Mary - El as an 'everyday' deck?

velvetina

I've had my Mary-El tarot since 2012, and use it only for myself. At the time, it seemed that others, like myself, were using it for personal introspection more than general questions.

Recently however, I've been wondering if that has changed.

Does anyone use it for 'ordinary' readings? You know, how a deck like the glorious Thoth has all this rich esoteric stuff going on, yet one can use it to answer questions such as "should I get a new job/boyfriend/dog" and so forth.

Has the Mary-El proved useful in the everyday world? Or is it still seeming to be better suited for personal work?

I recognise that these questions rely upon one's subjective experience - I'm just curious to find out if the response to the deck has shifted. Mine hasn't, I still just use it for myself.
 

Peachess

I've owned the Mary-El for over 2 years now, but I admit I don't use it for everday work. It's funny that you mentioned the Thoth, because the heavy symbolism is, in my opinion, what makes a deck more or less suitable for everyday work. Symbols can be small or large depending on the scope you want the reading to have. The Mary-El, on the other hand, often only has one, very strong and heavy image or main symbol in its cards, making it hard to down-size to everday problem size.
For me, the Mary-El is just too dramatic (not sure this is the right word ... ) for everyday use. The language the cards speak is just too strong and if I read the deck with everyday problems, I would feel like speaking to an overly dramatic friend of mine instead of getting down to earth, practical feedback. Does that make sense?
 

Tea&Temperance

I have really only used Mary-El for a bit but I find that I use it for emotional questions/introspection. Some weeks that's everyday, other times its less often :p
Definitely a deep/dramatic deck for me (I totally understand what you are saying Peachess!).
I might try it out for everyday questions now that you mention it though..
 

bonebeach

Well, NOW I want to try it for that exact purpose...and I have a friend who doesn't use his copy, and he's generously sending it over.

Isn't that what some people say about tarot in general, though--that it should only be used for deep questions?

If the Thoth, with its marvelous esoteric occult pedigree, can answer mundane questions, then I think ANY deck can, really. I'll try it and report back.
 

Le Fanu

I think Peachess hits the nail on the head. Couldn't have said it better myself. I do keep trying with the Mary El but find that there are about 10 or so cards I just can't make head or tail of in a reading. I have read the book, tried to make them particular to myself just intuitively, looked at the symbolism but I just cannot get anywhere with them and I think ten cards is quite a substantial number within a deck. One is bound to come up. But I do keep trying with it. It really doesn't read as an everyday deck for me but that's just one issue I have with it. But like I say, I just keep going back to it and trying.
 

PathWalker

Interesting - because I've been considering this deck again lately. I didn't buy it when it first came out - there were some cards I just couldn't 'get over'. But others where I think the artwork is just so beautiful.
I'd been looking through the cards on the slide show available on her website, which gives you the art without the titles. There is still such a lot of beauty there, but too many which don't give any visual clues at to which card they are, and I was wondering if I could actually read with it ! Or just wanted it for the 'pretty' cards but would never use it.
 

EmpyreanKnight

I have the Mary-El, altho I've never used it extensively. The system is just so different, and I would have to embark on an IDS if I want to read well with it. At the time I purchased it I was still a newbie, so I decided to focus on becoming competent on the three master systems first, starting with the Thoth.

For all that tho, it is a deck of exquisite beauty. One day I shall study it. Right now it slumbers in a cool, special place.
 

ldiddy

I adore the Mary El, but do not use it as an everyday deck. I have gone for a week or two and use for daily draws but never long term. Then again, I rarely stick with any deck for more than a couple of weeks :-/

Instead, I use it for my most important and personal readings. It is well suited for that, but for me, its energy is too intense for daily work.

Side note: I do use Marie White's three card spread (Internal, External, Advice) from the book Landscapes of the Abyss every single day. It is my all time favorite 3 card, daily draw.
 

Farzon

Just for important and grand topics... that's how I used it as well. Until I thought that this way, I'll nearly never use it and it's way too beautiful to go to waste.

In the meantime I have started to use it for weekly and even daily readings and for me it works very well that way. But I seem to be the only one here?! [emoji33]