Picking Your First Tarot Deck
Picking a deck is like picking a Vibe.
How to Choose a Tarot Deck that Speaks to You
This is usually a question I hear at least once a week. “How do I know if a deck is right for me?” I also hear people who follow the superstition that you can’t buy your own, you have to wait to be gifted a deck. That's like waiting for someone else to go out and find a dream job that is meant for you. Only you can use your five senses, picking a deck is like picking a vibe.
The first thing we need to understand is that every deck has its own personality. Some decks can be blunt AF, others are playful. Some decks like to focus on major endings in life and others love to be hopeless romantics. What is a natural energy that you are in tune with? Do you vibe well with brutal honesty? Do you prefer to be held by the hand while you face life's challenges? Do you tend to focus on matters of the heart or are you more interested in career and finances? Of course you could be like me and just have too many options for all different types of situations, collecting decks as if they are rare gems. You have to be honest with yourself, when you see yourself going to pull cards, what reasons do you pull for?
We have three different systems of tarot to choose from. The Rider Waite Smith system is perfect for beginners. The images make it super easy for you to interpret the cards while learning. Most tarot decks are clones of this system, and most commonly found tarot books will accommodate this deck perfectly. The Marseille system is for the intermediate practitioner. You have made a connection with each of the cards and understand your personal interpretations at this point. Studies will have to continue with Marseille, it has traditions and customs that follow this unique system derived from Italy. The Thoth system is advanced. It incorporates many aspects from astrology, Thelema, Kabbalah, The Golden Dawn and alchemy just to name a few. Thoth adds many layers to your readings. Pick what you feel comfortable with. Remember tarot is a lifelong love affair, not a race.
Tarot is a life long love affair, not a race.
Does the artwork catch your eye? Do you feel you want to continue to see what else the deck has hidden, try to find all the little easter eggs and create your own connections to it. Usually the right tarot deck aligns with our daily spiritual practice. Are you into Druidry? The Druidcraft tarot might be perfect for you. There is a deck for every pantheon you can imagine. Angel decks, fairy decks to Demon decks using the 72 demons from the Goetia. One of my personal favorites of course. The egyption decks are stunning. Are you into kitchen witchery? There is even a deck based on medicinal plants and herbs. I can go on and on, if you feel a deity has been calling you already, I urge you to research that deity and see what decks already exist pertaining to it. I guarantee there is a deck for just about anything these days, especially if we are talking Rider Waite clones.
Personally what keeps a deck in my hands is not only the system but the feel. I'm big on shuffling. If the card stock is slippery, kind of like a playing card deck, then I consider that a big win. Riffle shuffling and overhand shuffling feels therapeutic. Find what card stock and size works best for your hands. I know I have an unpopular opinion when it comes to card stock. Most tarot readers will recommend high quality card stock decks. However I have noticed that means the cards feel super thick and hard to shuffle. I make it work when I need to but I have noticed I don’t reach for those decks.
What we need to consider is that not all tarot decks come with in depth books. I highly recommend one reference book that you use for any Rider Waite smith clone that you use. The little white book that most decks come with don't give much information. If you are starting out, it may leave you with more questions than answers. I personally recommend picking up The Complete Guide to the Tarot by Edan Grey. It's a small, soft cover book that can fit in your bag and you can use to reference any deck very easily.
happy is the new rich,
All love, Laura Lee
