Newbie's Intense Deck Study Journal

I'm totally new to this but after reading general advice on the forum started a journal last week to try to get to know the cards. I worked on the Fool last week and will soon be starting on the Magician. I'm starting with the visuals and then checking the meanings in the "learn" section here. I also read that many people sleep with a card under their pillow each week so I did that with the Fool card. I did find myself being conscious of opportunities in general, and also made a note of my dreams. My mother-in-law appeared in one in a shiny green robe - that seemed unusual and pertinent. I thought this might be the little dog aspect of the card - though we have a great relationship, she's an ex Deputy Head and magistrate and I'm not sure she sees the value or relevance of the spiritual, intuitive and psychic world. I think she would be warning me off this "leap" into the world of tarot (and Wicca) that I'm making. I also had a really boring, monotonous and repetitive dream that I was very glad to wake up from. I thought the card might be telling me something about my attitude to work there. What do people think of my interpretations?

Hi cherylleebest and welcome to Aeclectic.

I think your own interpretation of the Fool obviously means something to you and should be relevant to note in your journal. The more you read Tarot and work with the cards, even if its just looking at them and contemplating them, the more significant their meaning will become.

I know some people say start off slowly and sleep with a card, I tried the same myself and there's no doubt that some significance can come from this, but for me, I found when I started doing three card readings is when the cards really started to become more personal, as though I had a relationship with them. With three cards you can see the relationship between them and not just the meaning of one card. By all means use Thirteen's learning section of the forum, its amazing, but try to see something more personal to you as well.

Pull three random cards in answer to an imaginary question, now change the cards around into a different order and ask the same question. Look at expressions, colours, symbols, the meanings as written by others, the meanings that come to you. Play with these three cards in different orders and write down everything that comes into your mind.

If you want a good example of journalling look at Karl's method, I love this:

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=111121

You don't have to do this in the same way, but choose a method which suits you and make Tarot more personal to you. Then it will start to speak more clearly.

getting to know the cards

Thanks! All advice is so helpful.

the magician

I put the magician under my pillow last night. I couldn't really sleep because some back problems I've got were playing up. An idea came out of the blue to get up and fetch a selenite crystal wand I bought the other day. Now, not only am I new to the tarot, but also to wicca. I've been dabbling in wicca for several months now and decided to get some altar tools to use at some point in the future when I'm ready. I bought the wand because I like crystal and it looks lovely. Anyway, I placed the wand on my stiff shouder. I could feel soft vibrations straight away and my shoulder just melted. I tried it all over my back and got the same effect. I was amazed! I know people use crystals to heal, but I've never had experience until now. A revelation from the magician, I believe!

"Simply tarot" for IDS?

There's so much information on this site - it's incredible! I joined and IDS group but feel a bit out of my league. I'm going to study each card for several days, relying more on interpreting what I see first. Then I'll cross reference with Thirteen and posts in the forum. My deck is so simple (as its name suggests). It is apparently a Rider-Waite clone, but looking at people's studies of the RW Fool and Magician, my deck is way simplified, and there seem to be quite a few pictorial details and symbols lacking. Should I get a Rider Waite to start with instead?

check before buying decks . . .

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/list.shtml

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=17948

You'll spend a lot of time there!

Please don't post in this thread. I have left it open for the time being as the thread starter is going to split the several thoughts here into proper threads and she needs to be able to Copy/Paste.

Alta