The Primary Deck Reflections 2009 Sign-up & Discussion Thread

Onyx

As I come to the end of the year, I have been looking over my journal from the last year and it is a rewarding experience to review how far I came with my deck.

I found a great calendar/journal early on from Moleskin. In the beginning, it had a spot for every day listed throughout the year in columns of months. I used this to track my daily draws. I just did it and sometimes I reflected sometimes not. I pulled cards randomly and then not randomly. I drew the night before the day sometimes, I drew for the whole week at times and even pulled cards after the day was over in retrospect.

The calendar pages had the left page the seven days of the week and the right page was just a lined journal. This worked very well. I would jot notes about the daily draw and info about the day and then used the right side for my spread that I was working with for the week (or weeks – several took lots of reflection).

Here is a link to the produce description http://www.moleskine.com/catalogue/...s__weekly_notebook__red_hard_cover__large.php

The blog was a great idea but became the albatross around my neck. I couldn’t do all of it and then blog too. I ended up doing a Hermit-style PDR and that was fitting because it turned out to be very personal. Two great things came together early summer to really power me through the rest of the year. Christine Jette’s Tarot Shadow Work book and the Liber T deck itself. I found my stride. The book provided a series of spreads. No more searching for a spread and looking for questions, which was also a huge struggle early on in the PDR experience. This was perfect. I would lay out a spread and examine and journal about it for weeks.

Why I think it worked for me:

1) The journal kept me focused and driven in both study and time. The pages represented time and reflection two things that I needed to be reminded about constantly. I carried it around with me everywhere, all the time.

2) One Deck, all year, (well almost). Originally, the idea was that you picked a deck and it would be your personal deck but you were free to change as often as you liked. I liked the idea that there was a chance at freedom if the deck just didn’t work. I got overwhelmed by the Liber T in late Spring and set it aside for a week or so. But soon came back devoted that this was my personal deck for the year.

3) I didn’t use my personal deck in readings for others. It was free to play around and us my growing collections for others but this one was separate and all my readings were from this deck. Commitment to the PDR with one deck everything else was open. Again, it was focused and still I had a chance to breathe and play too.

4) I was open with myself and forgiving in times of weakness. I didn’t read for myself every week but decided that the goal was one deck for one year not one reading a week for myself. It was a small thing that made all the difference.

5) Study was optional. Too often I get too focused on deck study and not deck use. I did study at times and learned a lot. Other times I didn’t and I just used the cards. An IDS is great but not for everyone and I am enjoying the 78 Weeks study now but the PDR isn’t a study exercise. This is a using exercise and this may seem to be a small distinction but was a big one for me gave me room to explore and be free. At times, I would use LWB from other decks with this one. It worked at times and so I let it.

The right deck is essential and is very personal. I am up for doing this again and willing. I don’t know how it will work and if lightning can strike twice. I need a break from the everyday Liber T and yet I love it and have used it every day and so it is close to me. I am scouting out different books like Tarot Shadow work that will help me to get through the year.

This slow, steady, and personal exercise is not for everyone but has been powerful and rewarding for me. I would recommend sober judgement before starting to see if you are ready for what can amount to deep personal reflection and kind enough to know when to pause and stop. (I had to stop looking and start working changing a few things. But that was right and true for the exercise as well.)

Allan
 

sapienza

Thanks for sharing your experience Allan. Some of your ideas really provide food for though. :)

I continued a PDR of sorts but gave up on the blog quite early on. I found the pressure to write it put me off. I'm aiming for next year to focus on the big three + a return to the Mythic, my first deck. I've set myself a writing challenge around this but it won't involve a blog. I am currently doing an IDS but I can never last that long because I find it impossible to limit myself to one deck. Even though I generally use one deck predominantly, comparing different decks, especially the historical decks, is an important thing for me. I'm still working on the specifics of my goals for 2010 and whether it will be in the PDR format or not I'm still not sure.
 

Onyx

Looking forward to next year, I thought it would be interesting to hear how the PDR worked for you and how it didn't.

I think it would be good to look at how the Personal Deck Reflection Year One can provide lessons for planning for 2010.


Here is the outline view of what the PDR was to look like.

  1. Use whatever decks you wish as long as you have a main deck with which you read and post, at least once a week.
  2. Have a blog or open a Thread here for the specific purpose of sharing with us your personal insights with your deck.
  3. Commit to reflecting with this one deck as a year-long activity.
  4. You are free to change your PDR deck as much as you want until you find a deck that agrees with you.

I think that there are some who have said that have the blog was too much work and cumbersome. I think that it a good change would be to simply post in a PDR thread. More casual and less intimidating than having a blog.

Pretty sure I am in for another year. Who's with me and what are you looking for in a Personal Deck Reflection?

Allan
 

firecatpickles

I agree that having a PDR Thread that is personal to oneself would be easier than the up-keep of a blog. But we would have to get permission from the mods to use one Thread for multiple readings, which I am not sure we can do or not.

Onyx, are you interested in spearheading the upcoming year's PDR Group?
 

KafkasGhost

I will be done with my IDS of Universal Fantasy at the New Moon in Feb. '10 but would definitely be interested in signing up for a PDR of one of my non-scenic pip decks for '10.

So please, Onyx, spearhead away! :0)
 

sapienza

My thoughts would be that the PDR thread could simply be a support thread like the IDS thread. That way people can reflect in whatever way suits them. Some might like to blog, others to post here at Aeclectic and others may wish to journal by hand or just reflect privately. I think the thread is a good support and encouragement for those who are in for the long haul.

I'm going to probably be on-line a bit less next year so couldn't 'take over' as far as organising the thread goes. But I hope someone can as I think this is a really good alternative to the IDS, which is a bit limiting for some of us :)
 

pippi

I am considering a blog dedicated just to my PDR, but that does add another level of commitment, so I'm not sure at this point. I may just have it there, in case I feel like posting something with the deck when inspiration hits, rather than having a set amount of posts to strive for each week/month. This way there's no pressure.

So... there's still no one who wants to step up and head the 2010 thread? :D
 

Onyx

Fire Cat said:
I agree that having a PDR Thread that is personal to oneself would be easier than the up-keep of a blog. But we would have to get permission from the mods to use one Thread for multiple readings, which I am not sure we can do or not.


If I remember correctly this was an issue last year when we were starting and so we all opted for blogs because they were open and allowed for more freedom.


KafkasGhost said:
I will be done with my IDS of Universal Fantasy at the New Moon in Feb. '10 but would definitely be interested in signing up for a PDR of one of my non-scenic pip decks for '10.

One thing that is great about the exercise is that it is open and you can change. I am curious to hear what the success rate was for those who maintain to one deck for the whole year versus those who changed. I am also considering a non-scenic pip deck as well.

sapienza said:
My thoughts would be that the PDR thread could simply be a support thread like the IDS thread. That way people can reflect in whatever way suits them. Some might like to blog, others to post here at Aeclectic and others may wish to journal by hand or just reflect privately. I think the thread is a good support and encouragement for those who are in for the long haul.

I think having a new 2010 support thread would be the best way to go as well. We could post when we have new blog entry or reading posted in the reading threads. One thing that I have been considering is how to combine the personal along with the communal. I think that it would be a good idea to have ideas for spread posted for each of us to try and then everyone who does it respond to see how it worked. Also other exercise like meditations, dream work, or any other new and different activity that can help us connect personally with our choosen decks.

pippi said:
I am considering a blog dedicated just to my PDR, but that does add another level of commitment, so I'm not sure at this point. I may just have it there, in case I feel like posting something with the deck when inspiration hits, rather than having a set amount of posts to strive for each week/month. This way there's no pressure.

Having a blog set up is a great idea and can allow for those moments of creativity and change too. It does add a level of commitment which is great if it works but a spirit crusher if it doesn't. Everything that you can stuff in your tool box as you head out on the adventure helps.

Fire Cat said:
Onyx, are you interested in spearheading the upcoming year's PDR Group?

KafkasGhost said:
So please, Onyx, spearhead away! :0)

pippi said:
So... there's still no one who wants to step up and head the 2010 thread? :D


Okay, okay, I'll do it. I was thinking about it already. I would love to help anyone get more in touch with the use of their decks. I will start a new thread but my thoughts where that I am focused on finishing out this year. I want to take a moment and see what we did right and build on that and then work to make it an inspiring and productive exercise for all who want to join. If we start well it can make a big difference to how successful and rewarding the year can be.
 

sapienza

Onyx said:
I think that it would be a good idea to have ideas for spread posted for each of us to try and then everyone who does it respond to see how it worked.
I really like this idea. Especially for times when one is feeling a little lost it would provide a good structure.

Onyx said:
Okay, okay, I'll do it.
Yay. THANK YOU :D

I think it's a good idea to finish up with this year first as well. Will you post in this thread when you start the new one please?
 

Onyx

sapienza said:
I think it's a good idea to finish up with this year first as well. Will you post in this thread when you start the new one please?


Just did! I had some time tonight so I decided to strike while the iron was hot. Who knows come tomorrow I might have backed out but now I am on the hook!

Allan