Using non-tarot cards for tarot readings

[BlueStar]

Over the past few years of re-learning my tarot skills I've honed in on my own personal way of reading cards which is a more intuitive way rather than sticking to traditional meanings or meanings given by the deck creator (sometimes it's a mixture of both). It's just been a natural progression and how it works for me. I've found that cards that are quite rich in imagery work best. I remember seeing someone using non-tarot cards for readings once, which I thought was interesting and recently decided to look a bit more into that.

So I recently purchased a beautiful deck of cards which are actually used for a game. They are called Dixit cards. I remember when I first saw them online about a year ago I was struck with how lovely they looked and was curious as to whether they could be used for readings, and the other week I did find a couple of people on YouTube who were doing this. So I decided to buy some, the one deck that really drew me is called 'Revelations' (if anyone is interested there are quite a few walkthroughs on Youtube of deck). Wow, I'm glad I did! I've used them for a few readings and the results have been really good.

I used my usual process of getting to know cards by looking through each one and thinking about what it might mean to me. Of course some of this goes out the window when doing a reading, since I can often see something very new and not what I might have first considered the imagery to mean. But I find that fun and insightful! Like a puzzle unfolding. Part of my research before buying them was to make sure there were both positive and challenging cards, so the deck is 'balanced'.

You also could create your own custom deck this way, assigning meanings from the traditional tarot if you find the imagery matches well for you. I haven't done this, as I prefer to match the cards to my own mental symbology.

I'm finding it quite freeing in some way I can't quite define.

Of course, some might argue that...well... it isn't tarot if you are not using 'tarot' cards. I suppose so, but I'm not really that fussed:) I still think to a certain degree in terms of tarot symbology e.g. death, duality, tower etc. as that's what I have gotten used to, and these are universal ideas not limited to tarot cards, and I still use tarot spreads.

For me, it's been another interesting discovery on my tarot journey.

Has anyone else used non-tarot cards in their practice? What has your experience been? Or if not is it something you would consider? If not, why not? I'd be interested to hear other's views on this.

[CaraHamilton]

Hi Bluestar,

We can read tarot imagery in many things around us, in art, actions of others etc. You are right it is very freeing. Imagery is imagery and can be visual, sound, emotions etc so if those cards make sense to you and they give you good readings, then that is wonderful!

Established cards are great but to me they are only part of the whole. We all approach how we identify with Tarot differently and the decks themselves evolve, to me that is the beauty of it.

As for non Tarot - I have used art postcards in the past, it worked really well as the pieces of art I had studied them.


Keep well, Cara xx

[Nemia]

I saw on Eclectic Tarot how a participant read with a study deck of beautiful cards for the Solar System. I bought it, love it, look at it but somehow can't read with it! I don't know why but it's a great addition to my cosmos-oriented decks. I should try again.

My Night Sky Playing cards - I have written a booklet of meanings and used it once I'm really terrible with oracles!

My story cubes have come in handy great for reading, and so has bibliomancy. But again - I used them only a number of times.

I don't know how it's called - but looking at clouds to find animals there which give me a message is something I've been doing since I was a child. Dragons, panthers, I've seen a lot over the years. Also other shapes of course but it's the animals that I can "understand".

After I read Milo DuQuette's book about oracles I wanted so much to use more oracles! I really have to try that. and for AGES I've wanted to make a junk oracle for myself. The idea is so great. And I'm a born magpie anyway.

Art postcards - what a brilliant idea! And I'm the queen of art postcards. I've been teaching art history for many years and have by now a very respectable collection, sorted alphabetically and internally. Ah. Well. I should have to mix them up for use as oracle. Oh no.

As I said - I have to get used to oracles. After all these years, I still dont trust this inner voice completely. That's why tarot is so great for me - it dares to tell where I don't.

Now I'm really curious for more input!!! I want to become a Pythia of everyday stuff!

[Joan Marie]

After I read Milo DuQuette's book about oracles I wanted so much to use more oracles! I really have to try that. and for AGES I've wanted to make a junk oracle for myself. The idea is so great. And I'm a born magpie anyway.

What is a junk Oracle?

[Nemia]

It's an oracle of little things, stuff you have around the house. A key, a little toy doll, a glittering bead, a shell, a doll's hat, a thimble - whatever you have lying around. things that set something in motion - a memory, a stirring idea. Things that can talk to you when the moment is right. Doll house miniatures, little pendants, maybe a coin, a colourful crystal........

You put them into a big nice bag, black velvet or something else opaque and pretty. And when you have a question, you pull from that bag.

There are people who assign meanings to the things beforehand: a little toy car means travel etc, but I somehow think it might be best to just go with the flow. If you draw three at once, you might get real little stories the way you get them with the story cubes.

I'm sure that a well-composed junk oracle can work really well. the Magpie Oracle looks great but I'm sure a self-made one would add something deeply personal. Like a journey into our past / why did we hold on to that thing in the first place?

Writing about it now, I really get the feeling the time is right to make such an oracle. What a pity that I threw a lot of old stuff out in my Corona-isolation induced cleaning mania

ETA: After I wrote this, I googled, and this is what I found: https://tarotreading.wordpress.com/2012 ... nk-oracle/

Very nice!

[Papageno]

You put them into a big nice bag, black velvet or something else opaque and pretty. And when you have a question, you pull from that bag.

I think that's a wonderful idea, although I (personally) would toss the entire contents onto a large chart of concentric circles, squares or whatever shape pleases you.

The concentric designs are like planetary orbits, which is especially useful if you're into zodiacal/planetary/astrological associations, whatever.

This provides stations or a grid pattern upon which the objects land which can enhance your reading, provided you have predetermined significances for the multiple stations of each circle and/or boundary. A basic grid pattern would work very well also.

To my mind's eye, this would provide you with a Lenormand-like spread (or not), but at least you have more structure and enhanced depth of interpretation.

You could really have fun with the chart by first painting a pattern/design and then add the concentric design on top.

I thought a cosmic nebula-like pattern in watercolors would be very cool with black (or whatever color you like) concentric circles in oils or acrylic.

edited to add:

for the artistically gifted, you could illustrate zodiacal and planetary depictions, stars, suns, moons, cosmic dust clouds, etc.

perhaps a Tree of Life, I-Ching trigrams or any combination thereof.

[Nemia]

Wow, that's a great idea!!!! Like a pendulum map, only on a much wider scope. I hope I'll have time to work on this idea a bit today..... that's fantastic, Papageno!

[Papageno]

Like a pendulum map, only on a much wider scope.

a pendulum map......

well well, now I finally learned what those pendulums are used for, I always wondered but never bothered to find out
not my thing, but I can respect it.

[Nemia]

I used my pendulum without maps, for yes-or-no questions. And thinking about it - that's the only unstructured oracle that really worked for me. Some 15 years ago, I used it a lot. *off to search for my old pendulum*

[stronglove]

i have renee sarasvati/keith’s oracle tarot cards, they actually have nothing to do with tarot, but they work completely intuitively, this post made me get them out on my table and do a reading with them, wonderful, as soon as i see these images my imagination and subconscious go absolutely haywire

[stronglove]

this exchange makes me think of the ancient art of charm casting, here’s a video from kasia/ tarot map

[stronglove]

and working with the hoodoo tarot made me explore how i could start the practice of bone casting

[Papageno]

The charm casting and bone reading videos are A+

love how much detail is provided for actually preparing the bones, which makes a lot of sense, except for the part where she says she soaks them in penicillin.....penicillin? or did I not hear that correctly?

I can think of other ways to sanitize the bones, but that's beside the point.

the charm casting with Tarot cards is wonderful.

I was thinking also about using old transit tokens, scrabble tiles, chess pieces and objects from any board game.

My only debate with reaching into the bag to pull out pieces is that you basically know by the shape, which pieces you're grabbing, which to my mind is not as random as shaking up the contents of the bag and then gently "sprinkling" some pieces onto the cards or board.

[BlueStar]

Established cards are great but to me they are only part of the whole. We all approach how we identify with Tarot differently and the decks themselves evolve, to me that is the beauty of it.

Thanks, yes, I see it that way too.

[BlueStar]

It's an oracle of little things, stuff you have around the house. A key, a little toy doll, a glittering bead, a shell, a doll's hat, a thimble - whatever you have lying around. things that set something in motion - a memory, a stirring idea. Things that can talk to you when the moment is right. Doll house miniatures, little pendants, maybe a coin, a colourful crystal........

You put them into a big nice bag, black velvet or something else opaque and pretty. And when you have a question, you pull from that bag.

There are people who assign meanings to the things beforehand: a little toy car means travel etc, but I somehow think it might be best to just go with the flow. If you draw three at once, you might get real little stories the way you get them with the story cubes.

Very nice!

I've never heard of Junk Oracle before...thanks for this:)

[Nemia]

Stronglove I can't hold it back any longer - I don't want to pulverize the thread but i LOVE your avatar! Wonderful wonderful cats. Our house is full of cats, too, and they bring their own magic with them.

thinking about it now - they're very intuitive and one might make some oraculur use of them. They always know which is the ONE heap of paper that you'll need today and go to slepp on it. Would they go to sleep on a certain card? If we expect, they probably wouldn't

Lovely avatar, I smile whenever I see it!