I like this concept! De-influencing is so needed in our hyper-consumerist world. It's a weird balance to strike when it comes to indie decks, because on the one hand you are supporting artists, but it can slide into overconsumption easily. I myself doubled my deck collection this year, and I'm starting to miss when I had a really close connection to just 2 decks: the US Games RWS and the Wisdom of Avalon oracle. On a side note, I absolutely love the Raven Cycle series and you did not manage to de-influence me from that deck😂
@@tarotreadingsfromabitch it’s absolutely magical! Her other series just don’t have that sense of… mystique in them. I recommend the audiobook version too, it’s got this southern gothic feel to it
What a great idea, I hope lots of people will do a VR to this! Out of these decks I've had Mary-El and Deviant Moon, both of them I purchased because they were so highly praised and I wanted to find out why, but I didn't get anything out of them and ended up rehoming both. The consumerist side of tarot is something I've also struggled with for a while now, and as a result I've slowed down my buying and started favoring second-hand decks.
Honestly, every time people talk about the Faeries oracle I just skip that part of the video. I don't understand the hype for that deck, but people really go gaga for it, lol. Also with the Tarot Of Vampyres, I have such a love-meh, for that deck. In my head I think "It's vampyres...i should love this deck", and although it's beautiful and obviously well thought out, I don't think it's that ground-breaking as people made it out to be. Great video!
Knowing why a deck *doesn't* work for others helps me make a informed decision on whether to buy it. With books and music I find that there's a good correlation: if person x likes it, I'm likely to like it, too; if person B likes it, it will be not-for-me. With decks, it's all over: someone loves a deck I love and hates another of my favourites and loves decks I hate. Overall, I'd hate to own their collection and they'd hate to own mine. Even if our reading styles align fairly well. If I'm interested in a deck, I'll pick it up anyway.
I have been feeling very similarly in regard to my own materialism. I recently had to move into a smaller space, so I'm putting a lot more thought into the physical items that enter my space. That said, I just bought a backup copy of ToV because it's just gone out of print, and Llewellyn's cardstock might as well be notebook paper.
@@ForestShadowWitch same to the materialism. I’ve recently done a second decluttering and sold a lot of my decks. I had decks that I bought in the beginning of my tarot exploration, when I didn’t know what I liked or what I expected from a deck. Feels good to have a “smaller collection”. I remember when I only had a couple tarot and oracle decks, I really connected and bonded, with them. Gave them the proper time to dive into them. I want that back. Also, I have 2 copies of TOV 😭 and a 3rd on the way. That’s one deck I CAN’T be without (after speaking about materialism💀).
@tarotreadingsfromabitch yep, it's on Llewellyn's list of out of print items as of July 1st. I thought it might have just been a rumor, but it's for real this time.
@Crystalshaze I fully relate to actually being able to connect to decks more fully before having so many. Probably one of the reasons I'm so connected to ToV is that I got it fairly early on.
The consumerism in tarot UA-cam spaces has really put me off a lot of famous creators just because I'm trying to live a simpler lifestyle, and their content doesn't align with that. I'm so, so grateful for videos like this!!! Seriously, you're filling a much needed space. I want to see more people talking about how they use their decks, not just buying the next shiny thing
I always felt like the Black Sheep for not having the Mary-El. I had no idea the link to Revelations and the deck. Now thanks to you, I don’t have to feel weird about not wanting it anymore. Thanks! 😂
Well, you just talked me out of the Mary-El, so that's at least one win! I've got heaps of Christian trauma baggage so I'm very relieved to have avoided that trigger, as it was a deck I was planning on studying. I already have the Tarot of Vampyres and I adore how goofy, campy, and cringe it is. However, I NEVER get good readings with it. It answers simple questions with layers of riddle and pontification. I have to pair it with an RWS or something in order to make it make sense for me. DEINFLUENCED.
@RoaenHere Decks with christian shit in them need to be marketed that way! And yeah, the Tarot of Vampyres only wants to answer questions that you can pontificate over so I use it pretty sparingly
This was really helpful, thank you! I think we could all benefit from thinking though potential new deck purchases like this before hitting the buy button. It is so easy to focus on the 'ooh pretty new' side of things and forget about the practical aspects that will dictate whether you actually use it or not. I purchased the Mary El because everyone said it was great but without the background knowledge of Christianity it does absolutely nothing for me. You also reminded me i need to re-read The Raven Cycle books. I enjoyed those so much!
“Because I can’t remember if it’s one Jeffrey or multiple Jeffries” hahahaha fave comment ever. This was a fun time. I could definitely de-influence folks from my faves haha. Great idea.
@@tarotreadingsfromabitch Okies haha. It sounds like a laugh tbh. I was already thinking of some immediately. It’s almost easier with the faves, cause it’s like I love them despite whatever it is.
Finding out how Christian-influenced the Mary El is... 100% deinfluenced me from getting it lol. Thanks! (not that I was actually interested in it to begin with, but that put the nail in the coffin haha)
for me it was john the baptist with lobster claw hands. it's like, ok, not only is that christian, it's such a specific symbol that it seems like it's meaningful to the creator only.
I legit didn’t understand tarot until I started reading with Deviant Moon. This deck just made everything “click “. This vid was so satisfying! So wanted it to be longer! Can we get a part 2 cause your ability to say the shit we’re all thinking is second to none!
Totally agree on the Mary-El. Never could connect with it because of those Christian influences that I noticed after I bought the deck. Your video was a service to future tarot consumers.
Inspired concept for a video!! I do watch the odd flip through and review out in Tarot Tube…but most are ‘super positive’ and I’ve frankly stopped listening to certain creators. (And I hate the term ‘super positive’ - just grates me as it sounds too cheerful 😂) I’ve always loved the look of the Raven’s Prophecy, but I can’t see myself reading those books. (Too many books, so little time). So thank you for the warning there - much appreciated. As for Hidden Realm, I went back and forth on that deck. Eventually I decided it was too ‘pretty’. I also have a bit of a rebellious streak when it comes to Barbara Moore - everyone says her books/decks are great, so I refuse to buy them 🤣 You can probably tell from the above that your channel title was what drew me in! 😂. Thank you for being a different voice (and hilarious, love your humour) out there - much appreciated and enjoyed! Blessings
This is a great idea! I STILL haven't picked up the books to go along with the Raven's Prophecy Tarot but I know I'll get around to it one day because I adore the deck even without having read them. Haha, yeah, I love Deviant Moon but it can totally be a dickhead about stuff, that's such an apt description. Definitely not a squishy feels deck. Funnily enough, I only just ordered Tarot of the Vampyres because it's going OOP and I panicked (and it's been on and off my wishlist for years). The cringe factor is what has prevented me from getting it up until now (and I say this as a spooky goth girl). I had no idea about the basis for the Mary El Tarot. I guess every day really is a school day!
@@lilpinkbear I beg everyone to read those books 😭 The Devil card in the deck is this one scene where a guy takes this mask off the wall and puts it on, and another guy goes to take it off him and it rips his face off underneath it. It's part of this dream scene and that shit lives in my head rent free
I love your attitude 😅 it’s really refreshing when so many people gush over things and are afraid to say a single negative word about a deck. I’ve had the Deviant Moon for a while and don’t use it so much, I also found the little leaflet overtly negative which is probably why. When I get new decks now I tend to only quick flick through the guidebook and use the cards a bit without looking to in-depth in the book till I’ve got my own feel for the deck. I have Brian Froud again I don’t use it so much even though I like the deck, I didn’t know that about the creators…tbh I stopped using it because I’m scared I’ll break the cards…I’ve got thicker bookmarks. I’m learning new things tonight 🙈 I didn’t know the Mary-El was inspired by Christian mythology which probably makes me dumb. I only got it recently (second edition) but I’ve not read the guidebook, just briefly looked up one card. Thanks for helping to de-influence me from buying anything else on the list 😅🙈
@midnightunicorn5139 It looks like a lot of people didn't know about the Mary El! I didn't know before I bought it either. I saw the Death card from it and decided I needed it.
Also I would be so interested if you ever did a deep dive of the Raven’s prophecy going through where it matches up with the books. It’s one of my favorite series, and I still struggle sometimes to match the art to specific scenes.
I bought the Mary El but it gave me creep vibes. Not the images, they were ok, but holding the deck made me feel weird and uncomfortable. I didn't even read the guidebook, I just packed it up and sent it back to Amazon the next day. And thoroughly cleansed my desk, room, and anything those cards may have touched. Seriously, I felt icky from holding that deck.
Sooo many decks have Christian shit. The most familiar decks have loads of it and I think casual tarot users and newcomers don't even see it. I know I didn't really see it in the RWS at first. At least with Mary-El the Christian stuff is intentional and weird, based on obscure Christian mythology and like, Gnosticism if I remember right? It's been a long time since I had a look at that book. If you wanted to do a video on Mary-El that would be welcome! (It's even in the name! The -el ending means "of God")
@pixelcurious YES. Honestly I just view the christian shit as another mythology. Like this deck is based off of Norse mythology or Egyptian or whatever. I will say that I have no religious trauma so I imagine it would feel really different for someone who does
Commenting again cuz I comment as I watch 😂 but I also have the Mary-El and never connected with it. I don’t understand it and honestly I don’t want to because of what you mentioned in the video. I really need to sell it, don’t know why I still have it. Funny thing is, I ended up with 2 copies of the damn deck! 🫠 I gifted one to a friend. She had already ordered it and I pretty much begged her to cancel it and let me send it to her 😂 I was like PLEASE, I have an extra copy, never been used and I don’t want it.
does your copy have borders? because every card in my Mary El is super bent ( i learned tarot with it, AND how to shuffle with it😊), and based on scuff marks, i can even identify the devil card in without flipping it over lol!
I love and adore the Faeries Oracle its my forever deck to keep. ❤The images are beautiful and the Faeries just come alive at night..... Thats just from my experiences 😊
I haven't even watched the video but already liked it, because the title alone made my day (and it's 00:53 here, so the day is still very long). Will watch now as a good night story, before I finally sleep.
Thanks! Was gonna buy the Mary-el deck but looking at the cards, listening to you talk about where it's art is rooted, think I will pass. I have a deck to answer big questions, better to save my coins!
I won't , because I connected so well and deeply and have my own meanings for this deck (ditched the guidebook), and I fear that it will totally kill the way I read those cards, and impress something on the deck that isn't mine.
THIS VIDEO is the vibe we needed. Damn. ❤ Is that rocker dude in Hidden Realms Ridge Forrester from "The Bold & The Beautiful"? Because that is who I saw when you said that he was a soap guy and now I can't stop laughing. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS! 🎉😂❤
I have always hated Deviant Moon, it creeps me out 🤮 I do like Tarot of Vampyres and the book is amazing! My sister is not a fan and says the women are too hoochie and the men are way too dramatic. 😂 she does love the Lords though. I tend to like far fewer tarot deck styles than most people so my FOMO tends to kick in when I’m looking at kickstarter. What if I miss is and they NEVER MAKE ANY MORE?? Like the Healing Waters Tarot. I am trying to rein this in though. Great video ❤
I totally get what you mean about the Tarot of Vampyres being cringey, but the art reminds me of my art college days when I *cringe dressed goth and was obsessed with “goth rock” Evanescence, Nightwish, Lacuna Coil, etc. 😖 and wanted to draw in that style. I have and love that deck even though yes, cringe af. 😂
I am not a fan of Christianity in my decks. But the only deck on this list is the vampires. I am still on the fence though. I am huge fan of vampires even when I was a kid. The hidden Realm deck I rehomed in 6 months. lol
So glad you said that about the Brian Froud Fairies Oracle. I like the deck, HATE the book. I'm probably going to just make a sheet of the keywords to keep with the deck and put the book in a box or something. It always pisses me off lmao Also, 100% spot on about the Deviant Moon. That is my favorite, most trusted deck, but you gotta understand when NOT to use it! It is an asshole (affectionate).
I would never have guessed that Mary-El tarot had such a big christian influence from looking at it, absolutely wild. I have also instituted rules for myself to try and keep me from buying every deck I see with one card I like in it. If I absolutely hate a card in the deck, I no longer allow myself to buy it, even if I love the rest of it. It's helped, thankfully. Great video.
I haven’t read the Raven Cycle and I’ll tell you the cards don’t give me enough to work with in readings. I love the cards so I guess I need to get reading. 🤣
@Joyinbar For me personally, I didn't grow up with christian or catholic influences, so it's easy for me to just treat it like any deck based in a certain mythology. Like Norse or Celtic.
I didn’t grew Christian either. I meant more how you enjoy it while it seems , as you’ve said for very beyond the everyday life. So above us 😅? I have this and once in awhile use it , not often, when It calls me to give it a bit attention 😊
@Joyinbar It works really well for me when I do political readings. It doesn't even want to talk about smaller local or even national things, it doesn't know the concept of things like countries or borders, but it will tell me about human condition shifts, if that makes sense?
I mean, I had no real plans to buy the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, but WHAT is that Magician? My favorite deck, imagery-wise, is the Wildwood Tarot. I HATE the guide book. Aside from the keywords and the explanation of the nontraditional structure of the deck (which I do really like), I find the actual card descriptions useless. They feel like they were written by someone who didn't understand the deck's theme. It's very self-help-y and kind of meh. I want something that feels like I'm actually going on an adventure through the Wildwood, not like I'm talking to a life coach. So I'm rewriting my own. But like... if I were going to de-influence someone from buying that deck, it would be, keep your expectations for the guidebook LOW. It's really a shame, because the symbolism in the cards is super interesting and there's a lot of it, and *there is no explanation of it in the guidebook* except on the most basic of levels. That being said, I usually find guidebooks really underwhelming and find myself wishing for more information from the artist on their thought process.
@@FabricofTime I'm so glad I'm not the only person to think this! Just really basic ass card meanings in that guidebook. Like you, I wish it had been more about the imagery specifically in the cards
I love watching unboxings. But… I have noticed that in the past few months a lot of the tarot tubers I watch have suddenly started getting decks from the mass market publishers to share. And like, more power to them, that would be awesome. But it’s definitely skewed their content and sort of leaves you with the impression that everyone should be able to purchase 10 decks a month.
It is the cheese factor that has kept me from most of these decks. I do have Deviant Moon... and I hate it. It was one of those decks I bought because I thought I was supposed to like it. And I have a secondhand copy of Vampyres. I have never used the deck, it is way too Annie-Rice-angsty-overwrought for me. I got the deck for the guidebook, which is pretty good, if you can ignore the foolish vampire crap. But in the end, the deck is so cheesy I can't even bring myself to use the guidebook.
I understand why people love the Mary-El deck, but the guidebook really upset me. I have studied Kabbalah for decades and her book assigns meanings just one number off from both Jewish and Magickal correspondences. Why?
The Mary-El tarot follows the French tradition of Hebrew letter correspondence which is the original system that Eliphas Levi created. He matched the first letter Aleph to The Magician because it is technically the first card of the majors and he saw the shape of the Magician’s body, with one arm raised above and the other below, as hinting to the shape of Aleph. He linked the Fool with Shin and placed it between the World and Judgement. Paul Foster Case and the Golden Dawn later broke with this tradition and developed their own correspondence system, which is the one most people are familiar with today.
hidden realms - I feel like it would be weirder if people weren't repeated. this is a fae community, so it makes sense to see the same person in different contexts.
Please do more de-influencing videos. As for the Mary-El tarot, I have two copies of that deck and I wanted to really study it. But I never was able to connect to it. If you do a review of that deck, please spend some time on the guidebook. I think the creator should have had someone else write it because most of it relies on passages from William Blake, Dante, and other important artists/writers and when we finally get to the meanings of the cards, it is just a rehashing of what we find on any generic RWS tarot deck. I did not see any effort made in offering different interpretations and that is a shame considering how original her artwork is in the deck and that she spent years creating that deck. I found myself looking at an image and really finding it interesting, but the meaning in the guidebook (once you get passed all the quotations and paraphrasing from other artists and writers) is just formulaic and kind of boring.
I have most of these decks and I was nodding along in agreement. I never did want the Hidden Realms but I am loving Witch Sister so much that I could have seen myself wanting both - not anymore, the duplicate figures would really throw me off!
I didn’t connect with any of the decks you showed, except for the Mary-el. I do like the art and book despite having that christian influence. It has influence from other esoteric traditions too like taoism, hermetism… I just hate the size of the cards, and the silver borders of the new edition… it’s so hard to shuffle!! I agree it looks like you should ask very trascendental questions… it’s not down to earth at all 😂
Tarot of Vampires has also just become OOP. So if someone wants it they need to find it now before it goes crazy in price. I don't want it but that is going to be another point to maybe let it pass. I also think having the same person in a deck is appropriate if it is a character's journey, like The Little Prince (I had to read that in French in high school which is why I got it). But, just randomly making everyone look the same is nuts, imo. And, I have never been drawn to the Mary El. Or really the fairy deck. But, after a few years, I do finally know my style, which helps a lot. And, those people are not Christians. Christians know Christ and follow his lead. Other people are name droppers and don't know sh** about what walking in faith is about. Ok, sorry for the book.
I don't like any of these decks except Fairies Oracle. That deck is always on point for me. I did purchase Vampyres tarot because I heard so many great things about the guidebook. I can't stand the cringy cards, lol! Guess what? I can't stand the guidebook, either!! The lofty language turns me off, ha ha ha! So that deck is in my donation box. I'm keeping Faeries and never purchased the others. Loved this video. 😄✌️❤️🪄✨️🔮🕯🗝
Also, I will never not find it funny that people get all worked up about your opinions with your channel being named what it is.😂
@@ForestShadowWitch Some people are deeply offended when they run into the non-love&light side of tarot spaces 🤣
I like this concept! De-influencing is so needed in our hyper-consumerist world. It's a weird balance to strike when it comes to indie decks, because on the one hand you are supporting artists, but it can slide into overconsumption easily.
I myself doubled my deck collection this year, and I'm starting to miss when I had a really close connection to just 2 decks: the US Games RWS and the Wisdom of Avalon oracle.
On a side note, I absolutely love the Raven Cycle series and you did not manage to de-influence me from that deck😂
@mysticcat22 Oh I recommend the Raven Cycle series so hard lmaooo Please join me
@@tarotreadingsfromabitch it’s absolutely magical! Her other series just don’t have that sense of… mystique in them. I recommend the audiobook version too, it’s got this southern gothic feel to it
What a great idea, I hope lots of people will do a VR to this! Out of these decks I've had Mary-El and Deviant Moon, both of them I purchased because they were so highly praised and I wanted to find out why, but I didn't get anything out of them and ended up rehoming both. The consumerist side of tarot is something I've also struggled with for a while now, and as a result I've slowed down my buying and started favoring second-hand decks.
Honestly, every time people talk about the Faeries oracle I just skip that part of the video. I don't understand the hype for that deck, but people really go gaga for it, lol. Also with the Tarot Of Vampyres, I have such a love-meh, for that deck. In my head I think "It's vampyres...i should love this deck", and although it's beautiful and obviously well thought out, I don't think it's that ground-breaking as people made it out to be. Great video!
@@Mystic.Louise There's this indie vampire deck called Bloody Tears Tarot that's so much better.
Agreed with Tarot of Vampyres. I tried so hard to want. I love vampire myths BUT I can’t .. I just can’t with this deck.
I love and adore the Faeries Oracle but Tarot of Vampyres I just can't with this deck so I end it up burning it in the fireplace 🤷♀️
Knowing why a deck *doesn't* work for others helps me make a informed decision on whether to buy it. With books and music I find that there's a good correlation: if person x likes it, I'm likely to like it, too; if person B likes it, it will be not-for-me. With decks, it's all over: someone loves a deck I love and hates another of my favourites and loves decks I hate. Overall, I'd hate to own their collection and they'd hate to own mine. Even if our reading styles align fairly well.
If I'm interested in a deck, I'll pick it up anyway.
I have been feeling very similarly in regard to my own materialism. I recently had to move into a smaller space, so I'm putting a lot more thought into the physical items that enter my space. That said, I just bought a backup copy of ToV because it's just gone out of print, and Llewellyn's cardstock might as well be notebook paper.
@HauntedAcreFarm Fuck it's going oop? Well then nevermind, delete it from this list. If it's going oop then you nee--I mean.
@@ForestShadowWitch same to the materialism. I’ve recently done a second decluttering and sold a lot of my decks. I had decks that I bought in the beginning of my tarot exploration, when I didn’t know what I liked or what I expected from a deck. Feels good to have a “smaller collection”. I remember when I only had a couple tarot and oracle decks, I really connected and bonded, with them. Gave them the proper time to dive into them. I want that back. Also, I have 2 copies of TOV 😭 and a 3rd on the way. That’s one deck I CAN’T be without (after speaking about materialism💀).
@@tarotreadingsfromabitch 😂 agree….. PEOPLE NEED TO GRAB THAT DECK! 😬
@tarotreadingsfromabitch yep, it's on Llewellyn's list of out of print items as of July 1st. I thought it might have just been a rumor, but it's for real this time.
@Crystalshaze I fully relate to actually being able to connect to decks more fully before having so many. Probably one of the reasons I'm so connected to ToV is that I got it fairly early on.
The consumerism in tarot UA-cam spaces has really put me off a lot of famous creators just because I'm trying to live a simpler lifestyle, and their content doesn't align with that.
I'm so, so grateful for videos like this!!! Seriously, you're filling a much needed space. I want to see more people talking about how they use their decks, not just buying the next shiny thing
absolutely!
I’m so glad I watched this video bc the Mariel tarot and the raven one was on my list. Thanks! ❤
I always felt like the Black Sheep for not having the Mary-El. I had no idea the link to Revelations and the deck. Now thanks to you, I don’t have to feel weird about not wanting it anymore. Thanks! 😂
Seconded. I decided it wasn't for me, now I can express better why not.
@@wittykitty2274 This is the desired response to this video. Thank you
@@reflectivetarot7612 Yes! Same !
I don’t have it either and never came to my mind or wish list. 😂
Well, you just talked me out of the Mary-El, so that's at least one win! I've got heaps of Christian trauma baggage so I'm very relieved to have avoided that trigger, as it was a deck I was planning on studying.
I already have the Tarot of Vampyres and I adore how goofy, campy, and cringe it is. However, I NEVER get good readings with it. It answers simple questions with layers of riddle and pontification. I have to pair it with an RWS or something in order to make it make sense for me. DEINFLUENCED.
@RoaenHere Decks with christian shit in them need to be marketed that way! And yeah, the Tarot of Vampyres only wants to answer questions that you can pontificate over so I use it pretty sparingly
This was really helpful, thank you! I think we could all benefit from thinking though potential new deck purchases like this before hitting the buy button. It is so easy to focus on the 'ooh pretty new' side of things and forget about the practical aspects that will dictate whether you actually use it or not. I purchased the Mary El because everyone said it was great but without the background knowledge of Christianity it does absolutely nothing for me. You also reminded me i need to re-read The Raven Cycle books. I enjoyed those so much!
Being an artist and designer makes me so picky about decks that I'm hard to influence *into* buying them.
“Because I can’t remember if it’s one Jeffrey or multiple Jeffries” hahahaha fave comment ever. This was a fun time. I could definitely de-influence folks from my faves haha. Great idea.
@@cosmic.creeper Please do it when you feel able!
@@tarotreadingsfromabitch Okies haha. It sounds like a laugh tbh. I was already thinking of some immediately. It’s almost easier with the faves, cause it’s like I love them despite whatever it is.
@@cosmic.creeper Exactly
Finding out how Christian-influenced the Mary El is... 100% deinfluenced me from getting it lol. Thanks!
(not that I was actually interested in it to begin with, but that put the nail in the coffin haha)
for me it was john the baptist with lobster claw hands. it's like, ok, not only is that christian, it's such a specific symbol that it seems like it's meaningful to the creator only.
YES!! So many other tarot influencers need to do this 😂
They will not do it because they will lose their "free" "can't-live-without" decks that they recommend to others.
I legit didn’t understand tarot until I started reading with Deviant Moon. This deck just made everything “click “. This vid was so satisfying! So wanted it to be longer! Can we get a part 2 cause your ability to say the shit we’re all thinking is second to none!
Totally agree on the Mary-El. Never could connect with it because of those Christian influences that I noticed after I bought the deck. Your video was a service to future tarot consumers.
Very creative and intriguing concept, thank you for sharing ❤
Love the concept of de-influencing, what a great video idea! Was seriously expecting to see you show the Witches Wisdom tarot with THAT ONE CARD. 😉
@@danielaayers3449 I thought about it! But then I was like I just bitched about that in the last video
I love de-influencing and anti-haul content so this is such a treat!
I did not know that about the fairy oracle! I have it but didn’t know anything of it that you had mentioned. 😮
@@Crystalshaze I learned it several years ago but apparently it had happened before I bought the deck. Had I known, I wouldn't have bought it lol
Inspired concept for a video!! I do watch the odd flip through and review out in Tarot Tube…but most are ‘super positive’ and I’ve frankly stopped listening to certain creators. (And I hate the term ‘super positive’ - just grates me as it sounds too cheerful 😂)
I’ve always loved the look of the Raven’s Prophecy, but I can’t see myself reading those books. (Too many books, so little time). So thank you for the warning there - much appreciated. As for Hidden Realm, I went back and forth on that deck. Eventually I decided it was too ‘pretty’. I also have a bit of a rebellious streak when it comes to Barbara Moore - everyone says her books/decks are great, so I refuse to buy them 🤣
You can probably tell from the above that your channel title was what drew me in! 😂.
Thank you for being a different voice (and hilarious, love your humour) out there - much appreciated and enjoyed! Blessings
This is a great idea!
I STILL haven't picked up the books to go along with the Raven's Prophecy Tarot but I know I'll get around to it one day because I adore the deck even without having read them.
Haha, yeah, I love Deviant Moon but it can totally be a dickhead about stuff, that's such an apt description. Definitely not a squishy feels deck.
Funnily enough, I only just ordered Tarot of the Vampyres because it's going OOP and I panicked (and it's been on and off my wishlist for years). The cringe factor is what has prevented me from getting it up until now (and I say this as a spooky goth girl).
I had no idea about the basis for the Mary El Tarot. I guess every day really is a school day!
@@lilpinkbear I beg everyone to read those books 😭 The Devil card in the deck is this one scene where a guy takes this mask off the wall and puts it on, and another guy goes to take it off him and it rips his face off underneath it. It's part of this dream scene and that shit lives in my head rent free
I love your attitude 😅 it’s really refreshing when so many people gush over things and are afraid to say a single negative word about a deck.
I’ve had the Deviant Moon for a while and don’t use it so much, I also found the little leaflet overtly negative which is probably why. When I get new decks now I tend to only quick flick through the guidebook and use the cards a bit without looking to in-depth in the book till I’ve got my own feel for the deck. I have Brian Froud again I don’t use it so much even though I like the deck, I didn’t know that about the creators…tbh I stopped using it because I’m scared I’ll break the cards…I’ve got thicker bookmarks. I’m learning new things tonight 🙈 I didn’t know the Mary-El was inspired by Christian mythology which probably makes me dumb. I only got it recently (second edition) but I’ve not read the guidebook, just briefly looked up one card.
Thanks for helping to de-influence me from buying anything else on the list 😅🙈
@midnightunicorn5139 It looks like a lot of people didn't know about the Mary El! I didn't know before I bought it either. I saw the Death card from it and decided I needed it.
the magician from tarot of the hidden realm took me out! 😂
@@ninecoinsfromsatu It's so fucking bad.
He and the High Priestess work at the same street lamp....
Also I would be so interested if you ever did a deep dive of the Raven’s prophecy going through where it matches up with the books. It’s one of my favorite series, and I still struggle sometimes to match the art to specific scenes.
@theallisoncompendium I need to reread them and this is a fantastic idea
I bought the Mary El but it gave me creep vibes. Not the images, they were ok, but holding the deck made me feel weird and uncomfortable. I didn't even read the guidebook, I just packed it up and sent it back to Amazon the next day. And thoroughly cleansed my desk, room, and anything those cards may have touched. Seriously, I felt icky from holding that deck.
Sooo many decks have Christian shit. The most familiar decks have loads of it and I think casual tarot users and newcomers don't even see it. I know I didn't really see it in the RWS at first. At least with Mary-El the Christian stuff is intentional and weird, based on obscure Christian mythology and like, Gnosticism if I remember right? It's been a long time since I had a look at that book. If you wanted to do a video on Mary-El that would be welcome! (It's even in the name! The -el ending means "of God")
@pixelcurious YES. Honestly I just view the christian shit as another mythology. Like this deck is based off of Norse mythology or Egyptian or whatever. I will say that I have no religious trauma so I imagine it would feel really different for someone who does
You succeeded. I wouldn’t buy or use any of these 😂
Commenting again cuz I comment as I watch 😂 but I also have the Mary-El and never connected with it. I don’t understand it and honestly I don’t want to because of what you mentioned in the video. I really need to sell it, don’t know why I still have it. Funny thing is, I ended up with 2 copies of the damn deck! 🫠 I gifted one to a friend. She had already ordered it and I pretty much begged her to cancel it and let me send it to her 😂 I was like PLEASE, I have an extra copy, never been used and I don’t want it.
@Crystalshaze I might need to make a quick video about the Mary El because a lot of people are saying they didn't know. 😬
@@tarotreadingsfromabitch yes! I think you should!
does your copy have borders? because every card in my Mary El is super bent ( i learned tarot with it, AND how to shuffle with it😊), and based on scuff marks, i can even identify the devil card in without flipping it over lol!
I was tempted to buy all these decks and resisted, except for the Hidden Realm which I later threw away! I agree with you.
I love and adore the Faeries Oracle its my forever deck to keep. ❤The images are beautiful and the Faeries just come alive at night..... Thats just from my experiences 😊
I haven't even watched the video but already liked it, because the title alone made my day (and it's 00:53 here, so the day is still very long). Will watch now as a good night story, before I finally sleep.
Thanks! Was gonna buy the Mary-el deck but looking at the cards, listening to you talk about where it's art is rooted, think I will pass. I have a deck to answer big questions, better to save my coins!
The first one caught my eye ❤ 🤔 but, do I want to read the books is the question
@@QueenAusetHeru They're actually so good
I won't , because I connected so well and deeply and have my own meanings for this deck (ditched the guidebook), and I fear that it will totally kill the way I read those cards, and impress something on the deck that isn't mine.
THIS VIDEO is the vibe we needed. Damn. ❤ Is that rocker dude in Hidden Realms Ridge Forrester from "The Bold & The Beautiful"? Because that is who I saw when you said that he was a soap guy and now I can't stop laughing. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS! 🎉😂❤
My wife agrees but specifies that's the *first* Ridge Forrester. Lol.
@entropyapothecary After almost two hours of research, it is Josh Duhamel from "All My Children." But I totally see the other guy you said too omg
This is the best of the internets right here @@swamiralf5115 😂❤
@tarotreadingsfromabitch you are forging the best fucking community on YT, child.
THIS is how we win.
I have always hated Deviant Moon, it creeps me out 🤮 I do like Tarot of Vampyres and the book is amazing! My sister is not a fan and says the women are too hoochie and the men are way too dramatic. 😂 she does love the Lords though. I tend to like far fewer tarot deck styles than most people so my FOMO tends to kick in when I’m looking at kickstarter. What if I miss is and they NEVER MAKE ANY MORE?? Like the Healing Waters Tarot. I am trying to rein this in though. Great video ❤
I’m less than a minute into this video and I am so excited to watch it. I’m currently experiencing FOMO so this is perfect lol.
I am successfully de-influenced. Thanks.
What a great video idea! Loved it 🖤
Hmm interesting how many ppl didn't realize the biblical influences in Mary-el. It literally has archangel cards.
@@TrioofWitchesTarot I think it's because it wasn't marketed that way.
I totally get what you mean about the Tarot of Vampyres being cringey, but the art reminds me of my art college days when I *cringe dressed goth and was obsessed with “goth rock” Evanescence, Nightwish, Lacuna Coil, etc. 😖 and wanted to draw in that style. I have and love that deck even though yes, cringe af. 😂
I don’t understand the witch sister hype. Maybe the book is good? Everyone looks beat up in that deck
@teslagoth9401 Personally I really like the Witch Sister Tarot but I definitely see what you're saying.
I am not a fan of Christianity in my decks. But the only deck on this list is the vampires. I am still on the fence though. I am huge fan of vampires even when I was a kid. The hidden Realm deck I rehomed in 6 months. lol
So glad you said that about the Brian Froud Fairies Oracle. I like the deck, HATE the book. I'm probably going to just make a sheet of the keywords to keep with the deck and put the book in a box or something. It always pisses me off lmao
Also, 100% spot on about the Deviant Moon. That is my favorite, most trusted deck, but you gotta understand when NOT to use it! It is an asshole (affectionate).
Good idea to make a key word sheet for that Oracle. I should do that.
I would never have guessed that Mary-El tarot had such a big christian influence from looking at it, absolutely wild. I have also instituted rules for myself to try and keep me from buying every deck I see with one card I like in it. If I absolutely hate a card in the deck, I no longer allow myself to buy it, even if I love the rest of it. It's helped, thankfully. Great video.
I haven’t read the Raven Cycle and I’ll tell you the cards don’t give me enough to work with in readings. I love the cards so I guess I need to get reading. 🤣
@@verderaven The book series is really so good
I haven't gotten any of those yet, thanks for the heads-up ❤
I always admired the art in Mary El but had no idea it was based in Christian mythology. Successfully deinfluenced!!
It makes so much sense . My question is how you do enjoy read the Mary el ? 😊
@Joyinbar For me personally, I didn't grow up with christian or catholic influences, so it's easy for me to just treat it like any deck based in a certain mythology. Like Norse or Celtic.
I didn’t grew Christian either. I meant more how you enjoy it while it seems , as you’ve said for very beyond the everyday life. So above us 😅?
I have this and once in awhile use it , not often, when It calls me to give it a bit attention 😊
@Joyinbar It works really well for me when I do political readings. It doesn't even want to talk about smaller local or even national things, it doesn't know the concept of things like countries or borders, but it will tell me about human condition shifts, if that makes sense?
Not often then. Haha a Zeitgeist deck. @tarotreadingsfromabitch
I mean, I had no real plans to buy the Tarot of the Hidden Realm, but WHAT is that Magician?
My favorite deck, imagery-wise, is the Wildwood Tarot. I HATE the guide book. Aside from the keywords and the explanation of the nontraditional structure of the deck (which I do really like), I find the actual card descriptions useless. They feel like they were written by someone who didn't understand the deck's theme. It's very self-help-y and kind of meh. I want something that feels like I'm actually going on an adventure through the Wildwood, not like I'm talking to a life coach.
So I'm rewriting my own. But like... if I were going to de-influence someone from buying that deck, it would be, keep your expectations for the guidebook LOW. It's really a shame, because the symbolism in the cards is super interesting and there's a lot of it, and *there is no explanation of it in the guidebook* except on the most basic of levels.
That being said, I usually find guidebooks really underwhelming and find myself wishing for more information from the artist on their thought process.
@@FabricofTime I'm so glad I'm not the only person to think this! Just really basic ass card meanings in that guidebook. Like you, I wish it had been more about the imagery specifically in the cards
I love watching unboxings. But… I have noticed that in the past few months a lot of the tarot tubers I watch have suddenly started getting decks from the mass market publishers to share. And like, more power to them, that would be awesome. But it’s definitely skewed their content and sort of leaves you with the impression that everyone should be able to purchase 10 decks a month.
It is the cheese factor that has kept me from most of these decks. I do have Deviant Moon... and I hate it. It was one of those decks I bought because I thought I was supposed to like it. And I have a secondhand copy of Vampyres. I have never used the deck, it is way too Annie-Rice-angsty-overwrought for me. I got the deck for the guidebook, which is pretty good, if you can ignore the foolish vampire crap. But in the end, the deck is so cheesy I can't even bring myself to use the guidebook.
@@Jezebel_Rising Anne-Rice-Angsty 🤣😭 But yes.
I understand why people love the Mary-El deck, but the guidebook really upset me. I have studied Kabbalah for decades and her book assigns meanings just one number off from both Jewish and Magickal correspondences. Why?
The Mary-El tarot follows the French tradition of Hebrew letter correspondence which is the original system that Eliphas Levi created. He matched the first letter Aleph to The Magician because it is technically the first card of the majors and he saw the shape of the Magician’s body, with one arm raised above and the other below, as hinting to the shape of Aleph. He linked the Fool with Shin and placed it between the World and Judgement. Paul Foster Case and the Golden Dawn later broke with this tradition and developed their own correspondence system, which is the one most people are familiar with today.
@@chelseadelo3260 Thank you so much!!!
@@chelseadelo3260 Thank you!!!
I think the King of Wands looks like Mich Jagger.
Instant sub 😂😂😂
Yes to all of this
Fantastic idea and well executed! This helped me leave the idea of buying a couple of these decks. Much appreciated!
Ok but, now I want a 1st edition Mary El ngl hahahaha
hidden realms - I feel like it would be weirder if people weren't repeated. this is a fae community, so it makes sense to see the same person in different contexts.
Please do more de-influencing videos. As for the Mary-El tarot, I have two copies of that deck and I wanted to really study it. But I never was able to connect to it. If you do a review of that deck, please spend some time on the guidebook. I think the creator should have had someone else write it because most of it relies on passages from William Blake, Dante, and other important artists/writers and when we finally get to the meanings of the cards, it is just a rehashing of what we find on any generic RWS tarot deck. I did not see any effort made in offering different interpretations and that is a shame considering how original her artwork is in the deck and that she spent years creating that deck. I found myself looking at an image and really finding it interesting, but the meaning in the guidebook (once you get passed all the quotations and paraphrasing from other artists and writers) is just formulaic and kind of boring.
I have most of these decks and I was nodding along in agreement. I never did want the Hidden Realms but I am loving Witch Sister so much that I could have seen myself wanting both - not anymore, the duplicate figures would really throw me off!
Ahhh you have wonderful taste! I dunno if I was especially -de-influenced after watching this, lol
I didn’t connect with any of the decks you showed, except for the Mary-el. I do like the art and book despite having that christian influence. It has influence from other esoteric traditions too like taoism, hermetism… I just hate the size of the cards, and the silver borders of the new edition… it’s so hard to shuffle!!
I agree it looks like you should ask very trascendental questions… it’s not down to earth at all 😂
Tarot of Vampires has also just become OOP. So if someone wants it they need to find it now before it goes crazy in price. I don't want it but that is going to be another point to maybe let it pass. I also think having the same person in a deck is appropriate if it is a character's journey, like The Little Prince (I had to read that in French in high school which is why I got it). But, just randomly making everyone look the same is nuts, imo. And, I have never been drawn to the Mary El. Or really the fairy deck. But, after a few years, I do finally know my style, which helps a lot. And, those people are not Christians. Christians know Christ and follow his lead. Other people are name droppers and don't know sh** about what walking in faith is about. Ok, sorry for the book.
I don't like any of these decks except Fairies Oracle. That deck is always on point for me. I did purchase Vampyres tarot because I heard so many great things about the guidebook. I can't stand the cringy cards, lol! Guess what? I can't stand the guidebook, either!! The lofty language turns me off, ha ha ha! So that deck is in my donation box. I'm keeping Faeries and never purchased the others. Loved this video. 😄✌️❤️🪄✨️🔮🕯🗝
@NYCHFAN Yeah that TOV guidebook is something else. It's only useful for certain types of questions I think