Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

[Avarin]

Hi y'all from Houston

I was mindlessly meandering the forum today and there was a question on the tarot.

I have one of my own

What is your thoughts and opinions on the rider Waite classical deck?

I've always loved this deck since I first started witchcraft at age 12. I've just always resonated with the classic archetypal imagery. It was always very Jungian to me. But I've always interpreted in a very old world way.

It's always been very mystical and secretive and goes to the core of the collective unconscious

But that's just my feelings. I have a lot of decks but I always go back to the "original"

[anubisa]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

I think the original/classical is fine to train with. I started learning when I was a teenager. I can't remember what age though. I now have the egyptian tarot and love it to pieces because of the artwork.

[Satu]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

I have a high opinion of it, thanks to a deck I used to own.

It gave me VERY accurate readings. Unfortunately, most of these readings (which were concerned with my education and one of my relationships) featured the Nine of Swords prominently. In a fit, I tossed the deck into the trash.

Protip: When your deck keeps throwing Nine of Swords at you, it might be advisable to listen.

Now I'm using the Shadowscapes tarot and it's definitely more reticent. Rider Waite seemed to be eager to talk to me. Shadowscapes, not so much. Maybe it knows my history?

[Bjorn]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

I have always preferred the imagery as it was depicted in the Rider-Waite, despite the cards themselves eliciting very little emotional reaction within me. I guess I never really thought about it before but I always felt more "above," or "removed" from the outcome of the cards themselves when the imagery was so incredibly esoteric and mystical. It felt more like a series of hidden clues that, once you knew the location, you could filter through in order to get the most direct link (determined by the question and circumstances / surrounding cards). Personally, I enjoy the Rider-Waite for the overall picture that I am allowed to derive without getting bogged down by the minutia and sometimes conflicting ideas of some of the other art styles. At the very least I can usually agree that the visual symbolism, while usually quite subtle, makes sense to be depicted that way even if it's not personally the way I would interpret things. Learning with the RW taught me how to look at the WHOLE card, the little details, and the way that they jump out to you to create a collective whole.

All others feel a bit forced, or a little too light/dark for my tastes, where the RW tows the line of neutrality (even though I love my Russian inspired deck more than all others so far).

[monsno_leedra]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

All I can say is the Rider Wiate cards are the main movie everything else is a sequel. Like nearly every sequel out there they never match up to the original and most often are simply poor imitations or a poor attempt to profit from the original. Oracle cards are even worse to me.

[Corvus]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

I love my rider waite. The art style does seem a little simple but it's that simplicity which makes them easy to read. They give me fantastic messages and feel more relatable than some other decks.

[Heka]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

I'm not a big tarot person, and I've never worked with the RW deck, I do have an IJJ Swiss (i think it's called) deck though, that I have used before and I quite like it. While I'm not a tarot person, I feel this deck is amazing in it's simplicity.

[Willow]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

So I'm going to be the odd duck... RW decks never worked for me, never. I have never been able to connect to it like I have with a lot of other decks and I've given away a few because of it. Can't really say why, it has just never clicked. :P

[Yorin]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

You're really not the odd duck. For some reason I can't stand to even look at that deck without getting this weird, not quite evil, but definitely not good vibe coming from any one I've ever been around

[Aeran]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

I only break mine out occasionally, but I've always found it enormously insightful, far more so than I expected when I bought it (I'm usually quite skeptical about divination). There are rumors that Waite hid initiatory blinds in the symbolism of the deck, but if he did it's never caused me any trouble.

[SaintElvis]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

I always liked the RW Deck. It is a great beginner deck and if it works for you, why throw it out? To me it is the basis of al other decks, the one which other decks tried to launch themselves off of. This is just my opinion but I have yet to find any other evidence to the contrary except for modern mix decks which are not really Tarot but other types of divination cards.

[Vigdisdotter]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

Personally, I can't stand the classic deck. The colours and rough lines are very jarring to me. I do however suggest those learning tarot start with a an R-W based deck. And there are plenty out there. So it's not such a big deal.

[Jayden]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

I agree it is the basis to all other decks. Once you understand it in depth I found it great to move on to other decks. I myself have more than a few. Right now I am studying Druidry so the Druid tarot deck works very well for me. I would imagine that the Witches tarot would more inspire a Wiccan. If you are a Zen student, the Osho zen tarot would be more inspiring. Go with what you feel is right. Divination is intuition in action.

[TheHangedMan]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

Love this deck. Absolutely and whole-hearted. I have two other decks (The Thoth and Deviant Moon), but still find myself coming back to it. The imagery is timeless and they just resonate with me and the Seekers whom I give readings to.

[Threshold]

Re: Your thoughts on the rider Waite tarot

I have a number of decks but prefer my RW. I've only been at Tarot about 5 years, and am still a neophyte. Other decks are beautiful but I find myself having a difficult time looking past the art..RW the images are basic, I don't get caught up in the "oooh ahhh" that I can so easily with other decks.