Intensive Deck Study Support Thread ~ Part 2

thorhammer said:

I think it might just not be a symbolic deck at all, and might require an adjustment in the way you're approaching it. It's not an RWS clone, after all. Don't try to read it as one

\m/ Kat

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You were dead on Kat! Ofc I have not yet seen it that wayso have been trying to force the symbols into the cards where there really isnt any. At least not in the way I am used to!
/Anna

Anna,

I so understand! I learned Tarot on the Universal Waite, and the majority of the decks I use are RWS clones or very close to it. When I picked up the Noblet TdM and decided I'd IDS with it, I don't think I truly realized what I was getting myself into! I'm having to work through the cards very slowly, because it takes a lot to separate myself from the tendency to read them like RWS variants, which they are not!

What I've started doing is really relying heavily on my first impression of a card. Like when I did the Coins suit, I'd look at Two Coins and think, "Gee, these Two Coins make me think of balance!". Instead of trying to somehow rationalize that with whatever the traditional meaning is, I simply relied on my own intuition there.

When you look at cards that feature a person or even an animal, can you imagine putting yourself into that card scene? How do you react to the colors? What emotions do they stir in you? Look at the facial expressions--do they look happy or sad or blank? Do you relate the imagery to any personal experience you might have? Maybe there's a lake that reminds you of somewhere you went as a child, etc. I've been keeping a written journal of my initial card impressions; first thing that went through my mind, dominant color and how it makes me feel, facial expressions, body language, background imagery, and so forth. It may work for you, or it may not, but it might be worth a try.

I'm not having much luck actually handwriting my journal - so I think I'll go back to doing it on the pc and then printing it out - I seem to think better at the pc, I reread, delete, add little bits and its easier to get my thoughts out at the keyboard. I did download the new treeDBnotes free to have a look at so I'll either start to use this again or just keep on using my word programme for my cards.

I drew my daily this morning and its amazing how in tune these cards are - I should have been having some building work done but because of the rain the builder is behind in some of his other work and isn't coming today - I drew the Sword 8 - I won't detail the card here but its an Air care = weather.

The IDS works!!

I just got a PM that the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot Study Group has its own subforum in the Individual Deck Studies section.

This was partly made possible by my previous (and first) IDS, with the NOVT.

So keep coming back (to the IDS); it really works!

Now, if I could just duplicate such success with the DOM...*sigh*

T.

Yay Afrosaxon! nothing like your hard work panning out. I really like the notion that the work we're doing here and posting online will become a legacy of sorts. Very cool.

I'm noticing in my studies (the 8s of Pents and Cups, today) that I have a bit of a time deciding what goes where. I'm using my form (which Faolinn Storm seems to have developed from M. Greer's 21 Ways book), and while I'm looking at the card and considering it's emotional indications I may well come up with something that actually falls more naturally under it's physical or mental indications, etc.

Not that this is particularly a problem, just something that I've noticed.

FYI - here is part of the form I'm referring to:
Emotions, feelings, and attitudes of the figures, and the mood and atmosphere of the environment:
Mental – thoughts and concepts:
Spirit – drive, enthusiasm, will power, creativity:
Emotional – emotions and feelings:
Physical – material/financial well being, health:
Soul – soul's journey, spiritual quest:
Business – work or career:
Relationship(s):
Beneficial – Strengths and resources:
Problematic – Problems or challenges to be overcome:

It seems that I don't naturally categorize my life in terms of what is emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical - I'm just not used to thinking in those terms. For instance, in the 8/cups, there is overlap - the kitty is *leaving* - so what she's feeling may have to do with what exactly she's leaving: a relationship? for college? moving to new house? etc etc etc.

Again, not a problem, just an observation...

Promise said:

Alrighty! I think I've finally gotten myself back on track and away from the Deviant Moon. I think I've figured out what the problem is, but I don't exactly now how to put it into words yet. I think a large chunk of it comes from the fact that I've been using my blog instead of journaling by hand; I keep a personal journal, but I thought that handwriting my IDS journal would pose a problem because my writing tends to get erratic and spastic. I find that, for some reason, when I blog, I feel restricted in my thoughts, because I'm afraid that I'm not going to make sense to anyone else that might be reading it, or that someone reading it may know more than me about the Noblet or TdM in general and make me feel stupit.

So, I've got a binder set up that I'll be journaling in now. I still plan on keeping my blog updated, but only after I've handwritten my entries first, and I may only do blog maintenance once a week.

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Hey woman! I'm glad that you have gotten stuff figured out, but I hope you'll still blog about your cards. It's an interesting read, especially for someone who doesn't know anything about reading a TdM

Promise said:

What has me most excited, though, is jmd's TdM course finally getting started again!

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How cool is that!

Promise said:

I got my email today, and I'm so so so excited about it. I know that it's going to make my IDS much longer than I originally planned for, but you know what? That's OK! If Emily can do 10 months with the Liber T, and Kat and Rodney can commit to two consecutive IDS-es with the same deck, I've got somewhat steady faith that I'll be OK. I may stumble here and there, but it won't be the first time, and it certainly won't be the last.

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I'm sure that you'll do well, and I think that doing it as a course will make sticking to it much easier. I thought about doing that course, can't wait to hear what you think of it.

Promise said:

In the beginning of this IDS, I was so on fire for the Noblet, and somewhere along the line, my wood got wet. The clouds are gone and the sun's finally shinin', but I'm still not completely dried out yet. I'm getting there, but I feel like I have to make some changes first and find something that feels more natural and more organic. I'll play with the journaling for a while, and also find a more natural way to go about the actual study, until I get it right. I'm hoping that jmd's course will give me more structure and more of a place to start, and be the thing that drops the match.

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Disa said:

Thanks, Kat! It went better than I thought but I still have to overcome my stagefright. The spread I've been trying to memorize for 2 weeks went right out of my head once I laid the cards down. It could have been because it was family and we were so busy catching up and talking that I just couldn't think- so luckily I had written it down and could check the positions. They didn't mind. I really, really love the Buckland Romani. The cards themselves seem easy enough to interpret, but trying to fit it all together was stil kinda hard for me. Soo many courts came up- I'm the worst at courts.

Anyway it was a great time and they both said the cards hit right on target for what's occuring now. They didn't ask any questions so I had to wing it

They asked me to read them again sometime so I think it's ok.

So, count this as one of my IDS goals getting accomplished- to read more for others-yipeeee.

How's everyone else doing? Hanging in? D

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Congrats, Disa - you're really brave! I don't know what it would take for me to bring a deck to a gathering and commit to reading for all comers - and I know I'd be exhausted by the end of the night. High fives all around!

sravana said:

It seems that I don't naturally categorize my life in terms of what is emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical - I'm just not used to thinking in those terms. For instance, in the 8/cups, there is overlap - the kitty is *leaving* - so what she's feeling may have to do with what exactly she's leaving: a relationship? for college? moving to new house? etc etc etc.

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I know what you mean. That sense of pigeonholing everything and separating all the impressions I get from a card was one thing that I didn't like about that book (21 Ways). I'm working hard to be able to synthesise stuff, and that approach seemed to be undoing every bit of progress I'd made up till then! So, unfortunately, I put the book away. Lesson learned. Don't pay full price for things. Oh well!

\m/ Kat

afrosaxon said:

I just got a PM that the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot Study Group has its own subforum in the Individual Deck Studies section.

This was partly made possible by my previous (and first) IDS, with the NOVT.

So keep coming back (to the IDS); it really works!

Now, if I could just duplicate such success with the DOM...*sigh*

T.

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Congrats on this.

What do ya mean "IF"? You can do it!

sravana said:

Congrats, Disa - you're really brave! I don't know what it would take for me to bring a deck to a gathering and commit to reading for all comers - and I know I'd be exhausted by the end of the night. High fives all around!

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Oh my, thanks for saying this but luckily there were only 2 people(I just wasn't totally sure before I got there how many would be there). There is no way at this stage of the game I could take a deck to a gathering and do it-there were 34 cousins when we stopped counting a few years ago. If I did do it, it'd be days before I got through.

Disa said:

Congrats on this.

What do ya mean "IF"? You can do it!

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I don't know, Disa.

I haven't picked up the DOM in a couple of days and, quite frankly, I haven't missed it.

Thinking about ditching.

T.