i picked the crystal tarot for its vibrant green, it feels springy. the RWS was simply one of the leftover decks that didn't get its own definite month, so i paired it up with the crystal as a "safe" bet, seeing as the crystal tarot uses the picard system which i'm not all that comfortable with.
well, my "safe bet" deck immediately went back on the shelf. while i can read it easily, the art is just extremely off-putting, i just never feel like reaching for it. the crystal tarot is much more attractive and appealing to look at, but doesn't speak too clearly. and to be fair, i have no real interest in learning the picard system. i'm trying to read "despite" it, not integrating it.
initially i tried to deal with the elemental mismatch (air for cups and water for swords) by reading it like i'd do any pip deck. except i realized that i do still heavily lean on elemental associations there. which makes me want to make the effort - when i do reach some marseille decks in this challenge - to finally read them a bit more... hmm... literally? less-esoterically. as they were probably read early on. but i did work out my own way of navigating the swords and cups. maybe that's even slightly how i'd conceptualize the marseille suits? the swords and water make me think of "interiority", intellect and emotions, how we deal with those, also negative in outlook. cups then become positive in outlook and mostly focus on the exterior and externalizing of the interior. interacting with the world, sociability etc.
alas, by mid-month i was completely uninterested. not sure if tarot in general or these particular decks. i switched to the top two contenders from past months to see if anything changes (shadowplay and ritual tarot). but so far no difference. this might be an effect of my spiritual practice (acceptance, surrender) and/or my year of contentment project, same difference really. i wonder if it would "go" if i offered readings for people again. because i do love it, it just doesn't feel like i personally need neither the help nor the entertainment of it. if you're reading this and would like a free tarot reading, shoot me an email!
