Intensive Deck Study Support Thread ~ Part 2

Hi sravana

sravana said:

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...lollol. I know that feeling.

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Oooh, that's thought, I have Greer's book on tarot reversals and found that very useful, so I'll look out for this one too.

Cheers,


PolarBear

Hullo IDS friends!

I spent a lot of time with the Greenwood today, and am feeling very solid and comfortable with my decision to dedicate myself to this deck. I did my journaling on the Fool last night, and meditated with her afterward. It was a very peaceful and quiet experience, and I'm happy with what I've shared with the Fool so far.

Tonight I've worked with the Ancestor, who is related to the traditional Hierophant. I had trouble with this card in the beginning, but after breaking the card down and then slowly putting it back together, things just started to connect and flow together. I don't feel like I'm done with the Ancestor quite yet, but I think I need some fresh perspective on it. I'll pick the deck and my journal back up after I've had some sleep and see what happens.

The next card up is The Pole Star, which I'm looking forward to getting to know. Such a breathtakingly beautiful card!

Love and Light to everyone,

Sara

Hi Promise,
I started a Study Group for the Greenwood a few months back...we did not get very far though. I think partly because the timing was a bit unfortunate, because a few weeks later I started my IDS with the Steele Wizard, and I think other students of the Greenwood were also doing their IDS with another deck. But if there is anything you want to share with us about the cards - please do and post there
I intend to pick up the Greenwood again to study as well...not doing an IDS though because I want to use a few other decks for readings but a very limited few

I'm taking a little break before I carry on with my IDS with the Liber T. I'm learning how to use the Lenormand Oracle cards, I have the LoS version and am enjoying the change of pace, it seems much more relaxed - I think its because there are only 36 cards or the artwork is easy to take in. I'm not actually sure what is drawing me in but its working, I'm enjoying this little deck a lot.

But I will be coming back to the Liber T, maybe even incorporate the Lenormand into my readings too.

Hi Folks,

Been losing a bit of steam with my IDS. I have been doing a reading everyday and studying the book of Thoth, but I haven't been journaling a card as often as I should. I suspect it is because when I do, I go all out and write and entire essay! I sometimes take an hour or more a day, which is great fun, but yeah...

I am a bit of freak that way, but its not sustainable for the whole IDS. How much does everyone else journal? I think I need to get over myself and just write a few paragraphs at a time...

QJ

QJ,

Most people intend to do a lot of journaling with their IDS and then find that it's just not happening like they thought it would. If journaling doesn't work for you, then don't do it. There are other ways to work with and study your deck.

Rodney

P.S. - I hope to get a chance to work with your spread over the weekend.

Emily,

Enjoy your break! I think you more than deserve it! Good luck with your Lenormand; I've never used it myself, but I know people who swear by it.

QJ,

I journal every night with my Greenwood, and the length and intensity do vary, but for the most part, I wind up with at least several pages, front and back, college rule notebook paper. I start off with my impressions on the card, then move into the sometimes many things that the card can mean in the context of a reading, and often it turns into personal exercises. For example, with the Fool, I included a list of things that I wish I was "Foolish" enough to do, things I wish I could just take the leap with and plunge into the Unknown.

Sometimes my journal entries ramble, and sometimes they don't even make sense when I go back the next day and read them, but they're still mine and they're important to me. Most of the time, it takes me well over an hour to do a complete journal entry for one card, but I consider it a worthy investment.

sravana said:

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!

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Thank you so much for the links!

Since my post a few days back, I picked up the deck I originally learned to read with, deciding to use it in the meantime before I found another deck to study and I'm coming to the realization on how much I've outgrown it XD! The decks are fully illustrated... but after working with a pip deck for so long, I'm so hesitant and unhappy about "going backwards". The links you posted are definitely the route I'd much rather take.

Pip decks... but vibrant ones!

Rodney: I needed to hear this - I can have an all or nothing approach sometimes. I will make my journal entries enjoyable rather than compulsory, and see how this goes.

Promise: Thanks!, the way you do it has helped me realize my approach might be too dry and analytical - I will try and find more personal ways of journalling. I think what I have been trying to do is build up an academic text for the cards of some sort, rather that making it about connecting with the cards in my heart. Admittedly, a lot comes out of my usual studious approach, but it feel a lot like work. I need more play in my IDS.

Joining In

Hi All

I'd like to join in the IDS, if I may.

I'm relatively new to tarot and up until now I've used whatever deck suited my mood, but I've noticed I'm not becoming more skilful in using the cards. After contemplation, I suspect my scattershot approach is to blame, and that the focus of an IDS will help.

Before deciding on the guidelines I'd follow, I read a lot of the IDS support thread, and from that I concluded that I don't want set too many rigid rules. I want flexibility and room for enjoyment, and goals I can meet without driving myself mad.

I decided on:

1) Using the Robin Wood deck.
2) Applying the IDS for six months.
3) Not giving up books. There's no point in my pretending: if I say I'll give up books I won't last six minutes.
4) Not buying new decks. My other decks are already put away.
5) Journaling as regularly as life and work allow, at least three days per week.
6) Performing a weekly draw, journaling each day's card as often as I can.
7) Performing other exercises and readings as they occur to me, consisten with finding the IDS relaxing and fun.
8) Reassessing at the end of each month to see if I need to tweak my guidelines.

Oddly enough, I think what I'll miss most is using the Bohemian Gothic for work-related readings, as it has an uncanny knack for capturing the spirit and feel of my workplace (it's hard for me to imagine Robin Wood fitting into a Bohemian Gothic-shaped hole)--but I'm hoping that whole pull towards other decks thing will fade with time.

Wish me luck