Relax, PW, I don't consider your comments an invasion or anything. In fact, I do this to poor Cedars all the time and he hasn't sued me, so far   .

I find your comments interesting because I tend to forget the links of the cards with astrology, or even with the seeker's sign, though this time I did mention it briefly. Specifically, I hadn't made the connection between Capricorn and the Devil -and I should have, because the Devil did appear in the spread- or the Emperor. Of course, in the end, most cards are linked one way or another, specially the Majors, so we could end up with half of them on the table!

But yes, I have always found the link between the Devil and the Lovers fascinating. This last is about making the right choice or decision, while the Devil is about feeling you have no choice at all, or very little.
I also see the link between the Chariot and the Emperor, this last being a more mature version of the first, usually. The Emperor has everything under control as a matter of routine, while the Charioteer feels the compulsion to control even the uncontrollable. The lack of maturity -mostly due to youth and therefore a little inexperience- comes up quite a few times: the Devil -the feeling of not having a choice about your own life-, the Page of Wands reversed -feeling vulnerable-, the 8 of Cups reversed -being too shy to go for it-. But she will eventually reach maturity like we all do -if lucky -, so soon the High Priestess will begin to pop up as her true nature.
In fact, I just gave a reading for a friend our age and she got both the High Priestess and the Empress: 'ata woman!'  

Now, about the cards. Cedars knows how long I have been raving about this deck and I finally got it, so I cannot use it enough. What you see underneath the water in the 8 of Cups is that the man is half octopus!
Anyway, I sent you a mail with some images from the three decks Ciro Marchetti has designed so far. But I warn you: he is a great graphic artist but not overly concerned with including all the proper symbolism in each card. Just so you can't say I didn't warn you  
So I await further instructions regarding which of the decks you think more worth it, although I don't own the Tarot of Dreams, which was the second published.

Hugs  

PS. Just how many husbands have you had so far? Have you completed the whole of the Zodiac or are you just into the best suited now?   Joke, I seem to remember your present hubby was a Leo, just like you, right?

I will take back what I said in the past about this deck. Once I had seen this deck in a shop and thought it was too modern..... but now after reading your recent reading and the Moon spread, I am having a change of heart- a positive one that is. In all fairness to our dear Payewacker, our tarot academician, I view the symbolism as an integral part of the cards and the theme, but to be honest with you, it does not affect my readings. And I love it the way you warned PW about the lack of symbolism in this deck. I had a goooooooood laugh about it.



Now this last paragraph DID really throw me off my chair....... laughing that is.

     

Cedars, I'm so glad you like it.

Only yesterday I was using one of my poor Tarot exchanging friends to try to decide which of my favorite decks are easier to read or have the best possible impact on a possible seeker. You see, my friend said that, even though they take longer to get used to and are harder to read from, she rather prefers the more obscure decks, with abstract imagery and profuse symbolism which no layman can easily catch. Of course, hers is only one opinion, so I would like you guys to do me a big favor:
Whenever I get the chance -and time- to do a reading, I will try using a different deck on each occasion and post the spread here, just like this one. I will only be using up to 9 cards so they fit in my scanner. I need you to tell me which deck gives you a better feeling, but please try to do it from two points of view, if it is not too much asking: both the reader's and the querent's.

I am much lazier than my friend, so I prefer fully illustrated decks following the RW tradition. The more they deviate, the harder I find them. However, I find it quite easy to read from all of the following, so they must be close enough to RW: Marchetti's Guilded and Legacy, Robin Wood's and even the beautiful, dreamy Llewellyn, although all its Majors are based on Irish Mythology.

BUT, having said this, I can see her point with some too well known cards, specially Death. I am fed up of seekers getting freaked out by this easily recognizable card. I also prefer the softer versions of the Tower. Since I believe these are positive cards, I don't want the images to fudge my explanations to the poor seeker. Let me illustrate my point:

To back up my point, I would have to chose deck 3 -Llewellyn's-. Number 2 is the Guilded, still too close to RW so the card is more than recognizable. The Legacy's -not shown here- is even creepier. Deck 1, Universal Fantasy, would be alright, as long as the rest of the deck can be read, which I can't. Robin Wood's looks even cheery with its colors -also not shown here-, but the deck looks nearly childish, though I love it.

Since I can't seem to make up my mind, I would be truly grateful for any input you can give as I post different readings in future. But I would also like your opinion about everything exposed above, even before you see any more images.

Thank you, guys!  

Hi Pirbid,
Octopus mmmm, then he has "many"----more, but the octopus's mouth is in the centre of the tentacles, sooo  what then? , where would he whistle from?  , or might it be bubbles?

I tend to agree with you on the RW. I also stick to it. The Guilded is really nice, and we see the reversed Rosy-Cross on the flag. But when you look at RW Death card, you find a lot of symbolism and links. The Twin Towers , linking to the Moon and Tower, and the first dead person, behind death, is the King of Cups, look at the color of his robes. And then the direction of twin towers relating to death. The Masonic influence can be seen here. Entered appretices stand in the North-east corner and from there move to the light. We see death is so arranged and is moving toward the sunrise between the Towers, of which each has a cornerstone. I will look for the discussion me and Cedars had, and bring it up, or I will host it again on Google docs.

I think for a new reader it is best to start with RW, and later may get other decks. As soon as they are familiar with the symbolism.

Cedars, thx, at least a good laugh!! I think the Zodiac may keep me very busy for the first year???   So, three down, nine to go! No shit, this will be manual labour and labour with a manual.  

I Have An Aquirius--6 Feb for hubby now i first thought he was Pisces. he's gourgeous! Then my first hubby also Leo, but was shot and killed in one of our shops in JHB--robbery. We were together seven years. Then the second one is Capricorn, we parted ways about a year back, also seven years together.  That's all of them, it seems seven is my limit, or how long they can put up with me .

I started looking at the Zodiac and do links like that, when I attached the weeks of the year to the 52 pip cards, way back. When I do readings, I keep it in mind. And when Capricorn shows a face, I tend to look at the reading, because I was surrounded by Capricorns. My Chef, My "house-manager", my ex, my bookkeeper and my stepfather. Beleive U me, I know all their sides!!!  . They are actually wonderfull people just stubborn, when they plonk that hoove on the rocks, no meul will move them. and me, a true Leo- hot natured, hot tempered and hot blooded. living with me, can get a bit hectic, because I also live on Ur-Anus.


blessed be

No way, dear, unless you have moved to your present hubby's regent planet. Leos are Sun people. Of course, if he is as gorgeous as you say, I'm not surprised you moved in with him.  

I am amazed that you had a Capricorn half for 7 years. I mean, Aquarians and Leos should be easy to get on with for a Fiery sign like yours -and mine-, but my mum is a Capricorn and we get on a thousand times better since I moved 2000 miles from her. Btw, my guy is also an Aquarian -Feb 7- and the previous one a Sag, who also lasted 7 years. What a coincidence!    

Though I am thankful that my ex seem luckier than yours. It must be horrid to have someone so close killed without warning. Sudden deaths are usually the hardest to take.  

So, did you check out the link to the Legacy web page? It shows you all 78 cards and the quality is amazing. Some even have animated sequences