One year later...

As we're rounding out 2015, what's your thoughts on a deck you've now had for roughly just one year?

I got the Antiquarian tarot last year at the holidays, (i'm a month off as it was christmas). It was a love at first sight deck, and one of the few that i decided to read for others right off the bat w/out even taking the time to look through all the cards, and my readings were good, and surprisingly comfortable. Have my thoughts changed? No, i still love the deck. It's one of those that i went through an intense 3 month love affair w/ and used only it, and then as the year progressed used less, but still used fairly often-- so it has passed the novelty mark. I probably have a more paired down style of working w/ it now. It's one of my few decks that works well for me w/ larger (8 plus) card spreads. I feel i can take in the overview quickly. I wonder how much of this is because of the lovely differing hues of suit borders. Anyway it's a keeper, and others i read for seem to be receptive to it. I would not describe it as an even remotely sentimental deck, as maybe some people would think of w/ sepia old time photographs it would be. I find it oddly kind of modern and fresh.

Anyway, and you? A deck you've had for a year, what are your feelings now?

I checked my instagram (my memory is bad lol) and I found these that I've had for roughly a year now:

- Nicoletta Ceccoli Tarot
I loved this when I got it but the connection/vibe was a little bit off. It worked well for some questions (dream interpretation), but not others (like everyday life questions or love). But I've been using it quite a bit and when I started to let go of connecting it to RWS meanings the readings got much better. I worked with it for a week exclusively recently and I feel really close to this deck now. It has definitely become a favorite of mine!

- Psychic Tarot for the Heart Oracle
Okay, this is more of an oracle deck, but it does have tarot in the title so...? I like this deck, and it gives great readings, BUT... For some reason I don't use it that much?! I really don't know why? It never really calls for me to use it, and it never has, despite the fact there's nothing I actually dislike about this deck. Weird... I'm sure there will come a time for this to teach me something though.

- Dame Darcy's Mermaid Tarot
This really isn't a winter deck to me so it's been "resting" for a couple of weeks now. But I loooooove it! It's so fun, unique, and I somehow always feel like I'm the only one who has this deck because it feels so "homemade" (in a good way). I use this a lot when I read for others, it always gives such clear answers.

So I wouldn't get rid of any of the decks I acquired a year ago, but not all of them are on my all time favorite list of decks...

Citrin

You know, i think about getting dame darcy's often; it seems to have made a lot of people's lists for a deck that they use to death. (Or, when i dip into its thread, there seems to be some solid love.) I like the spirit of it anyway, but am not sure how much i love the art.

I recommend it lol You could check out some reviews on YouTube, I always do that before getting a deck, it usually shows decks really well so you can make up your own mind, while written reviews only give an opinion basically...

I find SOME of the art inconsistent in Dame Darcy's deck, if I have to say something "negative". Some of the court cards are so personal and expressive (like the King of Swords, Queen of Cups, Kind of Wands) and then you have courts that don't feel at all as personal or unique, like the Knight of Swords that just looks like random guy on a dolphin lol... So that can annoy me a little bit actually. But overall it's gorgeous.

Oddly enough of all the decks I picked up last year (2014) the one that I still use the most.. and that's a lot is the Tyldwick

Also a month or two off LOL.

I give you...
The Samhain deck of the Bastard, 2nd edition. By Seven Stars.
Loved it. LOVE IT.
I love the "Twist in the tale" additions that have been put into some of the images in this deck.
Makes me look at the image, and take a delighted 'double take'. And then... "investigate" every other card to see if they have little "twists in the tale" too...
I love the almond shaped borders (there's a name for that - they're "Holy borders"... can't remember just now... Ah yes... vesica pisces...) with the skulls, runes and other info jammed into the border corners.
I love the "attempting to be vintage" feel. It has such character.
Plus - my copy has custom backs with my name on.

Recently decided it had to have a more atmospheric Tarot bag to reside in and it's now nesting in a bag with a pumpkin and leaves print on it.
I had someone who was going to gift me the 3rd edition this Xmas (called The Red Deck - Seven reprinted it with red backgrounds and retired the 2nd edition.)
- but now that person isn't visiting for Xmas no more. WOE! Hahahahaha. (even already had the atmospheric Tarot bag for this one ready... ).

Well anyway ho hum.

I lose track of what a year is in tarot terms. I think I've had a deck for a year and then find that I bought it in 2008. But I shall try...

I know that I've had the LoS Night Sun for almost a year or so because I gifted it in January after feeling zero connection to it and knowing of a dear friend here who was lusting after it, so I gave it to him (and he loved it and used it immediately).

Then something (threads here perhaps) made me pine a little and want to give it a second go. I must have bought it again in March or so. Other people's perspectives made me rethink my initial reaction. Slowly, over the course of this year it has become cumulatively more attractive to me. I love the graphic-ness of some of the artwork, the rays and darkness, the shadowy Majors and the redness of the Wands suit and vividly watery Cups. What I at first thought was stilted computer generated artwork now seems robotic and futuristic. And then those lovely organic borders. Plus somebody said "it's Thothy" and I delved even deeper - not having really noticed to be honest. I assumed it was standard LoS randomness. And when I do draws, even the contorted leggy and buxom female cards don't bother me much now. I love the Courts - always a testing factor in a deck. I think this is a deck which initally seemed "pop" and computer gamesy but, with time, has darkish tarot substance. I don't know whether it's a question of simply not reacting well to it at first or whether I needed to learn how to look at it or whether I left one phase and entered another. Or a combination of all three.

Last year I bought the black and white majors of the Tabula Mundi.
I used them to death for meditation and study. Many a time I have resisted the urge to color them in. And now, I've got the full 78 card deck: Nox et Lux. You best believe that we all get along famously; the TM is the definition of a beautiful, genius deck.

Also around that time, I got the Trionfi della Luna (Italian edition and the Paradoxical Blue edition). I actually read with both of these majors-only decks together for quite a while, and it was a lot of fun, but I let the Blue go in a trade and don't really regret it. I really only could read with it comfortably alongside the normatively-colored TdL. I also have fallen out of using the Trionfi della Luna so frequently, but it's to be expected with a limited edition majors-only deck!

I got the Illuminati last year for the holidays, from my wonderful SO. The Illuminati and I...we have a tense relationship. Sometimes he's just what I need; most times, he's way too loud for me to actually read with. But no matter what, he's pretty to look at!

Trying to remember others now, just for myself, but those were the major December/January newbies.

starlightexp said:

Oddly enough of all the decks I picked up last year (2014) the one that I still use the most.. and that's a lot is the Tyldwick

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i'm always haunted by that deck. i dont really have a wish list anymore (as i have plenty on my tarot plate) but that too has been something i've looked alot at ever since it came out but dont have.

Tanga said:

I love the almond shaped borders (there's a name for that - they're "Holy borders"... can't remember just now... Ah yes... vesica pisces...) with the skulls, runes and other info jammed into the border corners.

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OMG, that's what they're called? I love it.

Le Fanu said:

I think this is a deck which initally seemed "pop" and computer gamesy but, with time, has darkish tarot substance. I don't know whether it's a question of simply not reacting well to it at first or whether I needed to learn how to look at it or whether I left one phase and entered another. Or a combination of all three.

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Le Fanu, this is what i've been waiting for-- someone to post (and to post eloquently of course! lol) about a sordid love affair w/ a deck. Again, this is another deck i've looked at multiple times but have not brought into the Dark Victory family. I am a new thoth reader, (tho have had the Grand Master sleeping dormantly in my cupboard for years until this past winter when --not quite at my one year mark --i got into the T.Mundi majors [see feynrir below] and wanted a full deck to practice w/ until the nox et lux was ready so pulled him out from his slumber. Anyway, now anything thothy is more on my radar than ever, but i do feel (v. appropriately given that thanksgiving is this week in the States) that i have a cornucopia of riches under my nose. I do really like the dark look of Night Sun, and all you had to say was 'redness of the wands' to make my ears perk up a bit again.

feynrir said:

Last year I bought the black and white majors of the Tabula Mundi.Many a time I have resisted the urge to color them in.

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I am v. intrigued by this possibility. I dont have the black and white, but remembered having a v. brief five minute fantasy where i see myself slaving away working on my own 'initiation' holding a completed card, arms out in front of me from my colored pencils and feeling the light swirl about my head. Ah, it goes down the drain quickly after that, when i think about my arts skills, and shamefully compare myself to people blessed (extremely blessed w/ color genius...babylon jones that means you). It was a v. quick fantasy. Tho, i have done yantra tracing for a yoga project and there is a supreme calming effect of doing something like that. Meditative but not at all forced. You get in the zone.

zhadee said:

but Thoth is the Tarot for me.

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Well, that would put you in good company w/ like, oh, half the forum.