NEW MEMBERS - Tell us your Tarot Story

[Jook]

New member just registered today

How did you get started in Tarot? Oracles? Lenormand?
I received my first tarot deck in 1985. It was the 1JJ Swiss Tarot, a Tarot de Marseille style deck but with Junon and Jupiter replacing the Papesse and Pope.

What was your first deck and where did you get it?
As above was the 1JJ Swiss Tarot as a gift. It was the French edition, so all the card names and the LWB were in French so I didn't really understand or comprehend them.

Do you have a favourite deck? Why?
Visconti Sforza deck; both the most beautiful deck and historically important too

Do you have a favourite topic or area of interest in Tarot, for example, symbolism, history, reading groups, collecting, etc..?
My main areas of interest in the tarot are in the history, art and symbolism of the tarot.

[shadowrose]

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

I don't remember how or when I was introduced to tarot, but the images have always fascinated me and I just seem drawn over and over again to the cards. I have tried taking lessons a couple of times, but after a few they just seem to fizzle out for one reason or another. So, I am not even a beginner, I don't think. I still know basically nothing about the cards. I want to fix that.

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

I don't remember what my first deck was. I started collecting some, but was afraid my mother would find them so sold them. A few years ago I started again and picked up the Llewellyn Tarot, which I really like. I have no idea where I got it from, but I managed to get the original version that came with the tarot bag.

Do you have a favourite deck? Why?

right now it's my Llewellyn Tarot deck, because it is comfortable to me.

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

i don't know if this fits, but i'm interested in self-discovery and exploration, diving deeper into myself and reconnecting to my true self that kind of got overshadowed and lost while focusing on others for the past 20 years.

[raspberrygirl]

Hello! I am Gigi, new here. Glad to be a part of this forum and hope that I get to meet a lot of card readers. And of course exchange some thoughts, views and ideas.

I started using playing cards 4 years ago. When I got hooked, tried on actual tarot cards and now, I use oracle cards. I can say that I do not have that many experiences with regards to reading, but I see to it that I practice by offering free readings to my friends.

That's all! Hope I can be friends with all of you!

[Vox Populi]

I grew up near Glastonbury, and was taught as a boy The Occult Secrets of the Moon (influenced by the tarot) by a Mystic. I moved to london to study at uni. in my first month there i did a tarot reading for fellow student, which predicted her mother & sister's death. it scared me so much, i left the occult etc for awhile. But after discovering the Qabalah recently and meditation and the teachings of the Golden Dawn, i've revived my thirst for arcane knowledge; i'm here to learn!

I think my first deck was the Marseilles deck. MY friend stole them for me from a shop & gave them to me i'm ashamed to say (i was thirteen and skint)

My favourite deck is Ryder/Waite. I'm very aware that there are some beautiful decks out there (often thought that tarot is a cheap way to collect art) but i don't want to overwhelm myself with buying deck after deck, and getting close to none...i know what i'm like!

I've an interest in symbolism in the tarot, exchange readings, discussion/reading groups.Would appreciate any info on this. thanks

My influences are: Dion Fortune; Israel Regardie; Chic & Sandra Cicero; and the Tarotheaven website

[BlueStar]

Hello everyone, I've just joined the forum and am happy to be here:)

How did you get started in Tarot? Oracles? Lenormand?
I developed an interest in spiritual and esoteric subjects in my teens which led me to tarot. Tarot fell by the wayside for me for many years, but recently I've felt drawn to it again so have been purchasing some decks and learning more about meanings and symbolism found in them.

What was your first deck and where did you get it?
The Thoth deck was the first one. I loved it and have it again now. I think I bought it on a trip to Glastonbury.

Do you have a favourite deck? Why?
I thought it would always be the Toth deck but since getting it again I've discovered other quite different decks that I love too. My favourite right now for readings is the Zen Osho. The imagery and symbolism just clicked so well with me, I find them easier to read.

Do you have a favourite topic or area of interest in Tarot, for example, symbolism, history, reading groups, collecting, etc..?
I'm very interested in the intuitive side of Tarot and subtleties and gradations of meaning that can result between both readings and readers, so I'm always interested to hear others' experiences of using the cards. I'm currently being blown away by some of the artwork of decks I've seen - so maybe I could say that is a favourite aspect right now ( I can feel the collector bug coming on... )

I look forward to meeting you all in the forums:)

[Byron]

Hello everyone,
I don't really have any fascinating stories about my beginnings with tarot. In fact, I'm still quite inexperienced; having read cards just for myself and a few friends. Since always, I loved reading about magic and mythology, which lead to my later interest in variety of esoteric topics. Most of it didn't stick with me. Until recently I didn't even thought about it; just some extra knowledge to impress people or use as an inspiration. In many ways that was it- another topic, not a passion. Still, there was something intriguing about tarot. I started to learn about it, look at different decks and search for one for me. With little succes, I must say. I wanted my own cards for a long time, but every set I came across just did't felt right for me. I think some part of me wanted this to be mistic and special, even if I consider myself sceptic. There is this superstition about receiving cards from somebody but it never happened to me. In the end I bought cheap, simple deck printed about five years ago, layed among some newspapers. I was suprised it even had minor arcana. I don't have any other cards at this moment but I like them a lot. Incidentally I even stumbled across the same deck at this forum. Talk about small world. Still, althought their pretty, reading minor arcana without some figurative ilustrations wasn't and still isn't easy task for me. After some time I found some internet generator with Rider Wite Tarot; shuffling and choosing some pixels may not be as romantic but it's helping me to learn and that's what important for me at this moment. As a bonus I started to really apreciate this classic deck. It may appears ordinary just by it huge popularity, but it's definitely my favorite. At least for a moment. It feels almost strange, to have such a unsophisticated pick.
Anyway, I hope I didn't bored anybody. I am looking forward to meet you and learn something new.

[Tarot_scholar]

Hey everyone! I've perhaps chosen an extremely pretentious username, but so it is. I'm not as informed or as well-read as the name suggests. I'm just a nerd coming at the cards outside of any particular occult lineage, the same way a religious studies scholar isn't necessarily religious. "TS" works just fine. (Maybe I should have chosen Tarot_secularist?)

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

I went through a pagan/New Age/woo phase in high school. I feel like that's how 90% of these stories start. I was obsessed with playing cards even as a child -- different card games, different versions of solitaire, card tricks, collecting different decks -- so Tarot overlapped neatly with that, if by accident.


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

My first deck was the Marseilles, actually -- the packaging billed it as "the original deck" and I thought it would be best to be thorough and start with the original. I was a bit intimidated by the pips, picked up Anthony Louis's book a few weeks later and managed all of one reading, and then my dad accidentally threw out most of the deck while I was away visiting friends. (He didn't target the deck specifically. He emptied out a set of drawers in my room and chucked the contents in the garbage. The cards from that reading were spared because they were in a different drawer. We...did not have a great relationship.) I went back to Waldenbooks (RIP) and picked up a replacement deck, but this time the only thing on the shelves was the Waite-Smith deck, and the rest is history.


Do you have a favourite deck? Why?

As a teenager and young adult, I found it hard to connect with Pixie's images in the Waite-Smith and ultimately gave it to a friend while I was in university (after I had acquired a few more decks), but the more I read about Pamela Colman-Smith and the more I learn about the history of Tarot, the more I come to appreciate what she did and the kind of step forward her Tarot artwork represented. Still, it's been nearly ten years and I haven't yet bought a replacement Waite-Smith. That lovely Pamela Colman-Smith anniversary edition, with the collector's tin and all, is on my watch list and once my entertainment budget allows for it it's going to be my birthday/Christmas/new job gift to myself.


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

I would say my main interest now is balancing all of the occult baggage that's been attached to the deck over the years with my own intuitions about the cards, as well as moving beyond theory and into better practice.

[CharlotteK]

This thread is fantastic. I LOVE all these stories. Completely fascinating. Thank you to everyone for sharing.

[Cactusland]

Hi, my name is Robert Bonomo and I have been reading and studying the Tarot seriously for about eight years now. I began by just looking for a narrative structure for an esoteric novel, each chapter would be one of the cards. That sent me down the rabbit whole. So I wrote the novel, Your Love Incomplete

But then it kept going, I started to really learn the cards, Rider Waite Smith, and began doing reading in bars, for friends etc..and so I decided to make a film, a documentary on The Fool's Journey. It took me two years, and I finally released it.

(editors note: the entire series has been posted on the Cult of Tarot video page along with a recent podcast Robert did at Aeon Byte)

It has been quite the journey, but a fascinating one. If you want to know more about me you can check out my blog, www.thecactusland.com

Happy to be among fellow Tarot readers!

[Mabel]

I was happy and excited to find Cult of Tarot while perusing the web. I have been working very hard to learn tarot and have found sites like this one very helpful and friendly. How did I get started in Tarot? I was always vaguely aware the cards and even bought some tiny paper ones in college because I thought they were interesting. Later on I heard an acquaintance talk about using the cards and it got me thinking. Slowly, over time, I decided to explore it and bought the RWS deck. I have started and stopped my study of it, but lately I have been working very hard at learning them and I have since purchased a few more decks.
I don't have a favorite deck yet. I am interested in historical decks, decks that represent diversity, and nature decks. I have been really enjoying posting in the seasonal group readings forum here on Cult of Tarot. I am currently trying to get better at reading reversals.
Thanks to everyone who works on the site for making it such a warm and friendly place!
Best Wishes,
Mabel

[Amoroso]

My mom gave me my first deck. It's the Mythic. I liked it a lot.

My favorite is the Centennial and Thoth.

I like reading my cards and studying them too.

[I Sunshine]

Welcome, Cactusland, Mabel & Amoroso! Thank you for sharing!!!

[Onica]

Hello everyone!I got started in tarot, well, unexpectedly. I had grown up Catholic and I drifted away from it for a while kind of trying to find something that called me, and I found my dads Tarot de Marseilles all new, and open. I started learning to read the cards and would give my family readings to get a broader perspective. One day I was returning the cards to my dad and he said "The cards are yours, they call to you and follow your instinct. I will have my own tarot deck to read someday." This was my first deck and my dad gave them to me even though they were supposed to be his. Thanks to him, I have never been happier in the paths of tarot that if it weren't my dad or my curiosity, I wouldn't have stumbled onto them.

I do not have a favorite deck mostly cause I love each and every one of them cause I always get a new perspective every time I use them. My area of interest in tarot reading is reading groups mostly cause I like to know different perspectives and get more familiar with readings.

[Ioldanach]

Hello,

My first cartomancy oracle was the Hoi Polloi Tarot which I got in high school. I got it at the book store and was surprised that Tarot decks were so inexpensive. I still have a copy, though the first deck I had is gone. I still like it's plain treatment of the Rider-Waite design; it was easy for a sixteen-year-old to fathom.

And I have a classic Rider-Waite, but don't do much with it.

At present I am working on Lenormand, trying to get my head around how it works; particularly the differences between its basic nature and that of the Tarot. I'm enjoying the study, though. My Lenormand is the Ciro Marchetti Gilded Reverie Extended Deck.

My intent in learning Lenormand and also recovering what skill I had in Tarot is for reading for other people.

Cheers,
~I.

[faolan]

My story began over fifty years ago, I have been psychic since childhood. Anyway, serving in the WRAC, we would play cards, that was when I realised I could "read" them. My first deck was Marseille, but they were difficult to read, the Ryder Waite suited me much better. I would read for charity events, for years I did this. Then for several years I worked as a professional counsellor, under the umbrella of a live psychic company. It was during that time, when clients wanted me to connect with their lost loved ones, I was able to create what I call "the rainbow bridge spread", it is extremely effective. I had many regular clients. I have many many decks, some for deeper readings, some I just love the artwork, the animal ones. I also like the Arthurian deck, esespecially the excalibur spread.

[Avalon]

Hi hi everyone! I am Avalon and I look forward to learn from all of you.

How did you get started in Tarot? Oracles? Lenormand?
There was a tarot reader at an event about 10 years ago. I thought the cards were fascinating. I looked at/for decks in bookstores since then and didn't get my first deck until July of this year.

What was your first deck and where did you get it?
The Pictorial Key Tarot by Davide Corsi on Amazon

Do you have a favourite deck? Why?
The Pictorial Key Tarot because it reads like a photograph.

Do you have a favourite topic or area of interest in Tarot, for example, symbolism, history, reading groups, collecting, etc..?
Too new to have a favorite, but leaning towards symbolism, numerology.

[Superdazdj]

Hi everyone,

I've been on the lookout for a Tarot forum, so let's see how this goes.

I'm Uk based. I had a tarot reading from my late uncle when I was about 12. I didn't really understand at the time, I have since had a few private readings one on one. I now have my own deck which the Guilded Tarot - I believe a beginner deck (if there is such a thing). I have been practicing over the past couple of months by doing a standard 9 card spread with a generalised question as I would like to develop my skills.

I'm pretty quick at learning and retaining information. Looking forward to having a peruse through the sections and see what else I can pick up along the way.

I am also interested in palmistry and have done research on my own palms. Such a fascinating subject.

I have previously been to a spiritualist church and received guidance which was very beneficial at the time to my circumstances.

So I look forward to some interactions within the group. Thank you for having me.
Daz

[Charlie Brown]

I have been practicing over the past couple of months by doing a standard 9 card spread with a generalised question as I would like to develop my skills.

Welcome! I must say 9 cards seems pretty hefty for a beginner, but I'm glad it seems to be working well enough for you that you haven't thrown up your hands in frustration. The first time I tried learning to read, I made the mistake of jumping straight into the Celtic Cross. Don't be afraid to try a few different things.

I'm inferring from your name that you also maybe DJ a little or something similar. I'd like to hear more about that.

[Eva4]

Hi, I'm not new to tarot communities but to this forum! I got started with tarot back in 1996. Ever since, it has been a past time on and off for me, but more so in the past 10 years. I also have a passion for astrology and was first introduced to vedic astrology in the early 2000s. Over the years, I have slowly begin to rediscover it through the help of other friends on other boards. I hope to get more familiar with it and hope to be able to pass my course some time next year.

[SpacedaisyAdair]

Hi! I’m brand new to Tarot. I got the bug for it about a month ago. I first tried my hand at just using regular playing cards and finally tonight bought my first deck, the RWS because I figured that would be the best way to start.

I look forward to learning from you all as I start on this journey!

[Charlie Brown]

the RWS because I figured that would be the best way to start.

I can't think of a better one. Be sure to come and ask us your questions.

[Mab]

Hello everyone! I am Mab, used to be on AT, mostly lurking and drinking it all in...
I got started in Tarot years ago, in my hippy days, when we were questing for spiritual paths and inner growth.. I lived communally for a while and there were cards, I Ching, pendulums and masses of books about the place, plus like minded people to learn with.
My first deck was the Rider Waite. I don't remember how or where I got it but it was round about 1970. Then I got the Thoth, Aquarian and Sheridan Douglas decks.
My favourite deck.. that's a difficult one. Since I started my small collection, I have been drawn to several striking and colourful decks, like Prisma Visions, Balbi, Kazanlar, and I have recently been reading with one of Carol Herzer's illuminated decks. But as a pagan, I am enjoying the various pagan decks and when reading for myself, use Robin Wood, Greenwood, Green witch...
I’m hoping to learn more about... well, just to learn more, really.

[tiagohyp]

Hello, everyone! I'm Tiago, I am a brazilian lawyer (started this year) and have always been into symbolism and mysterious and intuitive stuff, but have never been really drawn to tarot until recently. I am a MBTI, Enneagram, astrology and this kind of things enthusiast as well.

How did you get started in Tarot? Oracles? Lenormand?
I guess it was two months ago, when I was just browsing around and something about tarot came up. I have never been really interested to research about it or even think about it.. but since I was in a more spiritual vibe (meditating, reading about stuff, noticing the patterns and coincidences in life), I got really attracted to the idea o the tarot and from that... well, I bought my first deck and started learning, that's why I'm here.

What was your first deck and where did you get it?
The Art Nouveau Deck, bought in a brazilian tarot deck online shop.

Do you have a favourite deck? Why?
Hmm, I can't possibly choose a favourite deck yet, because everyday I'm presented to a new one in the internet... I have to research on that, but I'll probably have many of them in the future.

Do you have a favourite topic or area of interest in Tarot, for example, symbolism, history, reading groups, collecting, etc..?
I am really interested to the symbolism aspect of the tarot and how we can put our interpretation to anything so it fits to our current situation. We use our perception and intuition to shape the cards into our point of view, so it makes sense. And I think it's fantastic, because it instigate us to question and reflect. I add to that the spiritual aspect of the universe and the probabilities... the cards sometimes feels magical, like they are meant to be, and that's the most precious thing about tarot.

Well, that's me. Sometimes I get inspired and write a lot about crazy stuff that I think makes sense, so I'l make an effort to be active around here so we can all share experiences and ideas. I hope to learn a lot and be inspired by you guys, but I also am happy to share anything that can be useful somehow.

[uscss.Nostromo]

I must say this is a beautifully designed forum. The features are also well thought out and implemented.

Hello everybody.

[alavendermoon]

Hi all! <3 I'm Serena! I created an account here a month or so ago but am only just getting around to posting. Looking forward to chatting with all of you!

Now for the questions...

How did you get started in Tarot? Oracles? Lenormand?
I bought my first tarot deck as a souvenir from the Renaissance faire one year. I didn't believe in tarot but thought it would be cool to own a deck. Once I had it home, though, it kind of called to me, so I started learning more about it and the rest is history! Tarot lead me down an incredible journey of self-discovery and I'll always be grateful <3

What was your first deck and where did you get it?
My first deck was the Tarot of Mermaids by Lo Scarabeo, from the Ren faire as mentioned above! I love the artwork but nowadays the chunky borders drive me crazy.

Do you have a favourite deck? Why?
I have a lot of favorites. The deck I connect to best is the Prisma Visions tarot, but I love the Linestrider tarot, the Wild Unknown, the Moonchild tarot, and the Pagan Otherworlds tarot a lot too!

Do you have a favourite topic or area of interest in Tarot, for example, symbolism, history, reading groups, collecting, etc..?
I don't know that it has a name, but I'm fascinated with the fact that two people can look at the same card and take something completely different away from it. Tarot can be so personal but so universal at the same time and I think that's really beautiful!