Inaugural Intensive Deck Study (IDS) Support Thread

rwcarter

Kat,

I want to publicly thank you for "convincing" me to join the IDS. I was one of the first to respond to your initial "reviving the ODW" thread saying that the ODW wasn't for me. I listed all the reasons why it wasn't for me but said that I would happily support anyone who chose to do the ODW.

Not quite sure how you convinced me to join, but I'm glad you did. (That's my story and I'm sticking with it. ;)) Starting my second week of the IDS, I see now that the scattering of my focus on various decks and areas of study really wasn't getting me anywhere. While I still prefer to read what the creator intended for the cards in their deck, I've already made some discoveries about cards that I wasn't even questioning. I've rediscovered the joy of researching details about a card and using that knowledge to make connections that weren't spelled out by the creator (and may not even have been intended!). I've actually changed the way I study decks and how I take notes from companion materials. I actually look forward to my tarot study time.

It's a little hard for me not to fully utilize the incredible resource (400+ decks, 300+ tarot books) that I have right at my hands both for my own edification and to help others here at AT, but I now understand why that's necessary. I realized today that I'm not going to be able to follow some of the deck creation threads that I've been following. Sure, I can read the postings, but I won't be able to look at the pictures. But that's small picture kinda stuff and I'm focusing on the big picture. My Tarot of the Masters should be here by the end of the week. If it's as beautiful in person as it was on the website, I'll be hard pressed to put it away. But again, that's little picture stuff. I'll check the cards to make sure they're complete and OK, but then away they go.

I originally didn't set myself any kind of reward if I completed the IDS. But the more I think about it, the more I'm leaning toward getting a signed copy of my deck from the author. The copy I'm using is actually second hand. I can think of no better way to celebrate my completion of the IDS and (hopeful) bonding with my IDS deck than to get a brand spanking new signed copy.

I can't find any rose smilies in this site and I don't remember how to create them the old-fashioned way, but here's a dozen virtual roses for being our fearless leader and for convincing me to join the IDS. (Again, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.) After only a week, it's already been more successful than I could've dared hope.

Rodney
 

thorhammer

Rodney, hon, even I don't know how you ended up here :). One minute you were on my "vacillating" list . . . the next . . . here we are ;) I don't deserve or require thanks. The success of this thread, and the continuing support and enthusiasm, warm my heart and fire my own determination and imagination. (That being said, I'll take the roses, as the number of times ppl have given me flowers could fit twice over on one hand ;). Thankyou :heart:)

I know just what you mean - about focus, about research of details/symbols, about the difficulty in resisting the pull of the rest of your decks, and about enjoying study time. It's becoming less and less of a chore for me, too. I'm enjoying the pace, as much as anything. I'm fine with chewing on a card for days on end. I see all these focussed, driven, results-oriented people here and it's not even bothering me. I am serene.

You know, that word just occurred to me, but it really is becoming more and more obvious that the IDS is making Tarot serene for me. It's nice. A nice change of both pace and depth. As much as I do love and miss my other decks (some more than others, it must be said), I'm getting to the stage where I'm in no hurry to go back to them.

I've been considering a reward, too. I was thinking a deck. I was thinking . . . a Greenwood. Because I'm just not interested in buying decks at the moment, and because I'm saving so much money now, and because it seems to be a logical progression from the WoC to the Greenwood. But . . . it's early days yet, and I just don't know. There's the idea in the back of my mind that I might just forsake all others . . . indefinitely. But we'll see. I'm waiting for the first rug to get tugged out from under my feet :D

\m/ Kat
 

Faolainn Storm

IDS Worksheet ideas:

Like many of you, I’ve found I have had trouble doing a journal entry each day, so after looking through my tarot notes on my computer, I came up with the idea of having a worksheet form that I can fill in. For me it has several advantages: 1. I have a pre-existing form to fill in, 2. I know I’m answering the same questions/making the same points for each card, 3. it gives me something to write about when I have a mind-blank.
Anyway, as I was drawing mine up on my computer, I thought that this might be helpful to others doing the IDS. So here are the points I have used as my questions/prompts. They come from a variety of sources including Mary Greer’s “21 Ways to read a Tarot Card”, Corrine Kenner’s “Tarot Journaling”, and the Tarot Journeyman page cited earlier. (And probably a few others I’ve forgotten since. If that’s you, I’m sorry! :eek: ) So a few ideas for a journal form:

  • Initial Impressions:
  • Card description, symbols and objects:
  • Symbols on this card suggest:
  • Emotions, feelings, and attitudes of the figures, and the mood and atmosphere of the environment:
  • The number or rank is about:
  • The suit/element/mode is about:
  • Synthesising number + suit + element + mode yields:
  • Mental – How this card might relate to your thoughts and concepts:
  • "Spirit" – How this card might relate to your drive, enthusiasm, will power:
  • Emotional – How this card might relate to your emotions and feelings:
  • Physical – How this card might relate to your material/financial well being, or to your health:
  • Soul – How this card might relate to your soul and its journey or to your spiritual quest:
  • Business – How this card might relate to your work or career:
  • Relationship – How this card might relate to your relationship(s):
  • Beneficial – The most beneficial aspect of this card:
  • Problematic – The most problematic aspect of this card:
  • This card reminds me of the following:
  • Metaphors in this image include:
  • “Once upon a time…”
  • Dialoguing with the figure/objects on this card, I learn:
  • Imagining myself in this card, I learn:
  • Myths and archetypes related to this card include:
  • These suggest:
  • Embodying this card I learn:
  • Sketching this card I learn:
  • Other thoughts I have about this card:

Oh and I also have to put my hand up to slipping. :| I was sitting watch TV the other day and picked up my gilded tarot, which I must have overlooked when putting the cards away, and without even thinking about what I was doing I flipped through the cards. I realised what I’d done as I got to the last cards. I immediately put it away with my other cards, and picked up my Tarot of Dreams and shuffled and examined it. But I can’t believe how easily I slipped, and less than a week in! :eek: I now carry my TOD with me wherever I go in the house, so if I feel the need to look at the cards my IDS deck is the one on hand.
I have made it a lovely dark purple bag, with grey satin lining and silver tassels, which is more durable for carrying around than the organza bag it came with. And I used Umbrae’s method for “preparing” a deck. I was terrified, but am now so happy. It is a terribly frightening thing to do to a $100+ deck, but really is worth it. The cards were rather stiff and hard to shuffle, where they are now lovely and soft, easy to shuffle and have a beautiful slightly battered look. Some got bent during the process, but most are just lovely and soft, and the slight creasing just adds a well worn air to them.
Well that just about sums up my first week of the IDS. I feel good so far. I hope that continues.

Faolainn Storm
 

sapienza

I'm not sure anyone would have noticed but I haven't posted here for a little while. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, I'm trying to drastically reduce my internet use, and therefore my forum time. Secondly, I pretty significantly fell off the wagon over the weekend. I find that when I learn a new deck my instinct is to do this by comparing cards in decks I'm more familiar with and I was really struggling with not being able to do that. Anyway, I caved in on the weekend and looked through my two other favourite decks for different reasons at different times. It was helpful but of course then I felt guilty and like I'd failed with the whole IDS thing. I'm still very focused on the Alchemical and committed to working with it over the next few months but I'm not sure I can focus on it alone. I'm doing some soul searching just now and will make a decision by the end of the week I hope.

On a positive note though, by limiting the time I spend on-line I've been doing a lot of journalling and working through exercises from books I have and basically spending 'quality' time with the cards, which is what I was really hoping to gain from this whole thing. I wonder if perhaps for me that is the real objective.....getting off the computer and sitting down and using my cards, rather than using just one deck. I'm still thinking so will let you know what I decide, for those who are interested :)

I've still been reading all the posts on this thread and am so pleased to see how well everyone is doing. It sounds like the commitment is paying off and that is so exciting. What a great support group we have here!
 

thorhammer

Faolainn Storm - what a great form you've devised! While it makes it all a bit . . . sterile . . . for me, I totally see what you're saying about covering the same ground with every card. But more than that, I just love the points you've covered in your list! I'll be using some of those for my journalling, and I'd like to thank you for posting with a novel (to me) take on exploring a deck. :heart:

sapienza - don't feel badly. It sounds like a good think that you're thinking so much about what this means to you and what you hope to get out of it - and the very fact that you are getting something is wonderful! Good for you :). I, too, have noticed my forum time being downplayed, and what time I am spending here is more constructively used. I understand what you mean about comparing cards, but it might help you to stay away from other decks if you start to approach the process of learning a new deck from a different perspective. Don't think of trying to fit it into a previously well-known mold - instead, allow it to reveal its personality to you, you know? I don't know if I'm making myself clear (usually not :rolleyes:) but I know what I'm saying . . . :)

\m/ Kat
 

sapienza

Thanks Kat, I do know what you are trying to say. It makes a lot of sense. It's interesting because the three decks I'd consider my favourite, or main decks for reading and working with are all quite different systems, but that makes it even more interesting to work with them together. But however I go with this, I feel good about having finally shifted my focus from 'talking about' tarot to 'working with' tarot again......not that I don't still enjoy a good chat on the forum about stuff.....but as you say, I'm using the forum more constructively than I have in recent times :)
 

Gazel

Faolainn Storm said:
So a few ideas for a journal form:
Faolainn Storm

Thank you very much for this list. This one I'll print out and store on my pc for inspiration when writing my entrances for my tarot ringbinder. I'm going to write a coherent entry based on my diary notes on the Devil today and over the weekend, if time permits. Then I'll do some readings on the Devil. And then to the next major.

I have a level of ambition that says, that I should try to get around all the Majors during the next six months.
I think my progress is so slow but concentrating fully on what the Devil could teach me is rewarding.

Gazel.
 

Essjay

My pledge

Hi there!

I'm very late to this party. I noticed a lot of people talking about their IDS deck choice and didn't realise that there was a thread to support it!

Here is my pledge for my IDS

- I will only use my Victorian Romantic deck from today 27th March until 19th June.
- Alongside this I will be using the companion book. Also, Tarot: Plain and Simple, 78 Degrees of Wisdom and I may get Tarot for Yourself a way down the line.
- I will not use any other decks. This includes running to my UW to compare difficult cards.
- Decks that are on order will be checked for completeness and quality and then put on my shelf until June.
- I will carry my deck with me when ever possible - within reason.
- I will use my deck morning and evening to do a three card spread. I do this at the moment but use a variety of decks depending on how I feel.
- I will start to attempt more advanced spreads later on, as the three card is very much in my comfort zone.
- I will attempt to use a journal to start noting down (to quote Thorhammer) cards that follow me around and also random card related thoughts. It's worth mentioning at this point that I suck at journalling, although I enjoy writing. I have never been able to keep a diary in the past. This will be the hardest part of this journey for me.

I'm really excited about this. I do find myself flitting from deck to deck from week to week and welcome this opportunity to settle down with a deck I love.

I am a bit worried about the journalling aspect, I'm so journal phobic! I'm trying not to focus on this too much and hope it will come with time.

:)
 

PeterS

sapienza -- I also want to lend my encouragement to what Kat said. Don't be to hard on yourself. For many of us this is the first time we have ever done anything like this so there is bound to be some bumps in the road that we didn't expect.

I just keep thinking about what my Grandmother told me growing up. "Falling down doesn't mean you lost. If you pick yourself back up and keep going your still in the race. The only sure fire way to lose is to quit."

We are all learning this process and it is only week two. I love how the IDS Message is spreading and we still have people joining but I also take silent support from not seeing people on the forums, like Scion (17 pages, WOW!) that are now just at home pouring and studing their deck and writing in their journals.

In conclusion I want to say to you and to all who are struggling. Keep going and the reward is worth the effort !!!!!

Peter
 

lilith_in_tree

Essjay, welcome! I'm also using the VR--I think you'll find that your study with it will be very rewarding :D
And sapienza, I'll echo the others and say don't be too hard on yourself--we're in the early going here, and it can be difficult to adjust if you've gotten used to using more than one deck. Beating yourself up won't help you at all, be gentle with yourself.
I also slacked a bit yesterday--I didn't do my journalling for the day because I was immersed in my other writing. But I'm figuring it's all to the good, because the studying and the writing feed off of each other and doing one seems to benefit the other for me. It's been so interesting--I think looking closely at a card and writing as much as I can about it has really made everything else in my life more interesting to me, and available to my other writing--seeing the details in the cards, and finding what is relevant to me there, makes me see the details in everything else, and everything else becomes relevant to my work. I don't know if that made any sense :laugh: but to sum up, I'm in a good place!