Cosmic Tribe - Beginning Impressions, let's get started!

This is the first post in the new Cosmic Tribe Study Group, starting July 2004.

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join in, at any time.

To view the entire deck, you can visit the author's site here:
http://www.stevee.com/pages/t.fs.html

I'd like to begin by discussing general impressions of the deck, and how we use the deck, before we begin studying the actual cards in the next post. I think it might be interesting later to see if and how our perspectives have changed. Also, please share what you hope to get out of the Study Group.

I'd also like everyone to suggest any methods or processes they would like to use to explore the deck.

Many groups on this forum seem to use a process similar to this:
1. Describe what you see in the card and the thoughts and feelings it evokes
2. Discuss possible interpretations of the card
3. Discuss insights, connections, and conclusions

Anyone have other approaches they'd like to suggest?

***
How I read with the Cosmic Tribe deck:
When I read with this deck, I tend to write down what I see in the cards, and give an intuitive interpretation of what I am seeing. I then almost always double check the meaning against the book for further insights and possible "corrections". More so than with any other deck I've used, the wisdom in the accompanying book almost always has an additional perspective that helps me relate even deeper to the cards.

How do you read with this deck? Any differently than with other decks?

***
My beginning impressions of the Cosmic Tribe deck:
My first impression of this deck was "Wow! Wild!". I thought it was amazingly colorful, erotic, and a bit "trippy". Now I've gone beyond those first impressions, and recognize the very thoughtful, integrated system behind the images. There is a deep symbolic language being used repeatedly throughout the deck. Symbols appear and morph through the cards, making connections that I've never experienced in other decks before. The overwhelming message, to me at least, is to awaken in us an optimistic, reintegrated, interconnected perspective that sees all life as sacred and humans as loving beings blessed with the stewardship of life on this planet. The deck encourages us to move beyond the limitations we have set for ourselves, and to evolve into the people we hope to become.

How do you view this deck as we begin this exploration? What do you like? How does it make you feel when you see and use it? What strikes you most?

***
What I hope to learn from this Study Group:
I still consider myself a beginner to reading tarot, and consider myself acquainted with this deck, but far from really knowing it. I hope to learn this deck better, understand Tarot better, and get to know a few other people interested in this path.

What do you hope to learn in this group? How can we make this as easy, enjoyable, and educational as possible. Please share any ideas.

***
Thank you everyone for this opportunity to explore this deck, I look forward to sharing and learning with all of you.

How I read with the Cosmic Tribe deck:

How do you read with this deck? Any differently than with other decks?

My beginning impressions of the Cosmic Tribe deck:
The first time that I heard of the Cosmic Tribe was through a chat room - I don't remember which one. The people there were talking about the deck and commenting on how vile and lurid the colouring was; how the nakedness of the characters was distracting. As I talked to them, I flicked between the room and Stevee's site. I knew little about the tarot then, and considered that maybe they were right, but the more that I flicked back, the more I became interested in what I was looking at. My intuition told me, that even though they probably had more tarot experience, that they were not necessarily correct in the their perception of this deck.
Reading through the last CT Study Group and studying the cards on line, I became more inspired by it and popped out in my lunch hour to buy it - I think it was Jewel who encouraged me (is she still around - havn't heard from her in a long while). Brought the deck back to the office and me and my friend sifted through it 'ooohhhing and ahhhrring' at the different pictures. She had no experience of tarot and I think it helped dismiss the more traditional depictions she considered the cards to always look like.

How do you view this deck as we begin this exploration? What do you like? How does it make you feel when you see and use it? What strikes you most?

The colours, trippy, as you describe them, hit me first. I approach this deck with a freeness; its loud and proud; uplifting and not too dark and serious - not saying, it doesn't give well adjusted answers, of course.

What I hope to learn from this Study Group:
I havn't spent enough time with the CT so it would be good to get my hold on it again. I am also studying the Rohrig here, and think that a contrast/comparison deck would be good to learn side by side. Both seem to be Thoth based as well so it will be interesting to see comparisons and differences as I take part in both groups.

What do you hope to learn in this group? How can we make this as easy, enjoyable, and educational as possible. Please share any ideas.
I think that a lighthearted but indepth look is good; not too much structure in the order the cards come in, so that it always feels as fresh and enlightening to learn, as the deck is to work with.

Thanks Robert for getting this started.
***

Sezo's impressions

well, one of the things that drew me to this group was that i have hardly any experience with this deck at all! Its artwork makes me go WOW but not being all knowledgable about Thoth and Thoth-like decks I thought ohh better leave it for a bit. The use of LOTS of colour and symbols and something very different was what drew me to the deck. You definately couldnt confuse it with another. Once u've seen a cosmic tribe - you cant forget it lol. Another thing is that the colour is a huge contrast to my other decks - gothic, fantastical, I am one etc.
One thing my boyfriend said when looking through them was that you can see male bits, but appart from the top half, you cant see many women's bits. Its a fair point, but i dont think that would be tasteful. Imagine doing a reading for a client and a picture comes up, well , would be a bit shocking lol.
The swords also were the thing that sold me. A lot of decks love to show the pain that comes with the swords, but this one is more, accepting that things come and go in life and we have to embrace that otherwise its not much fun at all.

BUT now i've done a free reading on AT using this deck, the reading was very clear and rather intuititive. Obviously i had to peek at the book to see if my thoughts were on the right lines (this being a Thoth-ish deck and me not speaking the lingo) but they were pretty spot on.

One thing i had to do when shuffling was remember that this deck has 3 lovers! I wonder if i should experiment and see if the different lovers come up at once in a spread or a daily card or something. Definate food for thought there.

Learning, hmm some Thoth symbols that are more approachable for learning, but i want to learn how to just love this deck. When i was doing the reading, i couldnt help but feel i'm only seeing the tip of the iceberg of information and guidence this deck can give me. Also, its said to be based on some neo-pagan philosophy and belief, so hopefully it could teach me some new things to consider, other than the usual pagan deck which focuses on different gods and goddess than the philosophy etc.
And to make some groovy friends on the way!!

Blessings,
Sezo
x

Hi all,
My first encounter with the Cosmic Tribe Tarot was, well, what can I say…unexpected? I had looked through some of the deck here at AT. Instead of writing down the names of the decks I liked (and I know I should really do that someday), I just figured I would remember the names. Well, the next time I was at the Borders I was looking at the tarot decks and I saw the Cosmic Tribe. I remembered that one of the decks I liked had the word “cosmic” in the name so I assumed this was it. Without looking at it any closer, I just grabbed it and left. Since I can never get all the way home without opening a new deck, I was driving down the road while opening this deck. Then I took my first look! Where were the beautiful pastels? Huh? Wait a minute, these people are naked, VERY naked! I almost drove off the road! Then I felt like every other car on the road could see into my car and see these cards so I covered them up. But, I had to look again so I tried to drive and look at the same time. There was something about this deck that was really intriguing. When I got home I rushed inside and just threw everything else on the couch and sat down with the deck. The High Priestess was one of the most beautiful I had ever seen! I could just feel the energy being gathered into myself! I knew that someone had really put a lot of thought into each of these cards. It is one of the most “human” decks I have ever seen.

Just like to say that Solandia has agreed to dig the old Cosmic Tribe Study group from the forum archives.

Love

Sulis xx

Sulis that is AMAZING news!!!

Cheers Solandia - you are a star!

Blessings and HUGE thankyou hugs
Sezo
x

I'm so excited about this.

I've read many of the old posts, and there is such a wealth of information in them. This will be great to have them as a basis to continue our study group.

Thank you Sulis and Solandia for making this happen!

robert

Hi raeanne, thanks for your thoughts on the Cosmic Tribe, I hope you will continue to contribute to the group.

I know that laura_borealis and spoonbender are planning on contributing to the group as well, I'll give them a few more days to add their beginning impressions comments to this post if they'd like, before posting the first study question.

Meanwhile, I'll look through the old posts and try to decide what to suggest as the best method of picking up the old group again.

Thank you everyone for the opportunity to study and discuss this wonderful deck!

robert

le pendu said:

I know that laura_borealis and spoonbender are planning on contributing to the group as well

Click to expand...

Here I am! Looks like my deck arrived just in time ! Thanks, Robert, for starting this. I'm so excited about the resurrection of the Study Group!!

How do you read with this deck? Any differently than with other decks?
The Cosmic Tribe arrived just a few days ago, so I haven’t done any readings with it yet. But I think that I’ll use this deck only when reading for myself, because I don’t think many will understand or appreciate the nudity...

How do you view this deck as we begin this exploration? What do you like? How does it make you feel when you see and use it? What strikes you most?
I’ve been attracted to this deck since the first time I saw it, because it seems so alive and vibrant - the images are all so energetic! The deck is just unique - I haven't seen anything quite like it!
I don't mind the fact that most people are naked (always tastefully done) - it makes this deck very sensual and even erotic (but never pornographic). It almost seems an "ode" to the human body - everyone is in their purest form, comfortable with themselves and each other. It bothers me a bit, though, that all the males in this deck are either skinny or muscled, and that there isn't much variety in male body types.
The images go very deep, and seem well-thought-out. I like that the deck is based on the Thoth, and I hope that it will bring me a little closer to the Thoth deck.

What do you hope to learn in this group? How can we make this as easy, enjoyable, and educational as possible.
I hope to get to know this deck better – like I said, I’ve just received it, so I’m not very familiar with the images. It will be fun and insightful to share our thoughts and ideas. I’m with Yaboot on this one: I wouldn’t like much structure either. I like the way it’s done in the Phantasmagoric Study Group: drawing daily cards or introducing cards that you feel like talking about.

Spoonbender

PS: LOL, Raeanne - that must have been quite a shock !

I originally purchased the CT deck because it was the first gay themed deck I ever saw. A tarot deck that reflects me!
What I have come to experience using the deck is that the images force me to think outside the tarot box. I am a very logical, straight line thinker and I am learning to use a less structured thought pattern when reading with the CT.
I am still a beginner at reading and the images on this deck do not always corespond to what I have learned studying the RWS. The images and symbols are close enough that I feel I am beginning to grasp my way toward an understanding of the deck. This has lead me to see the RWS in a fresh way, also.
I am looking forward to experiencing the CT with all of you.