Finally got the Modern Witch deck after months of looking at it online. I’ve been using digital decks and thought I knew the card meanings pretty well, but now I’m pulling cards and the guidebook meanings are completely different from what I learned. I don’t know if I’m really bad at reading the Tarot and was fooling myself, or if the Modern Witch deck is just… not for me? Would love to hear your experiences with these cards.
Like the Three of Cups - I always learned it was about celebration and friendship, but this guidebook says it’s about creative collaboration. That was confusing when it came up in a love reading.
I keep second-guessing myself. Should I stick to one interpretation system? I see experienced readers mixing different traditions easily, but I have no idea how they do it. Part of me wants to ignore the guidebook and use what I already know, but then I feel weird about ignoring what the deck creator intended.
How do you handle it when a deck’s guidebook contradicts RWS or other sources? Do you pick and choose meanings? Create your own mix? Just go with whatever feels right? I tried meditating with the cards but didn’t get much from it. Maybe each deck just has its own personality and I need to stop trying to make them all work the same way?
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Personally, I don’t have the same struggle with the guidebook definitions. They will differ to some other books but that’s the same with any deck. Your goal is always to learn what each card says to you and the guidebooks are just there to give you a start if you’re brand new.
A few years ago, when I got into tarot, I found that using a challenging deck every day was helpful. Even just pulling a single card while having my morning coffee allowed me to connect with its unique style more effectively than meditation. You might want to try quick daily draws with your Modern Witch deck.
Don’t worry too much about getting the meanings right; just notice the patterns and personal connections that come up over time.
The Modern Witch deck does switch things up with some card meanings. Like with the Three of Cups, it reads differently than traditional decks. It’s about intuitive reading vs guidebook reading.
This video is long but does a pretty good job of getting you started:
Now I use the guidebook as a reference , but trust my gut more. The disconnect might just mean you’re developing your own reading style with this particular deck.
Just a heads up, I’ve been where you are and it sucks when a deck doesn’t click. But it’s a good thing if it forces you to relearn and not just be lazy. Far too many Tarot readers learn the basics once and then never question anything again, even if they’re reading it wrong the whole time.
I pushed through with one deck for months and ended up confused by every reading. One thing that helped me was comparing the same card across different decks.
Pull a card from Modern Witch, then pull the same one from a deck you already like. The different perspectives can be helpful.
Guidebooks are basically someone else’s experience with the RWS. Their personal take.
If Labyrinthos isn’t clicking for you, that’s fine. I treat interpretations like options to explore. Each author brings something different to the table, including shadow aspects that can show you sides of the cards you hadn’t thought about. When I look at several guidebooks for one card, the interpretation that makes sense might come from an unexpected source. Not always the popular guidebook everyone recommends.
Getting perspectives from multiple authors helps build a practice that actually works for you.
The deck grabbed my attention, but the book that came with it didn’t quite deliver. It seemed more focused on creating a certain mood than really digging into the symbolism and meaning of each card. The interpretations were kind of shallow and didn’t capture the complexity of tarot.
But it’s still my favorite deck. One of them at least.
I’ve found a lot more value in online resources for understanding card meanings. Labyrinthos has some really detailed interpretations that help clarify the nuances. I also check out Biddy Tarot and TarotX for a good mix of traditional and modern perspectives.
Now, I only use deck guidebooks for decks that aren’t based on RWS symbolism or that have unique systems. Otherwise, the online sources give me a better grasp of the cards.
Decks like the Modern Witch have unique ways of interpreting traditional meanings, so I make sure to give them regular attention to maintain our connection. I cleanse mine weekly with incense and take time to shuffle while focusing on each card’s imagery.
I get it. I once threw my Modern Witch deck across the room in frustration. Have you done a deck interview spread yet? Sometimes decks tell us how they want to be read.
Have you tried just looking at the cards first before checking any meanings? I started doing that with Modern Witch and it helped.I went for it because it’s by far the most inclusive and modern deck but I write down what I see in the art, then check both the guidebook and traditional meanings.
Sometimes they line up, sometimes they don’t. The Three of Cups is a good example - MW shows people creating together, which brings in this collaborative element along with the usual party vibes. Eventually, you figure out your own way of reading them.
My old tarot teacher had some good points about this. She said a lot of people think you have to stick to the traditional Rider-Waite meanings no matter what.
But… so many new decks are doing their own thing now. They take those old ideas and update them for what’s going on today. I’ve found it helps to stay flexible when you’re working with newer decks. Sometimes the new interpretations work better than the old ones.
I think the Modern Witch deck really has a powerful energy, almost like it emerged from a tough time in someone’s life and now carries that sense of rebirth with it.
The interpretations feel unique and different. It’s less about celebrating and more about overcoming challenges, like moving up a level in a video game after a hard battle. The cards seem to capture that way well.
Some cultures have a different take on tarot. For them, it’s more about storytelling or reflecting on their life, so they interpret the cards in a unique way. It’s less about finding the ‘right’ meaning and more about what makes sense with you. The Modern Witch deck could be interesting to explore from this perspective.
