautiful Tarot home. I went to look at your Sigillal Mediaevalia. Wow. What a beauty. You're hugely talented. What a privilege to have you as a member here.

[Diana]

! I'm also a deck creator, and recently published my fourth deck (second Tarot deck): Sigilla Mediaevalia, The Medieval Sigils Tarot.

Julie, I watched the flip through of the cards of the Sigilla Mediaevalia on your youtube video. I watched without the sound and also adapted the youtube settings so I was watching very slow speed. I felt most peculiar afterwards. Not uncomfortable peculiar, but sort of not something I was used to. I find your deck most intriguing and think you have put an awful amount of thought and a lot more into it. I'm not a deck collector (very minimalist) but I do have a very small wish list of about four of five decks and I'll add yours to it. Where is the best place to order it from ?

[JulianneVictoria]

! I'm also a deck creator, and recently published my fourth deck (second Tarot deck): Sigilla Mediaevalia, The Medieval Sigils Tarot.

Julie, I watched the flip through of the cards of the Sigilla Mediaevalia on your youtube video. I watched without the sound and also adapted the youtube settings so I was watching very slow speed. I felt most peculiar afterwards. Not uncomfortable peculiar, but sort of not something I was used to. I find your deck most intriguing and think you have put an awful amount of thought and a lot more into it. I'm not a deck collector (very minimalist) but I do have a very small wish list of about four of five decks and I'll add yours to it. Where is the best place to order it from ?

Thank you so much Marigold! You can order the deck here: https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/si ... gils-tarot

I think I will try watching the video without sound and slowed down now. I am curious of it's effect that way.

[a6rax1s]

Hi everybody. I am a6rax1s, aka Dr. Peter Fortune. I have been connected to Tarot since I was a child, playing with decks I found in my father's Library, nearly 40 years ago. When I was 19 I had an epiphany that led me full tilt into the world of Magick. I have explored widely, and deeply, and I never stop learning. The well is infinite. From 2009-2019, I chose to do a doctorate in philosophy, in which, amongst other things, I talked about the Tarot, the I ching, and the ars magna of Ramon Llull. I feel as if my story is a bit too long to tell here, but I am sure it will gradually unfold into the coversations that happening here. I currently work semiproffessionally in Tarot, reading and teaching in Hong Kong. I have an Instagram project which is a 224 day pathworking of the entire deck, using a calendar I designed. Check @tarotphilosopher. I have a lot to say about every path. Anyhow, I came here because Benebel Wen recommended it, and I thought I would like to contribute to the COT Tarot. A true pleasure to meet you all!

-a6rax1s-

[Joan Marie]

Anyhow, I came here because Benebel Wen recommended it, and I thought I would like to contribute to the COT Tarot. A true pleasure to meet you all!

Hi and welcome! It's wonderful to have you here, and I really look forward to your story unfolding!
There are not too many cards left to pick for the CoT deck, so you may want to have a look at what's left if you'd like to join us for that. .

here's the link: viewtopic.php?f=206&t=1723

[Kdarling]

Hi. I found out about this forum from Benebell too. I’m so happy to be here and be a part!