Just discovered some decks rename EVERYTHING and now I’m confused.
Saw “Roots” instead of Pentacles, “The Seeker” instead of The Fool, “Daughters” instead of Pages. One deck had “Strawberries” as a major arcana card???
Started with Oracle before Tarot, so I’m used to creative interpretations, but this is wild.
I know it’s probably all the same energy underneath. Rings, Pentacles, Coins, Roots - all Earth elements, all about material world stuff. The Wild Unknown uses family members instead of medieval court cards, which honestly makes more sense sometimes. These different types of tarot cards are just different ways of telling the same stories. Once you get that, you can read anything.
Still weird seeing “Strawberries” where Death should be though.
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The Visconti-Sforza deck from 1450s Milan didn’t even have names on the cards. Just pictures. The nobles back then would’ve known who was who right away. Kind of puts the whole renaming debate in perspective.
Don’t worry about the overall names just treat each system and/or deck as unique.
When I started collecting decks, I was totally lost with all the different versions. Some decks rename everything, like calling Death ‘Strawberries’ or whatever. Take it slow. Each deck has its own vibe and you kind of have to let it sink in over time. Still working through mine honestly.
Yeah, there are tons of different ways to read tarot.
Some people stick to traditional meanings, but honestly, the cards can mean different things depending on the situation. That wiki is a good starting point. Just don’t get too hung up on the textbook definitions; sometimes the best readings happen when you go with your gut.
Each deck’s naming system adds its own feel to readings.
When you pick a deck that feels right in the moment, it changes how everything comes through. I notice this with my DruidCraft deck, the Celtic nature themes give me different interpretations than when I use something more modern. The renamed cards guide you toward specific angles that might be what needs to come through in that reading.
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My cat Moonbeam knocked over all my decks yesterday. Such a pain. While I was picking everything up and sorting them back out, I noticed something, doesn’t matter if it’s called Roots or Pentacles or Bones or whatever, they all have the same 78 cards. Kind of like how cats come in different colors but they’re still just cats.
The Major Arcana being one story changed how I see renamed cards. Start with The Fool, end with The World, it all connects.
Strawberries for Death is interesting. Not seen that one before. Could be about sweetness after transformation. Or the seasonal cycle of strawberry plants dying and regrowing.
Renamed decks seem to care more about emotional meaning than traditional symbolism. Works better for some people. Like calling The Fool ‘The Seeker’, shifts the whole thing from naive wanderer to someone actively searching.
When teaching tarot to friends, using a renamed deck can make things a bit trickier. It seems to lead to more interesting chats about the symbolism in those creative choices, though.
Mighht actually make learning better in the long run.
Try it, ‘The Seeker begins their experience’ has a different feel than ‘The Fool begins their experience.’ Renamed decks work well for topics or certain clients.
Had someone who’d been through religious trauma, and they could actually engage with a card called ‘Strawberries’ when Death would’ve shut them down completely. Made the whole session flow better when they weren’t bracing themselves every time I flipped a card.
I match my deck storage to whatever energy they give off.
My Wild Unknown deck sits on this piece of driftwood I found, surrounded by some river stones I collected. Just feels right for all those animal cards.
The Modern Witch deck gets a different setup - I keep it with some quartz I bought in the city and a few old subway tokens. Weird, but it works.
The renamed cards read better when the space fits them. Like if you renamed Death to Strawberries, maybe put some summer stuff around it instead of the usual dark autumn vibes.
Yeah, tarot is all about those archetypal symbols.
Every artist puts their own spin on the universal patterns, which is why you get so many different-looking decks. The court cards do have archetypal energy.
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The Queen is more about mature feminine wisdom and mastery, though, not really mother/daughter stuff specifically.
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The Page (or Knave in old decks) is about youthful energy and new beginnings, doesn’t matter what gender, though some people read feminine energy there.
The wands thing has changed over time. The original Italian suits were batons or polo sticks from the Mamluk cards. The Hermes caduceus connection came way later with occult interpretations. Now wands are about creative fire energy, inspiration, spiritual stuff, whether they’re drawn as staffs, branches with flowers, or fancy ceremonial wands.
The imagery on tarot cards really depends on each deck’s designer.
These artistic interpretations draw from traditional tarot symbolism and turn into something unique based on the deck’s theme. Some creators even add new cards beyond the standard 78 that fit with their deck’s energy or message.
Exploring different tarot decks can be a rich experience. Each deck offers a distinct perspective, and it’s interesting to see how different creators interpret the symbols. There’s a lot to discover with so many unique designs out there.
Oh man, I once spent ages confused about a reading because the deck renamed Justice to ‘Alignment.’ I kept interpreting it wrong.
I guess the renamings show how people connect with the cards differently. ‘Roots’ for Pentacles makes sense, more about being grounded than just money. Still, some renamings are just confusing. Strawberries for Death? I’d be lost.
Every tarot deck basically follows the same formula, 22 majors, 40 minors, 16 courts, all split into four elemental suits, so weird renamings aren’t that big of a jump.
Whether it’s Strawberries or Death, Roots or Pentacles, they’re all just different names for the same basic energies. Now I enjoy seeing how each deck’s unique names connect back to the traditional meanings. Maybe try looking for the patterns underneath the creative names in that confusing deck. It might click faster than you expect.
I used to think all tarot decks were basically the same, just different artwork on the same concepts. But renamed decks can really mess you up when you’re starting out.
I remember being confused when ‘The Fool’ became ‘The Wanderer’ or when the suits had completely different names. The experienced readers I’ve met seem to enjoy these variations, like they’re puzzles to figure out. My approach now? If you’re new like I was, get a standard deck first. Learn the traditional structure (there’s a reason it’s lasted this long).
Once you know that stuff (and it takes a while), then try the more artistic interpretations. Helped me understand the cards better than I thought it would.
Just see what comes up for you when you look at the new names and images. Sometimes the personal stuff that pops into your head ends up being way more relevant than the standard interpretations anyway.
I think it could take a while to get used to a renamed deck. Some might adjust faster, especially if they’re moving from traditional tarot, but its worth taking the time to really dive into what each card means. I’m curious if those creative names will eventually feel as natural as the traditional ones, or if some people always stick with the originals.
I get the concern about losing historical context with renamed decks. Those traditional names do carry a lot of meaning. But maybe we don’t have to choose one or the other? Could keep both names around - use the new ones for modern readers while still acknowledging the original names and their history.
Found a weird deck once where everything was renamed as food - Cups became ‘Bowls of Soup’ and stuff like that.
Pretty strange at first but after you get a little practice, you can read it much the same as any other deck.
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