Major Tom's Tarot of Marseilles

Major Tom said:

By lunchtime, I was signing copies of my deck on the Two of Cups. When Mary Greer, one of the first to ask, got her's signed she said, "This isn't going to be a precious thing for me. This is going to be a deck to use. The edges will go dark." I can't think of a higher compliment. So please use the deck and tell me how it reads for you.

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~Wow!! I cannot imagine better validation of one's work than this!!!

Congratulations, Tom!

Oh, Major Tom, that is wonderful!

Your deck sounds like it is reaching the right sort of appreciative readers and users, which sounds like the perfect fit...

Thanks for the updates!

I hope you had time at the conference to also enjoy some classes...

I really enjoyed the pictures of the conference with your deck in front of you...

Regards

Cerulean

I have Major Tom's Deck. I went to my brothers home outside Melbourne, and they had lovely surprise for me. I was given a small leather case; it belonged to a Teddy bear and is a perfect miniature of a travelling case and the deck fits in it perfectly. It is a perfect ritual undoing the straps and admiring the tooled work and wee label. I have used the deck for a few days now- and I am thrilled. I have used my usual Wheel spread (somewhat like a Celtic Cross positions). What I really like is that the colours. I get a sense of Tarot patterns and the meanings jump out at me. The cards were a little stiff to start with, but they shuffle with ease now- and I LOVE the matt finish. I did some light hearted readings for my neice and nephew, it was a fun filled time and the cards reflected that happiness. I have done two serious readings for myself and the cards persona changed and I understood the message well. Whilst historical TdM reproductions are a joy to browse- this deck is a 'using' deck and it has quickly become the deck I 'case' around with me and the struggle I have had with TdM has disappeared. Tom- your creativity is much appreciated~Rosanne

~yay,Rosanne!




...now you won't need to get the Voodoo Deck!!

Astrid O said:

...now you won't need to get the Voodoo Deck!!

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Well that deck is definitely colourful Astrid O - But I prefer my Tarot Voodoo to be a little less....in my face!! And Roosters in the Hen Coop not nailed to my door I fervently believe in Horses for Courses and I belong in the sloooow lane. Someone was trying to interest me in Decameron as well Hahahahah!!! I will stick with Major Toms Deck thank you ~Rosanne

I just did my first proper TdM reading with Tom's deck I did a reading in the Chatroom and was able to get useful information despite the obscure topic so I was so happy.

*similia puts one toe into the water of the TdM*

Thanks very much for this Rosanne.

Rosanne said:

I did some light hearted readings for my neice and nephew, it was a fun filled time and the cards reflected that happiness. I have done two serious readings for myself and the cards persona changed and I understood the message well.

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I find what you say here fascinating. The cards persona changed? Could you tell me a little more about this? I'm especially interested in how you experience the 'voice' of the deck and this sounds like it changes depending on your own mood.

Rosanne said:

the struggle I have had with TdM has disappeared. Tom- your creativity is much appreciated~Rosanne

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*doing a little happy dance* Thank you Rosanne. It's my sincere hope this deck ends many struggles.

smilia said:

I just did my first proper TdM reading with Tom's deck I did a reading in the Chatroom and was able to get useful information despite the obscure topic so I was so happy.

*similia puts one toe into the water of the TdM*

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Thanks very much for this similia. Another hope I have for this deck is that it encourages folk to dive headlong into the water of the TdM.

Major Tom said:

I find what you say here fascinating. The cards persona changed? Could you tell me a little more about this? I'm especially interested in how you experience the 'voice' of the deck and this sounds like it changes depending on your own mood.

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I have mulled over this since reading it. I don't think it is my mood- I think it is the question and my focus. I have what I call a 'Virgoan' preciseness to how I read. When it is light hearted as with my neice- "Who is the boy you like in your class?" (I was being nosey) I skim the cards in the order laid down and go from one to the other looking for the marker Card/s that stands out. In her case the marker cards I felt were The Hanged Man and 4 batons. I saw a shy Boy who did not play sports(she is a sporty) After a lot of laughs she agreed with all the other bits and peices I was spot on. I think the colours play a big part for me.
For myself and being a serious question- I have no beginning and end, I move the cards around into balancing patterns- I see outcomes in this pattern and possibilities in an other pattern - I keep moving the cards until the answer LOOKS right not feels right- there is a sort of correctness about the placement. It is interesting with your cards versus my usual personal decks (RWS & Ancient Egyptian) The way the pips are coloured a harmony is very easy to see- so is discord as for example the Swords and Batons seem to jarr or the Coins seem too opulent/ maybe the cups are too few. Then when the pattern seems right I read the spread. I don't call this intuition- I see it the same way as I saw JMD's Sacred Geometry -the right building of blocks.
What I am interested in is how you came to make building blocks that are shaped exactly right for me? ~Rosanne

Rosanne said:

I think it is the question and my focus.

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So are you saying the voice of my deck changes with your intent?

Rosanne said:

I move the cards around into balancing patterns- I see outcomes in this pattern and possibilities in an other pattern - I keep moving the cards until the answer LOOKS right not feels right- there is a sort of correctness about the placement.

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This is a fascinating method. How many cards do you use? Your reading method deserves a thread of it's own. Why don't you start one?

Rosanne said:

The way the pips are coloured a harmony is very easy to see- so is discord as for example the Swords and Batons seem to jarr or the Coins seem too opulent/ maybe the cups are too few. Then when the pattern seems right I read the spread. I don't call this intuition- I see it the same way as I saw JMD's Sacred Geometry -the right building of blocks.

What I am interested in is how you came to make building blocks that are shaped exactly right for me? ~Rosanne

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With any luck these cards will be shaped exactly right for many people.

One of the things I've learned during the 78 weeks of study that accompanied the creation of this deck is that there is a deep spiritual river that runs though the Tarot of Marseilles. It's embedded in the very structure. One of my goals in creating this deck was to be true to the structure. I think that has something to do with it.

Major Tom said:

So are you saying the voice of my deck changes with your intent?

Yes I guess so.

This is a fascinating method. How many cards do you use? Your reading method deserves a thread of it's own. Why don't you start one?

I use ten cards. Thanks for the compliment- but I have never wanted to get into the 'intuition' versus 'meanings' discussion, because I am not sure what intuition means for me. I have said before that if I wanted to read, say toothpicks, the patterns of Tarot be pointless- I chose Tarot, because it made sense to me.


One of the things I've learned during the 78 weeks of study that accompanied the creation of this deck is that there is a deep spiritual river that runs though the Tarot of Marseilles. It's embedded in the very structure. One of my goals in creating this deck was to be true to the structure. I think that has something to do with it.

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This is a very clear way of my connections to the meanings. If I used how I 'feel' I would make pre judgements about the positions of cards. I use how it looks so I get the message intended for the question without the minefield of emotions. It took me so long in my life to work out that feelings were not thoughts. I have been trying to find an example, poor though it is, here is one. I now recognise when I feel Angry I have a deathly stillness inside, my face is passive and I freeze. To others I apparently seem calm. So if I was asked if I felt angry, I would say no- I don't think I am angry- how I am thinking does not look like 'Angry' to me. Hahaha emotions are not clear understandings of how things truely are.
I should have put a smilie after my last comment, I am sure people will feel your building blocks are just as perfect for them. ~Rosanne