How to continue learning with the TdM

[le_charior]

(Sorry if this is the wrong forum for this and please move, moderators, if necessary. I guess it's a universal problem, but since in my case it's TdM related I thought I'd post it here)

Ok, I got into Tarot and more specifically into TdM and historic decks 7 months ago. In the beginning I did a lot of daily draws, discovered the cards, read through a lot of the old great threads here about the history and iconography, wrote into my journal and did readings for myself all the time. I read several books, not as many as I wanted, but still. I stared buying decks, bought more and more, went a little over the top and stopped buying (nearly!). Did exchanges here online and enjoyed it a lot.

Now I feel as if my development with the Tarot is stagnating. I still like to play with my cards, look at the decks, buy new ones. When I have time I follow the discussions here. I am looking forward to continuing the TdM exchange here and maybe doing more reading exchanges. I met a lot of great people here already, so I am happy about this forum.

But I think I need to find a new, different way for me to continue learning.
I thought about
- reading a lot more and continue studying the cards by myself. Good idea, will try to do this anyway, but feels a bit lonely sometimes
- doing more detailled reading exchanges here. With a lot of feedback and back and forth and discussions.
- doing some kind of study group. No idea if there is interest here. For one specific deck, or following some kind of course or programme? Enrique Enriquez Marseille seaker exercises? 21 ways to read a tarot Card? 78 Weeks?
- doing an intense deck study with one deck. Hard to decide on one of my decks so, I guess it would have to be thinbuddha's Payen deck, which is my favourite since I got it. Or Yves new Madenié when I receive it, if I like it. Can I do this here, is there a thread somewhere? Does it make sense to make an IDS with other non-TdM readers?

Any ideas?
How did your learning curve develop, more experienced readers? What were your ways of continuing learning after the initial "honey moon" period of excitement and nights spent reading through the forum were over?
Are there other people here in the same position?
Happy to hear your thoughts, thanks already!

lc

 

[porcupines]

Deja vu! I feel the same way, I don't know how to improve from where I am currently. I am offering readings on this forum for feedback sometimes (in whatever time scale I can manage). I am hoping that the feedback would help me target things better, or know if my intuition was off.

I was planning to start a thread exactly like this one le-charior, I am glad you got there ahead of me, and in such an articulate manner! I hope someone more experienced steps in and helps us out here.

It did occur to me that potentially once someone is over a big hump of learning the learning curve is not as steep. But I'm not sure if tarot learning works that way. :s I am really, really looking forward to everyone else's thoughts here!

 

[porcupines]

Also, I am not sure whether this discussion should be in the Talking Tarot forum, and an apologetic note to the moderators for having commented in that case. But I'm not sure, so sorry about that!

 

[le_charior]

Hey porcupines, thanks! Good to know already I am not the only one!

There once were classes/courses that jmd offered, but I don't think he still does. I would have loved to do one of these... or something similar. Anything in a group with some kind of social component, that always helps me with learning and really pursue it.

 

[Chiska]

I hear you!

Deeper study into the cards? Branching out into non-traditional spreads using the TdM? Perhaps doing more exchanges - opening a thread in the REx forum? Experimental uses of TdM? Comparative readings using more than one style of TdM - exploring how visual cues may differ from deck to deck?

Good question, and luckily somebody will eventually post good ideas!

 

[le_charior]

Thanks Chiska!

Comparative readings using more than one style of TdM - exploring how visual cues may differ from deck to deck?

Very interesting idea, never thought of that. Comparing cards in different decks is always interesting, but a whole reading in different decks would be a nice experiment!

I always enjoyed the threads where people posted three cards and everybody gave their interpretations, like a training camp. Maybe a good idea to restart something like this - and why not with a reading/the same cards over several decks?

 

[Richard]

Why not study JMD's book, Reading the Marseille Tarot? The best way to learn is from an expert, it seems to me, even though it is not always fun and games. (One cannot zoom through JMD's book, as if it were a comic book, and hope to get anything out of it.)

 

[le_charior]

Why not study JMD's book, Reading the Marseille Tarot? The best way to learn is from an expert, it seems to me, even though it is not always fun and games. (One cannot zoom through JMD's book, as if it were a comic book, and hope to get anything out of it.)

Thanks! I think I will get the book (even if I am not a fan of the service that is selling it, what was it again, forgot the name...). But what I ment is that I am trying to find a way to learn not only by myself, but in a different way. I think. A course has so much more motivation to offer than just a book... discussions, feedback, input from others... I'm not afraid of serious work, on the contrary, that's what I am looking for in a way.

 

[Richard]

Thanks! I think I will get the book (even if I am not a fan of the service that is selling it, what was it again, forgot the name...). But what I ment is that I am trying to find a way to learn not only by myself, but in a different way. I think. A course has so much more motivation to offer than just a book... discussions, feedback, input from others... I'm not afraid of serious work, on the contrary, that's what I am looking for in a way.

http://www.lulu.com/

Maybe we could organize a discussion/study group to work through the book, chapter by chapter.

 

[nemodomi]

http://www.lulu.com/

Using this link instead will benefit the Association for Tarot Studies to the tune of $4.95 (or $1.37 if you opt for the ebook version). Just a thought.