P.I.P. Deck Study

[Tree Sprite]

Sulis, reading your thread, I think I tend to take a similar approach, by linking the pip numbers to the corresponding major card, taking the theme from that, and applying the 'color' of the suit. Yuk! That reads like an operation, but it kinda works, as it gives me an indication of where the card is heading without a prescriptive 'answer' that I have to remember for 50 odd cards. Where the card is placed in the spread also seems to help make the meaning clearer, so maybe its a situation of trusting that intuition and instinct will pull it all together. Does an example work best? I pulled 3 cards last nite for my weekly 'what does the week ahead hold for me' spread - the 10 swords, empress and 8 wands (from my beatiful, love it to death, makes my fingers tingle every time I pick it up, il Meneghello deck)..Take a breath.. 10 being the number of the wheel of fortune (and judgement on the second pass), things coming full circle, completion and assessment of the road passed - in the sphere of intellectual thought (swords). I stand or fall by the quality of the work I have done..The empress, goddess of fertility, home made jam and warm ample bosoms, bless her socks, tells me to get things growing, and nurture something to life. 8 being the number of justice and an echo of the moon warns of the need to balance decisions, consider consequence and pay attention to the unintentional fall out of any actions - and action is what wands are all about. And the number eight (8) itself speaks of infinity, and the balance and flow of movement. Soo..for this week it's time to wrap up, start on something new, and get moving, but not at a breakneck speed I might regret...
Do tell me if I'm crapping on...

[Tree Sprite]

Originally Posted by Sulis

Could I just point out that any readings done as part of this study should be posted in the appropriate forum (Reading Exchange or Your Readings).

Oh bugger - am I in the wrong spot??

[euripides]

Well its a fine line sometimes I think... if you want some input on the reading, put it in the 'your readings' folder. .. I don't think that's what you intended though.

the thing is, how did you get to those meanings? Eight meaning infinity? (because its the infinity symbol tipped on its side?)

I tend to check back with the Major correspondence almost as an afterthought - I look first at the primary symbolism of the number itself as that relates to the suit. Kind of thinking aloud here... wondering what the pros and cons are of using the Majors as a reference in this way.

I'm going to have to lay all the cards out and consider them together I think.

[Tree Sprite]

Originally Posted by euripides

.

I really need to get myself some decent Tarot history books.
EURI

I'm currently working my way through Robert O'Neill's 'Tarot Symbolism', which I can highly recommend for some incredibly in-depth history of the influences and symbolism - it doesn't cover the minors or the suits unfortunately, but the point he does make frequently is that the first decks were created in a time when pulling a bit of influence from all directions was perfectly acceptable - and tarot symbolism iself is most likely sourced from any number of belief systems.

So with that in mind, I reckon that when reading the pips,taking a little bit of everything that works for you is completely symathetic to tarot origins. If it's a bit of alchemy with a chunk of numerology, a pinch of witch superstition and just what feels right, that's as good as it needs to be.

Forgot to mention that mostly on the learned advice in other pip threads, I also consider the shape/pattern of the pips on the cards - and yes, the eight does have that sideways infinity thing happening..