Trial Pulls

[Twilightlo]

Hi everyone X/

I decided to purchase the Wildwood deck as a second deck to my RWS. I really liked the images and was drawn to the ancient folklore behind them.

 

As a trial I Decided to try and get to know my deck and ask some questions. The first question I asked was What Are My 3 Greatest Strengths. I got Queen of Vessels, 3 of Stones, and 10 of Bows. I took that to mean that 1. I am a kind and caring person that helps others 2. I have an emotional and spiritual connection to the universal conscience and am able to channel that energy and 3. That I am hardworking and fulfill my duties

 

Then I asked What Are My 3 Greatest Weaknesses. Here is where I hit a snag and I felt like wow I'm lost. I got Knight of Vessels, Knight of Arrows, and 8 of Vessels. I wasn't sure whether to take the first 2 as people or not. As aspects it would be I have pure intent but I wear my heart on my sleeve? As a person it could be a crush I have. For the second it says impetuous behavior or holding grudges and that's not me. And lastly it had a beautiful message about letting go of the past and accepting the potentiaiof the future....so does that mean I fail to do that? Or my weakness is doing that too much?

 

Then I asked for advice for dealing with a situation. In short the situation is that I have a pointless crush on someone. I got the 10 of Arrows...which is about interaction with older people and passing knowledge but I wondered if it meant have patience since the card talked about taking time to learn from older generations. No idea!

 

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

[Wanderer]

Hi Twilightlo[/member] !

 

Thanks for posting here, and it's good to hear that you've joined the Wildwood devotees... at least in principle! It can be a tricky deck to get to grips with, and I found some of the first few readings I did difficult to interpret. The meanings are often quite subtle until you see them, so it's almost as though it takes a different approach to many decks...

 

First point is that with the Wildwood I'm reluctant to narrow down the meanings to single snippets. There is a lot of subtlety enveloped within each card, including negative and positive aspects - it was a deck designed without reversals, after all. With that in mind, your first reading looks pretty straightforward, if that's what you recognise in yourself. See if you can be objective and find other aspects of the cards that apply to you as well, though - it's always an interesting exercise in self-discovery!

 

The second reading is where you're finding it harder, and when the initial response is that this doesn't apply to you, it can be very easy to dismiss it as wrong. The deck can also be brutally honest with this sort of question, and highlight aspects of ourselves that we haven't even recognised - it's not a reading I would have picked to begin with!  ;) But let's have a look...

  Based on the question you asked, the two knights are almost certainly aspects of yourself rather than other people. The KnoV is a bit of a nomad, both physically and emotionally. There is a feeling of adventure and exploration, and the emotions around this driving his activity. As a result, he can tend towards a dependency on how he is seen; he has a need to be the one having the adventures, the one telling people about the latest news. There's a sense that he needs the validation of how he is seen by others, and craves approval. That's by no means the only negative about the card, but it's what is coming across as the key element to me - he hasn't yet developed mature, self-sufficient independence.

 

  The KnoA is trickier, because you have picked out the main negative elements of the card. However, it could be that there's an element of this here, even if (or because!) you don't recognise it! The Hawk is a champion: a holder of ideals, who fixes his mind on them and acts on their behalf. But... although he means well, he also doesn't quite have the clarity of vision to know the full truth, or hold a balance in mind. It is often said that true wisdom is about being able to hold conflicting points of view simultaneously; the Hawk is the antithesis of that, and this leads to his impulsive behaviour, and rejection of contrary views (a small step from holding grudges, though not the same). Could this be it? Do you have strongly held opinions, especially on ethics, or are you able to change your mind and accept alternate views as being just as valid as yours?

 

The 8oV (Rebirth) is an odd card. While we need to recognise where we have come from, and accept the knowledge of those before us, this must also be balanced with reality of the present. It's possible here that the message is about idealism: rebirth can be a wonderful thing, but not for its own sake. We cannot always remake the world, or we would never have stability. It's a question of recognising when something is broken... and if it ain't, don't fix it!  ;)

 

The final card (10oA) is a lovely one in some contexts, and a smothering, restrictive one in others. I think the message here, though, is about the benefits of experience. The arrow on the bow is part of the Wheel in the background; it is an intention or activity that is part of life's tapestry. The old man is fully aware of the outcome, but is helping the child to make his own attempt at the target, for good or ill. He knows that the child needs to experience in order to learn. I suspect that's the message here: have your eyes open, experience, and learn. You say the crush is pointless; but this is saying that it is anything but, even if (as you seem to know) nothing will come of it. Its value is in shaping you as a person. Embrace the emotions that you're feeling, accept them for what they are, and let them shape your understanding of yourself. Don't expect a relationship to happen (especially if this would cause harm to another), but use your feelings wisely. Learn to understand yourself and your unconscious desires better, and you will learn to fire your intent straight at the right target when you see it.

 

So... I don't know anything about you, and I'm always wary of reading another person's cards (because I believe we create our own meanings with practice) but hopefully some of this helps you - at least in terms of seeing potential in how to read with this deck. The meanings I've seen may not be relevant to you, although hopefully some of them ring true at least a little. It's a wonderfully powerful set of cards, but can take a bit of getting used to!  ;D

[Twilightlo]

Hi Twilightlo[/member] !

 

Thanks for posting here, and it's good to hear that you've joined the Wildwood devotees... at least in principle!

 

Sorry for my delayed response. But yes! After almost 2 years I am excited to try a new deck. I ended up learning about it due to your suggestion on another one of my posts.

 

It can be a tricky deck to get to grips with, and I found some of the first few readings I did difficult to interpret. The meanings are often quite subtle until you see them, so it's almost as though it takes a different approach to many decks...

 

First point is that with the Wildwood I'm reluctant to narrow down the meanings to single snippets. There is a lot of subtlety enveloped within each card, including negative and positive aspects - it was a deck designed without reversals, after all. With that in mind, your first reading looks pretty straightforward, if that's what you recognise in yourself. See if you can be objective and find other aspects of the cards that apply to you as well, though - it's always an interesting exercise in self-discovery!

 

I will definitely try that. You are correct in that while my attraction to this deck is the complexity of the images that is the challenge as well.

 

 

 

The second reading is where you're finding it harder, and when the initial response is that this doesn't apply to you, it can be very easy to dismiss it as wrong. The deck can also be brutally honest with this sort of question, and highlight aspects of ourselves that we haven't even recognised - it's not a reading I would have picked to begin with!  ;) But let's have a look...

  Based on the question you asked, the two knights are almost certainly aspects of yourself rather than other people. The KnoV is a bit of a nomad, both physically and emotionally. There is a feeling of adventure and exploration, and the emotions around this driving his activity. As a result, he can tend towards a dependency on how he is seen; he has a need to be the one having the adventures, the one telling people about the latest news. There's a sense that he needs the validation of how he is seen by others, and craves approval. That's by no means the only negative about the card, but it's what is coming across as the key element to me - he hasn't yet developed mature, self-sufficient independence.

 

I appreciate this interpretation. However this isn't me at all. I do like to travel and I can be emotional sometimes...but I always try to make decisions on rational thought rather than how I'm feeling at the time. However this exactly describes someone I dated a year ago who I have not gotten over because he kept stringing me along despite my usual perceptiveness. And literally the day after this reading I found out news about him that totally rocked me....in that he has a serious girlfriend. I am more of a lone wolf type of person, I am private and don't have many friends. However he and his gf are into matching outfits and lots of PDA and social media posts.

 

  The KnoA is trickier, because you have picked out the main negative elements of the card. However, it could be that there's an element of this here, even if (or because!) you don't recognise it! The Hawk is a champion: a holder of ideals, who fixes his mind on them and acts on their behalf. But... although he means well, he also doesn't quite have the clarity of vision to know the full truth, or hold a balance in mind. It is often said that true wisdom is about being able to hold conflicting points of view simultaneously; the Hawk is the antithesis of that, and this leads to his impulsive behaviour, and rejection of contrary views (a small step from holding grudges, though not the same). Could this be it? Do you have strongly held opinions, especially on ethics, or are you able to change your mind and accept alternate views as being just as valid as yours?

 

I'm not sure about this one. I do overanalyze a LOT. However I try to be open minded and listen to others opinions but maybe it is encourageing me to forgive and not hold onto betrayed feelings.

 

The 8oV (Rebirth) is an odd card. While we need to recognise where we have come from, and accept the knowledge of those before us, this must also be balanced with reality of the present. It's possible here that the message is about idealism: rebirth can be a wonderful thing, but not for its own sake. We cannot always remake the world, or we would never have stability. It's a question of recognising when something is broken... and if it ain't, don't fix it!  ;)

 

Yes. I think this could also mean me idealizing things based on your interpretation. And also maybe trying to support and heal others?

 

 

The final card (10oA) is a lovely one in some contexts, and a smothering, restrictive one in others. I think the message here, though, is about the benefits of experience. The arrow on the bow is part of the Wheel in the background; it is an intention or activity that is part of life's tapestry. The old man is fully aware of the outcome, but is helping the child to make his own attempt at the target, for good or ill. He knows that the child needs to experience in order to learn. I suspect that's the message here: have your eyes open, experience, and learn. You say the crush is pointless; but this is saying that it is anything but, even if (as you seem to know) nothing will come of it. Its value is in shaping you as a person. Embrace the emotions that you're feeling, accept them for what they are, and let them shape your understanding of yourself. Don't expect a relationship to happen (especially if this would cause harm to another), but use your feelings wisely. Learn to understand yourself and your unconscious desires better, and you will learn to fire your intent straight at the right target when you see it.

 

So... I don't know anything about you, and I'm always wary of reading another person's cards (because I believe we create our own meanings with practice) but hopefully some of this helps you - at least in terms of seeing potential in how to read with this deck. The meanings I've seen may not be relevant to you, although hopefully some of them ring true at least a little. It's a wonderfully powerful set of cards, but can take a bit of getting used to!  ;D

 

Yes I truly truly appreciate you taking the time to share your insight! In light of what Happened right after I do feel it's more about others.....if I look at it in a frame of it being abt me then I'm still confused haha.

[Twilightlo]

I actually responded with more comments but it's mixed Wanderer[/member] in the middle of the quote. I am still learning how to use the site  8)

[Wanderer]

No worries, Twilightlo[/member]  - thanks for the response!

 

Yes, I'm not surprised that the result of my guessing was rather mixed - as I said, I'm not comfortable reading other people's cards, because of differences in implied meaning. A reading is, after all, a combination of the cards and the reader, and is deeply dependent also on what exactly your intent was at the moment of asking - perhaps your thoughts were drifting towards others at the time... It would be really interesting to  see where the message in these cards is, though, if you ever discover it!

 

When you find a particularly striking meaning coming out, do let us know... and do also add more readings here for discussion. I hadn't thought of having a thread like this, but it's potentially a really useful one to have. You might also like to try asking the deck about itself - for example, what it can teach you, and what its strengths and weaknesses are. It's well worth persevering, and I'm looking forward to seeing more!  :)