Intensive Deck Study Support Thread ~ Part 2

Hooked on TdM

Awesome to hear the good news Shamoness! :)

Welcome back Afrosaxon! (from a newcomer lol)

Cat, your doing an amazing job.. I honestly don't know how you keep track of it all!

Kat, that sounds really neat! I've only ever glanced at the Tarot tree, just enough to right down, lay out my cards and have a quick look at it. Interesting idea for an IDS!!

I'm up to Le Soleil (the Sun) now. I'm rather enjoying the one on one studies. I'm getting some very unusual perceptions from this deck. I can already tell it's going to read completely different from my Camoin!

I'm doing daily draws, but really not getting anything unusual from it.. thinking of trying to find new and better ways to do the daily. Right now I just focus on what my focus is today and I don't think it's working to well.. Daily's are definitely my weak spot, so I need to tweak that a bit...

Hooked
 

thorhammer

Hooked on TdM said:
Kat, that sounds really neat! I've only ever glanced at the Tarot tree, just enough to right down, lay out my cards and have a quick look at it. Interesting idea for an IDS!!
I didn't intend to base my IDS around it, and indeed, it's not based around it as I naturally focus more on the Minors. It came about when I was journalling the Sixes. For some reason, I thought to re-read the section in the companion book on the Sixth Level, because the Sixes at that time were really talking to me. (I still think they, and my discussion of the Sixth Level, are the best work I've done in the study group ;)).

I got so into it that I found it was a great way to explore the Majors as well. I've never been one to follow through a deck numerically, partly because the Fool's Journey is just so much dross to me and partly because forcing myself to deal with a card that's just not working for me is a great way to turn me away. So I've paced myself, and eased off the whole routine thing. It's the reason that I'm taking so long, but I'm cool with that.

I said way back when that the Tarot Tree would work with most decks, but I've come to the conclusion that to force it upon another deck would require considerable . . . license, shall we say? The Chariot, Strength, Judgement, The Hanged Man and The Devil, especially, would be problematic. That having been said, I'd love to hear about someone else's adventures with it, using another deck in that framework.

\m/ Kat
 

shamoness

Thanks to all for the kind replies.

Kat, I love that book, 'The Wheel Of The Year'. I have a poster they made which really speaks to me. I only wish it was larger.

I must admit I didn't think I was going to get through the entire time period I'd planned for myself with the Pearls. There is so much to that deck I really felt overwhelmed by it at times. I'm glad I didn't rush the cards, taking one a day would have been to fast. It is a deck in which each card needs to be chewed on and gone back over and re-assessed for several days. I plan to take some time now to read what has been posted in the decks studies about each card I have finished writing about in my journal. See other folks insights now that I have looked with my own eyes for a while.

I have really gotten a lot from reading this thread. Ideas spring up that I take note of in my journal. Although I'm stepping back a bit I'll still be gleaning from you all.

Much love!
-S
 

Cat*

thorhammer & Hooked: You know, keeping the list up-to-date gives me a perfect excuse to at least read every post in here, even if I often don't get to reply. ;)

thorhammer said:
It's a truly special (speshul?? :D) feeling
*lol*, Kat! ;)

---

I also wanted to report that Scion's wise words about learning obviously were a desperately needed kick in the *ss for me. Yesterday, I did nine (count 'em!) comparisons of same-number Minors with each other and the respective Major, trying to see their common theme. Woohoo! :D

Some of them didn't make much sense to me as a group, especially in relation to the Major (e.g. the Nines/Hermit, Sixes/Lovers),. Some left me puzzled as to why the creators picked that particular illustration of all possible ones (e.g. Five of Swords, Six of Cups, Nine of Swords, Two of Swords). Particularly when the illustration only made sense to me after reading the LWB ("Oh, that's what they were getting at! Never would've guessed it from the picture..."). Some others were really interesting and I even learned exciting new things about some cards that I never really understood before (e.g. the Fives/Hierophant, Fours/Emperor, Aces/Magician, Twos/High Priestess). Still, for a deck that seemed to be created as a design project above all else, I'm surprised at how well the creators got certain concepts and/or what interesting ways of illustrating them they came up with.

I've also realized that the constant and unambiguous casting of the Swords as conflict/trouble/negative is really getting on my nerves by now (it's even worse than in the RWS). Using a non-scenic pip deck suddenly sounds very exciting at those moments (yes, I'll get there, eventually). Besides that, I find the elements in the Housewives a bit "muddy" at times; particularly the distinction of Wands and Pentacles isn't entirely clear to me (both of them seem to be focused on work very much). Maybe that'll become clearer when I look at the Minors in progression from Ace to Ten, sorted by element, to see if there's a story there. I hope to get the Courts done this weekend, too. I plan to group them first by "rank" (all Queens together etc.) and then have another look at them by element/"family."

Trying to get as much done at once as possible seems to be a good strategy for me right now. I'm sure that each card could be studied way more intensely, but I've done a lot of that during my readings anyway, and am now interested in finding larger patterns (or the lack thereof). And I can always go back to the remaining (and new) question marks later, right?

By the way, I like reading everyone's reports about their IDSs, even if I don't reply much to them. So please keep them coming! :)
 

thorhammer

shamoness said:
Kat, I love that book, 'The Wheel Of The Year'. I have a poster they made which really speaks to me. I only wish it was larger.
I love the book, too, and don't read it nearly as deeply or as often as it needs to be read. Teresa Moorey wrote another small book, called "Paganism: A Beginner's Guide" or something like that. That book was one of the most important things I have ever read in my whole life. I remember thinking, "Wow . . . I've come home". The relief and joy and sheer excitement I felt reading that, all those years ago, did no less than save my life. I ended up buying a copy, though I just about knew it off by heart! :laugh:

~~~~~~~~~~~

Cat* - Wow! Scion really did kick you in the pants! I wish I could say the same, though I've not been idle :D I owe a couple of people some bags, so I've been madly sewing those. I hope to get a wedge finished today, then I can put the sewing aside for a while and concentrate on cards. I really want to talk to the God in my four solar cards :)

\m/ Kat
 

Hooked on TdM

I finished up the Majors today! *does a little dance* These are just flying by this time around! I guess it helps that I have already done a study on one deck already. Sure is making a difference this time around!

I also crocheted a bag for my Swiss so I don't have to fiddle with the box anymore. Making my own bag for them seems to make it more mine.. know what I mean?

And I did a daily draw today. This time, I asked it a question.. What should I focus on tomorrow? It worked way better, then just kinda free forming it. I got a very indepth answer, so I'm much happier with it!

:) Hooked
 

afrosaxon

Hooked on TdM said:
I finished up the Majors today! *does a little dance*

Eggcellent! :thumbsup:

Hooked on TdM said:
I guess it helps that I have already done a study on one deck already. Sure is making a difference this time around!

It does indeed.


Hooked on TdM said:
I also crocheted a bag for my Swiss so I don't have to fiddle with the box anymore. Making my own bag for them seems to make it more mine.. know what I mean?

Hmm...never thought of that. Of course, my crocheting is so basic and my attention span (these days) is shorter than the life of a tsetse fly, trying to do so would just do more harm than good. :laugh: I'd rather find some good, talented folks on AT and do a trade. :D

Hooked on TdM said:
And I did a daily draw today. This time, I asked it a question.. What should I focus on tomorrow? It worked way better, then just kinda free forming it. I got a very indepth answer, so I'm much happier with it!

:) Hooked

I may need to try this; the mind/body/spirit draws with the DOM wasn't really giving me much.

Kudos, Hooked!

T.
 

Hooked on TdM

afrosaxon said:
Hmm...never thought of that. Of course, my crocheting is so basic and my attention span (these days) is shorter than the life of a tsetse fly, trying to do so would just do more harm than good. :laugh: I'd rather find some good, talented folks on AT and do a trade. :D
.

Thanks! :)

Give me your deck dimensions, I will let you know what colours I have.. and see what we can trade for! Any old excuse to crochet works for me! ;) LOL

Hooked
 

Hooked on TdM

Well I muddled my way through the Courts of the Cups today.. both the King and Queen gave me grief at first. ;) But I persevered and got some interesting insights! HA!

I even took my deck for a spin and did two readings with it. I think both went rather well. :) I still have to do my daily draw and I am doing a follow up reading. So I guess my Camoin is put away now. I just automatically reached for the Swiss, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

You are all quiet today.. How's everyone doing?

Hooked
 

thorhammer

I'm doing really well, actually - I got stuck into the journalling again last night, and managed The Sun and The Emperor, both of which had a LOT to say! I stopped before I got to the Hanged Man, because I wanted a certain book with me and I was at my SO's house, so thought it best to leave it. Plus I'd been at it for some hours already!

I did a spread yesterday, too, in preparation for today, and used the Sentence spread that was recently posted (but my variation, I believe I posted my thoughts on it). I am still astonished at how rapidly and loudly I get answers from the WoC now.

But I have noticed that my readings are getting shorter, not longer. I'm not saying that short readings are better, just that I expected more depth to result from a longer time with one deck. I feel a bit cheated when the cards say what they have to say and then shut up - there's no conversation like there used to be. It's all a bit sad, really . . .

\m/ Kat