The Robin Wood Tarot deck

Either I didn't know any better or I'm just a masochist, but I started with the Thoth back in 1972 and stayed with it until I joined here in 2011 and began buying more decks. It's like one of those old-fashioned "shoe-stretchers" for your brain. I recently bought the Robin Wood and find it a fine example of the RWS style with a pagan overlay. It makes an excellent first deck.

l do agree it makes a wonderful first deck. l bought mine when l was learning the tarot. It was very easy to understand and work with. l enjoyed it a lot, then got tempted away by other Tarot's, as one does

jac74 said:

No like the deck but I just found it in a box of books and want to start learning how to use the deck I just know how or where to start learning again.

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Either you follow the above advice on the Robin Wood study group or you can look for an appropriate book for the RWS and just apply it to the Robin Wood.
Personally, as a total n00b I found Barbara Moore's new book "Your Tarot Your Way" invaluable.

I like it because it begins with setting the ground rules: What are your belief systems, why does Tarot work, are there questions you shouldn't ask, do you believe that you can tell the future or do you see it as a tool for self-exploration?
She doesn't mechanically preach the traditional meanings but also explains a bit about the meanings of numbers and elements.
It is a well-rounded beginner's book from one of the most-well known authors.

If you want a set of cards to go with it, you can search for "Tarot Made Easy" by Barbara Moore (LlewellynBooks). It is the above-mentioned book with a set of Llewellyn Classic Tarot cards. It doesn't cost much more than the book-only-paperback-option.

Of course, there are free options as an alternative to paid books, i.e. http://learntarotinaday.com/.
Just be aware that they all use the RWS deck and you just use your Robin Wood deck. No probs.

The Youtube series of Kelly-Ann Maddox is also pretty hawt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw24j5r2qoE&list=PLH1DuMfxSE8iFgylkOjVpL_cf1NcNqU7P

And here is another very good one by TarotOracle (sadly, he stopped at video 4 but it's still awesome):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfNvV-qKpg4&list=PL7Yk6hQPntTFjJ-vKpjsqUbroa13Mgu1M

Robin Wood also wrote a companion book that came out long after I stopped regularly using the deck. I believe it's OOP, but should be easy to find used at not too expensive a price. (Of course, I haven't searched, so it may be going for an exorbitant price.) Unlike many companion books, even those written by the artist, hers goes into a good bit of detail about the imagery and symbolism she used.

Rodney

I just remembered that "Tarot Plain and Simple" from Anthony Louis uses the Robin Wood deck. It's supposed to be an excellent beginner's book.

I LOVE Tarot Plain and Simple, and YES it does use the Robin Wood!

I personally don't have the Robin Wood, but THAT is my tarot book, Tarot Plain and Simple and it liberally uses images from the Robin Wood.

ok one more question

celticnoodle said:

The Robin Wood Tarot is a wonderful deck to begin with! I have this deck as well, and its probably my favorite deck to read with.

My recommendation is to use that deck. Begin here with your deck: http://www.tarotforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=117

it is a list of older threads, perhaps you could read through them and find them useful as well as resurrecting the thread(s) and enticing others to join in again.

Also, when you have enough posts, (25), begin other forums here that you have interest in. Use your cards as often as you are able to do so and enjoy them. Participate in the reading circles here and the games with the cards. These help to really make learning to read tarot fun and easy. Most of all, enjoy yourself on your tarot reading journey!

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Should I learn the reverse meanings and if so do I turn or flip the cards as I take one thanks for all the help.

If you're completely new at reading, I wouldn't pay a lot of attention to the reversed meanings in the beginning. There isn't a lot of agreement on what they mean anyway, and some people don't even use them in practice. Later on, when you get the upright meanings mastered, you can consider adding reversals. You might also read the numerous threads on reading reversals (or not) here on the forum.

My personal opinion is that they don't change the core meaning of a card anyway, more the nature of the "delivery." My current favorite analogy is that of a baseball hitter who is expecting a fast-ball and the pitcher throws him a curve-ball instead. The objective is the same but the hitter has to change his perception of the ball's speed and trajectory in order to connect with it.

As far as how you get a reversed card, many people (me included) mix the deck up in a way that leaves some cards upright and some reversed. I don't do this every time I read, but often enough to keep the deck "refreshed."

It's currently available in a Kindle edition for under $10.

rwcarter said:

Robin Wood also wrote a companion book that came out long after I stopped regularly using the deck. I believe it's OOP, but should be easy to find used at not too expensive a price. (Of course, I haven't searched, so it may be going for an exorbitant price.) Unlike many companion books, even those written by the artist, hers goes into a good bit of detail about the imagery and symbolism she used.

Rodney

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The Robin Wood has been one of my three workhorses for years; if I use it less lately, it's because I've been distracted by so many newer ones. But the symbolism is very easy to follow; it reads like a charm. Robin's own book is delightful; she writes the way she speaks (I've attended some of her workshops), and she gives all the reasons for her choices. And Anthony Louis' book is wonderful as well; when I found it, I lamented that such a clear and concise book wasn't available when I started learning Tarot so long ago!

Happy learning!