One Deck Wonder

Satori

We have put away our deck collections.

We have chosen one illustrated pip deck and one Marseilles style deck.

Some of us have committed to a 78 Day Fool's Journey with only these two decks.
Others of us have committed to 6 months on this Fool's Journey.
And still others hope for a full 12 months of minimalistic Tarot journeying...

We are committed.
We are traveling light.
And we are excited about the wonders that surely await us on the way.

Travel well my friends!
Travel strong.
Post often and tell of us your adventures along the way.

Note:
The Interntional Icon Tarot is the recommended deck for this exercise.
While you may choose any deck you wish from your collection, the II is especially well suited for the journey.

Namaste!

Numbers and Unillustrated Pips:

For readers interested in numbers and numerology I have copied this chart from a post Umbrae put up in another thread. This is how Umbrae looks at numbers and is a resource, not gospel.

"For numbers I use:


1. The center point. God, undividable and infinite. Now. The root of all things. Represents new beginnings, ambitions, fresh opportunities, and planting new seeds, which may have long-range developments. One signifies the right time to begin a new venture or they can reflect a deeply held desire. They show that it is a time of leadership, independent thought, and progress. Leading, initiating action.

2. The Line. Man and woman united in the One God. The superior female principle symbolized by the crescent moon of Egyptian and Phoenician deities. The two columns taken over from Phoenician temples and adopted into Qabalistic and Masonic lore. Duality and pairing. Represents partnership issues, cooperation, receptivity and the need to make a choice or decision. Two often herald a time of waiting and being passive and a need to cultivate patience. Two often relate to the characteristics of sensitivity, gentleness, and shyness. Cooperation.

3. The Triangle. The spirit, the soul. The perfect number, the triangle symbolizing Freemasons. The manifestation of 1 under 3 forms. The triad present in almost every religion. The 3 elements that make up man (spirit, soul, body). The three parts of Canaanite temples. The three points of the frontispiece of Greek temples that meant Wisdom, Strength and Beauty. Represents growth, creativity and expansion. Three’s signal a time where self-expression and self-promotion are likely and there is a possibility of recognition and expression through the written or spoken word. Three represents groups and shared interests so it also reflects increased social activity. Stability, form, focus, structure, an orderly approach – plans. Joy.

4. The square – material man. The four directions. Represents stability, order and structure. Fours suggest a time to lay foundations for future success. They may also reflect a period of restriction and burdens where you feel you are faced with important decisions. Fours relate to self-discipline, and maintaining the status quo (order).

5. The Pentagram. Free will, strife, justice - The Hitchhiker. Represents a desire for freedom and independence that makes you go against the status quo. Fives can signal a time of nervous energy, challenges and conflicts with others, and adventure and impulsive actions. Fives also suggest travel and expansion as well as fluctuations in many areas of life.

6. The Hexagram. The six directions of space. Harmony, perfection of parts. Six represents a transition from the past to the future. Sixes also relate to responsibilities to others, and duty to home and family. It is a number that is associated with peace and harmony and its vibration tends to settle any past debts. Community.

7. Triangle and Square. A pure and perfect number. The symbol of life as the 4 elements of the body uniting with the 3 elements of the soul. 7 days to create the earth, 7 days in a week, 7 year physiological cycle. The combination of 3+4= . Represents a need for introspection, independent self-discovery and inner growth. Sevens reflect taking an original approach to learning, meditation, retreat, and reevaluation. Sevens often signal a time of slow growth and may suggest an attitude of defiance. Awareness.

8. Two Squares. All things are eight, universal harmony. Love and friendship. Represents power, leadership, money and career issues. Eights relate to the focus and control necessary to direct your energy toward achieving your goals. They show movement and changing direction. This number signifies advancement in the external world, property issues and material gain.

9. Three Triangles. The number of the Muses and therefore knowledge of the sciences that they represented. Concord. Represents completion, self-fulfillment, and preparation to let go and move to a new level of experience. Nines suggest a time of attainment and clearing the decks to make way for new opportunities. It also symbolizes compassion, selflessness and charity.

10. The Tetractys. The world. The source of counting (the ten fingers). Fate.

11. High spiritual plane, intuitive, illumination, idealist, a dreamer.

22. The Master Builder, large endeavors, powerful force, a leader."

Thank you Umbrae!
 

Satori

Start date:September 17, 2005

My name is elf.
I own over forty Tarot decks and about twenty Oracles. Nothing compared to some of the collectors here on AT.
I've been reading Tarot for ten and a half year years, with the last year being my first year as a professional reader.

Recently a very emotional and powerful reading for a stranger wrought havoc in my confidence as a reader. Umbrae suggested I use one deck for a year, and so after some hemming and hawing, I agreed.

I am using the deck he recommended, the International Icon Tarot.
Thankyou to lark, the co-conspirator in this exercise, for the beautiful deck and bag.

Surprisingly other people wanted to join in on this exercise, and so here we are.

I am also required to make a journal, something I've never done before for Tarot.

I have the deck, and have already started using it. Yesterday was my first paid reading with the deck, so I chose yesterday as my start date.

Away I go....
 

Kissa

Kissa's intro

My name is Kissa.
I have been seriously studying tarot and seriously collecting decks for 5 years or so. The first deck I ever got was the Mythic Tarot, the first one I attempted to read with was good old RWS (yellow box) and the first deck I succeeded reading with was Robin Wood's tarot deck.
Tarot decks come and go in my home, i now have about 60 decks and some oracles as well. I enjoy trading and i guess i will end up trading or giving a lot of my decks after this experience.

My motivation for this Fool's Journey (78 days, starting on Oct.16th) is "Less is More" as Umbrae put it. I feel guilty for owning so many untouched decks, that just collect dust while i am always waiting for the perfect deck to enter my life, just as i was waiting for the white knight before i fell in love with a flesh and bood real man.

My companion decks are Mary Hanson-Roberts' Universal Waite and Kris Hadar's Véritable Tarot de Marseille. I have been criticizing them both a lot before this and want to somehow give them both a new chance with brand new eyes.

So far, i have been watching the UW cards everyday and find new details i had never noticed before, even if i have owned this deck for 4 years. The landscapes especially are drawing my attention, i really didn't know so much care had been put in the landscapes. I chose this deck because i think it will travel with me without boring me: the colors are realistic and not too bright, the faces are expressive. I also find that there is much light in that deck that i remembered, it is not boring at all.

So far this process has been nothing but very freeing and grounding myself back to serious introspection instead of lightheaded contemplation. collecting this many decks did't allow me to connect deeply with many of them, the ones i used regularly were the ones i immediately connected with, tarot decks had somehow become a consumer-society item: take it or leave it. now it is more of "take it and live it".

i have been busy and haven't written anything in my journal this far but i think i'll end up copying and printing my messages here, which describe quite well how the whole experience suddenly appeared to me as essential at this point of my spiritual (and material!!!) life.

i take here the opportunity for thanking elf who inspired me here.

bright blessings from the cold part of the One Deck Wonder project...

kissa
 

fluffy

Hi, my name is Fluffy

I own 16 tarot decks and 3 oracles. For this adventure I have decided to exclusively use the Buddha tarot, as right now this seems the right deck to use. I am going to do this for as long as possible (at least 78 days, hopefully longer!).

I have been into tarot for about 17 years, but seriously for about the last 7, Originally I started off with a marseille (cant remember which one now), but 7 years ago I bought the Hanson Roberts and used that exclusively for about 5 years. It seemed like serendipity that I have just passed that deck onto someone else and bought the Buddha the day before that.... So a totally new adventure with a new deck.

For me it is about getting that closeness with a deck that I know everything about it when doing a reading & don't have to think about a thing. :)

Looking forward to lots of support here, when I am desperate for my Fey.

Love Fluffy
x

ps. my adventure starts now
 

Jewel-ry

My name is Jewel-ry,

I own over fifty tarot decks, a dozen or so oracles and numerous books. I have been collecting and reading tarot decks for almost three years. I mainly read for myself and love to study. So one week, I could be studying Arthurian legends, another week Renaissance art, another week classical literature and all the time I love to tie it into a deck.

I flit from deck to deck...from subject to subject...my attention span only lasting until another new deck takes my fancy. My studies with any one deck are never completed. I have grown to love Marseilles decks and Italian Soprafino type decks over the last year or so but have never really had a penchant for RWS decks.

I have done few 'real-life' readings and have often felt that the best way to become proficient at this is to go back to basics...so along came elf...with Umbrae and Lark in tow...and before long I had all of my decks and books packed into several boxes.

I can't explain the feeling of relief that swept over me as I ordered, boxed and packed those decks. Its not that I don't love them but I feel liberated from the hold that they have over me. I no longer feel that I have to spend some time with any one deck because it has been neglected. I dont feel that my study in so many different areas is incomplete. I feel free!!!

Along for the journey come the International Icon (when it arrives!) and the Fournier Marseilles deck.

I did a reading with the Fournier this morning about this experience and it blew me away. I will check first and if its allowed in this thread I shall reproduce it here to share with you lovely people!!

:)
 

bleuivy

Bleuivy's intro.

Hello, my name is Bleuivy and I'm a tarot-deck-oholic. I'm also a taroholic, but the problem is I buy too many decks.

I've been studying tarot for almost 4 years now (can it be really 4 years?!), but for the first three years I was pretty lackadaisical about it. I read the cards from time to time, but spend most of each reading with my nose burried in a book reading card descriptions. Back then, I owned two decks: the Universal Waite and the Thoth. I loved them both to death, I just wasn't reading them so much as reading books about them.

A year ago (almost to the day - I joined AT one year and 4 days ago!) I decided to get serious about studying tarot. I joined AT, and started really studying the cards. The problem is, the cards kept multiplying.

I now own 25 tarot decks and 4 oracles, which is not bad considering I was adding to my deck collection on a very tight student budget. I've also seen at least 10 more decks pass through my hands in the past year that I've traded or sold away.

I miss the days when I just had 2 decks. My readings in some ways feel more "muddy" than they did when I just had two decks and used books all the time. I'm constantly having to compensate for a deck I don't really know.

I'll also be starting this Halloween; it feels like the right day to start. And I'll be starting by...buying more decks. :rolleyes: I want to use the RWS, but I want to see it with completely new eyes and try to get as far away from the comfort zone of the Universal Waite as I can. So I'll be investing in a different recoloured version.

I think my Marseilles style deck will be the Crystal. I've had it for months and have only used it once or twice. Although, I've fallen madly in love with the scans of the Camoin Marseilles I've seen online, so we'll see. :laugh:

I can't wait to pack up my decks and get started!
 

Jewel

Umbrae, it looks like you have started a cult *LOL*

Seriously, I am just joking, no offense intended. I think this is a great idea. I would join in but have been using the Cosmic Tribe for 3+ years and the Fey for 2+ and they are the only decks I read with (and I am too stuborn and attached to relinquish either for 78 days or more).

I admire you guys for doing this, and look forward to learning from your experiences.
 

Jewel-ry

To mark this momentous occasion...the first day of this little journey, and indeed I feel the first day of a journey which will change my perception of tarot as I know it, I used the Fournier deck (TdM) and asked the question:

What can you teach me…now that you have little competition from other decks and virtually have me to yourself?


2 Cups / As de Batons / 9 Batons

I felt such excitement when I turned the first card over…2 Cups. The two blue fish appear to be poking their tongues out at each other. I realised quite quickly that it was me poking my tongue out at myself! ‘Na, na, na-na, na! I told you so!!’

The message…one of showing myself I can do it. Of proving to myself that this little endeavour is going to be so worth-while. A message of loving and respecting myself and having faith in my own abilities. I realise that it is too easy to belittle our achievements. If we love ourselves and respect our place in this world, our lives will be one big celebration. This love comes from within and is best expressed as a fountain as the water is pushed upwards and explodes forth to take the form of the fish and the flowers. I get an overwhelming feeling of celebration and integration of self.

Moving to the Ace…for the first time ever I notice the lustre on the green baton which gives a depth to the card not seen before. A strong hand grips this baton and holds it up as a torch, showing me this is the way to go. With commitment this will give me a sense of identity. It will strengthen my perception, and my ability to read for others (for this is my aim!).

How interesting that this deck would show me, not only the ace and the beginning of the journey but also the nine, which marks preparation for the end. Once we get to the ten the journey completes and the wheel turns.

Relating this back to the L’hermite, I see this as an internalisation of self…of energy. A realisation that I will go full circle and grow on my journey. I will complete and all that energy (which up to now has been waffling around doing a bit of this and a bit of that) will be put to good use.

Overall, to take the raw material and add to it the passion that I am beginning to feel for this project, its as if there will be no going back. This is the beginning and the jouney, in effect, will be completed...

Blessings
 

Flavio

elf said:
Some of us have committed to a 78 Day Fool's Journey with only these two decks.
Others of us have committed to 6 months on this Fool's Journey.
And still others hope for a full 12 months of minimalistic Tarot journeying...
What about 22 days Journey for weak souls like me? :D

Seriously speaking... I admire you and other brave members that decided to take this challenge, I'm reaching the point where the guilt increases because I have so many un-studied decks somehow feels like a waste of money even if I love all those decks. You got my emotional & moral support on your efforts, good luck on this amazing journey.
 

Flavio

Beautiful reading Jewel-ry, I can imagine how good you fell now completly aware the deck is also happy and willing to be part of this journey, I wish you the best of the lucks on your admirable effort.

NOTE: This comment was moved from another thread were Jewel-ry shared a reading with the deck she is going to use for the One Deck journey.