sravana said:
If you look around, you'll see that the folks who have been the most successful with their IDSes have been those who chose decks with deep symbolic structures... or the TdM. Decks like Liber T, New Orleans Voodoo, Wheel of Change etc. I don't think that most RWS clones qualify ...
I think it may depend on how much tarot knowledge you have to start with. I have been using the Llewellyn which is (mostly) a RWS clone but it has been fine for me.
I started my IDS because I felt that I was still at sea with the basic meanings of many of the cards, so I guess this was really a Tarot 101 rather than an in-depth exploration of a particular deck. I deliberately chose a RWS clone (I just don't really get on with the original!) because I wanted something that was universal and would give me a base for reading other decks.
I can understand the problem that more experienced readers are having with "thin" decks, but I'm sure I'm not the only tarot beginner on the list (please someone come out of the woodwork and tell me I'm not alone!
I started my IDS with the idea of doing 3 months, and am now coming to the end of, I think, my fifth, maybe sixth month. I've stopped counting the days and am now counting down the cards (only five more majors to go!)
Once I've finished going through all of the cards I'm going to take a break (I have some annual leave coming up next week, so that would seem like a good break point) - then I may come back and spend some time doing daily readings (which have fallen by the wayside rather as I found that I could either study the cards or read with them, I didnlt have time to do both. And for me, at this stage in my tarot knowledge, they were seperate activities, rather.)
Nina, I also have a copy of the Robin Wood, and nearly did my IDS with that. It is, if not a RWS cone, at least one that has recognisable RWS influences, (so good for beginners like me) - but I can well believe the people who say it also has a lot of symbology! One of those deceptively simple decks. Maybe I'll do another IDS with that!
Cheers,
PolarBear