Intensive Deck Study Support Thread ~ Part 2

rwcarter

Eleonora said:
Hello
I know I am late to the party, but I see others starting IDS now, so here I am.

As with any good party, new people are always welcome to join in! So, welcome!

Eleonora said:
I can't decide. Every time I am sure of one,
the next day another is calling my name.
All three has a lot to study,
& all three are telling me: 'I am the One'
Eleonora

Well, since you can't decide, let the cards tell you which deck wants you to pick it and use it the most for the IDS. Since you've already narrowed it down to three decks, you don't have to go through the day-long decision-making process I used to choose the AET from the 32 decks I started with that I posted here in the original IDS thread. But part of that process (or something close to it) might be helpful to you.

Ask each deck "What are your strengths and weaknesses for being used in the IDS?" and then select two cards from each deck, one for strengths and one for weaknesses. Interpret the cards however you might like. If there's a clear winner, you don't need to go any further. If there's a clear loser, you're down to two decks.

Assuming you're down to two decks, you can then ask other questions. Although I normally don't ask Yes/No questions and I don't use reversals, for this process I did. I asked head-to-head three card Yes/No questions. If the answer from both decks is the same, ask another question. Keep going until one deck gives a different answer. I started with "Will I be able to use you for the entire three months of the IDS?" and then asked "Will I enjoy using you for the entire three months of the IDS?" I had my answer by the second question when one deck gave a resounding Yes answer and the other answered Maybe.

Other questions you could ask are:

Will our relationship be an easy one? (be careful of any deck that answers Yes, cause that's a lie. I believe every one who's done an IDS has hit at least one rough patch along the way)
Will I regret having chosen you? (same caveat as above)
What will you teach me?
What will I learn from you?
How do you see me?

Hope this helps some. And again, welcome to the :party:

!

Rodney

Quantum James

Eleonora said:
Hello
This last week I am down to three....
Deirdre of the Sorrows, Sacred Rose & Sakki-Sakki.
& here I am, I can't decide. Every time I am sure of one,
the next day another is calling my name.
All three has a lot to study,
& all three are telling me: 'I am the One'
Eleonora

Hi Eleonora! Welcome to IDS

You could try the deck interview spread in addition to rwcarters questions - here it is: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=102555&highlight=Deck+interview+spread

I found it tremendously helpful...

Best of luck with your IDS,
QJ

thorhammer

Welcome, Eleonora!!! I'm not much help, because my deck chose me and then I got the idea of devoting myself to that one deck for an extended period (very extended, now

).

I was there, though, when Rodney went thoruhg his (incredibly exhaustive) selection process - mind you, he had waaaaay more than three to choose from!

The idea of letting the decks speak makes total sense to me.

Make sure and let us know how you go!

\m/ Kat

thorhammer

I'm getting there, peeps!

I'm so proud of how much I've gotten done today - I'm nearly through the Threes (and Gods, they're like getting blood out of a stone!!!) and I've combined all my notes and posts in the Study group into a mammoth Word document!

This is a triumph not only on a Study Group front, but a computer-literacy front

because I struggle with Word 07 and wanted to teach myself a few of the more useful features of it. So it's a 53-page (as yet!) work of art, complete with a Contents page and hyperlinks!

[insert applause]

Who knows - from here I might even create a Template for all decks - insert deck name, suit and court titles . . .

Very proud of self. Sorry if I'm not floating anyone else's boat . . . just wanted to share

\m/ Kat

Eleonora

I am so happy to be here

Thank you: Keavy, Rodney, Quantum James & Kat

I have not yet understand "quote" & "smilies", so this may be a little confusing.

You all made me smile & feel lighter in my heart (a Swedish expression?) when I read your encouragement, advice & about your experience.
It is nice to know, I am not alone to have trouble to decide.

My problem is that I am a recovering, I hope, perfectionist.
Which means that I either do things perfect - or not at all!
& a LOT of time goes to decide which is the perfect choice.
I am working on it.

I decided to do the IDS in June, & I started then to choose between twelve decks.
Then came two more with the mailman, so fifteen decks to choose from.Now at the end of August I am down to three.
I wish I had written here before, & that I had read Rodney's "process of choosing" post.That really suits me.

Keavy
Vanessa was in my last seven.
What you wrote about how readings with Vanessa made you know that she choose you gave me an idea:
I draw cards for Sweden during OS, with these decks, among others. I should check those draws.
(We didn't do well, but the three times I draw 5 Swords = Sweden won, but they didn't win when the Sun or the World came up!?

Rodney
You are an inspiration.
I printed out your "process of choosing". & thank you for your example of questions. Just what I needed to inspire me to some of my own.That's what I'm going to do, ask your questions & draw one, two cards. Then I will count them, and the one with most positive points, & least negative points, wins an IDS with me.

This is much more important than vacuum-cleaning or washing laundry! (a smiling smily here)

Quantum James
Yes, I shall also use the interview spread, thank you.

Kat
I have followed your account of your journey with your Wheel of Change. Your writing have made me wish I liked the WoC.

I will absolutely come back when I have decided. You are all so encouraging & helpful & friendly.
I think at least I am over that my English is not so good, so I can start to contribute here. I have been lurking enough years,
with only small attempts.
Thanks for your help
Eleonora

rwcarter

Eleonora,

Welcome again to the wonderful world of the IDS!

First, here's the link to the FAQ for Reading and Posting Messages which should answer your questions about smilies and the like.

Second, may I give you a hug? (((((Eleonora))))) For most people who read my process of choosing post, their eyes were crossed and their brains hurt long before they got to the end of the post! But you, sweet Eleonora, you understood!!!!! :thumbsup:

Are you my twin from whom I was separated at birth? :laugh:

I have no problem saying to people, "You say I'm anal-retentive like it's a bad thing...."

Finally, your English is infinitely better than my Swedish (I'm pretty sure I don't know ANY words in Swedish!), so please don't let the fact that your English "is not so good" keep you from posting. We're a very friendly group of folks in this thread.

Welcome aboard and do let us know what you end up choosing. I know that I would be interested in seeing your process even if no one else is.

Yeah, Eleonora!!!!!!

Rodney

SolSionnach

I haven't posted here in a while... but I needed to respond to folks eventually! Let's just say that life has been busy in a good way.

Quantum James said:
My first week of IDS is almost over and I am happy with how it has gone. I think I am starting to attune nicely to my Liber T, and I am learning a great deal. Its such an amazing deck - its intense, yet gentle at the same time. When I get bad news in a reading, it feels like a comforting warning rather than a rebuke or ill omen.
I realized that although the LWB book is very short I just LOVE the Liber T key words and concepts in the LWB - it all just clicks beautifully for me. In many ways its much better than the traditional Thoth keywords IMHO. Negrini knows his stuff of this there is no doubt.

Hi QJ! It sounds like things are going really well for you... I love the idea of the deck giving you a "comforting warning". That's the way it should be!

Prism said:
I think I'm finished with my Golden IDS. We're breaking up a little sooner than expected, but it's been two months, and I think we'll always be good friends.

Very nice! I don't think that there is anything wrong with cutting an IDS a bit short - two months with the same deck is an experience you can be proud of. I'll be interested to find out if you have trouble connecting with the Scapini after spending so long with the Golden, as so many people here have discovered after they've finished an IDS.

thorhammer said:
I did the Aces a few days ago, and now I've only got the Threes and Tarot Tree Level Five to go. I might then have a wee while with whatever decks take my fancy, before diving into something else. I just got the Vikings from franniee and while the art is a bit sloppy, I read through the whole LWB last night (the English bit, anyway LOL) and I am so impressed with the way that the creators associated deities with the cards. Ahem! Off topic, I know, just had to say something

\m/ Kat

Kat, I love what you've been posting re: the tarot tree. Very nice!

kisou said:
So I started the IDS back when the first one started towards the beginning of the year- I'm about to complete 6 months with the Amano Tarot. I decided to simply pull a card before I started typing, just asking, "What is my relationship with this deck?"-- the 10 of Pentacles came up.

The Amano is an unillustrated pip deck- and while it's not uncomfortable because of it, I think I'm still missing a lot. As the 10 of Pentacles reminds me- I'm on good terms with the deck, however it's like a regular relationship- it has its ups and downs. I think I could be better later on, but as it stands, I'm not serious or mature or even blunt ((???)) enough right now for this deck. Somehow, I think I only scratched the surface of the deck in 6 months and while it's disappointing that the Amano and I couldn't be BFFs ((haha!))- at least it feels like working with a respectful deck that will give things to me in an interesting way.::Sravana makes a snip::
I'd also like to add, however, that my interest in different decks has really been awoken by the Amano in general. While I've always been open to unconventional decks or unillustrated-pip decks, I'm now looking forward to them more because of the numerology basics I picked up from the Amano; I want the challenge of learning more about numbers! Still though- I realize that I still want decks with more vibrant imagery that I can get lost in.::Sravana makes another snip::
Anyway, I'm still glad I decided to use this deck for a long period of time! It really forced me to think about how I feel about numerology and has started the wheels in my head turning about that
Now, one more week to decide what I want to do an IDS with next X)

I'm finding that as I work with the TdM that I'm more and more excited about working with pip decks... and there are some lovely ones out there! I just got the Tarot du Roy Nissanka (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/roy-nissanka/), and I think it looks really promising, too. I've looked at the Comtemplative Tarot, (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/contemplative/) though it appears to be stuck in the wands = fire, swords = air, coins = earth, cups = water elemental paradigm that I'm getting away from. You might like that one!

SolSionnach

PolarBear said:
I've finally finished the courts!

Yay!

PolarBear said:
I've been struggling with these for some time (and I gather I'm not alone in finding them the hardest cards in the tarot). Part of my problem is that I find all the pictures very similar (the Llewellyn is a RW clone), seen one page/knight/queen/king, seen them all kind of thing.

So for this I've been concentrating much more on the lierature around their meanings, than the cards themselves. Not the perfect approach to an IDS perhaps, but it got me over a block.

Can you get a copy of Mary Greer/Tom Little's book on the courts? I read it a while back and did some of the exercises and it was quite enlightening...

PolarBear said:
I now have a set of descriptions for each card and a literary character or person I know to assign to each one - I'm still finding that there is a certain amount of overlap between the cards which I don't like (that's the shadow side of the Knight of Pentacles in me - I do like things organised and tidy and perfect. No characters acting outside the lines please! )

lol

PolarBear said:
"Just" the majors to go now.PolarBear

lol. I know that feeling.

Skimo said:
Since the beginning of the week, I have been working again with the Halloween tarot.
It was calling me.

I guess I can tell I am IDSing with it again, but since I have begun my first job, I don't have that much time left to study or to write things down in my journal.
I am doing daily draws and try to write them down.

Hope to find enough time and energy to study seriously again.

Hiya Skimo! I love the Halloween, and as we slide into that time of year I wish I still had that deck. I :heart:

that black kitty greatly! I'm glad you're back with another IDS...

Quantum James said:
Anyway, My Universal Fantasy tarot arrived yesterday - and I built into my pledge the right to play with it for one day as a break from Liber T. That day has passed - its sitting there taunting me with a squeeky tarot voice: "play with me, play with ME - you know you WANT to.."
Someone stop me! Must IDS...Liber..T

In my experience the UF is quite tantalizing - but it doesn't want to talk to me. Very dense, in my experience. Now, you just keep trucking with Liber T - keep your eyes on the prize and all that - remind yourself just *why* you're doing this... and put that darned UF deck somewhere that you can't see it!

Eleonora said:
I know I am late to the party, but I see others starting IDS now, so here I am.
I have followed both IDS threads, & printed out several inspiring quotes & ideas .
You are all so innovative, & nice.
I really want to do this, I need to do this!
But how did you choose your decks?
I have tried & tried to decide on a deck.
This last week I am down to three....
Deirdre of the Sorrows, Sacred Rose & Sakki-Sakki.
& here I am, I can't decide. Every time I am sure of one,
the next day another is calling my name.
All three has a lot to study,
& all three are telling me: 'I am the One'
Eleonora

Hi Eleonora, welcome! You've been given some thoughtful ideas for picking a deck, but I would have one more for you - if you are experienced with tarot, you'll want to choose a deck with the most "Meat" to it - the one with the most dense symbolism to ferret out. Otherwise you will probably find what many folks here found - if they chose a deck without depth, they found that there wasn't enough to actually *study* for more than a few weeks at a time. Your mileage may vary and all that...

Quantum James said:
I know, I know - I cant help it, Liber T brings out the verbose armchair archeologist in me!

I love it!

SolSionnach

One more post - sorry! - this about my own 'progress', such as it is.
If you've read the "what's the postman bringing you" thread, you know that I've been on a deck buying spree: Vieville, Tarot du Roy Nissanka, mini Jodo TdM, and I was gifted the 1JJ Swiss (thanks, Hooked!). It's great fun to buy buy buy, but very dissipating of one's energy for an IDS! Though I just renewed my interest in the Contemplative tarot (http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/contemplative/), I am NOT going to buy it right now!!!! I will not!!! NO NO NO!!!

::ahem::

I've put my new decks away, and am striving mightily to stick with the Hadar TdM - and it still delights me everyday. I'm definitely going to get a backup of this deck!

I haven't made much progress with actually *studying* the deck, but I am toting it around with me everyday, and shuffling it all the time. It's very nicely broken in, and becoming more and more comfortable all the time. I've come up with my elemental suit and number attributions as well as number meanings, but synthesizing those three qualities hasn't been an easy process. Today I'm going to spend some more time with that. I really want to get very far away from the Golden Dawn's Western Esoteric Cabala, but after so many years with the RWS and Thoth clones, it's a struggle.

I don't really think that Enrique's reading techniques are for me http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=102599 as I'm much more in line with Melanchollic's methods... though they involve learning a lot about the philosophy of the period.

I need to change my IDS - I'm no longer using the Fournier. It's just Hadar all the way.

Quantum James

sravana said:
In my experience the UF is quite tantalizing - but it doesn't want to talk to me. Very dense, in my experience. Now, you just keep trucking with Liber T - keep your eyes on the prize and all that - remind yourself just *why* you're doing this... and put that darned UF deck somewhere that you can't see it!

Hi Sravana! - I hear you - the thing is the UF talks with such a clear voice to me, I suspect its because I am such a die hard fantasy reader so my mind makes stories about those cards in a flash. I have been good though. I played with it for one day last week and its been resting, while I focus on Liber-T ever since.

Have you ever noticed that a deck needs to warm to you before it becomes more accurate in readings? I have definitely found this with the Liber-T, and I dont just mean interpreting the cards, but the readings as a whole become a lot more crystalized the more i work with it - there might be less white noise or whatever - if you get my drift... The first while the Liber T seemed to be holding back a bit but it seems to be right on the money now. Has anyone else experienced this?

Good luck with restraining yourself from playing with your new acquisitions Sravana! I, perversely, am enjoying waiting for the UF - so I can savour it on my special Liber T off days!

Intensive Deck Study Support Thread ~ Part 2

rwcarter

Quantum James

thorhammer

thorhammer

Eleonora

rwcarter

SolSionnach

SolSionnach

SolSionnach

Quantum James