Why are playing cards not so popular?

Joermit

Hello, all!

Phoenix Rising and I are two avid cartomancers, those who work primarily with playing cards... and we've always wondered about this... so I thought I'd ask in a thread...

I started with tarot several years ago, but at the beginning of the year switched to reading with playing cards... and I do love it... I was wondering why not as many of you who are interesting in tarot, are not so interested in playing cards?? (especially those who enjoy the T'oD) forgive me if I'm assuming too much or anything.. there just isn't a whole lotta discussion on PCs beside over in the oracle reading section.... now I do know this is a tarot based website... and tarot is and should be the focus... but many people seem to have varied interests as well and I just wonder why there isn't a bigger draw to pcs...

I've heard some who feel they're too blunt... don't pull their punches... are difficult to learn.. the lack of picture isn't interesting... etc... and I can understand this because when I first began to work with them I found it a bit daunting... but over the course of the past nine months, I've come to love them and appreciate them for their remarkable insights... they really can delve into a subject with great depth... and seem to be exceptionally clear to me... I often say I feel like I should have been working with them from the start... not that I don't love tarot by any means... it still a passion of mine...

so... who's explored playing cards? why? what turned you off or on to them? why haven't you been drawn to them?? anyone have a family tradition of reading with pcs?? I'm just very curious and these are some questions that pop into mind...

I hope to get some insights......

thanks, all!

Joey
 

Phoenix Rising

Yes I am interested to read some comments concerning this as well..as it had crossed my mind a number of times.

I know there have been a few of the older members like Meewah, Umbrae, JMD and Lee who have used and probably still do use PC's.

I know a couple of people I have done readings for..have found them quite informative and accurate..and have expressed an interest in learning them. I think the main key is finding a method that suits you. As I have looked at 5 different methods...hedgewytch was a well structured method in helping to memorise the cards..but 2 of the rules: black is bad..just didn't do it for me. It was a skill in also reading the suit sequence as well as the cards.

Look forward to reading the replies here.
 

Kenny

I think it might be that they're not mysterious in the way tarot cards are. For example: if you go to someone for a reading and then find they pull out a deck of playing cards most people would think they want to play 21s or patience rather than telling them about so and so whom they fancy...

Image is my guess.
 

Barbaras Ahajusts

Meeeee!!!

Well of course me! I'm have all kinds of different playing card decks. If someone ask me to give up all my decks, I would battle over my Thoth, but I would not give up my playing cards! No way a'tall!!!

On the Hedge Wytchery thread, I have been battleing that style of reading for quite a while! Its finally getting through my thick head. 'Bout time too! ;)

But using any deck of cards, be they tarot or cartomancy, you still have to weave that story or its boring as hell!
"Yep, theres a trip, over water maybe, there's a dude with money and your mom wears army boots." :laugh:
There has to be that 'magical' story to draw someone into what you can see, feel and hear, not a blow by blow walk through of the cards. The talent and or gift is being able to do just that!

I love my playing card decks! I have all sizes, colors, shapes and recreations too!

:heart:Barb
 

Phoenix Rising

Kenny said:
I think it might be that they're not mysterious in the way tarot cards are. For example: if you go to someone for a reading and then find they pull out a deck of playing cards most people would think they want to play 21s or patience rather than telling them about so and so whom they fancy...

Image is my guess.

Lol..quite possibly Kenny..until the reader blows them away with it's bluntness and accuracy..hehe. Because they can certainly reveal to someone..about someones thoughts and feelings. I've read many of the readings on "Your readings" with people being a little unsure what the tarot cards mean as far as how someone feels about them...they can't figure it out. There can be alot of second guessing with the tarot..but not so much with playing cards.

Tarot has beautiful artistry..I guess that is quite appealing to alot of people. More so as to why some people don't "Use them" is what we are wanting to know.

thanks for your reply...
 

Annabelle

My experience with using playing cards for divination didn't turn out well. For me, somehow, playing cards just don't give me accurate or clear readings. I feel too much as if I'm speaking in generalities, and sort of reaching for things to talk about in the reading - I end up advising rather than interpreting, because there's not much on the cards to be interpreted.

Maybe I'm just not approaching it in the right frame of mind - I don't know. Anyway, I prefer tarot cards to playing cards :).
 

Phoenix Rising

Annabelle4 said:
My experience with using playing cards for divination didn't turn out well. For me, somehow, playing cards just don't give me accurate or clear readings. I feel too much as if I'm speaking in generalities, and sort of reaching for things to talk about in the reading - I end up advising rather than interpreting, because there's not much on the cards to be interpreted.

Maybe I'm just not approaching it in the right frame of mind - I don't know. Anyway, I prefer tarot cards to playing cards :).

Hi Annabelle,

Yes I know what you mean, trying to find more words to carry it on..I know I had that problem and still do sometimes as to make a flowing story..I guess making the story flow and even with tarot cards comes with experience. A good teacher of the method of playing cards Deborah Leigh..can create so much information..how she does it, she says comes from her own intuitive perceptions as well..and there I think is when reaching for words doesn't become a problem.

I guess they are 2 completely different methods(tarot/PC's) and depends on what question or type of reading you're looking for.
 

sapienza

What an interesting topic! To be honest I've never really considered reading with playing cards. I have enough trouble trying to find the right tarot deck to read with. I personally believe you can use anything to read with, tarot cards, playing cards, tea leaves, sticks, clouds....if you use your intuition then anything can work. But in saying that, I think it is definitely the visual element that puts me off. I think if you are a visual person then you use the images of the tarot to interpret the cards, rather than meanings based on numerology and suits etc. I guess that's why a lot of people also keep away from the tarot decks without illustrated pips.

It's funny though, because long before I ever saw a tarot deck I used to love playing cards, even as a kid. I used to play patience and would come up with certain meanings if certain things happened and when I was upset or worried I'd get a deck of playing cards and sit and shuffle it to calm down. So maybe there is more of a link between the two than I ever thought. Maybe I should give it a try. But then....now I've gotten into the tarot I think I'd miss not only the pictures, but I think I'd be lost without the major arcana!
 

Joermit

Very interesting comments so far... I will comment that at first... playing cards do seem very general... there's a key word or simply meaning attached to them... and when you've got a keyword like "tears" attached to a card... how does one incorporated that... thus the bluntness... well... I've worked and worked with em and I have found lately... that I don't have set meanings per se for each card... they fluctuate... I too have researched method after method of cartomancy, only to find that one I made up works best... and it constantly shifts... this truely makes it a wonderful intuitive tool... I incorporate some numerology... a bit a tarot meanings... archetypes I've made up... elemental diginties.... a bit of astrology... certain cards have sorta let me know what they should mean... it's really fascinating... it all depends on how they lay and what's around them...

I don't think I mentioned how I got into pcs... I simply had one of the best readings by a wonderful lady who used playing cards... I was blown away... it was right on the money... clear and accurate and fun... so I began to tinker and play... then became more and more enthralled... really a wonderful way of divining that deserves exploration... and I love that a playing card deck can be bought for like $1.50... I've written on cards... drawn on them... cut them up... collaged them... all in playing and learning and working with their energies... I'd never do this to a tarot deck...lol...

thanks for the wonderful comments all...

Joey
 

Papageno

sapienza said:
What an interesting topic! To be honest I've never really considered reading with playing cards. I have enough trouble trying to find the right tarot deck to read with. I personally believe you can use anything to read with, tarot cards, playing cards, tea leaves, sticks, clouds....if you use your intuition then anything can work. But in saying that, I think it is definitely the visual element that puts me off. I think if you are a visual person then you use the images of the tarot to interpret the cards, rather than meanings based on numerology and suits etc. I guess that's why a lot of people also keep away from the tarot decks without illustrated pips.

It's funny though, because long before I ever saw a tarot deck I used to love playing cards, even as a kid. I used to play patience and would come up with certain meanings if certain things happened and when I was upset or worried I'd get a deck of playing cards and sit and shuffle it to calm down. So maybe there is more of a link between the two than I ever thought. Maybe I should give it a try. But then....now I've gotten into the tarot I think I'd miss not only the pictures, but I think I'd be lost without the major arcana!

for me it was the exact opposite.
regular playing cards and card games never interested me one bit.
in fact I got into tarot only because of an incredible reading someone did for me in a restaurant of all things, a birthday party for a friend in a restaurant that featured readers. it was at that moment that I caught the bug.
the images suddenly had meaning and became a fascination.
once I started delving into it on my own and began discovering how much beautiful art there was to be had in the cards, I was doomed.
I now look at standard playing cards differently and understand the potential there but they are still as dull as dishwater to me, even a pack of Dondorf cards don't inspire me enough to use them. and yes, it was many years before I could appreciate and use an austere marseille deck.