Tarot Community Hashtags

By Allan Ritchie


I love watching the many different Tarot hashtags that pop up in the community. Normally, these hashtags are based on decks, which provokes reactions from others that respond to the idea in like kind. We see this on Instagram and also on Youtube. So, here at Tarot Sushi, we are looking to get in on the craze and share a response to the latest or a popular hashtag.

This month one that is the hottest is the #DateTheTarot2020. This particular YouTube tag was started by Candy Soul and Soil. In her video, she acknowledged that many YouTubers took the time to share their favorite Tarot decks of 2020. This tag was a set of prompts that asked us to consider those decks that were not necessarily our favorites but ones that played a part in our practice and lives in 2020. These were framed in the idea of dates. There are ten prompts, and I wanted to share with you my list of decks that I "dated" in 2020. The prompts were taken from Candy's video are listed below as well as my response.

1: The Cheapskate Date..... who did you date that was cheap as chips, and what was the outcome?

For me, it was the Mystical Manga Tarot. This is a deck I got for free when I attended the Northwest Tarot Symposium in early March. It was a registration gift from Llewellyn Worldwide publishing. Since it doesn't get any cheaper than free, this more than qualifies. I grew up reading comics, so getting a manga deck was fun. I used it during the conference and serves as a souvenir as well.

MMBox


2: The Slow Burner Date..... the one you weren't sure about on the first meeting but over time you suspect it's turning to love!

When 78 Tarot Etsy shop had a sale for three of their past editions, I jumped on it. I got The 78 Astro Tarot, The 78 Elemental Tarot, and The 78 Mythical Tarot. I appreciate the diversity of artwork in all the decks, though I was drawn more to The 78 Mythical Tarot. I found that the more I used it, the more I got from it. The more I got from it, the more that I would use it. It stands out as one of the biggest surprises of my 2020 deck additions.

3: The Blind Date.... because we are impulsive humans, and sometimes we just rush in! Who did you date without looking or thinking?

After a long day at work, I found myself in the Tarot section of my local Barnes and Noble's Booksellers looking for a little retail therapy. They had a copy for the recently released Cosmic Slumber Tarot. I had heard some buzz about the deck, but I never saw any of the cards and thought I would take a chance. It was a sight-unseen purchase that has been a pretty nice deck. While not a huge fan of the backs, I love the unique design of the box.

CSTBox


4: The Rebound Date.... the one you keep going to break up with but keep being pulled back together!

When everyone seemed excited about the Nightmare Before Christmas Tarot, I had my heart set on the Tarot Del Toro. The Tarot Del Toro is a mass-market deck based on the movies and work of Guillermo Del Toro. I am a huge fan of Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water, and Hellboy. Flipping through the deck on my initial walkthrough, I loved it and then got to the minor arcana and learned it was a pip deck. While I can use a pip deck they are not my favorite. I love the deck enough to pick it up often but not enough that I have been known to set it down for a few weeks before coming back to it.

5: The Surprise Love Affair Date....the one you thought would be just ok but from the first meeting it was love at first sight that took you by surprise!

The Ellis Deck by Taylor Ellis was a purchase that I put off for a while in 2020 because while I liked the artwork and thought I would like I was not quite sure I wanted to put down the money for a physical copy. It is currently only available in the plastic format, so that was an initial hurdle When I finally made the call, I got the deck, and it was amazing right off the bat. I love the plastic card stock even though it is a bit heavier than paper. The borderless deck with amazing color and fantastical images gives me so much in each reading. This became one of my favorite all-time decks.

6: The "Not My Type" Date.... the one you went on thinking it wasn't your cup of tea, but what the hell.... what happened?

Joanna Nelson is an established Tarot artist. When she Kickstarted her Monstarot second edition, I was quick to get on the bandwagon. I backed both the Monstarot and the Whispering Spirits Tarot. I knew exactly what I was getting. Though it is a bit more pastel than I like my decks, I wanted to be a supporter of the artist and the decks. They are both great decks. I like the images in the Whispering Spirit Tarot better but oddly the Monstarot does read better for me. I have also referred to this as my Double Date of 2020.

7: The "I May Have To Delete Your Number" Date..... the one that didn't work but you still haven't broken up with yet, what's stopping you?

As an avid fan of Tarot deck creators and Kickstarter, I am often quick to pull the trigger and support decks. Travis McHenry released his Oracle of Heaven and Hell a couple of years ago, and I use it a lot. So when he had another deck, the Tarot of Vlad Dracula coming out, I was notified. I was pretty sure it was a bit darker than I like from a deck I still backed it. The cards and the quality of the project are great. Yet the deck is a bit violent and not my normal type of deck. I won't get rid of it as it has a unique spot in my collection. I have never used it for a reading. (I have heard that it is going to be released in a mass-market version if it is something that you would be interested in.)


8: The Forever Love..... True love....ok this one might be on the favorites list too, but I'm curious and couldn't resist!

I have had a long, long time tarot crush on the True Black Tarot. It was finally time to bring it into my collection in 2020, and it has been love at first sight. The art is dark and light. Soft and edgy. The images of the deck are rich and evocative. While the deck itself is a beauty, there is something amazing about the way that it reads. This is a deck that whispers and draws me in with each reading. I have not used it for clients. I don't think that I ever will, as it has an intensely intimate feel. It has a strong feeling like sharing secrets over a bottle of wine.

9: The Stormy On/Off Date.....the one you can't stay away from, equal parts passion, lust, and fighting! The one you have to have a break from but can't stay away from either!

I love artist and deck creators that take chances; take the system of tarot and reinvent it. The Philosophy Cards are labeled by the creators as an existential tarot. The tarot gets a philosophical overhaul and is completely reinvented. I had a great introduction to it and enjoyed the study of the system, but it is revolutionary and tough to get to understand. The minors are not as descriptive as I would like to help understand their meaning. I will likely have to add some keywords to get this system in my head, but I don't think that I can keep it up much longer.

10: The Friends With Benefits Date.... who can you run to without commitment whenever you need them? The one who always just slots right back in like you've never been apart?

James R. Eads is on the verge of releasing his new Cosma Visions Tarot. In anticipation, I have been using the Prisma Visions Tarot to get a familiarity with his systems. It is a beautiful deck that I have been just using on and off for months as I look forward to the companion deck's release. This is a deck I have had for a few years, and I keep coming back to it. It gives me great readings.

If you think that you would like to partake in this, we would love to hear about the ten tarot decks that you "dated" in 2020. Send us a message, and we will share it with our readers.

You can find my YouTube response to this tag here as well:


Oracular Mechanics YouTube


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