Talisman (02 Feb, 2002 04:06):
I layed out about 57 Celtic Crosses....The next day, I grew thoughtful, and only layed out about 53 CCs.
Ah. I see. So when you were tossed into shark infested waters you said, "Darn it," spitting out icy seawater and dog paddling fast as you could, "I'm gonna learn how to swim as well as these swarms of sharp-toothed fish if it kills me!";D
But, gadzooks, it proceeds dreadfully slow if you have to discover your own keywords with only the aid of a LWB -- and 57 Celtic Crosses.
Oh, yes indeed! And you're quite right. I shouldn't berate poor beginners who, for the most part, have only that. Really, I should be laying siege to the LWB folk, marching out in front of the LWB factory with a sign that reads, "LWB cruel to Beginners!" Maybe post a few photos of beginners weeping pitiously over a CC layout, start a website....
Hey, I'm only half-kidding here. You *are* right. What's a beginner to do? Especially in the days before aeclectic.net? I'm in awe of your persistence and determination. I just gazed at the shark infested waters and said, "I learned 78 card and THIS is what I'm to do with them? T'hell with you!" And quit.
And came back. And quit. And came back. Speed ahead to the day I saw someone do another spread and had this ephiphany. "Hey. There are other spreads!"
But then one wanders here, to a virtual mecca of Tarot wisefolk and one finds....
The Celtc Cross. I envision myself in one of those movies where the hero (heroine) learns a terrible ironic truth and, falling to their knees screams up at the rainy sky (and camera) "Noooooooo!"
These study posts are my desperate attempt to stay sane. It's like when I was a kid trying to learn guitar. This will date me, but I'd sit with the older kids hoping to learn some cool songs. And every time, every single one of them would only play: "Stairway to Heaven."
Every...single...time. That darn guitar rift.
I never learned that song. And as I was never very musical--still ain't--I don't figure I need to try and listen to it now with fresh ears. But as I
am a Tarot Reader, I feel it only right to try and look at the Celtic Cross with fresh eyes, to see if there's any beauty or elegance to this spread.
But (my very last "but"), wish I had a Thirteen when I started. We're talking "years" here.
LOL! Thank you, that's very kind and flattering. I wish the same
Let me drift back to the guitar story. A neighbor girl was my teacher. So she shows me the cords, no problem. I dutifully practice them. Then she gives me some basic tunes. No problem. Then she give me the song "Tom Dooley." Every heard this one? Crap cowboy tune about a guy who's killed someone and is "gonna die...."
Next week, I haven't practiced. She teaches me new cords and gives me a song, more advanced, but just as dreadful. Week goes by, I'm not practicing. New cords, new song, just as bad. You get the idea. New week, new song time. The now demoralized teacher flips through her song book. She strums a little, flips the pages, strums another--no, not that one--turns the page, starts plucking out this little James Brown tune.
I perk up. "I want
that one!" And she gives me this double take. Not because the song is hard, though it is a bit advanced. No, because I haven't done squat with any other song so far. She gives it to me. I practice all week, happy as a clam. Played it beautifully for her that next week. From then on, she gave me a choice of songs from the song book.
So that's what I'm wondering here. If I'd learned tarot from a teacher--no LWB in sight!--learned basic spreads like basic cords and strums on a guitar--when it came to laying out more complex spreads (playing more complex tunes) would I have *ever* wanted to learn the Celtic Cross? Or, all bias aside, does it just not appeal to me?
Doin' my best here to find out