Okay, so I wanted to talk about this deck I’ve been working with lately. It’s got this specific name, you know, the ‘el gran tarot esoterico’. Quite a mouthful, right?
Getting Started
It actually caught my eye a while back. Wasn’t looking for a new deck, honestly. Had my trusty old Rider-Waite, battered and loved. But I saw some images online, maybe? Or was it in a little shop tucked away somewhere? Can’t quite recall. Anyway, the art style just stuck with me. Different. Kinda intense, really. Not your usual tarot vibe.
So, I mulled it over for a bit. Do I need another deck? Probably not. Did I want this one? Yeah, kinda did. Curiosity got the better of me, like it often does. Went ahead and ordered it. Waiting for packages is always a mix of excitement and impatience, isn’t it? Felt like ages, but it eventually turned up.
First Impressions and Use
The box itself was decent enough. Nothing too fancy. Opened it up, and there they were. The cards felt… substantial. Good cardstock, you know? Not flimsy. The first thing I did was just flip through them. Wow. The images are really something. Lots of detail, lots of symbolism packed in there. Some of it felt familiar, like echoes of older traditions, but with its own unique spin. Definitely ‘esoteric’ like the name says.
My first step, always, is just to handle the cards. Shuffle them. Get a feel for them. These felt a bit stiff initially, but they started to loosen up. The shuffling sound was crisp. Felt good.
I didn’t jump into complex spreads right away. Started simple. Just pulling one card a day. Asking simple questions. Like, “What’s the energy for today?” or “What should I focus on?”.
- First few draws were… interesting. Definitely not straightforward answers sometimes.
- The imagery really forces you to think, to look deeper.
- Some cards felt immediately powerful, others kinda confusing. Had to sit with them a bit.
Tried a basic three-card spread next – past, present, future. Or situation, action, outcome. That kinda thing. It worked okay. The readings felt… layered. Like there was more going on than with my usual deck. Maybe it’s the art, maybe it’s just the deck’s personality. Hard to say.
Deeper Dive and Feelings
Spent a few weeks just using this deck. Compared it to my old faithful. It’s definitely a different experience. My old deck feels like a comfortable old friend. This one… feels more like a serious teacher. Doesn’t mince words, you know? Sometimes the readings felt blunt, almost stark. But honest, I guess.
The artwork is key. It’s not pretty in a conventional way. It’s packed with astrological symbols, Hebrew letters, alchemical stuff maybe? I’m no expert, but you can tell there’s a system behind it. Had to really look closely, sometimes even look things up, to get a better grasp. Made the readings take longer, but it was kinda fascinating.
Did I connect with it instantly? Not exactly. It took work. It wasn’t a deck that just spills its secrets easily. Felt like I had to earn the insights, put in the effort to understand its language. Some days I’d get frustrated and go back to my old deck for comfort. But I kept coming back to this one.
Where I’m At Now
So, after spending some real time with it, shuffling, drawing, just looking at the cards… I respect it. A lot. It’s a challenging deck, for sure. Not one I’d recommend for an absolute beginner maybe, unless they’re really drawn to that specific style and ready to study.
Do I use it all the time? No. It depends on my mood and the kind of reading I need. For deep, complex questions, or when I feel stuck and need a jolt, I reach for it. For everyday quick guidance, sometimes I still prefer something simpler.
It’s definitely earned its place on my shelf, though. It pushes me. Makes me look at tarot from a different angle. And that’s always a good thing, right? Keeps things fresh. So yeah, that’s been my journey with this particular deck. Still learning its quirks, still figuring it out. But it’s been a worthwhile process.
