I want to say thank you also Lady Iron Side. I like the Wild Wood a lot and have been kind of dismayed at the negativity at AT forum regarding it. For folks that don't have the Greenwood, some of the comments comparing the two decks may seem nit-picky and pointless if they only really have experience with the WW. I'd love to own a Greenwood, but can't justify the price it commands of e-bay. I feel the WW is an important deck that needs to be discussed on its own merit.
I think this deck does lend itself to more of an intuitive read rather than trying to follow some previous set RWS or some other system. Many of the images are rather RWS to be sure, but some cards present such a different view of the corresponding RWS meaning that I find it refreshing and yes, challenging in a good way. I like to use both intuition AND a defined structure and blend them in a reading.
That being said, I have trouble doing that with some of the cards and the Salmon or Queen of Vessels is a bugaboo for me. Can't wrap my head around it as well as most of the other cards. Intuivtively it may mean many things, but I can't seem to link it to the more standard Queen of Cups (whose traditional meaning I find beautiful.) The energy of this card seems to "outward" focused and lively to match any ideas I have for the Queen of Cups. So without that traditional Queen of Cups energy I have a little trouble finding balance in the deck. At the same time I realize any deck that sparks the imagination can be of tremendous value and rewards working through the rougher spots.
I'm not being critical when I talk about the Queen of Vessels; I am asking for help with it if anyone has advice.
Thanks.
your very welcome Terrapin,
This deck totally speaks it's own lanuage, and with doing research and reading up on the Greenwood and this Deck, I honestly have to say that even though there is some simuliarities, the Wildwood deck has much more, besides the artwork, Mark Ryan made same changes ( changed the suite elements/ season of wands and swords, and court cards) and put more info into it, that was lacking in the Greenwood. so with that said this deck need to stand on it's own merit. I have found many uses for this deck, IE an oracle, tarot, Calendar and more.
To help you with the Queen of Vessels, try this take the card out of the deck place to a side. then take the remaining cards and shuffle all the while asking for the deck to show what it is to mean to you, layout 3 cards with no specific positon just read one card to the next. and see what the results are.
Note at the bottome of the page you will see in green tracks and pathways, these are your keywords.
When I was trying to work with the courts, I also struggled a bit with it untill I did a reading about my dad (whom passed away) and the Queen of Vessels showed up. the image I recieved in my minds eye was my dad and I fishing out on the open ocean for salmon. When I was a child my dad was never home much due to work, however when he was home he would wake me up at like 4 am share his work pail lunch/dinner with me then pack up everything we needed to go fishing and hooked up the boat we'd be on the water by sunrise and we'd stay out til sunset, and it never mattered whether we caught a salmon or not. I was his fishing buddy.
So when you have time contemplate the courts. think of a memory that maybe connected to the card imagery, IE like think of the Queen of Vessels going to someone place for dinner and having salmon, or going out for dinner. think of the people you were with or something else might get triggered.
Edit: you can even go through your list of family friends etc for birthdays, anniversaries etc. and match up the courts to that date (look in my threads Time of Arrow, Bows, Vessels, Stones) IE: for me I'm the The Wren
Moving from the spring Equinox towards Beltane, April 8 - April 30
Aries, April 8 - April 19 and Taurus, April 20 - April 30
Which I found to be extremely interesting, for the Wren no only signifyes the last snowfall in spring, it also is an Air/Fire, mixed with the Earthy Taurus, which is so me Red head, fiesty, hot tempered, quick witted, stubborn, organize freak, earthy grounded. smart, think too much, penny pincher intense, and sometime overly caring/nurturing then other times very cold uncaring 50/50, I call things how I see it, one min I'm liked the next Im hated, and I have lived some pretty harsh life experiences which has given me much wisdom to help others when there in need. Which explains why I'm divorced and single. lol ... in other decks my Court would be Queen of Penatcles / Pope with my personality card (how others view me and how I present myself) being Queen of Swords.
Therefore with the Wildwood tarot I found that I prefer this/the way the courts are layed out better.
hope this helps