Mary El Tarot - General Discussion

BrightEye

03-03-2012, 18:02

The first thing I notice with a quick review is that most scenes are outdoors, or with a strong feeling of being in wild nature. The two that are "in civilization," so to speak, are the Hierophant and Justice.

Yes. That's why the deck reminds me of the Druidcraft and the Wildwood, but the Mary-El is 'wilder' and also much darker. The hermaphroditic Ace of Pents, for example, is right up my street but also a lot more disturbing than anything I ever could/would produce (speaking as a hobby artist myself).

Bat Chicken

04-03-2012, 02:23

Hmmmmm.... Forces of nature, and forces of civilization. Very interesting. Justice is always so complicated in that it has both.

Eyebright

04-03-2012, 02:29

Anyone mind if I join in with this study group? I got my copy in the post the day before yesterday, and I love it, I feel very drawn to it more so than any deck I have had for a long while...
However there is so much symbolism etc going on that I think this group will really help me to understand it! I'm not very knowledgable on a lot of esoteric symbols etc, but I'm willing to research and try to learn!

Bat Chicken

04-03-2012, 02:32

Eyebright - everyone is welcome! We are all learning so participate and have fun!

Bat Chicken

04-03-2012, 02:51

I have updated the first post to include a link to the index of the study group. That way everyone can see what cards have been and are being discussed!

Eyebright

04-03-2012, 04:14

I have updated the first post to include a link to the index of the study group. That way everyone can see what cards have been and are being discussed!

Great idea Bat Chicken will make it much easier to find our threads now :)

Requiella

04-03-2012, 09:08

A week or two ago, I was super-impatient for my deck to arrive. Although I'm admittedly still eager to get it, in hindsight, I'm kind of glad that I have to wait a bit. Not having the whole deck right now is forcing me to s-l-o-w-l-y study each image, which would be harder to do if I had the entire deck to contemplate all at once. Anyone else feel this way?

Bat Chicken

04-03-2012, 14:12

Yes!!! :D As impatient as I am, I agree completely...

Bat Chicken

07-03-2012, 05:34

I have added a couple new threads to the Study Group to keep us going! I got a little behind... :)

Justice: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=172836
Hermit: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=172839

Laura Borealis

07-03-2012, 09:56

Thanks for organizing, Bat Chicken :) And congrats on getting your deck!

I was wondering if we could add the "Mary-el Tarot is Finished!" thread to the index, even though it is not in Study Groups? There is a lot of great discussion going on in that thread.

Bat Chicken

07-03-2012, 10:02

I was thinking the same thing... I'll run it by Sulis!

And my pleasure. I am so passionate about this deck! :)

Bat Chicken

09-03-2012, 03:37

I have added a few more threads up to the Hanged Man. I am accelerating a bit to get through the Majors before I read the book. I find those first impressions count for a lot. Hoping to add a few more threads over the next couple days... Perhaps finish the Majors by the end of the weekend? I know there is some excitement at handling the Minors with this deck! :)

Bat Chicken

12-03-2012, 08:31

The Majors in the Study Group are all posted!

So the plan is to study the Minors by number rather than by suit, beginning with the Aces. Everybody OK with that?

Cocobird55

19-03-2012, 09:48

I'm planning to participate, as soon as I get my deck. According to Amazon, I should have it in a couple of weeks. Thank you so much for starting this.

Debra

21-03-2012, 12:21

General Tree question: What does it mean if the black pillar is on the right? The new site home page logo has it this way.

Bat Chicken

21-03-2012, 13:38

Not sure if I can answer that question, but that site is very new! I posted the eights about 6 hours ago with links... I wonder if any of them work any more? :)

I wonder if we're looking from the other side of the pillars, making them switch?

ETA - So far, they links still work. :)

Zezina

24-03-2012, 08:12

My Mary El Tarot and book have just arrived.

Never have I seen a Tarot deck so magnificently presented and packaged! A marvellous box with a swing lid, and the book and cards nestled inside.

I'm just flying out to a movie - so I can't linger over this and be late, but I've looked through the deck of cards, and they exceed all their promise for me, with the lovely familiar images all there. Large and beautifully crafted cards, easy to handle, and as I've learned to shuffle on decks such as the Cary-Yale and Visconti-Sforza, these are no problem for me to shuffle.

A few penises, etc., which I took exception to in the Williams Renaissance Tarot, but here they seem perfectly natural and acceptable. Marie is a great artist.

The autographed book looks just great. I'm overwhelmed, actually, at the beauty of this package. Which, after decades of looking at Tarot decks, I thought it was no longer possible for me to be.

Thank you Marie, and congratulations!

*Z*

Bat Chicken

06-04-2012, 08:32

So now, there is a thread for every one of 78 cards!

My blind (no book) look at the cards was the foundation for this study group, but, I hope people will add to it as I plan to. I want to take a closer look at the qabalah in these cards and see what Marie had to say. I am sure my imagination carried me away at times!

My most brief comments seem to be on the Kings - not because they were simple but because they were iconic. These are the most readable Kings I have ever seen - courts in general actually. I found the greatest personality in them.

I think that, for me, this deck is one of the best at both expressing the mystery of Tarot and imagining it. I am currently doing an IDS with it and I have never felt the desire to be so thorough.

For those interested, I have trimmed my everyday use deck (I have two) and the results are excellent. The images are stunning without borders and the cards are easier to handle at the trimmed size. I will have to take care in remembering which cards are which when many of the usual indicators are absent, but that should only serve to enhance the experience. Here are links to the trim threads with just the trimmed Mary El (http://www.tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p=3101791&postcount=180)and a trimmed Mary El with both the Purple Thoth and the PCS Commemorative (http://www.tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p=3104946&postcount=199) for size comparison!

a_shikhs

06-04-2012, 08:36

BatChicken, the trimmed version looks stunning. And yeah I agree that it would much easier to handle after being trimmed. ;) I totally agree that this deck is so deep and mysterious. It is actually fun studying the cards. I love love this deck and am really tempted to get a spare copy and trim it. :D

I Sunshine

08-04-2012, 05:49

Wow Oh Wow! Have been wanting this deck for over a year... don't know why I waited so long after publication to buy it! Stunning, deep, mysterious! I am blown away and I too feel overwhelmed by all the symbolism. Figure I better join you guys in the study group just to make heads or tails of it all. I am surprised to be this drawn to a deck this... dark. Hmm not the right word really.

I Sunshine

10-04-2012, 03:46

Has anyone else noticed the circle with the triangle in the middle ~ seems to be on every card? Most times it is easy to find... sometime hidden. Is this a signature? Or does it have meaning? I have been looking through the various threads, on Maria's website, and through the book and cannot seem to find a mention of it?

Bat Chicken

10-04-2012, 04:00

Yes - it's her signature. :)

I Sunshine

10-04-2012, 04:53

Thank you Bat Chicken! It was driving me nuts!! ... now moving on with this lovely deck.... <grinz>

Wintergreen

10-04-2012, 09:42

Just received my deck via UPS. I'm new on the forum, I hope it would be alright if I joined your group?

Bat Chicken

10-04-2012, 09:48

Of course! Welcome, Wintergreen!:)

RunningWild

13-04-2012, 04:12

After having this deck since this past Monday, I'm still only about halfway through the book. I'm enjoying the heavier than usual meanings and incorporating them into my general tarot knowledge. Up close and personal packs an even greater punch, IMO.

I've shared a few times on the deck now but feel woefully inadequate because of the qabalistic references, geometry and such. To me, and for me, this seems a deck that speaks to the subconscious/unconscious ...those things which lurk at the perimeter of my mind, dredging up primitive emotional responses.

Thank for starting this study group, Bat Chicken and I hope you don't mind if I chime in with a few meandering thoughts now and again (which I hope will be pertinent LOL)

Bat Chicken

14-04-2012, 04:00

I look forward to it! :)
I agree there is a very subconscious power to it.

RunningWild

15-04-2012, 03:14

Bat Chicken

Do you suppose we could get the moderator to add study of the index (and concentrate all these threads?). You've done so much work here but I think it gets lost between the other deck studies. I see lots and lots of views on the threads (though not many other posters...LURKERS!!! :laugh:)

I suppose I could make the request myself...

Bat Chicken

15-04-2012, 06:11

There is a link to the index page on the first post on this thread. :) Enjoy!

RunningWild

29-04-2012, 06:05

I notice odd things when I read up on decks and how they're organized and then rearrange them to fit my preconceived notions on them, and I usually do it without regard to the way the artist has arranged them. But I saw something interesting when I was doing my rearrangement of things with this deck that coincides with a personal philosophy I adopted long ago with regard to ideas and communication. In a pattern of Thought-Speech-Action, in that order.

Tarot adds a step or two to that system with Wands (inspiration) and Cups (emotion) so that the steps, to me, then become Inspiration-Emotional Value-Thought/Speech-Action, with action being the physical manifestation of the other three suits (Pentacles).

In the companion book, Marie organizes the suits as Wands, Swords, Cups, and Pentacles.
I know she first organizes them according to the number of the suit but then comes the suit itself. So then the pattern becomes Inspiration-Thought/Speech-Emotional Value-Action (Wands-Swords-Cups-Disks).

Why does it matter? Well, I'm not sure it does for most people as the emotional value of things generally change over time, but to me (and this really IS just my opinion) it alters the value of the cards in some way. I know this isn't very clear, please bear with me.

Let me try to clarify by an extremely simple example:

#1. Inspiration-Emotional Value-Thought/Speech-Action

Jane knows something is missing in her life. There's a hole where she feels some belief in a greater power should be and she's inspired to find something that works for her.
She searches and searches and finds nothing but she's greatly enjoyed the search itself and found it quite satisfying. She talks to a publisher about her experience and writes a book about all that she's researched.

#2. Inspiration-Thought/Speech-Emotional Value-Action

Tom wants to write a book about spirituality. He speaks to a publisher about it and sets off on his search during which he finds one particular belief system he finds so profoundly moving that he stops looking at any other belief systems and becomes a devotee of that movement.

Ok I know now after all this that it's just me and that it doesn't really matter. It's just the way it's arranged and I can shuffle it around as I see fit. It's just an observation I made when I got the deck but I wanted to share it nevertheless. It's another one of those subtle elements within the deck to me.

RavenTree

29-04-2012, 10:29

Hi all,

Is it okay if I join your group? I just got my Mary-el and I am in love! If my new tarot was a real place I would totally rent a cottage there, if not move there completely.

RunningWild

29-04-2012, 15:34

Welcome to AT! Join away!!!

RunningWild

03-05-2012, 01:44

The Mary El is being perceived as a dark deck, but I see a tremendous amount of force struggling to balance throughout the deck, it is certainly apparent in the Aces!

I saw that some see this as a dark deck in other threads. Maybe I don't quite understand what it means because I just don't get a dark sense from the majority of the deck. So far I've found it thought-provoking and at times I struggle to "get it" and fit it into a reading but that may just be me.

Is a deck that causes one to pause and ponder things considered a dark deck? I really don't know to be honest. I may post this question to the Tarot Decks area during my second cup of morning coffee. :laugh:

Wintergreen

03-05-2012, 02:22

Its perhaps not so much dark as it is deep. Every time I use it, it forces me to bring the issue back down to how hidden or unacknowledged emotional or psychological factors are influencing the people involved.

RunningWild

04-05-2012, 01:36

Wintergreen

04-05-2012, 09:32

Yes, that's it exacly: nuanced. I struggle to relate some of the images to their identities, notably the infamous Ace of Wands which appears to depict madness and self-abuse, but in the context of readings, some of the most disturbing images make perfect sense.

There are difficult things that happen in every person's life, and I don't know anyone who can say that would disagree. This deck is able to address these things, but it's as capable of speaking about the joyful and serene things too.

Bat Chicken

08-05-2012, 07:52

I can accept the idea of depth in a deck. I still don't find that dark, however. To me, it's like nuances found in language. It doesn't happen so much in English, but in French it's found in every verb and every noun. Art is a language IMO.

...And language is an art.
It seems that any deck with a high degree of balance, and that bravely delves into our darker side is generalized as dark. I agree that it is an oversimplification.

Lifeisabutterfly

13-06-2012, 12:33

Hi! I just got the deck and am seriously contemplating trimming this...So I popped in here and found your scans--lovely! I went on quite a trimming fest a few months ago and finally had to stop! but these cards are begging for a trim..but I am nervous! I would probably have to keep the lower border though since I would be afraid of forgetting the meanings of some of the less obvious ones.
One question: has trimming made the cards easier to shuffle?
Thank you so much for sharing :)

For those interested, I have trimmed my everyday use deck (I have two) and the results are excellent. The images are stunning without borders and the cards are easier to handle at the trimmed size. I will have to take care in remembering which cards are which when many of the usual indicators are absent, but that should only serve to enhance the experience. Here are links to the trim threads with just the trimmed Mary El (http://www.tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p=3101791&postcount=180)and a trimmed Mary El with both the Purple Thoth and the PCS Commemorative (http://www.tarotforum.net/showpost.php?p=3104946&postcount=199) for size comparison![/QUOTE]

Bat Chicken

13-06-2012, 13:40

I can say the deck is easier to handle being smaller when trimmed, but I can't say it is a lot easier to shuffle! I am really happy with it, though!

Enjoy the deck! :)

Lifeisabutterfly

14-06-2012, 00:14

When I trimmed my Diary of a Broken Soul, I used a golden marker to write the card names with--before trimming lol--and since I put the deck away for a bit after that, it was a true blessing upon bringing it back out again!
I can't say enough about trimming. You are right, it brings out the artwork and the energy of each card seems to explode right out at you, like an escape from Alcatraz :)
It's really impressive the effect you've achieved by trimming the Mary El...it's just that getting to that first snip is the toughest -- after that, there is no choice but to continue!
Thanks for the encouragement.
I did perform my first readings with the deck last night and inspite of my misgivings due to the fact that usually I like to rely on more conventional images to guide me and bring me messages, they readings where actually quite interesting and a propos, so the coast is clear on that end.
What an intriguing journey these cards offer....I am glad she finally finished them, it was quite an Odessey for her :P)

Lifeisabutterfly

15-06-2012, 12:55

Well, I am done trimming the borders and sat in Central Park today to write small notes with a lovely sparkly gold pen on each card just to make sure I don't forget, in the event I might have to put the deck aside for awhile...but as I was doing that I realized I had already learned each card by heart.
The cards welcomed the gold markings and made them their own, showing the expansive, wild and generous spirit they were created with.
At first I did think this was a dark deck, and almost didn't buy it. but that was before I actually held it before me. I find it visceral at times, and it pokes at my puritanical sensibilities at times, which is such a relief! these creatures, angels, beasts et al. make no apologies for who they are, they revel in themselves and burst forth with life and brilliance..--my soul rejoices in every card...I do believe I'm in love!
There are a few lovely pitstops; the landscapes in the 4's create a small breather before picking up the frenetic race again in the 5''s and come as a refreshing surprise. The artist thought of everything--oasis, sex, male, female, fire, water, wings, birds, animals, kings, queens, babies, forest, wood, bark, leaves, sky, sea, waves, and earth, all for us to be drawn into this raw and sacred Mary El world willy-nilly....
Oh, and let me not forget....Freedom!!!!!!!

Lifeisabutterfly

18-06-2012, 14:18

Also what I find quite amazing about this deck is that it's the first one I've actually learned all the cards by heart immediately even if many aren't traditional...after trimming I don't even need to look at the keywords I penned in gold ink on the lower portion of the card. This is unprecedented! The images must really speak to me on a very deep level...sigh...

Wintergreen

19-06-2012, 00:04

these creatures, angels, beasts et al. make no apologies for who they are, they revel in themselves and burst forth with life and brilliance..--my soul rejoices in every card...I do believe I'm in love!
There are a few lovely pitstops; the landscapes in the 4's create a small breather before picking up the frenetic race again in the 5''s and come as a refreshing surprise. The artist thought of everything--oasis, sex, male, female, fire, water, wings, birds, animals, kings, queens, babies, forest, wood, bark, leaves, sky, sea, waves, and earth, all for us to be drawn into this raw and sacred Mary El world willy-nilly....
Oh, and let me not forget....Freedom!!!!!!!

I like this way of seeing the deck, especially “Freedom!!!!!!!”. Marie really seems to have let her imagination run wild, with some wonderfully weird results. Sometimes when I read for myself, a lot of the cards seem almost cruelly angry towards me & kick me in the butt (which I need right now)!! I always appreciate it when the ones you call “lovely pitstops” come up, for contrast.

Do you have photos you could show us of the notes you made on the cards. I'm about to start trimming my deck, but can't decide whether I should leave the titles on, or if I should go for it and chop them off. I really love decks that have the titles integrated into the image. The gold notes could be the solution, but I'm afraid to ruin the cards. What kind of pen did you use?

Lifeisabutterfly

19-06-2012, 10:17

Hi Wintergreen
I used a Pilot brand Gold Marker with an extra fine point. It cost less than $4.00 and is a bit glittery. The writing is barely perceptible on the cards so they don't jar with the artwork or distract in any way, but it's nice to know they're present in case I set the deck aside for a while and had a bit of temporary amnesia.

The only thing is that I have terrible handwriting AND write in cursive so the overall effect is a bit cryptic if you like. but as I said, the cards didn't mind at all, they have no room for intolerance considering their own odd bunch they house lol.

I believe BatChicken posted some beautiful pics of the cards with no titles or borders and those are the ones that gave me the courage to trim mine...but I'll admit I have another copy of the cards which I have left intact for some reason-it's the first time I've ever had a back up copy, don't know why!

To be honest though, I almost regretted trimming these. I am a very prolific trimmer, I even trimmed my Diary of a Broken Soul tarot, and that really allowed me to finally enter that magical world, I feel that borders usually block my entry, but in the case of these cards, it may not be necessary in the sense that the art already so powerfully "in your face" as you said....I just couldn't shuffle them at all the way they were now I can!

The trimming seems to have made them more mine, as if by doing so, I had tamed them a bit, like the owner of a falcon...

Let us know what you decide to do! It's an adventure. We are blessed to have found these cards and blessed that the artist shared them with the world!

If you would still like a scan of a card with the gold writing on it let me know but I have to wait for my teen age son to do it for me on the scanner...terrible isn't it? well, I must be a primitive gal after all!

Wintergreen

19-06-2012, 11:22

Thanks Lifeisabutterfly. I have some time off this week, so I think I'll go for it! I saw Bat Chicken's scans, but I'd love to see yours with the writing on them.

Lifeisabutterfly

19-06-2012, 11:36

as soon as I can I will be sure to scan a few in no prob.
I should have them for you before the weekend :)

Wintergreen

19-06-2012, 12:49

That would be great. But you've convinced (enabled :) me... I'm going to do it!

Lifeisabutterfly

20-06-2012, 13:39

Ok here goes :)
Don't look at my handwriting though, I am sure you could do a much nicer job! If you choose this route with the cards, it might help to write the titles on the cards first BEFORE trimming since you would have a more room to write on and not be all cramped and squiggly.
My problem is I get so scissor happy I always end up with a reduced space to work on!
Oh dear, I just noticed the pics are totally and absolutely upside down!!!! My son helped me so I can blame it on him! Sorry about that, really! Perhaps the spirit of the Mary-El tarot took over and is playing havock with our orderly ways...but I hope it gives you an idea anyway. As you can see, or not see rather, the title on the Queen of Pents is barely visible, some will be for your eye only, as they should be :)

http://i45.tinypic.com/n15k7d.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/20tq7h1.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/o549yr.jpg
http://i47.tinypic.com/34rtz7s.jpg
http://i47.tinypic.com/14j6885.jpg

Wintergreen

20-06-2012, 14:39

Lifeisabutterfly, that's gorgeous. I love the handwriting: its' totally wabi sabi!

Lifeisabutterfly

20-06-2012, 23:42

I"ll have to look up what wabi sabi is lol!
but it sure sounds better than---
"old-school-cursive-french-canadian-nuns-will-wrap-your-knuckles-hand-writing! lol lol lol
today have day off and am going to hang out in the park with the deck and book...
The book is surprisingly illuminating on many points and i'm enjoying it alot. i personally have no interest in the astrological and esoteric because for one, I find each tarot artist seems to have an entirely different version of these subjects which are already so weighty as it is without having to learn a new system each time and for another I use tarot for meditation and readings and just learning and mastering THOSE meanings is quite enough for me thank you very much! even after 20 years + I am still learning...
For example, the King of Cups as "Master of the Subconscious" is absolute genius! I actually gasped when I read that line. Love it!!!
In case you might be interested, there's a very interesting review of the deck and book on Amazon by a ShantiDevi who only gave them 3 stars but who has a very scholarly and well written explanation why. I was almost inclined to agree because of the amazing expose, but the set was already on it's way in the post...well, when I held the deck in my hand and started to read the book WOW!!! I think the reviewer missed the boat on alot of points but it's still such an excellent review in a weird sort of way, kind of like a sounding board for your own opinion if you know what I mean. Oftentimes opposite views are quite beneficial if taken in the proper perspective, and are our great teachers.
Keep me posted!
Talk to you soon.

Bat Chicken

21-06-2012, 02:58

I would take that review with a grain of salt.... It seems convincing only on the surface. There was a mess on here about that. This reviewer got a membership here to specifically criticize this deck. It was all a little strange to me.

Lifeisabutterfly

21-06-2012, 06:10

I am glad you brought that up Bat Chicken! I was trying to say, perhaps not too eloquently, that indeed while I found the review interesting and well written -- it had almost convinced me not to like it--I am glad to report when I finally held the deck in my own hands and could make my own descision=I found that the reviewer had entirely missed the boat as to value and magic of this deck...and you are right--there was something a bit too insistent about it... maybe there's drama in the wings we don't know about...
This is a lesson to all of us that we must always make up our own minds regarding people, places and situations before judging.
I really do find that this type of situations assist us in making us stronger as far as intuition, own discernment and capability of not being taken in by just scholarly words, although I still enjoyed reading this review, it proves that not everyone can appreciate something like Mary-El tarot (counter snobbism perhaps? lol!!!!)
Plus I was overjoyed in not agreeing with this reviewer's take on the cards and having bought them anyway--To think what I would have missed out on!
I think what almost got me is that I make a point on not joining the bandwagon and if everyone loves something new that comes out I make a point of not looking at it..terrible isn't it? very cantankerous! I STILL haven't seen ET the movie yet...
I was not aware of all the kerfuffle she had caused...even in the tarot world there is intrigue and sabotage I see!

RunningWild

22-06-2012, 15:59

I agree with what Bat Chicken wrote about taking that review with a grain of salt. Someone had an agenda and it was nipped in the bud here.

That being said, I trimmed my deck a while ago, but without writing in the titles. I like the artwork even more without the borders but I'm inclined to save up for a second copy so that I can have it all :laugh: In general, I think I'm becoming an anti-border type and sometimes it's a struggle to keep from going scissor happy but the backing was beginning to separate from a couple of the cards and I couldn't stand it. I hadn't even shuffled them all that much.

May your Mary-El Tarot give you years and years of enjoyment.

Lifeisabutterfly

22-06-2012, 23:39

What's great about having trimmed this deck is that suddenly she's become very portable and reminds me of a frisky dog who always wants to be taken everywhere! It seems to have given it more life or a certain quality of lightness somehow...can't really explain it. I do find that trimming decks renders the energies and artwork more accessible, sort of like taking down a fence.
Thank you for your good wishes -- I am having a great time with Mary-El!
I never thought I would...from the pictures online my initial reaction was to push it away, even if I'd been following the development for a long time. It had to do with my puritanical background shaped in a time now gone by I might add (oldtimers!) I had decided it wasn't for me at all!
Then is was after reading LeFanu's thoughts on the deck in his blog that turned me completely around and made me get my copy! To my great delight and relief! It was good therapy to transcend those false barriers. That old enabler! Thank you LeFanu, wherever you might be lol!!

toj

05-07-2012, 06:38

Wintergreen

05-07-2012, 08:19

The Hierophant card is the reason I almost did not purchase this deck. Given that I had felt a strong pull to every other image I had seen it seemed crazy for me to wait so long to get it. Yesterday I splurged and spent the night amazed at the beauty of the images. This morning I went through the book and tried the daily spread for my first reading. The scans do not do this deck justice and I am looking forward to getting more familiar with it.

Hi Toj,
I had the same reaction to the Hierophant: yick! But of course she shows up often when I read with this deck, so I've been trying very hard to look at it with fresh eyes, and it's inspired many insights. Every time I see her I see something different. The artist had some interesting insights into this card up on her blog, but the page seems to have disappeard.

As I'm sure you've noticed, this deck inspires strong opinions and emotions. I hope you'll keep us posted in the Study Group thread. I'm trimming mine, and starting next week I'll be posting more frequently.

DaisyDragonfly

05-07-2012, 16:53

toj

07-07-2012, 12:54

I was the same with the Hierophant card - and she was pretty much the very first card I pulled when I got the deck. Naturally!

But, just as with you guys, I figured out what she was saying and now I have no objections. I may not have the interpretation the artist intended, but I have one that works...

After several days of getting acquainted with this deck, I find myself well suited for it and liking it more with each use. The Hierophant card has not popped up for me but I have had some interesting 3 card readings. I usually do a morning and an evening 3 card read. Two days in a row the morning reads were all cups with the 5 of cups being the only duplicate each time while the night reading one night was all 5's including the 5 of cups.

Wintergreen

08-07-2012, 09:41

After several days of getting acquainted with this deck, I find myself well suited for it and liking it more with each use. The Hierophant card has not popped up for me but I have had some interesting 3 card readings. I usually do a morning and an evening 3 card read. Two days in a row the morning reads were all cups with the 5 of cups being the only duplicate each time while the night reading one night was all 5's including the 5 of cups.

Yikes all 5s! There's been a lot of discussion about them. Differing opinions on them all through these threads.

toj

08-07-2012, 12:42

Sulis

08-07-2012, 20:31

Where are the discussions about 5's and what are your thoughts? I am still getting used to the Mary-El and trying to get where I don't rely so heavily on the book but this reading was about relationship issues so it was actually pretty accurate. The 5's pulled in order were 5 of Cups, 5 of Swords and last the 5 of Wands.

There is an index of the cards and topics in this study group at the top of the Mary El forum HERE (click) (http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=172121).

If you want to discuss a specific reading then you need to post the whole thing and your interpretation in Your Readings. The Your Readings posting rules are HERE (click) (http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=177443).

Sulis - Tarot Study Groups and Your Readings moderator

toj

08-07-2012, 21:20

Thanks.

Wintergreen

18-07-2012, 11:35

I'm beginning to study the Mary El more intensely, and I'm wondering about how to structure my journal. I would normally order the minors with their suits, but am wondering why Marie has chosen to use numerical order in her book.

Do the suit characteristics dominate, or do the numerical characteristics create more coherence?

Any thoughts about this?

Bat Chicken

18-07-2012, 11:57

We organized the study group by the numerical order, but, if you want to try it yourself, lay out the cards according to suit and then according to number and see what feels right to you! :)

Wintergreen

18-07-2012, 12:11

We organized the study group by the numerical order, but, if you want to try it yourself, lay out the cards according to suit and then according to number and see what feels right to you! :)

I've been waffling for two days on this :D

Is there generally any reason why one way is preferred over the other?

Bat Chicken

19-07-2012, 02:19

Well, I think that the relationship of the minors to their numerically corresponding major is very important to this deck. Certain cards as I listed in the study group also work numerically - look at the elemental fours, the 4 archangels for the sixes, the 4 horsemen of the tens....

psyte

20-04-2013, 03:54

I know there hasn't been much activity on this study group for a year or so, but I'm hoping someone might come across this anyhow...

I was wondering if anyone knows if Marie's original journal on this deck is archived anywhere? I can't find it on her website and her Tarotsmyth journal only goes back to June 2008 (7 of Swords). I've found journal entries on Tarotsmyth very useful in being able to see her thought process unfold on individual cards, but there's a lot of earlier cards that aren't covered there.