Best rated-G decks for use with seniors?

AJ said:

Yet they want tarot readings?

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I was wondering about that too! But 'sheltered' and 'traditional' may not mean the same to everyone, we are a forum with many different cultural backgrounds.

Do people think Seniors have never seen naked female breasts in an art museum or in statuary? That they might not know what a male appendage looks like? Anyone who would be grossly offended by any Tarot nudity probably would not be looking to get a reading anyway. With 65 million million million combinations of cards how many cards with nudity might actually show up in a reading for a Senior - or anyone for that matter? Do you think little kids don't know what boobs and wienies look like?

The one part that I zeroed in on is that she KNOWS

this group, what they are like. That were are NOT talking generalizations, but a SPECIFIC group of people. As she asked for suggestions, I thought it showed she was NOT trying to put her preferences for a conservative group on the table. But again, we can be reading different things into the post.

When reading for ANY group, no matter how large or small, I would try to take tastes into account. If I KNOW a group may be of a more conservative or religious perspective, but they still may wish a reading or to learn about tarot, I'm not breaking out the Vampire Tarot to start, no matter what their age, gender, etc.

I feel it's better to go more conservative ESPECIALLY if you know about a group is conservative, but I would do that anyway if I didn't know the group or preferences. And this is whether or not any age group or gender etc, may know what body parts look like. I know what body parts look like, but that doesn't mean I will choose to read with a deck that is very...detailed. It's about preferences.

Sometimes things may be taken out of context on a thread, the written word is not the same as having a discussion in person, but I DO see the points everyone is making.

Why not a historical deck? Any of the traditional Tarot de Marseilles decks should be fine. Or even the Visconti?

I get what you are saying. My mum falls under that heading. She doesn't mind tarot so much, but would definitely prefer a deck that is devoid of things that make her uncomfortable (nudity, etc.). That is her problem, not mine, and I think it is more common than one thinks. It isn't that she isn't aware of these things ( ) but rather that in a reading (which is somewhat intimate in nature), nudity and sexually explicit scenes would make her very uncomfortable. I have several friends that are more of an age with me (50 +/- 5 years) that are the same. Nudity and sex - but NOT when it might be in a situation where one would talk about it or focus on it.

She likes the Grail tarot, by John Matthews. Also, the Victorian Romantic, Fairytale, and Fantastical Menagerie are quite tame.

I didn't think of that, Chiska!

Going to the older TdM's some might see as looking MORE like tarot, who knows! So that was a good suggestion I didn't think of. I also got your point about nudity in decks. What I might not mind in a movie or reading a book, I may not want in a tarot deck or reading as the reader and I think my Sitter deserves the same consideration, whoever they are.

Myrrha said:

I have to agree. It seems like people are jumping on it to air their own anger at religion or their feelings about ageism or their dislike of "gentle" decks. none of which are the topic of the thread. Very unpleasant level of vitriol.

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Yes, thanks for guiding us back to the original question
Why not bring a selection of decks, varying in degrees of shock-value, and let the client choose the one that resonates? Of course, if you are reading at a church function, maybe leave the Mary El or Erotique Femmes at home

LRichard said:

I'm 76, and I think we oldsters should be shielded from all exposure to explicit nudity or sex, in tarot or anything else. We are totally innocent of things like that. They need to revise movie ratings too. In addition to G and PG, they need ratings like HG (handler's guidance recommended), and OFX (old farts not admitted).

Now, as regards tarot decks for prudes and narrow-minded religious fundamentalists, regardless of age, the suggestions so far are sufficiently boring as to be acceptable. I might add Hello Kitty and International Icon. Otherwise, it shouldn't be too difficult for any competent reader to select an appropriate deck for their "special" clientele.

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The thing with this bunch is that they reallyreallyreally regard me as their child/grandchild in age and station in life in the couple of years we have lived in close proximity (despite me being a psychotherapist with extreme specialities like survivors of abuse and other old-fashioned multiple personalities folks etc., and not very young myself), so it isn't me trying to censor any age group or category beyond the fact that some of these people tend to be the most most most most parochial folks I have met in decades. I work with them in musicals and shows, and have seen them at their crankiest and most-narrow-minded. The tarot itself is what they may not have any interest in, and the fact that my decks as listed are all pretty slanted to certain categories like paganism makes me want to find more neutral decks. I did find a brand new Universal Waite tarot today which I think would be acceptable to those few who will approach me about it, since the basic art was done a hundred years ago and hence has the age and tradition going for it, whereas the newer funkier ones have imagery that may confuse more than help the clients. The question is not sweeping in the sense of 'oh dear old people: sex and violence were invented after them, so how will they cope? Let's hide things' but more like 'if I read for the very parochial older folks, and maybe some older teens, what decks have least of the added-in-recently extra and gore themes?'

Does that make it clearer? I have friends in their 80s+ who are gay or alternative lifestyle or transgendered or have histories as sex workers, so that's not what I was intimating. It's just for the easily-overwhelmed or parochial-minded of any age or station.

LRichard said:

Stereotyping certain groups, such as the elderly, blacks, or homosexuals, especially as regards their stupidity and narrow-mindedness, is flagrantly offensive. Any reader who would try to humor me by using a Doreen Virtue deck would be in for an unpleasant surprise. What in hell does anyone know about the mentality of people raised in earlier decades unless they experienced it themselves? There are people of all ages and social class who are ignorant and inflexible, and some of them are even tarot readers.

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But why do you think I am stereotyping anyone? I keep trying to be specific in initial posts about the specific people that I am talking about, specific people whom I work with several days a week for a couple of years now, who would only get readings from me since they know me and who might have no idea what to expect, whom I would want to have basic cards for as opposed to the more alternative decks that I have been using with clients online and here. I'm not seeing where I said anything about 'all older people' or any other group other than the people I know here, and I want to have a choice of decks available as opposed to only being able to offer the ones where the imagery is just so non-typical, like the decks I listed, that those new to tarot who would be only doing it out of kindness to me to show support even if they don't know what it's about might find it confusing.

Does that make it clearer?

Thoughtful said:

l think some have missed the point here, as the above quote shows you know who your clients are. Its not just that they are elderly (l am one!) and you feel they require a hand holding reading. Being able to cater for all beliefs, ages, religions and sensibilities is thoughtful. One deck may not offend a liberal minded person yet the same deck could seriously offend another. So l think its wise to consider getting a middle of the road deck that you and your clients would be comfortable with, such as those mentioned already.

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Thank you for actually reading the initial post and actiong as if I said what I said. I really respect the effort.

Hats off to you Donnalee for answering all the posts patiently and calmly, even those that seem to be way off base from what you originally asked. I did not think you were trying to stereotype a group at all, but were trying to find some decks for a group of people with whom you are very well acquainted. I have some older friends who are scared by "dark" decks; I know this because we ARE friends, not because I'm trying to put them in a certain category.
The idea Chiska gave for a Marseillles or Italian deck is a good one.