November 25th, 2009

Honestly I have been a little at ends with how I'm going to do this blog. I have had journaling blogs before but they have never lasted and have always been so inconsistent, and no one ever read them because they weren't interesting…and I never ever updated anything. I believe this one will be different because it has a focused intent-tarot-and it's something I'm very interested in. I've kind of been forming an outline in my mind of what this blog is going to be about. I've had ideas of only posting readings, but as I read on the AT forum I find that I'm not interested really in just reading what cards are in what positions in spreads about so and so that I don't care about. So I've decided against that, though I will keep record of my readings in my tarot journal, I will try to keep actual readings to a minimum here and use this as an outlet of my learning and creative expression of sorts. I'm planning on posting revelations I have, as well as card and deck study focus. Of course there will be little bits of my life revealed here and there as well-unavoidable. Perhaps this will be something that doesn't fade out quite as quickly for me-something that will motivate me to keep me going-whether or not anyone but me is actually reading, though I hope I do gather a few followers to inspire and motivate me further.

Yesterday I picked up my tarot of the trees deck. I was unable to afford the book - -actually, I was unable to afford the cards also…but I was REALLY unable to spend the extra $20 on the book, so I'll have to wing it a little here (and I hope to order the book…fairly soon). I spent some time at work looking at the website (tarotoftrees.com) and getting pumped up to finally get this deck and work with it, but when I picked it up, I saw that it is almost smaller than standard playing cards. I was a little surprised at how small they are…I'm sure it listed the dimensions of the cards online, and I must have skimmed right over it. At first, I can't lie…I was a little disappointed. I find the larger size of standard tarot cards very specific to the practice and appropriate for the use…large, clear pictures that are easy to get nice reading meaning. But the more and more I think about it and shuffle these cards (which was a little difficult also at first…now I understand why everyone is posting 'How and the heck am I supposed to shuffle these cards' threads on AT), the more I think, 'Wow, I'm really glad I didn't know they were smaller, because then I probably wouldn't have ordered them'…because it is a little more of an 'on the go' kind of deck. It fits easily in any purse I have…The book I use as a reference of interpretations is also fairly small so I can tote them both around. I'm trying to be a little more optimistic, trying to put my previous false (and irrelevant) assumptions aside and be happy with what it is--A beautiful deck…completely original, bright and full of color, exactly what I wanted. So, while I think it will take a little while to get used to using this surprising new deck, I think I will have a beautiful relationship with it in the end.

My plan was to start readings with this deck right away and get to know the little nooks and crannies and unlock the secrets of every one of these cards. Now that I'm holding them in my hands, I realize it is never that simple. It is going to be a little slow going, especially at first, 1) because I don't have the book with the artists notes and inspirations and 2) because I am still brand spanking new to tarot and have not even pulled all the cards in the readings I've done yet. I'm thinking for my Intensive Deck Study I may need to use my Rider-Waite deck as reference for this one. Perhaps I was a little too gung ho about attempting such a commitment to a single deck…not that I think it will be difficult…I'm already in love with the images of each card, but because I'm going to need a reference point to build from. So in the end, I am still working to better understand the tarot of the trees, but I will not hold myself back from researching other decks and deeper meanings for each card (in any deck) to enrich my understanding of these specific cards, but also tarot in general. Because tarot of trees is almost exclusively exoteric symbolism (in other words, pretty obvious, instinctual symbolism) and from what I've seen just glancing at each card so far is based widely on the Rider-Waite pictures, I think this is the wisest way to go.

I am very excited to begin this adventure forming an intimate and knowledgeable relationship with this beautiful deck. I hope to update here as much as possible with new insight I have uncovered. Where do I begin?!

 

-Emmaleigh-