Back to my roots.. Robin Wood..

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 26 Feb 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

dolphinprincess	26 Feb 2004
Several years ago when I first started learning about tarot, I was given the Mythic deck ... I never connected with these cards. I enjoy mythology, but nothing about the colors / art grabbed me... So I passed them along to my grandmother (who never read cards, but felt 'cool' owning a deck..lol) The Robin Wood deck was the first deck that really grabbed my attention. I fell in love with the High Priestess.. and the minors are awesome.. In the interim, I lost interest in tarot and sold all my decks.. (this was way prior to joining Aeclectic...or studying Tarot seriously.. ).. Well, today, I re-ordered the Robin Wood deck and book from her site. I am excited to study this deck again.. !! It seems to be a favorite reading deck for so many people.. Just thought it might be a nice time to revisit it... :D

lark	26 Feb 2004
Hi dolphinprincess, As you probably know and I've said a thousand times Robin Wood is my dearest deck. It was the first deck I ever took out of the box and instantly connected with. The same thing happened recently with the Guilded Tarot. (This is going to be an amazing deck for everyone when it comes out!) Just wanted to say I'm so glad you ordered the deck and book and I really look forward to talking with you about your Robin Wood when you get it. That's so cute about you grandmother. :D

Imagemaker	26 Feb 2004
The Robin Wood is my most dependable reading deck, too. It has a lot of fans here.

punchinella	27 Feb 2004
Yeah dolphinprincess, what a charming granny she must be. I foist a lot of decks off on my mother, but my grandmother . . . oh, ouch, I can just picture her wincing at the very suggestion . . . :| I owned the Robin Wood deck once, for about a day, but it turned out to be a defective (blurry) copy & so I sent it back in disappointment . . . & never reordered . . . Didn't like the backside, for one thing . . . Although, I have to say: that magician is sexy . . . :joke:

Chronata	27 Feb 2004
oh, Dolphinprincess! I read this thread, and just went "yeah! I get that" Although the Robin Wood was not my first love, (that was my RWS) nor the deck I connected most with (the Hanson Roberts)... It WAS a deck that I found wonderful to use, very friendly in a lot of public reading situations, and just very easy to love! The illustrations are fab, and I like that it has a Pagan slant to it. I gave mine away about 6 years ago...and never really regretted it until I came here to AT...and now I just keep telling myself that I HAVE to get another one! It would be nice to reconnect to that deck! All the threads dedicated to it here, just keep reminding me!:)

anjocoxo	27 Feb 2004
Robin wood is definately my favourite deck... one of these days we have to make a robin wood study group, since the deck has so many fans (just a thought). anjo

Kiama	27 Feb 2004
*Ahem* *Kiama hears the groans* I've been a staunch Robin Wood fan for years now, and the poor people here on Aeclectic must have heard me say it far too many times now! *Apologies folks!* :D This deck was one I got very near my Tarot collecting stage. I studied Tarot for 7 years prior to deciding to search for 'the One deck' for me, and I went through the Shakespearean Tarot, Tarot of a Moon Garden, Witches Tarot until I got to the Robin Wood. As I began study it and using it, I realized that I found the symbolism alot deeper than the other decks, the cards alot easier to relate to the reading, and the artwork appealing to everybody I read for, whether they were young or old, Pagan or Christian, sceptical or very interested. So it's remained my main reading deck since then, apart from a few months when I was almost converted to the Nigel Jackson Tarot (which is another wonderful deck that seems to have gone out of fashion now? I never see it mentioned on Aeclectic anymore... :() I no longer use it for study as much, because I tend to study other decks in my collection, such as the Thoth, Mary-el, etc. But I still read with it because it appeals to a very wide audience. :D Now I teach Tarot in workshops and to individuals, and I often find they go out and buy the Robin Wood aswell (though that may be because alot of my students are Pagan.) I love this deck! Kiama

dolphinprincess	27 Feb 2004
Thank you for your posts.. They only reinforce my excitement for getting this deck back in my little hands :D I just know I will be able to read well with it... as I could read a bit with it before I even studied tarot or knew any of the traditional meanings. The pictures tell the story! I had to get the book too, bc I'm so curious to learn why Robin used certain colors and symbols... and I've read very good reviews of it here. Quote: Originally posted by punchinella Didn't like the backside, for one thing . . . I, too, am not crazy about the backside, but they don't bother me either. Interesting - but this was not the back that Robin wanted for the deck. I beleive Llewellyn made the decision to change it. You can see a version on her site of the back she had wanted.. and its much prettier. Quote: Originally posted by punchinella Yeah dolphinprincess, what a charming granny she must be. I foist a lot of decks off on my mother, but my grandmother . . . oh, ouch, I can just picture her wincing at the very suggestion . . . :| I think I'm the opposite. Can't picture my mother ever owning a deck - although she's not "against" it. Yes, my grandmother was so cool. She is now in a nursing home after suffering a stroke a few years ago - but we were so close before she got sick. We always had much fun :D Quote: Originally posted by lark Just wanted to say I'm so glad you ordered the deck and book and I really look forward to talking with you about your Robin Wood when you get it. I look forward to discussing it too! I'll let you know when it comes :o)

Kiama	27 Feb 2004
Oh, but now I re-read this thread I have to agree that the backs aren't as nice as I had hoped. If you read the book though (sold separately as it isn't published by Llewellyn) you'll see the Ms. Wood wanted a different design that had a Celtic spiral on the back, but Llewellyn wanted a simpler, cheaper option. :( I also dislike the Robin Wood Hierophant, mainly because it seems to ignore all the positive aspects of the card, but I love everything else about it. :D Kiama

dolphinprincess	27 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Kiama I also dislike the Robin Wood Hierophant, mainly because it seems to ignore all the positive aspects of the card, but I love everything else about it. :D Kiama This is my least favorite card as well - for the same reason!

laura_borealis	27 Feb 2004
What card back did she want? I don't have the book. What I like about the Robin Wood Hierophant is that one of the altar boys looks like he may be about to crack up. That little smile lightens the card up when I notice it. :)

dolphinprincess	27 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by laura_borealis What card back did she want? I don't have the book. Robin states on her website that this pic is a modification of the back she originally wanted.. I beleive this is the back to her meditation deck.. http://www.robinwood.com/Catalog/Books/BookGraphics/RWMBack.jpg

laura_borealis	27 Feb 2004
That's much prettier, and much more "her". The backs they used don't mesh with the art at all.

punchinella	27 Feb 2004
Oh, that back would so much have improved the deck . . . the one that they did use just cheapens it, but that back is lovely. I probably would have reordered the spoiled deck, if the back had looked like that . . . in which case, Llewellyn would have made more money . . . A backside is an important part of a deck, not just a throw-away. I mean, you want to be able to meditate while staring at it & shuffling . . . if it's jarring/ugly, this can be hard to do . . . :( P.

lark	27 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by punchinella Oh, that back would so much have improved the deck . . . the one that they did use just cheapens it, but that back is lovely. I probably would have reordered the spoiled deck, if the back had looked like that . . . in which case, Llewellyn would have made more money . . . A backside is an important part of a deck, not just a throw-away. I mean, you want to be able to meditate while staring at it & shuffling . . . if it's jarring/ugly, this can be hard to do . . . :( P. So true Punchinella! I remember reading in Robin's book that she also had more colors on the back but Llewellyn restricted her to only two colors for cost purposes. (white didn't count as a color) She was very disappointed but so eager to get her deck published that she went along with it. She regrets it now and said if she ever was to reissue the deck it would have a different back.

Hedera	27 Feb 2004
I used to dislike the Hierophant in this deck immensly, until I decided that the Hierophant wasn't the stuffy/stuffed looking old guy, but the boy on the right stifling a giggle. He's the one being the 'teacher' to me in that image. That has helped change my outlook on that card immensly!

lark	27 Feb 2004
Quote: Originally posted by Hedera I used to dislike the Hierophant in this deck immensly, until I decided that the Hierophant wasn't the stuffy/stuffed looking old guy, but the boy on the right stifling a giggle. He's the one being the 'teacher' to me in that image. That has helped change my outlook on that card immensly! Hedera I love that thought! That will help me alot too. I was raised Catholic too and I can understand where Robin Wood is coming from, but it's not really how I see the Hierophant either. She changed the Judgement card I wonder why she didn't change the Hierophant. I bet she'ld do alot of things different if she redid the deck today.

Silverlotus	28 Feb 2004
Add me to the list of Robin Wood fans. I have also purchased the book she wrote to go with the deck, and it really added a lot to my understanding of the colours and symbols she used. I also ordered the meditation deck sometime last summer or fall (can't remember when, exactly), along with her book on ethics. The meditation deck is wonderful to look at, although I haven't started colouring it yet.

The Back to my roots.. Robin Wood.. thread was originally posted on 26 Feb 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.