Your most UNREADABLE deck

barefootlife

I don't even have this deck and while I LOVE the look of it, I think it's beautiful and I would definitely want to own it, I'd probably never use it for a "serious" reading.

The Wild Unknown Tarot.

I should probably not say anything before I've tried it, but to me it's pretty imagery in the format of a Tarot Deck. I've watched a couple of YouTube videos for zodiacs monthly when people use it and it just makes me shrug.

Am I wrong about this deck? I'm tempted to buy it but I'm not sure it's worth the price if I won't use it for readings.

I love the WU, it's my go-to deck, but I don't think it's an 'easy' deck by any means. My readings tend to deviate a bit from the traditional card meanings (the LWB gives 2 words for most cards--not necessarily the ones you'd expect--and lets you expand from there), and since they're so sparse, everything from spots of color to the direction of background lines can become really important, and there's repeated imagery in the cards (esp. the sun, moon, and stars) that sometimes become really relevant. In the end it seems to be a deck that speaks to you or doesn't, and it's aptly named, because it's a wily thing that makes you let go of the traditional RWS and read more...holistically, maybe? And, of course, if you like people in your cards (I don't, for the most part), it's a tricky deck to dig into.
 

Nemia

Cathar deck I'm afraid. Really can't get to grips with it whatsoever

I didn't warm to mine either. I have to admit though that I didn't give it much attention yet - I find the art alienating somehow, there's a cool little wind blowing into my face when I look at it.

I wouldn't call it my most unreadable - not yet. I didn't try to read wit it often enough. But it's in the "difficult group" for me, yes.
 

Shanachie05

In one of the worst ironies ever, I can't read the RWS deck. The style of the illustrations and the garish colors just entirely put me off, and it feels very rigid and unyielding, like it doesn't want to be interpreted. I read RWS style (Wild Unknown is the deck that speaks most to me), and of course I've studied the meanings of the original deck, but the RWS itself might as well be a brick wall.
yeah I'm kinda with you. I don't have an RWS deck for the same reasons but I do appreciate the way it revolutionized Tarot

Oh wow. And I thought I was somehow deeply broken because I couldn't get into the RWS! It makes me very anxious to work with it, because I feel blocked and I can't access any form of meaningful thought when I work with the images.

I have had some luck with decks based on RWS, but I have had a lot of trouble with the deck itself. I think Hanson-Roberts is based on it. And I'm pretty sure Cross's Ghost Tarot is based on it. Those seem to be my friendliest decks right now.
 

magicjack

Didn't read all the posts here but did anyone mention the Golden Botticelli? So beautiful and so unreadable.
 

Nemia

Didn't read all the posts here but did anyone mention the Golden Botticelli? So beautiful and so unreadable.

I think over in the Pro and Con someone said the same and I took out my Botticelli and did a reading with it - and it went just fine. Not brilliant, but no dud either. Solid middle class.

For me, the Holy Light was completely unreadable. Swapped it away for Kitty Kahane which doesn't read too well for me... but better than HL. That was like a door shut in my face. Even the deck interview said: no entrance.
 

magicjack

I think over in the Pro and Con someone said the same and I took out my Botticelli and did a reading with it - and it went just fine. Not brilliant, but no dud either. Solid middle class.

For me, the Holy Light was completely unreadable. Swapped it away for Kitty Kahane which doesn't read too well for me... but better than HL. That was like a door shut in my face. Even the deck interview said: no entrance.

I think that is great you can read with it because it is so beautiful. You know, I'm going to get mine back out and try again. My Tarot of the Holy Light? I forced myself and I made it. I can read with it and love it. Go figure.
 

readings.by.mia

I can't read any deck with egyptian imagery! I just can't, like looking at the wall.
 

willowy

Dreams of Gaia. Even trying to work with it as an Oracle was impossible. I didn't have anyone to give it to, so it ended up off to a thrift shop.

I've absolutely hated any of Liz Dean's decks. They never worked with me and they were just flat. The art was lacking. The card stock was terrible and ripped, so I ended up having to toss these.

I'm also not a fan of Doreen Virtue's decks. They were all fluff and not much substance, imo. I gifted these away almost immediately.

Luis Royo's decks fall flat for me as well. Some of them are pretty to look at but not to use as a tarot system. I ended up gifting these away as well, although I did try to like them.

You gave Dreams of gaia to a thift shop?I would of took it off your hands-somebody will have got lucky there.
I don't have it but hoping to get it this year sometime-I do worry it may be somewhat muddled and hard to get you're head around though.


Some very interesting choices- I get where people are coming from with the Thoth and wild unknown being difficult,I never expected Rider-Waite-Smith to be on here though.

My only new one to add to the unreadables list is the H R Giger tarot,I brought mostly cost I'm a big Alien movie fan,and he was behind the alien design,there isn't exactly the alien in the deck but you can see parts here and there.This is a very weird deck,I don't think I'll use it much.Also its just a major arcana deck and I much prefer 78 cards rather than 22.
 

Gowen

My least fave for reading

Wildwood. At least the interpretation in the app- sais near nothing of use to me. The imagry is beautiful however. I decided not to buy the actual deck.