One Deck Wonder

Little Baron

I tried to search out the previous bash of these threads but the forum said there was no matches, so maybe someone else could help me find them and produce a quote from the initial post.

The idea, incidently, is to use one deck for a prolonged amount of time, without switching, looking at or buying another. I need to do this. And I have already began with the Victorian Romantic [am on the tenth day of my daily draws].

As many know, I have always been a switcher. From the RWS to the Thoth; from the Cosmic tribe to the Deva; from playing cards to a Marseille.

I have learnt little from doing this and picking up new decks.

And picking up new decks every five minutes seems to be common round here.

In another thread, there is some great advice about the benefits of sticking with the same deck. And some experiences from others about how they have done it and got so much more out of their tarot deck.

So, if you want to join me in doing this, please add yourself to this thread. And if you did it before and had success, please share. And as we go along, if you feel you are having trouble with sticking to the one, add your feelings and thoughts here and we can give encouragement, since we are all in the same boat.

I suggest we start off with six months.

LB
 

Little Baron

I take it that this is not an attractive suggestion. Thought it might not be.

LB
 

room

LittleBuddha said:
I take it that this is not an attractive possibility.

Of course, there are folks who prefer to limit themselves in such a manner, and they've pushed proselytization for this method into a vigorous credo. Smirking and shaming anyone who thinks and acts differently and making snide remarks about other people's lack of depth and character because they don't use just one deck.

It appears some people need a narrow and restrictive code to perform adequately, but this method is fatuous to me. Kind of like a latest trend where people jump and say "Me too, all my decks have ruined me as a reader of deep intuitive sensibilities. I must get rid of them all."

I doubt it's the decks that ruin anything, but people do like to lay blame on inanimate objects. Makes them feel better I guess.

I find gimmicks like this ephemeral and pretty sad. LIMITATIONS are just that.
 

franniee

Hi LB,

While my first deck was the RWS - I never really got into it. I became immersed with the mythic tarot deck and that was in '97 or so and it was the only deck I read with for many years. I knew it backwards and forwards and still when someone throws a card out I see the image in my mythic.
Then someone turned me onto the hanson roberts deck and it is an easy deck to assimilate to - so I kept it at work while my mythic was at home....this went on for many years.

It isn't until recently....when I joined here, that I have acquired all of these new decks! I went a little crazy buying them. :D The first was the gilded and when I got it I was confused by some of the new images but I carried it around everywhere and used it solely and got it quite fast. I've gotten 3 more decks since that one and 2 more are on their way.... }) I haven't had the time to immerse myself in them which I believe you need to do.

I feel you need to bond with the deck and to achieve that I had to put the others away and immerse myself into the imagery one at a time etc. I read the accompanying book but I know what the essence of each card means so with each new deck what I need to learn is the subtle differences or nuances or thoughts that are provoked when looking at a new card.

Someone here suggested I lay the decks out next to each other and compare the images of each card with their counterpart....I didn't do it only because they are embedded in my mind from having used the original 2 decks for 10 years or so but maybe you should pick a few favorites and do that....

I just bought the Thoth - this is very different from my other decks and I am awaiting the book I ordered to come before I really delve into it. My other decks were based on the RWS system anyway so the meanings are similar and easily transferrable - but with the Thoth I feel there is a lot of new ground to cover. I want to understand all of the imagery and the astrological and Kabbala references.

I don't have trouble sticking with one - I like the familiarity.

Pick your favorite and put the others away for a couple of weeks and offer readings in exchange for feedback or readings to everyone you see ;) It won't be boring I promise.

:love:
 

Debra

LittleBuddha said:
I take it that this is not an attractive suggestion. Thought it might not be.

LB

Well, Little Buddha, I'm hesitant to commit myself when I think I won't follow through. Six months! For heaven's sake, I'm lucky to go a whole week with only one deck in my hand. I usually take one to bed with me to look at before I fall asleep and usually there are two or three on the nightstand. But I do understand exactly your suggestion that all this switching has a frivolous quality, and I agree that this site itself, with all the various enthusiasms of others, has a tendency to bring out the "must have new deck" feeling in me--something I NEVER FELT for the first 30 or so years of reading tarot with my now very grungy old Rider-Waite-Smith deck.

I don't recognize Little Buddha in the comment (by room); the accusation seems misdirected.
 

franniee

Yes I agree Debra with everything you have said and also I think Room's comments are a bit rigid, in and of themselves.

LB what I was suggesting is learn the way you feel comfortable. For me it is to carry a deck around with me for a while (no time limit whatever feels good) and get what I get from it. Whatever works for you.... :)

:love:
 

Little Baron

Of course, you are entitled to your opinion, Room.

But I see nothing limiting in it. I see it to be more limiting to spread yourself thinly over handfuls of packs that you only skim the surface of. I appreciate, with you as an example, that some do invest time in all works they spend time with and like to understand source and detail.

But this is more of a thread for people that 'cannot' focus when using too many decks, one after the other. It is a project for us to look into studying how details continue to resurface and what there occurances might mean, when using the same pack. Others have commented on how they feel it has expanded their tarot readings, rather than limiting them. It is not geared to shame anyone for not doing as I consider doing. In some decks, a lot has been considered in their design. A deck such as the New Orleans Voodoo, for example, can not be completely understood by a few throws here and there, inbetween your RWS and whatever else. The Loa and orishas need to be spent time over and their appearance, over and over, needs to be considered. This kind of study aids that.

And as for saying it is sad and gimmicky, well that is dependant on how one approaches the study. There is nothing sad and gimmicky about wanting to better your performance and approach. Neither is there about wanting to deepen your understanding.
LB
 

Debra

I think Little Buddha is talking about self-discipline.

Now I'll have to think about that for a while.
 

6 Haunted Days

room said:
Of course, there are folks who prefer to limit themselves in such a manner, and they've pushed proselytization for this method into a vigorous credo. Smirking and shaming anyone who thinks and acts differently and making snide remarks about other people's lack of depth and character because they don't use just one deck.

It appears some people need a narrow and restrictive code to perform adequately, but this method is fatuous to me. Kind of like a latest trend where people jump and say "Me too, all my decks have ruined me as a reader of deep intuitive sensibilities. I must get rid of them all."

I doubt it's the decks that ruin anything, but people do like to lay blame on inanimate objects. Makes them feel better I guess.

I find gimmicks like this ephemeral and pretty sad. LIMITATIONS are just that.

Choosing to study a subject in-depth (in this case one deck) is far from a gimmick. It's how one becomes great at something. It's the same with most many other things. If you jump around reading this, reading that....you never become really truly in tune and in a profound connection with it. Choosing to study and learn one deck in this kind of manner has massive benfits as far as I can see. You let the images become part of your life, day in and out. They become burned in your brain and all your insights and personal connotations to each card build over time. Switching from one deck to another daily or weekly....well that just won't happen. Kind of like that saying "Jack of all trades, master of none".
 

Ruby7

Well, I think it's about making a commitment and sticking to it which can be difficult to do on your own. This is for people (like myself) who find themselves frustrated by using too many different decks not for people who don't need "a narrow and restrictive code to perform adequately".

It's not about limitation, it's about focus for those of us who have trouble doing this. I think it's great if you use lots of different decks and are a happy effective reader doing so, good for you! But, for me, I really need to spend the time getting to know one deck in depth and them maybe I can use all my decks more effectively.

I followed the one deck wonder thread before and thought it was great.

I'd like to join this time and am going to use The Celestial deck only for 6 months.

All the best,
Ruby7