Orphalese Tarot Zone Community Forum

I know I number my cards different then most. However if we are indeed moving toward sharing spreads with each other, we will need to make sure we are using a standard numbering system. I couldn't find where this had been discussed for a suggested numbering of the cards. Something that might be suggested prior to uploading a deck, and something we would know was the standard for Orphalese, so that if and when we are sharing spreads we know we are seeing the cards we are suppose to. I currently number Majors, Cups Ace-King, Wands Ace-King, Pentacles Ace-King, Swords Ace-King. It might be better to assign the numbering based on the elements so a deck is element specific verses suit names. Oracles which was recently discussed are an animal in and of themselves. However... oracles are not interchangeable like Tarot decks are. However it may be something that should be discussed. Maybe they should be number as they are listed in the book that comes with the deck? They are not interchangeable like Tarot decks are so it will just be a matter of standardization.

Again maybe this is something that has already been settled. I don't have a problem chainging how I number to use this program because it's well worth it. I just want to know if there is a standard and what it is.

Thanks,
Shari

Hi Shari,

There is a sort of standard order built into the program, and that's the order of the cards presented by the listing in the Compare Cards feature:
Trumps (Tarot de Marseilles order) are 00 thru 21,
Ace thru King Clubs/Wands are 22 thru 35 (Fire),
Ace thru King Cups are 36 thru 49 (Water),
Ace thru King Swords are 50 thru 63 (Air), and
Ace thru King Coins/Pentacles are 64 thru 77 (Earth).

Personally, I prefer the Waite-Smith ordering of the Trumps (where Justice is 11 and Strength is 8), so I check every deck I download and renumber those two cards as needed.

I don't reorder the suits when a given deck switches Wands to Air and Swords to Fire, for example, but that's just me. It's easier for me to remember the alternative elemental attribution than to get used to seeing Swords appear where Wands just were in a given spread when I change the deck for comparison.

Hope that helps,

Gisela