The International Icon and Me

Wellll, it isn't shiny like the Voyager is shiny...the stock is thinner than some, and sort of shiny, but matte shiny...but not matte like the Wheel of Change...it is sort of between matte and shiny...it is...finished.

lark, help me here....

Sulis said:

I'm so tempted to do this too.

Elf, I've been eying the II for ages now but it's quite expensive - what's the lamination like? Very shiny lamination is a definate no-no for me.

Love

Sulis xx

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Me too...trouble is I have just ordered Fairytale and what would I do when it arrives? Leave it unopened for a year?? I just don't think I could do that.

oo...oo...oo just had a thought, I could use that one.

Did you say elf, that we can keep a marseilles as well?

Tempting..

Let me back up and see if someone’s behind me…

A little history here.

I recommended that Elf use one reading deck for six months (actually 1 illustrated pip and one non-illustrated pips).

Now I prefer the International Icon as a reading deck for face-to-face readings with strangers (with or without candy).

It’s inherent and intended lack of detail allows for more fluidity of thought and intuition. The colors are brilliant in concept and design.
I recommend that folks go to the Tarot Garden Library and read the interview that Dan guy did with Robin Ator – they discuss the actual creation of the deck at some point.

It’s a readers deck.

And by it’s lack of detail, helps us make that transition to face-to-face readings for strangers.

Now that’s my opinion.

Freeing the mind allows us to focus more upon the sitter, and The Process of reading.

Six months is a suggested time for making that ‘transition’ of focus.

And no, I’d not suggest ‘cheating’. The way the mind works, you’ll find yourself sitting there with a client who’s reaching for a tissue and you start ‘thinking’, “if only I had my Fey” – and then you won’t see the answer that’s sitting right in front of you. It’s our minds and thoughts that have to be re-trained as we make the transition from ‘reader’, to Reader.

Emily said:

You could always ask your decks which one would want to be used for the year, then if its a deck that you think would keep your interest for a year, use it.

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That's a good idea, Emily. I think I just might go ahead and ask a couple of my decks that question.

Just out of interest I've just asked my Tarot of the Old Path - if it would want me to work with it for a whole year and it gave me The Hermit which in the Old Path is titled The Wise One. But I'm not so sure lol

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Ooooh, looks like your deck wants you to join us.

Hi, elf, Kissa and Emily.

Thanks so much for putting so much thought into what deck I should choose. I've updated my profile with a complete list of decks that I have. The ones I'm considering are: the Universal Waite (against my better judgement as this deck has always rubbed me the wrong way), the Tarot of the Old Path, the Hanson-Roberts and the Thoth. (Nope, no merryday or fairies .)

I keep visiting scans of the International Icon online to see if I really could work with it for an entire year. Could I really read the cards for a whole year without faces/hands/feet??? (Cost of this deck also plays a factor in deciding whether I can use it.)

Now as I understand it, according to Umbrae, the original project started out as a way to transition to reading for clients - which is why he reccomended the International Icon. Now, I read occasionally for friends and family, but I am mostly doing this for myself - to see how much I can learn (after only 1 year of intensive study) by sticking to one deck for the entire second year of my studies.

To answer your questions, Kissa:

I'm currently in a Hanged Man year, so this project seems perfect. By using just one deck I'll be "caught" so to speak and have to see what I can learn from my one-deck perspective. Also, by using just one deck, I think how I view tarot and the reading process will change dramatically (or even just for 6 months).

On April 19th I switch to a Death year, so that should be interesting.

And yup - I think we should commit to this together, Kissa. After all, I'm going to need all the support I can get. (I'm good at giving encouragement too!) We should come up with a name for our little group of crazy people.

you know what, girls? i was afraid of the 6 months-1 year commitment so i thought i would do it symbolically 78 days and again for 78 days and again etc. until i feel i am ready. somehow 78 days (more than 2 months with only ONE deck!, a record for me!) doesn't feel so frightening. i was thinking of putting my decks away in a box, taped and all (won't go till the iron chain option if i can avoid it ) with a blank paper on it where i record the 78 days periods: like from oct. 17th to ..... = period 1, from ... to ... = period 2, etc.

Bleuivy: i do not read for others because 1) i am a lousy reader, total lack of imagination for creating nice stories à la Firemaiden, Eco74 or Helvetica 2) telling ppl things about their lives is too big a responsibility for me, who can hardly cope with making my own decisions!

so, definitely if Umbrae recommended the IIT for reading for strangers ("with or without candies"), the criteria for choosing this particular deck don't apply to my situation. Nevertheless, a deck that frees the mind because of its lack of details could be what i need to ... who knows?
regarding the money issue, i think this deck is relatively cheap as a self-published deck, and a good one as well. original and all.

the decks i am currently hesitating between are the following:
1) International Icon
2) Original Waite
3) Universal Waite
4) Radiant Waite
5) Gill

and definitely the Rodes-Sanchez as THE Marseilles deck.

yes, bleuivy, please do come up for a name for us! i have the feeling it could be the start of a new trend!

kissa

ps: elf, thanks for the support!
now honestly, i would feel guilty if i send you the wegmueller decks and hear you've been using them LOL ... help, what shall i do???

Kissa, I understand that committing to one deck for 6 months to 1 year sounds difficult, so I can understand your plan of 78-day incriments. I'm looking forward to doing 6 months though. (Because I'm insane! )

What I may do is this: I may use a deck with more details (the Universal Waite or the Hanson Roberts) for the first 6 months, and then reevaluate my progress. If I feel I've learned what I wanted to learn, I'll order the International Icon as a celebratory congrats deck for myself and spend the next 6 months reading exclusively with that.

I'm just not sure I want to go with no faces quite yet - I'm just a newbie after all (well, a little more advanced than a newbie I suppose), and the facial expressions do help me a bit. At the same time, I don't want to get locked into the facial expressions so that when I look at the II Knight of Swords, I'll see the face of the Knight of Swords from the UW. If that makes any sense at all.

I'll stop rambling now.

I'm in a tossup between my Thoth and one of my RWS clones, since I don't have the IIT nor the money to get it, especially not with the little one on the way.

Kissa, I definitely understand what you mean about not being able to read the same way as Firemaiden, she's got an incredible way of reading that, at times, when I have lots and lots of energy, I try to recreate, but fail in sadly enough. I console myself thinking that we're all different and have our own unique ways of reading for others.

PlatinumDove: thanks for the comfort!

btw, offtopic, you have the same due date as my sister! we don't know yet whether it's a boy or a girl...

choose the rws clones and save the money for the little one, though she won't need much at the beginning! (really, they make you think you need lots of stuff but it ain't true, just another commercial trick for making you think you're a great mom if you have it all...)

kissa

I am following this thread with great interest!

So, elf...are you going to use just the IIT? or IIT and one Marseille?


I got my IIT at the same time I got a Place Alchemical Tarot...I was shocked at the "readability" of the IIT....still love it! I did a series of readings here using both the IIT and the Alchemical....and moved the IIT into my very small cadre of reading decks...and moved the Alchemical out...to sit with other
"pretty" decks.

terri