Tarot futures up
February 24, 2024 5:22 AM Subscribe
Tarot Cards Market to grow by USD 214.34 million from 2021 to 2026 claims yahoo!finance. Over at SCAD's student-run online fashion publication, they're here for it. PW says that "publishers are attuned to the thriving marketplace for guides to the magic of crystals, flowers, elaborate tarot cards, and imaginative oracle decks." Tarot has taken on new meaning in recent times for the RPG world. Finally, Anastasia Murney has things to say about "Tarot as affective cartography in the uneven Anthropocene" [PDF].
Murney, Anastasia. "Tarot as affective cartography in the uneven Anthropocene." Journal of Visual Culture 22, no. 2 (2023): 243-263.
Murney, Anastasia. "Tarot as affective cartography in the uneven Anthropocene." Journal of Visual Culture 22, no. 2 (2023): 243-263.
Tarot provides a way of thinking about one's life and challenges. I like picking one card every now and then.
The decks ARE getting much prettier and varied.
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:51 AM on February 24 [9 favorites]
The decks ARE getting much prettier and varied.
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:51 AM on February 24 [9 favorites]
I'm not sure which I like better, "affective cartography" or "uneven Anthropocene"
posted by chavenet at 6:04 AM on February 24 [10 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 6:04 AM on February 24 [10 favorites]
Wow that Rosalarian Tarot is friggin gorgeous đ
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:09 AM on February 24 [4 favorites]
posted by tiny frying pan at 6:09 AM on February 24 [4 favorites]
I do not know anything about Tarot cards and do not use them myself but I did purchase a set of these beautiful Philadelphia-themed cards for a friend who has close ties to that city. The Philadelphia Museum of Art also has prints of some of the individual cards e.g., the strength card featuring the statue of Rocky on the steps of the museum, the moon card featuring city hall).
posted by ElKevbo at 6:11 AM on February 24 [3 favorites]
posted by ElKevbo at 6:11 AM on February 24 [3 favorites]
"Science is more than a..."
Except you may recall how in Contact, after all the decoding and building and traveling, Arroway finds a circle has been drawn in the middle of pi by the universe architects. Don't be stupid, sure, but you can't tell me Sagan didn't appreciate and understand the power of delivering messages through art and image.
Let people have their pretty things. And don't weaponize Carl Sagan!
posted by phunniemee at 6:13 AM on February 24 [7 favorites]
Except you may recall how in Contact, after all the decoding and building and traveling, Arroway finds a circle has been drawn in the middle of pi by the universe architects. Don't be stupid, sure, but you can't tell me Sagan didn't appreciate and understand the power of delivering messages through art and image.
Let people have their pretty things. And don't weaponize Carl Sagan!
posted by phunniemee at 6:13 AM on February 24 [7 favorites]
I love woo-woo. Tarot, crystals, and dried plants all make me feel some type of way, and I want to be surrounded by weird, esoteric shit, even though I don't really believe in any of their magical powers. To me, tarot/crystals/tea leaves won't tell me the future, but what I end up distilling from them can be very telling about my state of mind and being.
All that to say that the now out of print Hexen 2.0 has been my holy grail deck for the better part of a decade. Here's the description from the linked website, but I also highly recommend readers take a look at the illustrations, because they're cool. Here, William Gibson is Eight of Wands.
HEXEN 2.0 looks into histories of scientific research behind government programmes of mass control, investigating parallel histories of countercultural and grass roots movements. HEXEN 2.0 charts, within a framework of post-WWII U.S. governmental and military imperatives, the coming together of diverse scientific and social sciences through the development of cybernetics, the history of the internet, the rise of Web 2.0 and increased intelligence gathering, and the implications for the future of new systems of societal manipulation towards a control society.
HEXEN 2.0 specifically investigates the participants of the seminal Macy Conferences (1946-1953), whose primary goal was to set the foundations for a general science of the workings of the human mind. The project simultaneously looks at diverse philosophical, literary and political responses to advances in technology including the claims of Anarcho-Primitivism and Post Leftism, Theodore Kaczynski/The Unabomber, Technogaianism and Transhumanism, and traces precursory ideas such as those of Thoreau, Warren, Heidegger and Adorno in relation to visions of utopic and dystopic futures from science-fiction literature and film.
Based on actual events, people, histories and scientific projections of the future, and consisting of alchemical diagrams, a Tarot deck, photo-text works, a video and a website, HEXEN 2.0 offers a space where one may use the works as a tool to envision possible alternative futures.
posted by antihistameme at 6:20 AM on February 24 [14 favorites]
All that to say that the now out of print Hexen 2.0 has been my holy grail deck for the better part of a decade. Here's the description from the linked website, but I also highly recommend readers take a look at the illustrations, because they're cool. Here, William Gibson is Eight of Wands.
HEXEN 2.0 looks into histories of scientific research behind government programmes of mass control, investigating parallel histories of countercultural and grass roots movements. HEXEN 2.0 charts, within a framework of post-WWII U.S. governmental and military imperatives, the coming together of diverse scientific and social sciences through the development of cybernetics, the history of the internet, the rise of Web 2.0 and increased intelligence gathering, and the implications for the future of new systems of societal manipulation towards a control society.
HEXEN 2.0 specifically investigates the participants of the seminal Macy Conferences (1946-1953), whose primary goal was to set the foundations for a general science of the workings of the human mind. The project simultaneously looks at diverse philosophical, literary and political responses to advances in technology including the claims of Anarcho-Primitivism and Post Leftism, Theodore Kaczynski/The Unabomber, Technogaianism and Transhumanism, and traces precursory ideas such as those of Thoreau, Warren, Heidegger and Adorno in relation to visions of utopic and dystopic futures from science-fiction literature and film.
Based on actual events, people, histories and scientific projections of the future, and consisting of alchemical diagrams, a Tarot deck, photo-text works, a video and a website, HEXEN 2.0 offers a space where one may use the works as a tool to envision possible alternative futures.
posted by antihistameme at 6:20 AM on February 24 [14 favorites]
I have one of the Tarot of the Silicon Dawn decks by MeFiâs Own Egypt Urnash and it is such a deep and challenging deck to use. I really love it and count it among my most prized possessions.
Iâve been dinking around with tarot for a few decades and the phase âaffective topographyâ is so apt. Itâs an endlessly useful tool to think through feeling and thoughts in a structured but open ended way. There are a lot of other techniques for this, but the tactile and aesthetic properties of the cards make them really appealing.
posted by jeoc at 6:20 AM on February 24 [8 favorites]
Iâve been dinking around with tarot for a few decades and the phase âaffective topographyâ is so apt. Itâs an endlessly useful tool to think through feeling and thoughts in a structured but open ended way. There are a lot of other techniques for this, but the tactile and aesthetic properties of the cards make them really appealing.
posted by jeoc at 6:20 AM on February 24 [8 favorites]
I have one Tarot deck, which I bought because I got tired of never having a bookmark to hand. It has served admirably.
posted by AdamCSnider at 6:31 AM on February 24 [7 favorites]
posted by AdamCSnider at 6:31 AM on February 24 [7 favorites]
...unable to distinguish between what feels good and whatâs true...
I have seen much more willful self-deception on the part of techno-utopians than anyone with an interest in astrology or tarot, and the latter have done far, far less harm with their fantasies than the former.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 6:31 AM on February 24 [20 favorites]
I have seen much more willful self-deception on the part of techno-utopians than anyone with an interest in astrology or tarot, and the latter have done far, far less harm with their fantasies than the former.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 6:31 AM on February 24 [20 favorites]
Conjuring the 1960's "The Meditations on the Tarot" by Valentin Tomberg for anyone who feels called to learn about the Christian Hermetic Tradition's interpretations of the major arcana.
posted by FairWitness at 6:50 AM on February 24 [2 favorites]
posted by FairWitness at 6:50 AM on February 24 [2 favorites]
Maybe now they'll reprint the Slow Holler deck đ„č? Pretty please?
posted by kokaku at 6:50 AM on February 24 [2 favorites]
posted by kokaku at 6:50 AM on February 24 [2 favorites]
> Tarot provides a way of thinking about one's life and challenges.
My wife is really into Tarot cards (I couldn't even tell you how many decks she has), in part because they're beautiful but also because she likes to do readings for herself and others. The way she explains it, she thinks of them as a prompt for thought exercises rather than a tool to predict the future or whatever.
posted by The Card Cheat at 6:56 AM on February 24 [13 favorites]
My wife is really into Tarot cards (I couldn't even tell you how many decks she has), in part because they're beautiful but also because she likes to do readings for herself and others. The way she explains it, she thinks of them as a prompt for thought exercises rather than a tool to predict the future or whatever.
posted by The Card Cheat at 6:56 AM on February 24 [13 favorites]
Let people have their pretty things. And don't weaponize Carl Sagan!
A little OT, but hopefully not too much. Sasha Sagan (Carl Saganâs daughter) wrote a beautiful book called For Small Creatures Such as We that talks about ritual and meaning making. Itâs a lovely read and I highly recommend it.
posted by eekernohan at 7:00 AM on February 24 [7 favorites]
A little OT, but hopefully not too much. Sasha Sagan (Carl Saganâs daughter) wrote a beautiful book called For Small Creatures Such as We that talks about ritual and meaning making. Itâs a lovely read and I highly recommend it.
posted by eekernohan at 7:00 AM on February 24 [7 favorites]
aleatoric decisionmaking processes are totally valid, as are aleatoric storytelling tools. there's tons of woo that i have whole herds of beeves with, but tarot is basically the answer to "what if oblique strategies but it's from the 1500s" and as such is both fun and cool.
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 7:06 AM on February 24 [10 favorites]
posted by bombastic lowercase pronouncements at 7:06 AM on February 24 [10 favorites]
Mod note: A few comments removed and some responses left up for context. Let's move on from the science vs tarot tangent, thank you.
Folks are always free to skip a thread and go make their own about things they enjoy or like.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 7:20 AM on February 24 [11 favorites]
Folks are always free to skip a thread and go make their own about things they enjoy or like.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 7:20 AM on February 24 [11 favorites]
As a lifelong computer rpg player and recent initiate to TTRPG, using tarot for an additional aspect of randomization and flavor sounds really cool and fun!
Also, I recently learned that tarot started out as just a regular deck of cards for card games, and all the 'fortune telling' sort of stuff came later. So when I get around to getting a new deck, I think it will be fun to try some of those old games too.
Which is to say: yeah I am not at all surprised to see this being viewed as a growing market that will grow more.
Especially if you include tarot-ish things, like the 'mind map' decks advertised in the back of Science News (which also look kind of fun).
(Gah my edit addition spawned a new comment, sorry, mods can maybe fix?)
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:50 AM on February 24 [1 favorite]
Also, I recently learned that tarot started out as just a regular deck of cards for card games, and all the 'fortune telling' sort of stuff came later. So when I get around to getting a new deck, I think it will be fun to try some of those old games too.
Which is to say: yeah I am not at all surprised to see this being viewed as a growing market that will grow more.
Especially if you include tarot-ish things, like the 'mind map' decks advertised in the back of Science News (which also look kind of fun).
(Gah my edit addition spawned a new comment, sorry, mods can maybe fix?)
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:50 AM on February 24 [1 favorite]
"Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died." - Steven Wright
posted by hoodrich at 8:18 AM on February 24 [7 favorites]
posted by hoodrich at 8:18 AM on February 24 [7 favorites]
I really need to get a second printing of the Silicon Dawn happening. If anyone reading these comments works at a publisher looking for more queer decks then drop me a line.
Maybe I should just throw some sample images at every publisher listed in the Publishers Weekly article.
posted by egypturnash at 8:40 AM on February 24 [12 favorites]
Maybe I should just throw some sample images at every publisher listed in the Publishers Weekly article.
posted by egypturnash at 8:40 AM on February 24 [12 favorites]
Okay, here is the list of all the decks I currently own, in addition to the one mentioned above.
The classic RWS
Hoodoo Tarot -- I like this one but it feels inappropriate for a white presenting woman to use
Considerate Cat Tarot
Not So Mystical Tarot
Antique Anatomy
Tattoo: Ink & Intuition Tarot
Women of Science -- this one was a gift from Shepherd when I started approaching Tarot as a tool
Tarot del Toro (Guillermo, that is)
Anima Mundi
Le Tarot de L'Etoile Cachee
Body Language Tarot
The Marigold Tarot -- you see this one ripped off a lot online
The Forager's Daughter
Tarot of the Divine -- mythology based!
Modern Witch -- a very modern version of the RWS, v popular
Destiny Deck
Cute Cat Tarot -- fun fact: this was a Kickstarter and you could have one of your IRL cats as part of the Minor Arcana as a paid tier; the late great missed-everyday Poopercat is the Queen of Cups in this one.
The Prism Tarot
Oak Ash & Thorn
Soul Cards
The Moon/The Sun - This is a Kickstarter deck and I can find no info, lol
Blooming Cat Tarot
The Wild Unknown -- also one of the classic modern decks
Tarot of the Unknown -- yes! An Over the Garden Wall deck!
The Spiritkeeper's Tarot -- this deck is especially complex to use, goes in and out of print all the time
The Somnia Tarot -- photography based, v cool
The Witches Tarot -- this one turned out to have a lot more nudity than I reckoned, also photography based
Transient Light Tarot
The Trinity Tarot
The Lucine Tarot
Pocket of Peers -- all the cards are members of the modern witch community, including Rachel Pollack
True Heart Tarot -- this one was created by Rachel True, cast member of the OG Craft movie
Seventh Sphere Tarot --Ngl, I covet a lot of the decks by this creator
Spoopy Tarot -- this was an impulse purchase; it's cute but I can't seem to get a grip working with it
Four Twenty Tarot -- fun fact: the creator of this Tarot is actively involved in cannabis amnesty activism
The OK Tarot -- a v basic Tarot deck bought for me by Shepherd out of a hotel vending machine
American Renaissance Tarot -- this one is amazing, probably a fave of mine
Bobby's Tarot Decks -- teeny weeny deck made using vintage images
The Witches Wisdom Tarot -- way too Wicca for me, would happily trade for something I like better
And yes, I too would love a copy of the Slow Holler Tarot!!
p.s. I have 50 decks on my wishlist
posted by Kitteh at 8:52 AM on February 24 [19 favorites]
The classic RWS
Hoodoo Tarot -- I like this one but it feels inappropriate for a white presenting woman to use
Considerate Cat Tarot
Not So Mystical Tarot
Antique Anatomy
Tattoo: Ink & Intuition Tarot
Women of Science -- this one was a gift from Shepherd when I started approaching Tarot as a tool
Tarot del Toro (Guillermo, that is)
Anima Mundi
Le Tarot de L'Etoile Cachee
Body Language Tarot
The Marigold Tarot -- you see this one ripped off a lot online
The Forager's Daughter
Tarot of the Divine -- mythology based!
Modern Witch -- a very modern version of the RWS, v popular
Destiny Deck
Cute Cat Tarot -- fun fact: this was a Kickstarter and you could have one of your IRL cats as part of the Minor Arcana as a paid tier; the late great missed-everyday Poopercat is the Queen of Cups in this one.
The Prism Tarot
Oak Ash & Thorn
Soul Cards
The Moon/The Sun - This is a Kickstarter deck and I can find no info, lol
Blooming Cat Tarot
The Wild Unknown -- also one of the classic modern decks
Tarot of the Unknown -- yes! An Over the Garden Wall deck!
The Spiritkeeper's Tarot -- this deck is especially complex to use, goes in and out of print all the time
The Somnia Tarot -- photography based, v cool
The Witches Tarot -- this one turned out to have a lot more nudity than I reckoned, also photography based
Transient Light Tarot
The Trinity Tarot
The Lucine Tarot
Pocket of Peers -- all the cards are members of the modern witch community, including Rachel Pollack
True Heart Tarot -- this one was created by Rachel True, cast member of the OG Craft movie
Seventh Sphere Tarot --Ngl, I covet a lot of the decks by this creator
Spoopy Tarot -- this was an impulse purchase; it's cute but I can't seem to get a grip working with it
Four Twenty Tarot -- fun fact: the creator of this Tarot is actively involved in cannabis amnesty activism
The OK Tarot -- a v basic Tarot deck bought for me by Shepherd out of a hotel vending machine
American Renaissance Tarot -- this one is amazing, probably a fave of mine
Bobby's Tarot Decks -- teeny weeny deck made using vintage images
The Witches Wisdom Tarot -- way too Wicca for me, would happily trade for something I like better
And yes, I too would love a copy of the Slow Holler Tarot!!
p.s. I have 50 decks on my wishlist
posted by Kitteh at 8:52 AM on February 24 [19 favorites]
new meaning in recent times for the RPG world
One old Tarot-based tabletop story game I know is "La Bande DessinĂ©e" in Le Grand Livre des jeux aÌ la maison from 1977, which invites players to tell stories based on a tarot deck or a deck of imagery they've drawn for themselves (even suggesting a list of imagery like a witch, an assassin, gifts, travel, marriage, prison, money, etc.). Players are dealt 7 cards each and divide into 2 teams. The first player on a team should try to play a character, the second a situation, and the third a place. Then they play out a story contributing one card after another as the leader of the game writes it up. The other team is doing the same, and at the end you compare stories and the "best" wins--but playing with no winner is also encouraged.
As a game where you have motifs to connect one by one in a story, this is very similar to a game described in 1643 called "Le Jeu du Roman," which was played by Louis XIV as a teenager and led to at least one short novel as well as stories about the game in other novels. It's also similar to the card-based storytelling game Once Upon a Time from 1993 and still available.
But re: recent Tarot-based tabletop games, I noticed someone on a Discord about French story games / indie games talking about this new game, Magie de Minuit, which has links there to several actual plays. Searching itch.io, I see a good many other short tabletop games--mostly, like, journaling games--and TTRPG addons based on Tarot, generally free to download: The Game Designer's Tarot, Tarot Telling for Two, Tarot Garden, Journey Tarot SRD, The Wanderhome Key to the Tarot, Journey of the Tarot, Bookmark Tarot Tutor, Traits of the Tarot, Astir Tarot, hi 2021 tarot zine, Battle of Tarot, and Kishotenketsu Tarot Game. I'd also encourage people to try it as a trick-taking card game too, like via a French Tarot app, to understand how it got started.
posted by Wobbuffet at 8:54 AM on February 24 [11 favorites]
One old Tarot-based tabletop story game I know is "La Bande DessinĂ©e" in Le Grand Livre des jeux aÌ la maison from 1977, which invites players to tell stories based on a tarot deck or a deck of imagery they've drawn for themselves (even suggesting a list of imagery like a witch, an assassin, gifts, travel, marriage, prison, money, etc.). Players are dealt 7 cards each and divide into 2 teams. The first player on a team should try to play a character, the second a situation, and the third a place. Then they play out a story contributing one card after another as the leader of the game writes it up. The other team is doing the same, and at the end you compare stories and the "best" wins--but playing with no winner is also encouraged.
As a game where you have motifs to connect one by one in a story, this is very similar to a game described in 1643 called "Le Jeu du Roman," which was played by Louis XIV as a teenager and led to at least one short novel as well as stories about the game in other novels. It's also similar to the card-based storytelling game Once Upon a Time from 1993 and still available.
But re: recent Tarot-based tabletop games, I noticed someone on a Discord about French story games / indie games talking about this new game, Magie de Minuit, which has links there to several actual plays. Searching itch.io, I see a good many other short tabletop games--mostly, like, journaling games--and TTRPG addons based on Tarot, generally free to download: The Game Designer's Tarot, Tarot Telling for Two, Tarot Garden, Journey Tarot SRD, The Wanderhome Key to the Tarot, Journey of the Tarot, Bookmark Tarot Tutor, Traits of the Tarot, Astir Tarot, hi 2021 tarot zine, Battle of Tarot, and Kishotenketsu Tarot Game. I'd also encourage people to try it as a trick-taking card game too, like via a French Tarot app, to understand how it got started.
posted by Wobbuffet at 8:54 AM on February 24 [11 favorites]
Thank you for this post. I've been looking into religious and spiritual responses to the climate crisis and the Tarot angle is a new one.
posted by doctornemo at 8:59 AM on February 24 [1 favorite]
posted by doctornemo at 8:59 AM on February 24 [1 favorite]
When I was in italy a long time ago, I came across a poster of the major arcana done as cats that was absolutely delightful. Apparently they printed a half deck with those designs as well, though I really wish i still had the poster. (Lost in a divorce settlement.)
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 9:34 AM on February 24
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 9:34 AM on February 24
Kitteh... i love that you listed all your decks and we only have 1 in common out of the dozen or so that I have.
posted by kokaku at 9:41 AM on February 24 [3 favorites]
posted by kokaku at 9:41 AM on February 24 [3 favorites]
Incidentally, "weaponized Carl Sagan" is my new sockpuppet name.
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:46 AM on February 24 [4 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:46 AM on February 24 [4 favorites]
I have a dozen books on my shelf about the violent suppression of esoterica in France that want everyone here to know that you can buy as many god damn tarot decks as you want, regardless of what you are doing with them or how you feel about them.
Anyway, my current favourite is MJ Cullinane's Crow Tarot, because I love corvids and every card is cannily imbued with her own love for them and the rich imagery/symbology surrounding them. But the winning move is to find local artists making them and show them some love and support.
And, hey, then you get to tell someone their art fills you with feelings, which is a great bonus.
Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go buy ten more decks I was introduced to here. I guess I don't need to eat this month.
posted by seraphine at 10:46 AM on February 24 [6 favorites]
Anyway, my current favourite is MJ Cullinane's Crow Tarot, because I love corvids and every card is cannily imbued with her own love for them and the rich imagery/symbology surrounding them. But the winning move is to find local artists making them and show them some love and support.
And, hey, then you get to tell someone their art fills you with feelings, which is a great bonus.
Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go buy ten more decks I was introduced to here. I guess I don't need to eat this month.
posted by seraphine at 10:46 AM on February 24 [6 favorites]
Sara Kathleen has some simply beautiful and elegant decks. Watch out if you open that page.
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:56 AM on February 24
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:56 AM on February 24
I guess I don't need to eat this month.
I was on the verge of forwarding this post to my wife, and then I remembered the time a couple of weeks ago when we were in a bookstore, I saw a cool deck I was pretty sure she didn't have, pointed it out to her and she said "Whyyyyyy do you show me these things???" as she reached for her wallet.
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:00 AM on February 24 [4 favorites]
I was on the verge of forwarding this post to my wife, and then I remembered the time a couple of weeks ago when we were in a bookstore, I saw a cool deck I was pretty sure she didn't have, pointed it out to her and she said "Whyyyyyy do you show me these things???" as she reached for her wallet.
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:00 AM on February 24 [4 favorites]
I own a Clow deck (from Cardcaptor Sakura). Yes, I am a nerd.
posted by SPrintF at 11:04 AM on February 24 [2 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 11:04 AM on February 24 [2 favorites]
Mod note: Another comment and response removed. Going forward in this thread, folks who take the time to made denigrating comments about the subject of this thread or people who enjoy that subject may find themselves facing some sort of ban.
If you don't like this subject, please go ahead and make a post about a topic you do enjoy.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 11:13 AM on February 24 [18 favorites]
If you don't like this subject, please go ahead and make a post about a topic you do enjoy.
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 11:13 AM on February 24 [18 favorites]
Kitteh, agreed 100% on the pop culture decks. I think they're fun for, like, five seconds, but none of them are ever going to work for me. Somewhat the same way, there are many decks out there that have been made of artworks or works from artists that I love, but which just do not work for me. The various Bosch or Rackham decks are an example of this--I'd like to like them, but it just ain't going to work. The closest I've come to that is the Deviant Moon tarot--really enjoy the art, but most of the time I feel the theme tends to overwhelm.
Also, what everyone else said -- what a bounty. Thank you for linking!
posted by cupcakeninja at 11:42 AM on February 24 [3 favorites]
Also, what everyone else said -- what a bounty. Thank you for linking!
posted by cupcakeninja at 11:42 AM on February 24 [3 favorites]
Iâm not much of a tarot person but I noticed a botanically themed tarot deck at the New York Botanical Garden last week and checked it out.
It was lovely and we spread out all the cards in our lunch room and tried to ID all the plants. Really gorgeous and according to a bunch of horticulturists, damn good depictions of plants.
posted by sciencegeek at 12:31 PM on February 24 [2 favorites]
It was lovely and we spread out all the cards in our lunch room and tried to ID all the plants. Really gorgeous and according to a bunch of horticulturists, damn good depictions of plants.
posted by sciencegeek at 12:31 PM on February 24 [2 favorites]
Like most things, there are a few exceptions to the general consensus about 'pop culture' Decks often being 'meh'.
I have the Supernatural (TV series) officially licensed Deck and it's hardcore.
I'm an ex-fan of the show, but I couldn't resist the set.
The official Buffy Deck, also understood The Assignment - and so whomsoever designed it decided it had to be good.
posted by Faintdreams at 12:39 PM on February 24
I have the Supernatural (TV series) officially licensed Deck and it's hardcore.
I'm an ex-fan of the show, but I couldn't resist the set.
The official Buffy Deck, also understood The Assignment - and so whomsoever designed it decided it had to be good.
posted by Faintdreams at 12:39 PM on February 24
I don't know Greg_Ace I'm going with "Herds of Beeves" for mine.
posted by supermedusa at 1:01 PM on February 24 [1 favorite]
posted by supermedusa at 1:01 PM on February 24 [1 favorite]
seraphine have you ever read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norell?
there is a beautiful scene between Childermass and Vinculus reading "The King's Cards" and Vinculus makes all the cards turn into depictions of the Raven King and a Crow, then they fly up in the air like black feathers.
posted by supermedusa at 1:04 PM on February 24 [1 favorite]
there is a beautiful scene between Childermass and Vinculus reading "The King's Cards" and Vinculus makes all the cards turn into depictions of the Raven King and a Crow, then they fly up in the air like black feathers.
posted by supermedusa at 1:04 PM on February 24 [1 favorite]
I have 2 decks, one bought for reflection/journaling purposes (Caitlin Keegan's Illuminated Tarot + the accompanying journal), one bought because cats (by Megan Lynn Kott), and have not yet made them part of my life. I, uh, like reading about tarot more than actually reading tarot? I'm a big fan of Benebell Wen (creator of Spiritkeepers, mentioned above by Kitteh) and love looking at the blog's deck reviews and walk-throughs.
Anyway thanks for this post and reminder, I just pulled out both decks and put them next to my laptop.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:15 PM on February 24 [1 favorite]
Anyway thanks for this post and reminder, I just pulled out both decks and put them next to my laptop.
posted by spamandkimchi at 1:15 PM on February 24 [1 favorite]
Honestly I think some of the appeal to the non-esoterically inclined is that a good deck is a stack of beautiful art you can hold in your hand, and that invites you to engage with it at whatever level you please. They aren't selling you anything, they can be pretentious but can also be very accessible. They're just pretty, and they are yours to do with as you see fit. Bookmarks are a perfectly salient use, sarcasm aside - especially if you pick the card to fit the book. It's all framework for thinking creatively.
I'm not a collector by any stretch, but I enjoy the different stories and analysis that you can lay over any given card (even the minors - five of coins, seven of swords and three of swords are favourites of mine). And the majors have such punch and are readily recognisable, and form their own shared visual language that isn't tied to any given Cinematic Universe or advertising landscape or whatever.
I'm not surprised they make for good role play tools as I've been using a good old Coleman Smith deck for years as story prompts. Just a three card draw and away we go. And different decks bring different aspects. You really don't need to be a witch to get good value from them.
posted by Jilder at 4:36 PM on February 24 [7 favorites]
I'm not a collector by any stretch, but I enjoy the different stories and analysis that you can lay over any given card (even the minors - five of coins, seven of swords and three of swords are favourites of mine). And the majors have such punch and are readily recognisable, and form their own shared visual language that isn't tied to any given Cinematic Universe or advertising landscape or whatever.
I'm not surprised they make for good role play tools as I've been using a good old Coleman Smith deck for years as story prompts. Just a three card draw and away we go. And different decks bring different aspects. You really don't need to be a witch to get good value from them.
posted by Jilder at 4:36 PM on February 24 [7 favorites]
I have absolutely no belief in their ability to predict the future, but I have several tarot decks that I keep in my toolbox of things I can do to address problems or get creative by shaking up my thinking, getting me thinking in new and different directions, and even actually inspiring ideas based on the pattern and art combo.
I've been idly hunting for a way to print high quality cards from the Tarot of the Crystal Dawn by egypturnash because I dig the art.
I'm not sure very many people who buy them actually think they have mystic properties, but if some do that's not hurting anyone. And if they make up most of the market I'm kinda grateful to them for existing simply because I like the huge variety of decks now available due to all the people who have been getting into it for whatever reason.
posted by sotonohito at 4:59 PM on February 24 [4 favorites]
I've been idly hunting for a way to print high quality cards from the Tarot of the Crystal Dawn by egypturnash because I dig the art.
I'm not sure very many people who buy them actually think they have mystic properties, but if some do that's not hurting anyone. And if they make up most of the market I'm kinda grateful to them for existing simply because I like the huge variety of decks now available due to all the people who have been getting into it for whatever reason.
posted by sotonohito at 4:59 PM on February 24 [4 favorites]
I don't think Tarot has mystic properties but I think, for me, it's a great way to draw connections and pull things out of my subconscious using imagery, which is why I like different decks for different things. Also, Instagram has figured out I'm interested so I'm also in the danger zone financially.
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:33 PM on February 24 [2 favorites]
posted by gentlyepigrams at 8:33 PM on February 24 [2 favorites]
Itâs interesting how we all have to preface how we donât personally buy into, gosh forbid, mystical or magical qualities whenever these kinds threads pop up. I myself do/have done the same thing. But Iâm starting to get annoyed with that part of myself thatâs embarrassed to want to live in an enchanted world! The current western/modern paradigm has made the world a soulless, grey and dying/dead shopping mall. Is it so terrible to want yearn for something different!?
posted by flamk at 9:38 PM on February 24 [10 favorites]
posted by flamk at 9:38 PM on February 24 [10 favorites]
DAMN RIGHT I WISH FOR DIFFERENT!!! Because the real world SUCKS and also I am drunk in a bar right now CAUSE ITS BEEN A WEEK and I WANT AND NEED more than just shitty realism.
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:26 PM on February 24 [6 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 10:26 PM on February 24 [6 favorites]
I dunno, I'll concede a desire not to be mistaken for a believer in unreal things was part of the reason for my preface, but I was mostly doing it because I wanted to point out that there are non-mystical reasons why people might be into tarot cards.
posted by sotonohito at 10:49 PM on February 24 [1 favorite]
posted by sotonohito at 10:49 PM on February 24 [1 favorite]
I use the Mage: The Ascension Tarot Deck as a creativity tool and as a tool for self analysis and self reflection. I have Crowleyâs Deck as well.
posted by my-username at 2:19 AM on February 25 [5 favorites]
posted by my-username at 2:19 AM on February 25 [5 favorites]
Is it so terrible to want yearn for something different!?
I don't think so, but then, I'm the OP. :-) I think we often put out these disclaimers because (see the mod notes above) many MeFites are actively hostile to anything resembling the topic of this post, as documented by both the many complaints over the years that MetaFilter doesn't do topics like this well, and by the older, more combative posts you can easily find from the days when moderation philosophy was different. I do think it's worth noting that many practitioners of divination or clients of diviners are using divination as a tool for thinking, or for comfort in situations where they had little control, even when ostensibly pious belief is part of the mix.
posted by cupcakeninja at 5:52 AM on February 25 [7 favorites]
I don't think so, but then, I'm the OP. :-) I think we often put out these disclaimers because (see the mod notes above) many MeFites are actively hostile to anything resembling the topic of this post, as documented by both the many complaints over the years that MetaFilter doesn't do topics like this well, and by the older, more combative posts you can easily find from the days when moderation philosophy was different. I do think it's worth noting that many practitioners of divination or clients of diviners are using divination as a tool for thinking, or for comfort in situations where they had little control, even when ostensibly pious belief is part of the mix.
posted by cupcakeninja at 5:52 AM on February 25 [7 favorites]
I will add that this seems increasingly puzzling to me, in some ways, as the years pass. We talk here a lot about billionaires and systems of oppression and government, and about solidarity in the face of hostile societies. Even with all that--i.e. people facing long odds when trying to direct their own lives with health, safety, and happiness--some people are unwilling to let others engage in fundamentally harmless practices in order to survive "the capitalist hellscape," or whatever we're calling it today. People lean in to whatever helps them feel they are improving the world, I guess.
posted by cupcakeninja at 5:56 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]
posted by cupcakeninja at 5:56 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]
Timely post for me-thanks OP!
I have 3 decks (R-W, Aquarian, Morganâs) and have been trying to find my R-W for weeks now because itâs the one I started with and the one Iâm most comfortable using. Itâs packed away in a box here somewhereâŠ
posted by sundrop at 6:09 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]
I have 3 decks (R-W, Aquarian, Morganâs) and have been trying to find my R-W for weeks now because itâs the one I started with and the one Iâm most comfortable using. Itâs packed away in a box here somewhereâŠ
posted by sundrop at 6:09 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]
Itâs interesting how we all have to preface how we donât personally buy into, gosh forbid, mystical or magical qualities whenever these kinds threads pop up.
As cupcakeninja points out, there are many users here who are actively hostile to this way of thinking or enjoying. Speaking for myself, and only myself, I identify privately (and with trusted friends) as someone who practices folk magic. I like the bioregionalism of it as it asks me to know the animals/birds/plants of my area to better understand the nature of the world I live in directly. I do little charms for myself, and don't ask anyone to "buy" into it. My practice is for me and me alone. I try not to talk too much about it on here because I have had users be really really shitty to me, but here I am.
posted by Kitteh at 6:18 AM on February 25 [7 favorites]
As cupcakeninja points out, there are many users here who are actively hostile to this way of thinking or enjoying. Speaking for myself, and only myself, I identify privately (and with trusted friends) as someone who practices folk magic. I like the bioregionalism of it as it asks me to know the animals/birds/plants of my area to better understand the nature of the world I live in directly. I do little charms for myself, and don't ask anyone to "buy" into it. My practice is for me and me alone. I try not to talk too much about it on here because I have had users be really really shitty to me, but here I am.
posted by Kitteh at 6:18 AM on February 25 [7 favorites]
For reference, when I said that Iâm not much of a tarot person, my intent was to let yâall know that I saw a thing that I donât know a lot about that I thought was beautiful.
I donât know if it works well for tarot purposes because I donât know a lot about tarot.
I do know a lot about plants, which is the theme of the tarot deck I wanted to share.
posted by sciencegeek at 8:37 AM on February 25 [6 favorites]
I donât know if it works well for tarot purposes because I donât know a lot about tarot.
I do know a lot about plants, which is the theme of the tarot deck I wanted to share.
posted by sciencegeek at 8:37 AM on February 25 [6 favorites]
(Not that you were necessarily talking to me, but...) And a cool deck it was. Honestly, I take great pleasure in looking at tarot, oracle, and related decks, and if I pick knowledge up along the way, that's great. Not entirely unlike the way I feel about games or other media that include interesting information, from wargames to Wingspan.
posted by cupcakeninja at 8:57 AM on February 25 [2 favorites]
posted by cupcakeninja at 8:57 AM on February 25 [2 favorites]
I really like my Haindl tarot deck. There is some appropriation I would not endorse these days, but I was completwly ignorant about that in the 1990s when I bought it. And it is still lovely from an aesthetic standpoint. The backs are asymmetrical, so if that is a problem, be aware.
My wife has had several decks, but the only survivor is a fairly low quality printing of the good old Rider-Waite.
I would like to eventually get the above mentioned Hexen 2.0 but that'll have to wait a while.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 11:44 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]
My wife has had several decks, but the only survivor is a fairly low quality printing of the good old Rider-Waite.
I would like to eventually get the above mentioned Hexen 2.0 but that'll have to wait a while.
posted by The Manwich Horror at 11:44 AM on February 25 [1 favorite]
If you can find a copy of the original printing without breaking the bank, Dave McKean's The Vertigo Tarot were gorgeous (even if you're not familiar with the Vertigo Comics characters he based the Major Arcana on). Sadly the reprints were on really flimsy cardstock that I can't much recommend for actual use.
posted by rifflesby at 2:54 PM on February 25 [4 favorites]
posted by rifflesby at 2:54 PM on February 25 [4 favorites]
I always thought the Tarot was a good tool for reflection and analysis (instead of prognostication).
My wife must have a gazillion different Tarot sets, but also a number of different guidance decks that aren't Tarot, but give the same level of prompting. (Like a number of Doreen Virtue cards that offer guidance from Angels [which thinking about it is rich given her move away from New Age beliefs back to mainline Protestantism]) They definitely help give a pause and reflection point in her life, plus boy do they scratch the "gotta catch them all" impulse we have!
posted by drewbage1847 at 10:12 AM on February 26
My wife must have a gazillion different Tarot sets, but also a number of different guidance decks that aren't Tarot, but give the same level of prompting. (Like a number of Doreen Virtue cards that offer guidance from Angels [which thinking about it is rich given her move away from New Age beliefs back to mainline Protestantism]) They definitely help give a pause and reflection point in her life, plus boy do they scratch the "gotta catch them all" impulse we have!
posted by drewbage1847 at 10:12 AM on February 26
I have four oracle decks myself and I haven't really used them. I am so used to using the Tarot that the less rigid use of oracle decks is hard for me. It's too bad because they are really nice! I have two Halloween-themed ones, a cannabis one, and a gorgeous one that is nothing but female goddesses throughout various mythologies.
posted by Kitteh at 10:27 AM on February 26 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitteh at 10:27 AM on February 26 [1 favorite]
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood has you make your own deck as a core part of gameplay and it can get pretty profound!
posted by creatrixtiara at 8:13 PM on February 26
posted by creatrixtiara at 8:13 PM on February 26
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I will say that I love love that many Tarot decks are more body positive and queer friendly than ever. I will also say that aside from personal preferences, I would like less of the pop culture decks (Golden Girls! The 90s! Friends!) because the meaning behind the cards often is too painfully shoehorned in and doesn't really work for me.
This month's deck I am working with is the Rosalarian Tarot, a very fun very queer deck whose art I really like. My only complaint about it is that the cards are super slick and larger than my handspan, which makes shuffling tricky. (I have resorted to doing a combo of shuffling by hand and scrambling--which is dumping the deck on the table and mixing it around.)
posted by Kitteh at 5:31 AM on February 24 [14 favorites]