BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Tarot What Do You Look for in a Tarot Deck

I would love to hear the answers to two questions from our readers:

1. What deck you usually use when you read for yourself and/or others?

2. What specific features of a deck attract you? For instance, do you look for imagery that you can relate to - or do you look for a particular theme? Or is it something else that helps you decide?

Usually I read with the Robin Wood deck. I have about 20 decks in all but I find myself using that the most when I am reading for myself and for others. My other favoties are the World Spirit Tarot, Vision Quest Tarot and Halloween Tarot.

I try to mainly stick with the Rider Waite styled decks. But the main thing I look for is the imagery. The Robin Wood is beautiful in Imagery and the World Spirit practically leapt off the shelf when I saw it.

Imagery can also be a reason I choose not to use some decks. I have been known to put back a deck because one card was not right to me.

i use the tarot of the cat people, mainly cause i like cats and the cards are not too artsy and convey the proper image/feeling associated with the card. sometimes it can be confusing when the cards have different names (mainly major arcana) but its fine for me. i dont really have anyone to read except myself...kinda been away from reading for awhile. i should prolly get back in the habit, so to speak <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Interesting, Fiona and Sthenno!

Fiona, you certainly sound like a very dedicated tarot reader. I also wanted to point out to viewers here that Fiona is our new Wicca Host. I am looking forward to reading her articles, etc. Fascinating subject!

Sthenno, I love the look of the Cat People deck. I don't own it but feel very drawn to it. There are some that believe these races exist (cats that are upright like humans).

Thanks to both for your input! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Last time I went shopping for a new tarot deck, I was looking for size-- something small and easy to carry around and shuffle.

At Barnes & Noble (yes, yes, I know... ;-P ...but we didn't have a good selection at the 'local' metaphysical bookstore) I looked at the Hanson-Roberts deck, but wasn't sure about the images. I went to the checkout to buy a mini-Rider-Waite deck (to replace the one I thought I had lost). In line I noticed that someone (or something? ;-) had left a Hanson-Roberts deck on a sale-book table by the checkout. Hmmmm... So I picked up this little lost 'puppy', and we've been happy ever since. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Though I don't take it out as often as it would like, I'm sure.

A few of the images feel a little cheesy, but I like that it is a traditional R-W inspired deck, and that it emphasizes facial expressions. I think that helps me relate to the card's meaning.

I've chosen other decks because of the images-- the Haindl Tarot, The Celtic Tarot by Matthews, Secret Dakini, etc.-- but found them diffucult to relate to in readings, as a beginner. The Haindl is a little heavy/dark, the Celtic a little abstract, and the Dakini is WAY out there! Maybe one day I'll actually be able to use them for reading.

A couple on my wish list (if I buy another deck) are the Quest Tarot and the Buddha Tarot-- the first for it's images and references, and the second for it's Buddhist theme.

The oracle deck I use the most recently (when I actually take the time to pull a card!) is the Healing With the Angels. I have mixed feeings about the images sometimes (there's a lot of variation in styles), but I like the simplicity of pulling one card and getting 'one or two word' message. I tend to 'complicate' things too much in my life, so sometimes it's good to have a little simplicity. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

One day, I hope to find MY deck. One that balances evocative images and usability for me. Maybe it's out there.

I own 4 tarot decks and some oracle decks. The Thoth deck is the one I use for any readings I do for other people because I'm the most comfortable with it. Haindl I use just for personal meditation, I don't get good readings from it. I also have the Gill tarot, but my all time favorite deck, or MY deck as Michael called it, is the Servants of the Light Tarot. Every card resonates with me and when I looked at them for the first time I knew this would be my special deck.

For oracle decks, off the top of my head, I have the Crystal Deva cards, AORA Gemstone Oracle, the Kabbalah deck, and most recently the Archangel Oracle cards. My favorite of all of these are the Crystal Deva cards because of how beautiful they are.

Shannon

Thanks Michael and Shannon,

Michael, I think you would really like the Buddha deck - I will be posting a review on it shortly.

Shannon, the Thoth deck is my personal favorite too. So much time and energy went into its creation. Aleister and Freida worked on them, literally for years and years. Painstaking planning and revising went into each card.

For instance, look at the detail below: <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

My grandmother bought me the deck for my 18th birthday and I've used it ever since. It is really sad that neither of them got to see the deck published and how popular it became. This site shows some of the original artwork Frieda used to create the deck. http://www.occultartgallery.com/occultartgallery/harris/harris.html

And this site has close ups of the majors, you can really see the detail of the cards. http://www.lleeheflin.com/thoth/

In college one of my professors had us write a paper based on the topic If you could spend one hour with any person, living or dead, who would it be? I picked Lady Frieda. I just got a copy of Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot by Lon DuQuette but haven't had a chance to start reading it yet. Have you read it? I've heard mixed reviews.

Shannon

Wow!

Thanks for sharing these links, Shannon! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

They do indeed show incredible detail - I loved looking at the originals that Freida painted, as well.

I haven't read the book you mentioned but it sounds intriguing - will keep my eye out for it. Your paper must have been fascinating to write - do you still have it?? <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

College was so long ago if I still have the paper it's somewhere in a box in my attic, no Microsoft Word back then. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

What I would really like to know about is how they created the Thoth tarot from start to finish. It's too bad neither one of them wrote a book on it's history. DuQuette goes into that somewhat in the book based on bits and pieces of information he has found over the years. He also owns several of the letters that were sent between the two of them about the deck and uses excerpts from them in the book. I have several other books I want to read in front of it but I may have to move it up in my list.

Shannon