Intensive Deck Study (IDS) Support Lounge ~ Part IV

Í have been away on holiday and not been able to IDS much during the past weeks. I took my Sweet Twilight deck with me, of course, and I drew one card on my way to the airport. What do you think I got. The Chariot, of course

Oh, I love my Sweet Twilight friend so much. I have just re-started posting in the Study Group area again today. I did the Ace of Swords and the Drama Queen in the 3 of Swords (one that I don´t really get that well..)

I recently got the AnnaK from the maker and I really like that deck,too. Maybe one day I´ll IDS that deck? Or maybe not.. I can relate so well to what Wendywu says above about learning one karate kick for 5 hours. (I my case it has been the cello, and one note for a few hours but it´s the same thing.)

And so..sometimes I wonder whether this one deck will be enough for me for the rest of my life

Golden Botticelli

thorhammer said:

'Tis done I'm looking forward to hearing what you make of that deck. Are you planning on studying the iconography of that period of art in order to see if it marries up with the deck itself?

\m/ Kat

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Well, kind of... I'm no scholar by any means, and I really just enjoy reading with the deck straight out of the box. However, I would like to find out more about the symbolism in these cards (whether or not related to the art period), mainly because I like to be able to explain things.

To that end, I started research on Google last night with the Magician and his hexagonal work table and was amazed to find out that the hexagon is significant in many ways. First, in nature, bees build hexagonal cells in their honeycombs, the pattern for all snowflakes is a hexagon, and some crystals (like basalt) are hexagonal. Then, I learned that if you observe a cube from the perspective of one of its corners, you will see the outline of a hexagon, which is significant in Gnostic philosophy -- regarding the relationship between God and man -- something I haven't understood yet, can't begin to explain and most likely haven't stated correctly here. Of course, the Star of David fits into a hexagon, and Islamic tilings are hexagonal, but my most intriguing discovery was that Saturn possesses a mysterious(!) hexagon crown at its north pole, which we are just now getting better pictures of.

Anyway, the thing I find most mysterious is the choice of the Golden Botticelli for IDS, because I tried it when it was first released and couldn't get anywhere with it. In fact, I hated the Queens, deemed the rest of the deck ho-hum and sold that copy. Then, some time later, I took a shrinkwrapped copy in a trade and put it away. Months later, it started calling to me... "Open me, take another look, you know you want to... I've changed, you've changed, we can make this work." Curiosity (and incredible boredom with my current IDS deck) compelled me to heed its call... Surprise! I just couldn't believe it was the same deck! This time, the cards sang for me! How could I have been so dense? I don't know, but I intend to get to the bottom of it...

So, now, all I really have to do is decide how the significance of the hexagon relates to the significance of the Magician, and to tell you the truth, I'm having trouble. Maybe I can't wrap my mind around it, and I'll just have to be satisfied that it's all magic...

x
Red Queen

Cat* said:

rwcarter said:

I asked "What card wants to be on the top of the box I'm going to make for the deck?" and went through my normal shuffling process. And the winner is.... 4 Pentacles! My initial reaction was, "Um. Okaaaaaaayyyyyyy......" I'll have to think on the significance of that one for a bit.

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I believe you're the small person, happily working with your one deck of choice and ignoring all others. Whatever that border around the workpiece actually is - it looks like a chosen limit to me, one that enables you to get your work done. It's about the work itself, not the prize you'll get in the end. It also tells you you don't need to buy any more decks because you already have a hard time accomodating the ones you have (look at how full the big guy's arms are!)

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I hope to be happily working with my deck of choice, but ignore all the others? (gasp, shock, sputter) Banish the thought! And not buying any more decks is even more unlikely!

Rodney

rwcarter said:

I hope to be happily working with my deck of choice, but ignore all the others? (gasp, shock, sputter) Banish the thought! And not buying any more decks is even more unlikely!

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I know you're not a one-deck kind of guy. But don't you think my interpretation still makes some sense (apart from that least sentence, that is, which I put in to tease you a little )? Doesn't an IDS imply some sort of focusing on one deck and letting the others fade into the background a bit?

That said, the Mythic's Four of Cups is of course first and foremost your card to interpret. Don't mind my blurting out my own ideas about it.

Cat*,

I know you were "pulling my leg" as we say over here. I will focus on the Mythic, but I can't forsake all others. If I did, I wouldn't be able to do the RED reading I'm about to do.... Also, I like to use a deck I've never used before for the ISG exchanges.

But with the exception of my Dane Rudhyar Sufi Seed Tarot (which I need to figure out what to store in and/or make a box for), I have removed all other decks from the study except those that are missing one or more cards (and those are in a drawer). That should allow me to focus on the Mythic.

Now for that 4 Pentacles....

Rodney

Hey Rodney, I didn't realise you were IDSing with the Mythic. Are you using the original, or the new? The original was my first deck and I still really love it. I hope you are enjoying it so far. I've been tempted to return to it myself lately. I used it exclusively for about 5 years before I even got another deck. I think it would be interesting all these years later to focus on it again and see how different it feels. Oh well, maybe for my next IDS.

sapienza said:

Hey Rodney, I didn't realise you were IDSing with the Mythic. Are you using the original, or the new? The original was my first deck and I still really love it. I hope you are enjoying it so far. I've been tempted to return to it myself lately. I used it exclusively for about 5 years before I even got another deck. I think it would be interesting all these years later to focus on it again and see how different it feels. Oh well, maybe for my next IDS.

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The original, literally. I'm using the deck I bought back in 1991. I don't own the New Mythic and won't until I find it somewhere for less than $10 cause that's about all it's worth to me.

Well, hopefully by the time you return to your Mythic, there will be a fully populated Study Group for it. Considering how long this deck has been out, what's there is shameful.

Rodney

My IDS is still feeling great this first month in and tarot in general since this is really serving as my IDS/Introduction to tarot.

I haven't been studying the books these last two weeks as much--in fact I don't think I've even consulted them at all, instead I've just been reading and reading and shuffling shuffling shuffling wherever I am. Last night I even whipped them out at my bowling league and did a reading for a teammate! I've been thinking about it more and more throughout my days and feel like I'm building a closer relationship with my deck.

Anyway, things are feeling good with my IDS and I am happy to continue learning and experiencing the secrets it still holds for me.

I just realized I haven't posted in this new thread yet.

I'm currently having a little spat with my cards. I do not understand what the Eight of Crowns represents. (So of course, it has been giving it to be a lot.) I've read that whole play (I've even seen it performed!), I know exactly what's going on in that scene, but whenever I pull it it's like ???. I don't get it. I don't know what it, as a card, is saying. At the end of November I drew some cards for this month, and this week was represented by the Eight of Crowns. I'm hoping that by Saturday I'll have a greater understanding, but right now I'm lost.

*shakes fist at deck* Why must you read like a textbook?

rwcarter said:

The original, literally. I'm using the deck I bought back in 1991. I don't own the New Mythic and won't until I find it somewhere for less than $10 cause that's about all it's worth to me.

Well, hopefully by the time you return to your Mythic, there will be a fully populated Study Group for it. Considering how long this deck has been out, what's there is shameful.

Rodney

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I think the new one is nasty, but wanted to check before I said anything I'm excited to hear you'll be using the study group. I've often thought myself how odd it is that there has not been more participation. Of course I'll be tempted to contribute if you start posting. Mmm, now this is a bit of a conflict. Maybe I'm not cut out for this IDS thing after all We'll see.

In saying all that though, I'm currently spending some time with the Thoth and using it for daily draws. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the colours in this deck. This morning I drew the Star so I'm hoping for a good day ahead.