So, I decided to dive into the Marseilles tarot deck a while back. I’d been using the Rider-Waite-Smith deck forever, like most people I guess, and just felt like I needed a change, something different. I kept seeing pictures of the Marseilles deck, you know, the really old-looking one with the blocky art and bright colors. It looked kind of stark, honest maybe? Anyway, I picked one up.
First Impressions
When the deck arrived, it felt different right out of the box. The cardstock was pretty basic, nothing fancy. And the images… well, they weren’t the detailed scenes I was used to. Very simple lines, primary colors, almost crude in a way. The Major Arcana cards were somewhat familiar – The Fool, The Empress, The Tower – you could tell what they were meant to be, mostly. But they had this distinct, historical vibe that was interesting.
The Real Challenge: The Pips
Okay, here’s where things got tricky. The Minor Arcana, the numbered cards, or pips as they call them. Man, that was a hurdle. Unlike RWS where you get a little picture telling a story, like the Three of Swords with the heart and swords, the Marseilles just gives you… well, three swords. Or seven cups. Or ten coins. Just the symbols, arranged in a pattern. No people, no action scenes. I remember looking at the Four of Wands and thinking, “Okay… four sticks. Now what?” It felt really abstract and I honestly didn’t know where to start.
Figuring It Out
I tried a couple of books that were supposed to explain the Marseilles system. Some were okay, but felt really dry, too academic. It wasn’t clicking. So, I decided to ditch the complex explanations for a bit and just spend time with the cards.
- I started doing daily draws, just one card. I wouldn’t rush to look up a meaning. I’d just look at the card. Notice the colors, the arrangement of the symbols, the lines.
- I paid more attention to the suits themselves – Wands as energy/action, Cups as emotion/relationships, Swords as thought/conflict, Coins as material stuff/practicality. Basic stuff, yeah, but it felt more important here.
- Then I focused on the numbers. What does ‘two’ mean (duality, choice)? What does ‘five’ mean (instability, challenge)? Then I’d combine that with the suit. Five of Swords? Maybe challenging thoughts, conflict in communication. It was slow going.
- The Court cards were also a bit strange. They seemed very formal, less expressive than the RWS courts. I had to look closely at where they were facing, what they were holding, their posture. Tiny details seemed to matter more.
When It Started to Make Sense
There wasn’t one single ‘aha!’ moment. It was more gradual. Like my eyes adjusting to a dimly lit room. Readings started feeling… different. More direct, maybe? Less about interpreting a complex picture and more about feeling the core energy of the numbers and suits. It forced me to rely less on memorized book meanings and more on my own intuition. I had to connect the dots myself based on the patterns and the question asked.
I remember doing a reading for a friend about a work situation. The cards were mostly pips. Instead of seeing a story, I saw the flow of energy – blocks, movement, points of tension – just from how the symbols were arranged. And the reading turned out to be surprisingly accurate, hitting points we hadn’t even discussed directly. That was when I thought, okay, there’s really something to this.
Where I Am Now
Do I use the Marseilles deck exclusively? Nah. I still pull out my trusty RWS sometimes, especially if I want that narrative picture style. But the Marseilles has definitely earned its place. I tend to grab it when I want a really straightforward, no-frills answer. It feels grounding, like getting back to the bare bones of tarot.
It took effort, definitely wasn’t an instant love affair. Those pips really make you work for it. But going through that process changed how I approach tarot reading overall. Made me trust my gut feelings more, look for the patterns, and worry less about finding the ‘right’ book meaning. It’s a solid, honest deck. Not flashy, but it gets the job done. Glad I gave it a serious try.
