Traveling AT Member Deck ~ Journal ~

3rd July, 2006

The deck did travel safely, and well packed.

When I first unpacked the box, I first noticed the included card that came with it: a personal 'letter of introduction' and well wishing, like I was receiving in my care for a short period a well travelled friend.

Home, I took the red bag that contains the deck and admired its design - a looped handle adds to its functionality, and it is a bright (but not overbearing) colour.

Taking the boxed deck out of the bag, my small gray four-legged friend, deciding that my lap is the best place for a dog to have a rest, sniffed the bag, grinned (honest!) and layed his head back to rest (it is a dog's life after all!).

I then logged on before opening the deck itself, and checked late emails from the day, a couple of work related things, and AT.

I then opened the box, and making sure that the deck was all face down (except the one signed by Jeannette, that I turned over a few times) looked through all the signatures and the often foreign dating of numerical month before day method (realised through dates such as 2/14/06!)

Keeping the deck face down, I then randomly selected a card that was not already signed, checked what it was, and then looked through the deck's imagery - great choice!

I look forward to looking after it for a few days

13th July 2006

I put the key in the ignition, tramped the peddle a few times, a slight whhhrrring sound, and then nothing - OMG - a flat battery.

An hour later I tried again. Bingo! The cars is purring and Im on my way to pick up the World Spirit Deck from the Post Ofice. A glorious winter day.

A friend sitting in the car with said - 'Another deck'??
I replied 'this time - this Deck is only here on holidays with me. Lets think of somewhere we can go for a reading!'

So we set out and drove around through the Mountain roads until we came to a small cafe called the Whimsical. We parked and chose a table with a view, ordered coffee, and sat looking at the cards in the sunshine. Other cafe patrons glanced our way as we oohed and Ahhhed about the signatures, and how lovely the deck was. Then I got out the camera! People stated to stare a little, but that was OK. I set the bag and the cards on the table and stepped back so I could get the view of the Mountain Range in as well. After a few photos, I drank my coffee and took off again. Lets go to the Falls.

Cascade Falls is a beautiful spot where there are lush ferns and overhanging vines and trees alongside a beautiful gentle cascading waterfall and stream.

I sat for a moment and took in the scenery, listening to the water tumble down the rocks. I thought a reading was in order, so I stood on a raised shelf of the rocks where the water channelled around my feet, and shuffled the deck. Upon the dry rock shelf, I cut the deck and drew a card - the Seven of Cups - this is a place where dreams are made.

I then thought I should take a picture of each card touching the beautiful sacred earth of the Heritage Wilderness Mountain, and I lay the entire deck out onto the rock, its beautiful little red bag in the background, and the tumbling of the fall, and snapped it!

Then there was a flashing light - not very mystical - the camera asked "Please change the batteries" What!! Batteries!! Not NOW camera! Ack! Oh well ... I couldnt even check if the picture came out OK.

Resigned, I packed each card into the box and then placed them in the bag. I said goddbye to the Falls and ran back to the car, pleased I had hopefully captured the 'Spirit' of the deck.

At home tonight after recharging the batteries - I looked at the photos and smiled. Wonderful!

The World Spirit deck has had a lovely day out - and it has a few more days touring around the Blue Mountains until its on its way to Similia on Monday.

Two flat batteries in one day ... hmmmm ... lol!!
Will follow the thread up on the adventures of the Deck - tomorrow who knows where will will end up!

Blessings
Elven x


July 15th AND 16th 2006.

The deck is sitting here beside me as I write

We have had a lovely weekend!
I was invited down South to Mt Keira and Woolongong for the Saturday and Sunday - so I had to take the deck with me

Firstly, the drive is about 2 hours from the Mountains, so I packed the deck in my carry bag and loaded up the car. Nice drive through the countryside and spent the night on Mt Keira overlooking the city of Woolongong. The deck made a short appearance for a reading, as the night lights of 'The Gong' twinkled hundreds of feet below, but the view didnt last long as the cld brought the mist, the damp and then the rain, so I didnt want to damage the deck, so I waited until morning and drove down to the coast - settling on a little harbour with a light house and a bay. The sun was shining and the day was fantastic.

I took some pictures and will load them tomorrow but basically we (the deck & I ) hung out for breakfast at a picnic table on the grassy hill, overlooking the Harbour, and then went for a walk down to the fishing boats, read a little history from a storyboard and then had a rest at the LightHouse. After that we went down to the rockpools and stood watching the Ocean Yatchs race and navigate their way back to the harbour, the waves pounding and the tide coming in. Then it was fish and chips from the pier restraunt, until the clouds started to come over, and then one last walk down to the shore before the sun started to set behind the Mountain Range.

I said goodbye to Woolongong and drove home.

So tomorrow it will be packed and sent off to Queensland, to enjoy the sunshine (hopefully) and meet similia. I will miss it - since it arrived Ive often shuffled the deck and looked at the cards and the names written on them of the people who have had the deck - Im feel so blessed I was able to have it for this short time and do so much with it - it will be a sad parting tomorrow - but happy to send it back on its journey to fulfill its purpose.

May it fly well!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday 17th July 2006.

Well the deck was packed today and taken to the postoffice and is now on its way to similia

The entire experience was exciting and joyous, and lots of people found out about the deck and its travells and were amazed at the thought.

A totally enjoyable experience! Thankyou for allowing me to be a part of it all!

Blessings
Elven x

I am trying to resize photos ... so bear with me as I try to upload one at a time LOL!!

Im sorry I had to add another thread as I had already loaded the max 5 photos ... Enjoy

Blessings
Elven x

It arrived today! Thanks Elven

I've been having a little look through the deck and checking out the cards. It's not one I would ordinarily be attracted to, but some of the cards did really strike me. I just pulled a card for some myself to advise me how to approach a situation, and got the Devil Rather devilish looking Devil card I must say.

It shuffles very nicely. Though a little big for my hands to shuffle horizontally, it moves very nicely vertically. It's nice to have a "new" deck that has been so well broken in already. I'm going to head off to bed now and have a last little browse though. I think I'll look over the signatures and see which AT'ers have messy writing and who are neat freaks Some of you stand out already. Elven has the cutest signature so far

Well its all over now, and the deck has moved on to its next home.

The timing of getting this deck was pretty interesting for me. Maybe a bit of a downer on the course of the decks' travels, but I was glad it worked out this way. I was actually taking some time off doing readings, especially for myself, but also for others. I've been making a lot of changes in my life, and I had realised that my readings were coming out mostly inaccurate.

I didn't change what I was planning to do as a result of any readings, but when situations didn't work out the way I anticipated based on a reading, I was disappointed. Had I not done a reading and expected a certain outcome, would likely have not struggled so much with.

So here I am with no intention of doing readings for a bit, and then on my door step is a deck that I am kinda obligated to read with. To top it off, its a new deck, a stranger to me. Its not a style of art that would usually appeal to me, or convince me to buy, so I'm looking at something that doesn't feel like Tarot to me, and has little more appeal than some kinda cute pictures.

Some of the cards I really liked. There were some really cute twists, and that was nice. But for the most part, it was one of those decks that doesn't apeal in person, and if it didn't already have a home to go to, I would have found it one in the trading forum

So despite how negative this sounds, it was actually a really good thing, as it forced me to think some more about the way that I read, and what it is I want to know when I read. Being a strange deck, I didn't have the attachment to it that I do with my regular reading decks, and so it was a more honest reflection of what I was thinking at the time.

Sadly the poor deck had a much more exciting time with Elven than with me. Hopefully CreativeFire will show it more of the streets of Bris-vegas than I did. It mostly sat on my desk, and was picked up for a few readings for myself and a couple friends.

I asked it what direction my relationship to tarot should take, and drew The Lovers. So I'm taking that as a good omen. And just to sure, I signed the back of it

(PS Chronata has the most creative and colorful of signatures so far. Naturally )

Finally a moment to post my journal notes

Tuesday 25th July - It had been a very long and draining day of meetings for me at work, and it was late in the afternoon before I had the chance to return to my desk to pick up my things before I went home. Then I noticed there was a package sitting in my tray! My first thought was - is it the deck? is it finally here with me after all its travels? So I quickly peeked inside the package and there I could see a beautiful red satiny tarot bag - so yes it was here! I felt a sudden rush of excitement and the earlier part of the days tensions just evaporated as I quickly and carefully put the deck into my case and headed home. After getting home and sorting out the usual nightly tasks - I was then ready to sit down quietly and open the bag. Sitting cross-legged on the lounge room floor I cleared everything off the coffee table and spread the whole deck out so I could see all the cards. The World Spirit is not a tarot deck I had seen before and I found its images interesting to look at (even though it is not a deck I would probably have been drawn to myself), however I enjoyed looking at all the images on the cards.

Wednesday 26th July - I got up extra early in the morning so that I could lay the deck out again before going to work, however this time I laid it face down so that I could look at all the signed cards and retrace the decks journey so far - also looking at the different styles of signatures from everyone.

Thursday 27th July - Finally a chance to doing a reading for myself with the deck, which I found interesting and a bit different from the images I am used to recognising in the cards - even though there are of course similiarities it was the extra things I saw in the details of the cards in this particular deck that caught my attention that I may not have thought about if I had been using my more familiar decks.

Friday 28th July - Had the opportunity tonight to read for some others with the deck (my Mum and a friend), which was good as the deck was moving on tomorrow and I really wanted to try reading for someone other than myself with it before it left.

Saturday 29th July - I took the deck to our monthly Time Out for Tarot meeting this morning, for two reasons - one as I was handing the deck over to Rabble today for her turn with the deck. Also I wanted to tell the group about the deck, about the inception of the idea here on Aeclectic and the journey that it has made so far and then where it was continuing on to - it really is such a wonderful idea and I am very glad to have had the opportunity to have a small part in it's journey I also had to mentioned to the group because I thought it was wonderfully done - was Elven's photos of the deck playing tourist around the Blue Mountains! lol priceless I had hoped to take the deck out and about a bit in Brisbane but unfortunately due to work and not so good weather this did not eventuate, however hopefully Rabble will be able to play tour guide a bit more than me. Once nearly everyone had left the tarot meeting and we had packed up, Rabble and I spread the deck out on the table in front of us to have a look at. So now over to Rabble and then the deck will go on to Solandia

cheers
CreativeFire

Wow. where does time go?! It seems like I've barely had the deck, and tomorrow I must pass it on!

Creative Fire gave it to me after last Saturday's TofT, but during the last "game" that we were playing we both got to draw our card from this deck. And they were very apt cards for the story being told at the time.

Saturday and Sunday were a blur for me, because I was taking part in the Blogathon. Monday seemed to be spent catching up from the weekend, but today the deck and I played. First I pulled a card for my daughter, who wanted to know what this baby is going to be. We drew the 9 of Cups, and decided that this was indicating that her third child would also be her third girl. Even though the person on the card was male, we both saw it as indicating this baby is female.

The deck came shopping with us then, and enjoyed a little time out at a cafe for an iced chocolate.

Tonight I drew Strength for Rosyelf who lost her 16 year old cat this week. I'm not sure if I'll get to play again tomorrow, before I had the deck on, but if I do, I'll be back!

I received the Travelling AT Deck in person from rabble while we were out for a cuppa. I nearly opened it right away, but decided to wait until I got home so I could look at it properly (and avoid spilling anything on it).

On arriving home, I settled myself in front of my laptop with the Forum on screen. I went through the cards one by one; looking at the handwriting, the signatures, dates, and places, and also flipping some over to see which cards people had chosen.

Then I shuffled the cards to do a personal reading for myself, the first one in a few weeks. I usually lay all the cards out face-down, so it was an interesting addition to the reading to see which names appeared. (I was also surprised by the reading, once I turned the cards over - I've used the World Spirit Tarot before, but I don't remember it being quite that accurate!)

So, after seeing Australia and spending some time with me while I worked on AT, the deck is now off on a European holiday, starting with a visit to baba-prague

~ Solandia

It's arrived here in Prague!

Actually, it arrived late Thursday but we were too busy to do much except look through the cards, admire the signatures (nice to see so many familiar AT-ers) and then put it back in the bag (nice bag too).

It would, of course, have to arrive the very time that we are finishing the new deck, but still, I think we'll have time to do a reading and take the deck for a walk around Prague (with camera I hope). I feel it should be allowed to absorb some atmosphere.

One thing that struck me, the cards look really quite used. I like that, it's obvious that the deck really has been read with on its way around the world.

Now, confessions, I haven't a clue who it should go to next (it will be Tuesday when we send it I think) but I will go and look.

So, this evening we took the deck to see Prague. These pictures are all around the Castle and St Vitus Cathedral.

I hope the cards absorbed the atmosphere, certainly it was a most incredibly beautiful evening. Seeing all the signatures again and again as we were doing this was lovely - special.

Just a few pictures for now, but more tomorrow, and a story about the first card I pulled - it was a little strange.

...and edited to add just one more, as for now I can't resist showing one of the palace guards totally ignoring the tarot deck held up quite near him (his eyes moved though, I swear ) By the way, that is two Titans battling above - of course.