Referring to RWS when using other decks

I'm sorry if this question has been asked before but I'm relatively new to Tarot... Do you refer to the Rider Waite card meanings when using other decks?

At the moment I'm using the Voyager deck and I'm not sure if I should refer to the Rider Waite card meanings as well, or if I should just stick to the Voyager card meanings.

For example, for today's card of the day reading I got the Six of Wands (Trust) using the Voyager deck.

I have read both card meanings (from Voyager and Rider Waite) and I identify most with the Voyager card meaning - I really can't see how the Rider Waite card meaning applies to me.

In the Voyager deck the Six of Wands card is about trust, which means trusting the universe, humankind, yourself and others, and being trustworthy.

Personally, I don't. Different decks have different meanings for the same cards. IMHO, it would be a terrible waste not to use them. Especially as, like you said, the deck's meaning was relevant and RWS meaning wasn't.

dancing_moon said:

Personally, I don't. Different decks have different meanings for the same cards. IMHO, it would be a terrible waste not to use them. Especially as, like you said, the deck's meaning was relevant and RWS meaning wasn't.

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Okay, thanks I'm just interested to know what other people do.

It all depends on the deck. The RWS clones will pretty much stick to the RWS meanings, but may be illustrated with something that's not the conventional card meaning. It's just a different way of looking at what the card means. When using any deck, you do default to the RWS meanings when looking at the cards and then you have to trust your intuition to take it from there and run with it, even if the illustration doesn't just automatically look to you like the RWS meaning would apply.

When reading the cards, your intuition will usually lead you to the answers you're looking for even if the illustrations aren't classical and traditional. You look at the card, compare it with the RWS meaning and then figure out how to interpret the card's images to fit into the spread. It all happens in a split second sometimes.

And by the way, there's probably not a single Tarot question you can think of that hasn't been asked multiple times and then some but it's always interesting to see what everyone says in reply, anyway, because it seems like there are always points that come out in the answers that are fresh and new.

Grizabella said:

It all depends on the deck. The RWS clones will pretty much stick to the RWS meanings, but may be illustrated with something that's not the conventional card meaning. It's just a different way of looking at what the card means. When using any deck, you do default to the RWS meanings when looking at the cards and then you have to trust your intuition to take it from there and run with it, even if the illustration doesn't just automatically look to you like the RWS meaning would apply.

When reading the cards, your intuition will usually lead you to the answers you're looking for even if the illustrations aren't classical and traditional. You look at the card, compare it with the RWS meaning and then figure out how to interpret the card's images to fit into the spread. It all happens in a split second sometimes.

And by the way, there's probably not a single Tarot question you can think of that hasn't been asked multiple times and then some but it's always interesting to see what everyone says in reply, anyway, because it seems like there are always points that come out in the answers that are fresh and new.

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Thanks. That's very interesting

I feel pretty strongly that the Voyager card meaning was more relevant because I was talking about my trust issues with a friend before I did the reading. I think the card was telling me to let go and just trust.

Just taking the RWS-meanings and applying them to all decks out there, without actually looking at the card in the reading - why would you need a deck then? You might as well sit down and meditate on the question and then maybe "The Empress" pops up in your head and you can go with the meanings that go with that card. I actually think tarot readers that are VERY familiar with their deck could read like that... Anyway, rambling here... What I'm trying to say it's kind of the easy way out to just go with the standard RWS meanings. With the "clones" yeah, sure, they follow the same symbols and such.

But I think a deck that is different from the RWS can really challenge and develop your intuition. I just got the Ludy Lescot tarot deck and I can admit it's almost scary not seeing the symbols and scenes I am so used to! I've forbid myself to think of the RWS when using the Ludy Lescot. I look at the cards and then really try to feel/sense what the image is telling me. The fun thing is that the deck doesn't really come with any set meanings in a LWB so I'm forced to sharpen my intuition and forget all about little keywords and cheat sheets.

Especially here in UTC where it's not a requirement to list the deck used when asking about cards from readings, I default to RWS imagery and meanings when discussing cards if the person who asked the question doesn't tell us the deck that was used.

Otherwise, decks from within the same school can generally have meanings cross-pollinated to other decks. The Voyager is not a RWS-clone, so it would make sense those meanings don't jibe with the RWS meanings.

rwcarter said:

Especially here in UTC where it's not a requirement to list the deck used when asking about cards from readings, I default to RWS imagery and meanings when discussing cards if the person who asked the question doesn't tell us the deck that was used.

Otherwise, decks from within the same school can generally have meanings cross-pollinated to other decks. The Voyager is not a RWS-clone, so it would make sense those meanings don't jibe with the RWS meanings.

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Thanks

I agree with you that the Voyager deck is its own individual deck. I really am enjoying using it and getting to know it. The cards seem to understand me and they are always accurate; it's just a matter of learning how to interpret them!

SelenaGomez said:

I'm sorry if this question has been asked before but I'm relatively new to Tarot... Do you refer to the Rider Waite card meanings when using other decks?

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No, when reading I refer to what I see in the images in front of me. Otherwise, I might as well just have the one deck.

Sadly, when answering questions about cards and a deck isn't named, I default to the RW, not to the deck most ingrained in me. I'm not quite sure why I do that.