10 Easy Tips For Getting The Perfect Tarot Deck
If you’re interested in get a tarot deck, you’re in the right place. We’re going to get you started with 10 Easy Tips For Getting The Perfect Tarot Deck.
1. Chemistry/Connection
Just like any first date, you should feel a little zing of excitement when you first see what’s destined to be YOUR tarot deck. A few butterflies and a burning curiosity to get to know more never hurts. Tarot is more than just a pretty face but a pretty face surely helps.
2. Imagery
Like what you see? You definitely should be attracted to the deck’s looks because you’ll more easily develop a lovely passionate relationship if you’re into the pictures, colors, and symbols which are the eye-candy of a good tarot deck.
If you feel nothing when you look at your deck it’ll be an uphill battle forming a personal relationship to your tarot deck. Worse yet, would be a deck you feel nothing for when you see it. That deck is not for you!
3. Traditional Tarot or Modern Oracle
Tarot card decks consist typically of 78 cards generally created in one of three main schools of thought: the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, the Tarot of Marseilles tradition and the Book of Thoth.
All three camps consist of 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. There are suit/name, number and interpretational differences as well as stylistic differences between the trio.
If you’re experienced in working with tarot cards you might have a preference. If you’re new to tarot (welcome!) then no worries go with your gut.
You may prefer to work with a more modern Oracle style deck. These don’t have a more universally acceptable set of interpretations and instead use specialized imagery to appeal to universal archetypes, energies, intensions paired with your subconscious to offer insight, inspiration and possibilities you can work towards or away from according to your own free will.
Oracle decks vary in the number of cards, typically between 20 and 100, They tend to be very individual in their art and purposes.
4. Your Experience
How much you have worked with tarot or oracle cards may effect your experience. If you like simple, uncomplicated images you may prefer one deck or another. If details help flesh our your interpretation then rich detail might be better. If you know the interpretations of a certain school of thought you may wish to stay with that style or not.
Some people prefer an oracle deck because they are more intuitive and less tied to a codified system of meaning which may feel constrained. Often novices find these more energetic cards a great way to bring your spirit to the physical realm and to learn to trust your connection to the Universe.
Yet others get lost on Oracle cards precisely because there isn’t as much information on a given deck since they are all more or less independent creations.
5. Quality
Quality is directly tied to both the longevity of the deck itself but also your subjective experience handling the cards. Good quality cards that feel nice in your hands may encourage you to work more with a deck and to develop your skills while honoring those with whom you work (if anyone).
Budget cards will tend to fade, chip, crack and fray at the edges. These may be perfect for those on a strict budget or for those with little interest in committing to a long-term relationship with a deck. It can be tragic if you come to love a poorly made tarot Deck only to find it fail in time rendering it unappealing to work with.
Besides the weight of the material of construction, you may develop a preference for a certain card finish. Some like matte cards that don’t slip much while others may want a glossy, slippery feel for ease of shuffling.
6. Intended Use
Why are you getting tarot cards? Do you want to read for clients or just for yourself? One-on-one with people in private or at large fairs or parties? Do you want to work on a certain energy in your own life or to develop a certain understanding in a particular school of thought, philosophy or religion?
If you’re wanting a more inclusive modern tarot deck, tarot or oracle imagery having powerful multicultural Goddess energy may matter. Or maybe you just want a deck because it makes you feel comfortable using it.
Maybe you like a certain subject and get better clarity with plants or cats or people or whatever. It’s your call! It’s your deck. You do you, boo!
7. Size Definitely Matters
If you have petite hands you might love a smaller deck over a bigger one for ease of handling. If you are visually impaired, work with crowds or frequently read in low light you might need larger cards. Large and in-charge might be better if your hands are larger-sized.
Standard tarot cards measure 2.75” by 4.75”. Anything larger would be a “large format” deck and anything smaller would be a mini or key chain sized deck.
8. Guide Book
Some people like books filled with juicy details while others want a concise set of interpretations. Still others never use the guide book at all and instead let their inner voice speak instead. Some decks don’t even offer guide books!
9. Card Edition
Some tarot card decks are straight forward affairs while others are more luxurious and appealing to a more extravagant taste. Indie decks are independently produced while others are simply a mass reproductions of old favorites. Some are very limited edition art collector’s pieces while others are made evergreen by always being generic and alavailable. The heart wants, what the heart wants.
Some oracle or tarot decks are shrink-wrapped only. Some tarot come in a traditional tuck-box similar to poker cards. Others might include a magnetic hinge box to sleep in your bookcase. Still others may offer specialty packaging like a board-game style box, fabric drawstring bag or carved wooden chest.
10. Accessories
Tarot decks and oracle cards may stand alone. Some may offer more chills and thrills with added accessories like oracle card mats/alter cloths, custom oracle dice or OuiJa boards. You may find some come with other goodies in the same style of art like stickers, enamel pins, digital coloring pages, fine art prints, clothing or more. The more, the merrier!
If you’re thinking about buying your self a deck, don’t worry about the old yarn that says you can’t for any number of reasons. You shouldn’t always wait around for someone else to do it. After all if someone else does the choosing they won’t often get it right even if one’s intentions are pure - it will be what they like, what they want you to study and where they are comfortable enough to buy a deck.
While you, on the other hand, can speak to your wildest heart’s desire if you do the choosing. You will feel better by basing your decision on the above criteria.
Happy Reading!
