Okay, so today I’m gonna talk about my deep dive into the Cary-Yale Visconti Tarot deck. It’s been a journey, let me tell you!
It all started when I stumbled upon this deck online. I was looking for something different, something with a historical vibe, and the Cary-Yale just screamed “old school cool” at me. I mean, it’s from the 15th century! How awesome is that?
First things first, I ordered the deck. Waited impatiently for it to arrive. You know how it is. When it finally showed up, I was like a kid on Christmas morning. The cards are bigger than your average tarot deck, which took some getting used to, but the artwork…man, the artwork is stunning. All those golds and blues, the detail in the figures…I was hooked.
Next up, I started researching the deck’s history. This wasn’t your typical Rider-Waite-Smith backstory. This deck was commissioned by the Duke of Milan, Filippo Maria Visconti. We’re talking serious power and money here. Understanding the context of the deck helped me appreciate it even more.
Then came the real challenge: learning the card meanings. This is where things got tricky. The Cary-Yale isn’t a standard 78-card deck. It’s got 86 cards, with extra cards in the court cards (Maids and Knights). Plus, the symbolism is different from what I was used to. So, I dug around for resources. Found some online articles, a couple of dedicated Cary-Yale websites, and even a translated copy of the original manuscript that’s partially related. I basically became a Cary-Yale scholar overnight, or at least I felt like one.
I started with the Major Arcana, trying to understand the nuances of each card. For example, the Wheel of Fortune isn’t just about luck; it’s about the cyclical nature of life, the rise and fall of empires. Stuff like that. I’d pull a card a day, meditate on it, and write down my thoughts in a journal. It felt like unlocking a secret code.
The Minor Arcana were even more challenging. Those extra court cards! But I slowly pieced together their meanings, focusing on the specific attributes of each suit (Coins, Swords, Cups, Batons). I also paid attention to the numerology – the number of the card and what that signifies within the Cary-Yale system. It was like learning a whole new language.
Then, the really fun part: doing actual readings. I started with simple one-card draws, just to get a feel for the deck’s energy. Then I graduated to three-card spreads: past, present, future. At first, the readings felt clunky, like I was forcing the cards to fit my interpretations. But the more I worked with the deck, the more intuitive it became. I started to “get” the Cary-Yale’s voice, its unique way of communicating.
I even experimented with different spreads, adapting traditional layouts to the Cary-Yale’s structure. One spread I particularly liked was a “Court Card Profile,” where I’d draw a card for each of the four court cards in a specific suit, to get a deeper understanding of a person’s personality or a situation’s dynamics.
Look, it wasn’t easy. There were times I wanted to throw the whole deck out the window. But I stuck with it, and now I feel like I have a real connection to the Cary-Yale. It’s become one of my go-to decks for serious introspection and historical context. It offers a unique perspective that you just don’t get with more modern decks.
My Key Takeaways:
- Be patient. Learning a new tarot deck, especially one as complex as the Cary-Yale, takes time and effort. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t “get it” right away.
- Do your research. Understanding the history and symbolism of the deck is crucial. The more you know, the deeper your readings will be.
- Experiment. Don’t be afraid to try different spreads and techniques. Find what works best for you and the deck.
- Trust your intuition. Ultimately, tarot is about connecting with your inner wisdom. Trust your gut feelings, even if they seem different from what the books say.
So, yeah, that’s my Cary-Yale adventure. I highly recommend giving this deck a try if you’re looking for something challenging and rewarding. Just be prepared to put in the work. It’s worth it, trust me.
