Intensive Deck Study Support Thread ~ Part 2

rwcarter

quiet0ne said:
hi all,

off to a bit of a shaky start here. i'm doing my daily draws, but i can't get myself to actually "study" any particular card yet. i'm still so intimidated! i read very intuitively, and i think i'm afraid if i do too much study, i'll hamper that.
Much like the IDS itself, "study" is very personal. For me, "study" means to look through various symbol books to see what symbols in the cards generally mean. And I also go through the companion book to see what the author has to say. But I'm very AR so that works for me.

For someone like you who reads more intuitively, it might work better to look at each card and write down your impressions about the cards. What does this symbol make you think about? How does this color make you feel? What does this scene remind you of? Of course, things will be different in the context of a reading, but if you're anything like me, I'm quite likely to forget a realization I made some time ago unless I write it down.

Also, study for you might work better if instead of focusing on one card, you work on developing the connections between cards. Start with two cards pulled randomly from the deck. How are they similar? How are they different? Are they harmonious together or do they butt heads with one another?

There are many ways to study your IDS deck. You just need to find the way that works best for you.

HTH,
Rodney
 

quiet0ne

afrosaxon said:
I read intuitively as well, but I've found that studying each card helps me to read even more intuitively. IDS is more like unlocking a door, than closing it. Understanding the card just expands your personal, intuitive understanding more.

i like that way of looking at things. maybe i'm scared of (imagined) boogiemen living in the shadows of that door!

rwcarter said:
Also, study for you might work better if instead of focusing on one card, you work on developing the connections between cards. Start with two cards pulled randomly from the deck. How are they similar? How are they different? Are they harmonious together or do they butt heads with one another?

that's a fantastic suggestion, rodney! i honestly hadn't thought about trying it that way. i'll have to pull a couple tonight and see how that works out for me!

thanks for the support, both of you!
 

Neely75

I'm glad to read I'm not the only one having a bit of a shaky start. I've barely managed to do anything. I feel so guilty, and I want to do it. I just can't get myself going. Today, today, today!!
 

Disa

Neely75 said:
I'm glad to read I'm not the only one having a bit of a shaky start. I've barely managed to do anything. I feel so guilty, and I want to do it. I just can't get myself going. Today, today, today!!


Neely- this is the no guilt IDS. If you are having guilt you are doing it wrong :)

Go easy on yourself, remember the purpose is to find your own way and your own pace. I know it feels rocky at first, you'll find your sea legs I PROMISE. Hang in there and remember, it's supposed to be FUN!!!
 

Alamaris

Just a little update, since I happen to be severely brain dead after a two-day party/sleepover in which very few of us got any sleep, myself included... on top of the insomnia I already had! Whew! (I need a nap.)

After a couple days of thinking it through, I'm going to switch my deck. I played with the Thoth a little more, browsed Duquette's book a little, but my final conclusion is that the Thoth was a little too ambitious...just not quite right for me right now. But I'm not wussing out! I was despairing at first, because after looking my decks over I didn't think I had one that needed or wanted study, or that I felt I could stick with for a few months. Today, trying to relax before guests invade my house (then I can finally get some sleep :p), I was looking over the decks again when I realized one had been pushed back and out of the way where I could hardly see it. Pulling it out, I realized right away that it would be perfect; its got enough symbolism to give me something to work with, is just different enough to be challenging and just similar enough to be comfortable, and the artwork won't be a challenge to stare at until the end of September.

So, here I go again after a little hiccup, restarting my IDS on July 1st with the Circle Of Life tarot. I'm planning on doing card studies with this one -- I'm curious about all its secrets.
 

rwcarter

Alamaris said:
So, here I go again after a little hiccup, restarting my IDS on July 1st with the Circle Of Life tarot. I'm planning on doing card studies with this one -- I'm curious about all its secrets.
Alamaris,

I look forward to seeing what secrets you tease out of the Circle of Life....

Rodney
 

punchinella

Hey everybody--thanks so much for all the help & welcome!!! I guess I am going to join you :heart:

Furiana, the link does work tonight. That thread is hundreds of pages long, aarugh! I went looking for the "form" but perhaps gave up too quickly . . . but that's okay--despite being, like Sravana, a virgo (twice over) I think I have an idea now of what to do & don't actually need a form :D Afrosaxon, thanks for your extensive explanation of what IDS is. Too bad there isn't a way to bookmark that for people who come along as out-of-the-loop as me--wait, was this someone else's idea?

thorhammer said:
What deck are you thinking of using with us? (We live vicariously through each other, vampires sucking the juices of other decks through each other's posts :D }))
You know, I'm actually thinking of a pretty strange (for me) choice: Morgan Greer. I pulled it out of the closet a couple of days ago, and just happened to do a written meditation with one of the cards, and enjoyed doing so so much that I went looking for a study group (didn't find one) . . . and then bethought me of IDS, of which, as you know, I had but the slimmest inkling. The choice of Morgan Greer is odd for me, because I've always tended to eschew RWS-based decks, I guess because early in my tarot life I was "sold" on Marseille as being more--well, original . . . and, I'm still non-plussed by the Justice/Strength swap. But what the heck . . . the deck is just calling out to me. Screaming, actually. Oh, the colors!

The toughest part of this for me will probably be giving up my daily Shining Tribe draw, which I simply love to do each night before bed. But, much as I love pulling individual cards out of this deck, the deck as a whole isn't calling out right now to be studied. Although, in spite of IDS plans, I think I'll leave it listed as my favorite deck here at AT :) because there is just so much to it.

Since a spontaneous written meditation was what pulled me in to work with this deck, I guess I'll do the same with each of the cards--and/or perhaps start a study group.

Oh, I'm so excited! !!! Oh oh, my knees & whiskers (is that how it goes??)

Punchinella (scurrying off to check out the daily draw thread, & get started-- yaaaayyy!!!)

(Could it be--no--that Punchinella is actually going to make peace with RWS at last? Shhhh . . . )

Edited to add: Alamaris, the Circle of Life deck is just absolutely beautiful, I wasn't familiar with it before but went looking because you chose it--lovely, and exciting! I guess this means we are starting together :)
 

thorhammer

Great to hear your story, punchinella :). It's interesting that you've rejected RWS clones until now, and you have an interesting reason. So welcome!

Morgan Greer Study Group - if you go to the Study Groups subforum, one of the notes at the top is the Index, which is in alphabetical order. You can find the link there :)

I'll fix my first post up to show that form, if I can find it, and afrosaxon's post as well.

\m/ Kat
 

Cat*

thorhammer said:
I'll fix my first post up to show that form, if I can find it, and afrosaxon's post as well.
Here's the form. :)

And I've added Alamaris' deck change as well as punchinella to the list of who's IDSing with what.

*just rushing past*
 

Onyx

Alamaris said:
So, here I go again after a little hiccup, restarting my IDS on July 1st with the Circle Of Life tarot. I'm planning on doing card studies with this one -- I'm curious about all its secrets.

I almost choose the Circle of Life for my IDS. I am intrigued by it and yoru are righ there are some secrets to tease out of that one. I will be watching your progress. Maybe this fall I will use that one.

Allan