Can ONE card from a deck be a deal breaker for you?

[rylla]

I remember there has been a thread close to this one, but since I guess we all like to talk about tarot I am realy curious:

Just one card from a deck can determine you not to use that deck for reading/ or it's just me? (that's why I'd like to see all the cards before I'd buy a deck -of course most of the time this is not possible). Maybe some of you can pass this 'obstacle'- most of the time I can't. For example I just tried a 3 cards'reading with the Ludy Lescot and the 3 of swords shows children with swords piercing them (or something like that). I think I noticed it because I read here on AT, someone mentioned it before. But it is a complete deal breaker for me this time and I don't think I'll use it any more :-(

 

[Miss Woo]

Yes, the Three of Swords in the Shadowscapes deck completely put me off (the swan with three swords pierced through her heart). My Pug had just died and it was too much for me.

 

[Hemera]

Oh yes, easily.
Quite recently the new Mucha Tarot and the Sun card with the V. Putin faced sun and the child who is too obviously male I don´t think I´ll be able to use that deck much.
Robin Wood is another one with that Lovers card (& the banana..there was a thread about this once).

 

[Nica]

I has happened to me several times. The most bothersome of which has been the Three of Wands from the Deviant Moon Tarot, even though it has so many gorgeous cards as well. That deck is actually quite STUNNING, but that one card really repels me. I bought the Borderless edition, though, and I'm still willing to give it a try.

From the Mythic Tarot, the Moon's three faces and the World card stop me from using that deck. It is otherwise so beautiful, but if I don't like the Moon in a deck, I am not able to read with it. It is my signifier.



I feel like there is a reason why we are manifesting such a strong sense of repulsion. Rather than run from it, I am considering working with it to see why the visual trigger is so strong.

The deal breakers for me are usually really clunky borders or cards with five languages because they take away from the scene I am looking into.



In response to others, I feel like the swan in Shadowscapes accepts pain with grace. It is my favorite 3 of Swords! Given your loss — and I offer my condolences! — the aversion is fully justified. Hopefully time heals that wound!

 

[Curious Dragon]

I really like the Fenestra deck, but that Chariot card! A man standing in a domineering pose over two sexualized women in submissive positions. I just don't think I could read with that in the deck.
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[Laura Borealis]

I'm sure one card could be a deal breaker for me, even if the rest of the deck was great, though I can't think of any examples offhand.

There have definitely been decks where several cards bothered me, and then one would tip it over into Nope Territory. The Rohrig was like that. I loved the art for the most part, but if you've ever seen it, there are tons of airbrushed boobs in it. Some of them even float around bodyless like pale boob balloons. I wasn't offended by them at all, but they were so dang cheesy-looking I couldn't take the deck as a whole very seriously. Then there was one card I really disliked, with (debatable) pedophilia overtones. I hung onto the deck for years anyway because I liked a lot of things about the art, but I could never read with it, and eventually I sold it on.

 

[EmpressArwen]

Yes...I strongly disliked The Empress in the anna.k deck. I gave away the deck because of that card. I did really like some of the other cards but my dislike for the Empress tainted the whole deck for me.

 

[Dark Victory '39]

I totally agree and had the exact same reaction.

The Rohrig was like that. I loved the art for the most part, but if you've ever seen it, there are tons of airbrushed boobs in it. Some of them even float around bodyless like pale boob balloons. I wasn't offended by them at all, but they were so dang cheesy-looking I couldn't take the deck as a whole very seriously.

 

[Thoughtful]

l could not use the Robin Wood tarot because of the lovers card, it is a bit over the top. My clients may have been alright with it but l did not want to take the risk and lose them forever! So that deck went walkies to someone else a long time ago.

 

[Eremita90]

When I got my very first Thoth I pulled a card at random, I don't even know why, and it was the Seven of Disks. I stayed away from the deck for about four months I didn't know a thing about Crowley, Harris, Kabbalah, the artwork of the deck etc. I just saw the word "Failure" thrown at me with the depressing design of that card and I was like "That's it. I'm out" Now I don't really care anymore, I can take Nines of Swords, Towers, Fives of Cups and whatnot. Not that it's a lot of fun, but at least I can deal with the,. I just realized that if I was sooo touchy it was because there was something heavily out of balance in me, not in the deck, and decided to work on it and study the Thoth.