So great to see this thread hopping again
I realized that I never actually wrote myself any guidelines for the Fantastic Menagerie. For my first IDS, the only guideline I really followed was that I would get to know the deck as well as anyone possible could, and I think I have, and will continue to do so. For this one I want to be as easygoing as possible. I always, IDS or otherwise, do a three-card in the morning for guidance and then in the evening I either look over that same spread for further understanding, or pull another one. So I've been doing that with the FM for about a week now. Going well, so far. Very often, with so many decks, I'll attempt a spread for myself and no matter how hard I try, I can't quite believe it, put it away, and redo it with the Haindl. As reading for myself goes, only the Haindl ever seems to make any sense to me - yet so far, the Fantastic Menagerie is doing alright. I really do quite like this deck I think. Will it replace or even near my Hermann in terms of... in terms of... well,
everything? No, of course not. But it will be an excellent whimsical alternative, I think.
I'm really looking forward now to getting to know each image better. At this point, most spreads are a pleasant surprise of new images, or images I had briefly passed over but hadn't really looked at. It's amazing how difficult it can be to just
look at something, isn't it? Especially in a deck like this with so many fun little details.
Really must force myself to read the book. I almost always hate tarot books, and this one doesn't seem like much of a rule-breaker so far. We'll see...
I really haven't decided on a time limit yet and I actually may not ever finalize one. It'll be done when it's done!
(And remember kids, do as I say, not as I do...
)