On sticking with divination tools

I recently put an 'empty' bottle of chocolate flavoured milk in my bag. I could have sworn it was empty and also that the top was on. In practice neither can have been the case because *everything* in my bag got some chocolate milk on, including a deck of tarot cards I had in there. They were Fournier's Tarot Genoves, actually one of my favourite decks, and they had been knocking baout in there with a rubber band round them for ages, in case of urgent reference. You'll notice the Hound doesn't always treat his divination tools with the respect they need. The upshot was, in addition to being a reproduction vintage deck, they now both look extremely vintage - the brown spots look just like foxing - but smell delicious!

I'm not going to replace them, I'm going to carry on using them. That incident I think is one of the life experiences that we go through with divination tools that make them ours and part of us. But this incident has caused me to reflect on the number of tarot decks I have - particularly as I found myself on amazon.it last night, looking at regional Italian playing cards. I have posted before about how I learned tarot - I learned with a Morgan-Greer deck, my actual deck got thrown out eventually because it was worn out. I then moved on to a Rider-Waite, and I actually have a deck I've made up myself of cards from several different decks. More recently I've been reading with an Etteilla (the deck illustrated here) and have settled down to the non-reversible Italian type of gaming deck, because they give such frank readings.

I also realise that while my introductory post to kipper cards is one of the most popular posts on this blog, I haven't posted on them since. I haven't read with them, or even looked at them: to be frank the reason is I'm not sure where the damn things are. But they're obviously not shouting 'I have something to tell you!' from wherever they are.

I have however been feeling that it's time to start on another way of reading - a deck that I have no knowledge of, that I can come to with no preconceptions and can make a new relationship with. After having looked at the Italian regional decks last night I'm not sure that this is the answer. I think I have more than enough tarot decks in the house. I think the message of the chocolate milk is - stop trying to find another deck. Read me. Keep me. Build a more enduring relationship with me. Because actually that deck continues to come up with answers, so really why would I need to find another? I'll carry on until they look like this Etteilla card, and either be buried with them or leave them to one of my Goddess children.

Imagine what the Etteilla card that illustrates this post could say, if it could really speak! The number of hands it's been through, the number of readings, of good endings and bad endings, happiness and sadness. Somehow I think a divination tool should have seen it all. Wonder what I'll spill on them next...