studying 8 magicians from 8 decks, and on down the line

I'm going through 8 decks at one time right now, card by card, to compare them...starting with the fool,

What I mean is that I'm laying out all 8 decks in a line, then turning over the fool from all 8 decks to compare, then next to the magician, and going one by one and re-reading thirteens descriptions here on AT of the card meanings as I go.

I realized that I easily get meanings confused from deck to deck because i'm not 'recognizing' the look of the card from one deck to the next. It has really been making things click and stick in my brain like never before.

Have any of you done something similar? Did you find it helpful? What was your experience in comparing decks one on one...card by card?

So a bit more about my set up. The 8 decks are the following

Deck of the Bastard by Seven Stars
Vanessa Tarot
Green Witch Tarot
Victorian Fairy Tarot
Wheel of the year Tarot
Druidcraft
And 2 versions of the Waite

first of all, by having all the decks out side by side I realize it is much easier to compare size and cardstock and understand what I like and don't like. I have to give seven stars much credit as I think her cardstock has edged out all the others as my favorite. Also, I realize I like small cards, the poker size are my favorite, I must have small hands.

I've gotten through 10 cards so far...

First what stands out in my mind is that I realize now how people get frustrated when things are too different from standard meanings or images, or even titles...this is something that surprised me...before I did this comparison, that didn't really bother me at all...now, all of a sudden, these changes and alternative interpretations have become super apparent, and actually, kind of annoying. I wasn't expecting that kind of revelation. Like for instance...all of the hermits are outside, or at least standing up...and they are all at night...except for the hermit in the Victorian Fairy, he's holed up in his tree...it is at night, and he's reading...but still...he should be out wandering...anyway....

Second, out of the 8 decks, there is always a card I'm really drawn to that REALLY represents the ideas of the card...but it's from different decks! So basically, there isn't one PERFECT deck so far...

Thirdly...I think it's the simultaneous comparison that makes the meaning really stick in my mind...like...hmmm, is it night in all the cards...no? did they change that for a reason? Is there this particular symbol in all? no...did they use different symbol? Why? Does it represent another element of that card's meaning? This type of questioning while comparing the same card from 8 decks makes me think deeper and make my own connections about the meaning across multiple interpretations. I find I'm not 'loosing' the information after reading and digesting it this time around but it is getting properly filed in my brain under the correct card...and I'm remembering MUCH, MUCH better.

I highly recommend this style of study....

Wonderful, Amsonia!

I actually started doing this on my own, like you.

And then I discovered that there was a study/reading method based on this principle called Comparative Tarot, by Valerie Sim. She has a book about it (and even a deck!)

To tell you the truth, though, Sim's book did not add a lot to what I was already doing, and I can see that you are A LOT more thorough than me. And I wouldn't bother with the deck.

[QUOTE/]

Second, out of the 8 decks, there is always a card I'm really drawn to that REALLY represents the ideas of the card...but it's from different decks! So basically, there isn't one PERFECT deck so far...[/QUOTE]

Wonder if anyone has made one 'super deck' from all the cards they liked the most for various decks?

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

I really like your idea and may just copy it.

So it was going so well I added two more decks (now I'm totally out of table space with 10 decks laid out!) I added the Golden Thread and the Tarot Mucha.

I'm up to the Hanged Man now...I hope I keep going through the whole deck...I tend to burn out on things like this...it's a lot of dedication to get through all the cards...

When I get to the minors, I think I'll actually lay them out to see all the 2's at the same time, in all four suits...x 10 decks...That will take up some area so I'll probably have to bring a card table up from downstairs to do that on...luckily, I have a spare room for this, and no dogs or cats or kids to come mess everything up...

I'll let you know how the minors go when I get there...and post some pics of my setup

Update...

I've added more decks to the study...I ran out of room to have the 2 stacks for each deck (one stack of cards already studied and one stack that hasn't been studied) so I combined them into one...cards I've studied are face up on top of the cards I haven't...so I don't lose my place.

This is basically my entire Tarot collection now...and I've gotten through the Majors...still amazed at the power of this method for learning cards...it's finally going to free me from having to drag a book around with a deck! Which also means I can feel more free to read...or help on the forum for a card interpretation.

Here is a picture of my little drop down desk with the card stacks.

Amsonia said:

I'm going through 8 decks at one time right now, card by card, to compare them...starting with the fool,

What I mean is that I'm laying out all 8 decks in a line, then turning over the fool from all 8 decks to compare, then next to the magician, and going one by one and re-reading thirteens descriptions here on AT of the card meanings as I go.

I realized that I easily get meanings confused from deck to deck because i'm not 'recognizing' the look of the card from one deck to the next. It has really been making things click and stick in my brain like never before.

Have any of you done something similar? Did you find it helpful? What was your experience in comparing decks one on one...card by card?

Click to expand...

For what it's worth, the way things work for me, the same card in different decks has identical meaning to start with. For me. Eg Strength will always be inner strength for me, no matter what deck it comes with. The Heirophant, always lessons from the past...These little set meanings I have are set, for the most part and apply to most decks. (Unless I pull out a truly original deck like Osho Zen and those rules don't apply).

But generally speaking the set meanings I have are identical for all decks. That is what lets me pick up a new deck I have never used before and immediately read with it. That is how it works for me.

BUT the set meanings I have make up a very small part of the answer. Most of the answer comes to me intuitively through the card image. And yes, because each deck has very different imagery, the same cards in different decks have something very different to say.
And, for me, the majority of the answer comes from what i see in the image each time.

I've done what you mentioned in the past. It did help me at the time, but in the end for me it turned out to be that the card meanings that I had in mind for one deck was the same for all decks. Just the image gives vastly different spins on it.

That is where I am now anyway, Things keep evolving.

Babs

Amsonia said:

Update...

I've added more decks to the study...I ran out of room to have the 2 stacks for each deck (one stack of cards already studied and one stack that hasn't been studied) so I combined them into one...cards I've studied are face up on top of the cards I haven't...so I don't lose my place.

This is basically my entire Tarot collection now...and I've gotten through the Majors...still amazed at the power of this method for learning cards...it's finally going to free me from having to drag a book around with a deck! Which also means I can feel more free to read...or help on the forum for a card interpretation.

Here is a picture of my little drop down desk with the card stacks.

Click to expand...

WOW, you have some truly beautiful decks there! I am duly impressed. And thank you for sharing all of this and your experience with us.

Babs

CharlotteK said:

[QUOTE/]

Second, out of the 8 decks, there is always a card I'm really drawn to that REALLY represents the ideas of the card...but it's from different decks! So basically, there isn't one PERFECT deck so far...

Click to expand...

Wonder if anyone has made one 'super deck' from all the cards they liked the most for various decks?

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk[/QUOTE]

I'm new to the forum and getting back into Tarot after a few years. I was just thinking about this same idea - maybe cut down the bigger ones, although the thickness of the cards may be different - will be interested to hear other's ideas about this.