How to Pick the Right Tarot Deck

When people think of tarot cards, they think of a fortuneteller with the headscarf in a backroom accompanied with a giant crystal ball shrouded by mystery and feelings of unnerved or welcomed into this experience.   Or maybe they think of tarot cards in horror films as a prop or as a plot device.

   Tarot is not meant to scare people or to be afraid of the future. It is not a cure-all for all problems. It is supposed to be a mirror and to give a new perspective to what you seek. Another part of an accurate tarot reading is that a good portion of the answers comes from the reader's interpretation. I know of readers who either consider the cards' meanings individually or together as a whole but take in what the image means to them. A picture can speak a thousand words, but so can your personal interpretation of what the card stands for.

   One of those who became intrigued by tarot cards was me; it was after studying religions, different spiritualities, and finding my path to what I believe in now. A year before leaving for college, I remember going through a popular bookstore where I spotted various tarot decks. They were in the spirituality section and were further surrounded by related reading materials. The decks intrigued me, especially one that was black and candy apple red with these graphic novel, medieval illustrations on it. I just thought to myself, "I had to have it." I won't say how I directly got that deck, but it has been my favorite ever since and the oldest one I have. However, I rarely use it due to its fragility and the personal relationship we have acquired.

   People always ask me how to choose the "right" deck, but the fact is, it chooses you. I highly recommend picking the deck in person to look at the options, feel the box it is in and feel what energy comes from it. I can only describe the feeling of being attracted to the deck; a great, big pull.

   Sometimes when people get decks, they do not get attached to it because A) It is not the right deck for you, B) It is not the right time for that spiritual connection between you and the divination tool or, C) Tarot cards are not the right divination tool for you to use.

   Suppose a person doesn't have a physical store to go to. In that case, the internet is absolutely the next best thing- I recommend Amazon or Etsy to find a tarot deck. Both major sites have reviews, pictures and especially for Etsy, you can talk directly to the seller to have your questions answered.

   I do think that the biggest mistake in choosing a deck is to purchase what everyone else is getting. For example, the Rider-Waite-Smith. This is the one that is shown in the media. According to Melissa Cynova, author of "Kitchen Table Tarot," she says it best, "A lot of people don't like the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot deck. It can be very yellow-so bright…so shiny. It is not diverse, generally featuring straight white people."

  I understand why it is suggested because it forces the reader to get acquainted with the meanings of each card. It is seen as the original tarot deck before other versions of tarot were created. It was created by Arthur Waite and illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, according to Cynova.

There are cards with illustrations that look like one thing but absolutely have no obvious connection to the card's actual meaning. My own first deck was the case, but I still took to tarot readings quickly since it turned out to be my "thing."

   However, if the illustrations and the type of design do not resonate with you, the meanings probably won't stick.

   There's an old wives' tale that you should be gifted tarot cards not to buy them for yourself but not everyone has a special friend or family member that will give us a deck, so go ahead and purchase your own. Another thing, it is okay to read for yourself to receive feedback and be more aware of yourself spiritually, acknowledge the situations you are in or find new perspectives. However, it does take a lot of practice to look at your cards with an unbiased eye instead of seeking the answers YOU WANT. You would only be setting yourself up for disappointment.

   To find that right tarot deck use your intuition, take your time, and see what resonates with you. The right deck is not always the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot despite the various versions of it. Pick what is you.

   Tarot, keep in mind, is also very different from oracle and angel cards. Oracle cards are more open-ended and suggestive compared to tarot, which is more straightforward. These cards usually do not share the same archetypes including the images of the major arcana like the Lovers or the Star but can have a theme such as gardens.

Each card has a different fruit or vegetable and on the back it has the meaning and/or advice. Perhaps the deck has other cards which hold illustrations of various bus, rocks or crystals that uphold the garden theme. The themes are endless of what you can find with tarot or oracle cards including sex tarot/oracle which can be fun to use 😉.

Angel cards are more specific to certain beliefs and can give great advice. The combination of tarot and angel cards is not unknown, but for a beginner, it may be an easier transition if their faith is more aligned to these Christian beliefs. There is no wrong answer as long as there is good intention behind it all. Good luck!