[Onyx]

I forgot to say this in the previous post. I like that the coloring is both vivid and different. I have long associated certain coloring with certain suits because that is what I have read in books.

I want a deck that can say to me "Can Green be the color of Wands?" If wands represent fire, does that have to mean that they can't be green? What if wands can represent earth? I have an opinion now but what is the basis of that opinion? what I have read in books or what I have read in the cards?

Seize the Day! Question Authority! If it works, Work it! are three mottos for my IDS.

Onyx.

[sapienza]

Originally Posted by Quantum James

They're not easy cards to read for others though. The 10 of cups can be tough to explain for instance...

Yes, I can see how that would be the case Maybe if I approach the deck as a 'non-reading' deck I'd be able to overcome my hesitations. Anyway, enough of that.....I'm going to focus on the Thoth for now. But thanks again for the info.

[mosaica]

Originally Posted by Onyx

I want a deck that can say to me "Can Green be the color of Wands?" If wands represent fire, does that have to mean that they can't be green? What if wands can represent earth? I have an opinion now but what is the basis of that opinion? what I have read in books or what I have read in the cards?

Seize the Day! Question Authority! If it works, Work it! are three mottos for my IDS.

Onyx.

That's exactly what I love about the TdMs. You can throw everything that you've ever read in books about the given esoteric meanings of the cards out the window. The meanings don't have to be that "heavy." Nothing has to be predetermined. They are perfect for "seizing the day" (or the moment) and "questioning authority." Every time you do a reading, you can discover something new. Not only "can green be the color of wands," but do there have to be any "elements" assigned to the cards at all? Can wands represent simply something alive and formed by natural forces (as opposed to the man made nature of swords, coins, and cups). Can the shape of the wands and the way they are arranged on the cards mean something, without regard to their color? If you let go of assigned meanings, then you start to see unlimited metaphorical possibilities.

But the bright green color in the wands and vines of the Spanish Tarot is exactly what draws me to it. The deck has such a fresh, vibrant, spring-like feel, and the backs and background are the color of rich cream. I love its hand drawn quality and the imperfections and quirks that result from that, although it results in some strange and intense expressions on some of the characters. That's the main thing that I'm not sure I'll be able to get around when it comes to doing actual readings.

"Seize the Day! Question Authority!" Those are perfect mottos for an IDS, IMO!

Mosaica

[thorhammer]

Originally Posted by mosaica

Not only "can green be the color of wands," but do there have to be any "elements" assigned to the cards at all? Can wands represent simply something alive and formed by natural forces (as opposed to the man made nature of swords, coins, and cups).

This really made me prick up my ears (as it were ) and have a good hard think. Thankyou for posting that, it's really sunk itself into my mind and it'll be influencing me for some time.

I appreciate it

\m/ Kat

[teomat]

Help!!!

With autumn creeping up, I'm getting an overwhelming urge to switch to my Halloween tarot (the thread on it being available in a tin has well and truly poisoned me).
It's one of my favourite decks, but I feel like I'll fail my IDS if I indulge! But if I can't use the Halloween now, it feels like a wasted opportunity...

All you TdM-ers - please remind me how wonderful the TdM is!!

(and tell me something awful the Halloween deck to put me off...)

[Hooked on TdM]

Originally Posted by teomat

Help!!!

With autumn creeping up, I'm getting an overwhelming urge to switch to my Halloween tarot (the thread on it being available in a tin has well and truly poisoned me).
It's one of my favourite decks, but I feel like I'll fail my IDS if I indulge! But if I can't use the Halloween now, it feels like a wasted opportunity...

All you TdM-ers - please remind me how wonderful the TdM is!!

(and tell me something awful the Halloween deck to put me off...)

Why not let yourself use them only on Gate night and Halloween? Then back to the regular program! TdM's are awesome but even so it may be a nice refresher to use a different deck for just those two days and then come back to your TdM's. That way you will notice new and different things for your study!

I don't have any issues with giving myself a day or two off to play with a different deck once in awhile (as long as it's not a habit) as I think it' helps us refuel and see the deck in a different light.

Hooked

[Hooked on TdM]

Originally Posted by mosaica

That's exactly what I love about the TdMs. You can throw everything that you've ever read in books about the given esoteric meanings of the cards out the window. The meanings don't have to be that "heavy." Nothing has to be predetermined. They are perfect for "seizing the day" (or the moment) and "questioning authority." Every time you do a reading, you can discover something new. Not only "can green be the color of wands," but do there have to be any "elements" assigned to the cards at all? Can wands represent simply something alive and formed by natural forces (as opposed to the man made nature of swords, coins, and cups). Can the shape of the wands and the way they are arranged on the cards mean something, without regard to their color? If you let go of assigned meanings, then you start to see unlimited metaphorical possibilities.

Oh thank you for this. I have been puzzling over Onyx's post for a bit here. I couldn't figure out why the colour of a wand would matter about elements!! I often forget that others are coming into TdM's from the other "traditions" decks and that those decks have set meanings for all this stuff. LOL I'm too used to my freedom I think!

Hooked

[Onyx]

I have taken on this style of decks out of a sense of need to be free of the extra. It is a bit of a Tarot cleansing. My new fascination with the deck has come into full stride as I had a couple of hours on a long road trip.

Last Saturday night I was on the way home from a theme park a couple of hours away. To save on gas I rode with my sister and her family. But in the late hours and in the dark on the drive home I had a break through.

As the kids slept, my sister slept and my brother-in-law listened to a football game faintly on the radio I tried in vain to fall asleep. Since I couldn't sleep I started to consider the suits. I started out with Cups. I know what I normally associate the suit with but I thought what else could it mean?

Sense I work as a bartender I began to think of the cups as goblets. I then thought about wine and how it is considered liquid food. From there, I thought of food as nourishment. How can the suit of Cups illustrate the many different needs in my life that need nourishment? How can the Cups represent how I get nourishment and how I help to nourish others?

Next was the Suit of Wands. Wands, Rods, and Staves all seemed warlike and I wasn't crazy about that association, especially since there is the suit of Swords. I then consider wands are made of wood. Lumber is a form of wood. Lumber is used in construction. Then it hit me. How can Wands represent the building that I do in life? The lattice work on the Wands suit got me to consider the process, effort and resources that are all part of the building process.

The suit of Swords came easily as a representation of what I am willing to fight for and defend. The awesome question, "What is my knightly quest?" This is a powerful illustration of how I direct my efforts to right the wrongs of the world. This can show how I help the poor, serve the king, and rescue the fair maiden. Sure it can be cheesy if done poorly but I know that we as people often forget that each day is a battle to do the right thing and stand up to the darkness in life.

The Suit of Coins, which I am so used to thinking of as Pentacles, came to a new perspective. This is the spending of my life. What am I giving away? What I have given away? What am I getting back for it? Am I making good investments? Am I throwing away, spending or investing? What will I have to show for all my work when I am done?

Each of these four ideas worked in my head, then I started to look at the idea of numerology and how it could fit in to this pattern. I will spare you but I came up with a matrix that could work. Now was it something that was limiting or could it work in different types of questions. Work, Romance, Spiritual? I think it will. I am in the process of still finding out the details but during this quite time in the back of a mini-van I found a way that was unique and personal for the cards.

The reason I love the TdM is the freedom that no one who can tell me that it will not work. The TdM doesn't limit me from applying these meanings to the cards. I don't know if I will stick with it forever, or go back to my already memorized meanings, but I have the freedom to give it a try.


Just a moment with what I am learning in my IDS.

Onyx.

[rwcarter]

Onyx,

Thanks for sharing your revelation and please do keep us in the loop with your discoveries. Don't know if I would've been able to make those associations, but I do think they're brilliant!

Rodney

[sapienza]

Onyx, I agree with Rodney. I really like your ideas. In fact, the more I hear about TdM's in this thread, the more I feel drawn to work with one....but for now, I'm sticking with the Thoth. I'm looking forward to hearing more of your ideas though....the matrix sounds interesting, I love putting things into tables

Originally Posted by teomat

With autumn creeping up, I'm getting an overwhelming urge to switch to my Halloween tarot (the thread on it being available in a tin has well and truly poisoned me).
It's one of my favourite decks, but I feel like I'll fail my IDS if I indulge! But if I can't use the Halloween now, it feels like a wasted opportunity...

I also think you should use the deck, just for Halloween. This is the time of year for it, and you don't want to start resenting the whole IDS thing. Just set yourself a limit and stick to it.

Rodney, just wanted to say, I got a copy of the Ancient Egyptian Tarot from e-bay and it arrived today. Obviously I'm not going to be using it right now, but it is a beautiful deck. I'm so pleased to finally own a copy. I can see now why you have been working with it so long.