Choosing a Tarot Deck

Choosing a Tarot deck can be a bit intimidating for a beginner, once you realize the hundreds (thousands?) of decks available on the market today. Artwork can range from reproduction medieval, to whimsical fantasy, to cutting-edge modern. You name the style, there is probably a Tarot deck to match. So where do you begin?

First of all, you don't have to be given your deck. I used to run a Pagan store, and I had so many people avoid buying themselves a deck because they'd heard you needed to get a Tarot deck as a gift. Sure a gift is nice, but only you can choose a deck that speaks to your heart.

I suggest you go browsing at Amazon.com or a Tarot site like Aeclectic Tarot. Be aware though, at Aeclectic Tarot some of the decks are limited or self-published decks. You don't want to fall in love with a deck that is not available to purchase.

Let your own personal preferences be your sole guide. Do you prefer muted, watercolour style artwork, or bold digital photos? Besides the artwork, many decks have themes that may (or may not) interest you as well. Wiccan, African, Celtic, Greek, Egyptian, cats, flowers, Hallowe'en or even baseball.

One other thing to consider, is the imagery and symbolism. Each card in a Tarot deck has a traditional illustration and symbols, as you would see in the famed Rider Waite deck. Many Tarot books use these images in their work. If you are just learning the Tarot, you might want to consider choosing a deck that follows the traditional symbolism, rather than a unique deck where the author has interpreted the cards in a new way. Of course, this is just a suggestion and shouldn't sway you from using a deck you're swooning over.

So don't fret over finding the 'right' deck. Let your heart do the choosing and get a deck you love to look at. If you find it difficult to work with, chalk it up to experience and go shopping again.