Ace of Cups from the Rider-Waite deck
The first Tarot deck I ever laid hands on was the Rider-Waite. That was 20 years ago and I still use that exact same deck today. The cards are old friends, infused with my energy. Sometimes I’ll sleep with a card under my pillow if I need to meditate on the issues it represents.
But.
I’m so-so on the artwork. If you want to talk about a deck whose appearance resonates with me, here it is. But that’s beside the point. My original Rider-Waite still works for me, esthetics aside.
I’ve talked to other Tarot readers who consider the Rider- Waite “shallow”, “juvenile” and “simplistic”. One of the more polite terms that have been applied to it is “neutral”. I can see their point. It’s safe and, therefore, the go-to deck when you’re learning Tarot. It’s not dark and dangerous like the Baphomet. It’s not crazy/hip/sexy like the Lunatic. Every deck has a personality and the Rider-Waite is considered by many to be nice but boring. If you want a reading with depth, don’t use it.
I disagree. In my opinion, use what works. As mentioned, the artwork on this deck does nothing for me. But that’s irrelevant when it comes to the accuracy of my readings. If I feel the need to use a deck that has more emotional weight, I’ll use the Thoth. Sometimes I want a deck that cleans the palate; enter the no-frills Egyptian. The personality of a deck can influence the feeling of a reading. But the accuracy depends on the interaction between the reader, their cards and the querent (the person asking the question).
So if you have no respect for a deck, then sure…your reading will be fluff. I respect my Rider -Waite because it’s taught me (and continues to teach me) about Tarot. And that’s reflected in my readings.
I really love the Rider-Waite too! I actually feel like it has a lot of depth. The artwork isn’t necessarily my aesthetic either (a bit too child-like) but the symbolism is really wonderful and allows for a lot of nuance.
Exactly. If you look at each drawing you’ll see that almost every little part has meaning.
Indeed! The book 78 Degrees of Wisdom describes the depth of the symbolism really well. Of course, the book isn’t even necessary, since it is all very intuitive, but it can be helpful. I have found Biddy Tarot quite useful too. Thanks for the suggestion!
Excellent. It’s not the card, it’s what’s behind it or the reader. If a reader is good, then he/she can use any deck of choice well.
I too like the Rider Waite. I also like The Golden Tarot using medieval art images. These two decks are my favorites. I recently saw a physics tarot somewhere that I would like to buy if I can find it again.