i have been practicing with the aleister crowley thoth deck. since joining this forum yesterday, i have read so much and already learned so much more than i imagined i could. i want to thank all of you for your wisdom and insight.    right now i am reading on all of the major arcana cards and already i feel i have a much deeper understanding of the cards than i did before. also i think it would be easier for me to learn from a rider waite deck. a friend of mine has one and she doesn't practice tarot anymore. she says i can have her cards but my question is, will her cards work for me? i have handled them before and they seemed so full of her energy, i'm just not sure. any input would be greatly appreciated

Hi,

There is no reason for you not to be able to use "used cards". You will have to cleanse it and then infuse with your own energy.

Typically one would do this to new cards as well. I recommend you pack the cards face-up starting with the Majors from the top left and then go down with the minors--Swords, Cups, Pentacles and Wands. Use an incense which you enjoy and smudge the cards from the top left, downward and "remove" all the energies with the smoke (don't get the ash on the cards, it's "oily").

Then just go again and visualize your own energy flowing from your hands into the cards.

It also helps to "handle" the cards a lot, until they feel good to you.

Using the RW is perhaps beneficial to learn from. Many other decks have been buildt around it and virtually "derivatives" formulated to suit a certain "theory". So it might be better to start at the beginning?

Blessed be.

Yes, her cards will work for you.  i don't know of the aleister crowley thoth deck so i couldn't say what is easier to learn but i can say this.  i learned the rider waite deck and i found it easy to learn compair to this other santa fe deck i own that i could never learn from and gave up until i found the RW deck.  anyway make her deck yours and they will work.  many ways to do that so do what works for you.  i made a point to, at least, touch the cards daily.
good luck

My best decks are used.  There is something about the history of them that appeals to both me and my intuition.  It could be a placebo effect (I think they work better becaus they are used and worn in a bit), but so be it.  It works for me.  Try out the used deck and see what you think.  You can just buy a new deck if you need to.

Mike