How To Pick Your Own Tarot Deck

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        During my livestream, I had someone ask a few questions about gifting tarot and picking your own decks. How do we know which deck will work with us? How do we go about picking the right one? This blog post will be a little guide you can reference for the next time you go shopping for your own deck!

          Please note - we will be talking about traditional Rider-Waite tarot and not mentioning Thoth style tarot, as I am unfamiliar with that style having not used it myself. However, this method could be used for all kinds of cards (and objects in life really).

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Should I Be Gifted My First Tarot Deck?

        The tradition of gifting the first tarot deck is said to have been a Roma cultural practice for diviners within their groups. However, a lot of practitioners in this form of divination opt out of this tradition as one) it can be seen as appropriation and two) not everyone is capable of being gifted their first. 
        For many of us, we are the first in our families to be readers. So being gifted a deck isn't always a viable option for us. Maybe from a friend or family member who understands us, however in tradition it was supposed to be from another practitioner.
        While tarot was invented in Italy in the 1400s, it was the Romani people that cultivated it as a form of divination. I think it's important to know where your tools and practices originate from. I'm not a purest as the age of the internet has made sharing cultures a lot easier, however I think we still owe respect to original sources and should always look to practice mindfully. If something is considered closed, then we should respect that.  
        Unless it is part of your practice and/or culture, then I wouldn't worry about your first deck being gifted. 

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Oracle Cards vs. Tarot Cards

        Another question I get asked a lot is the difference between oracle decks and tarot decks. Tarot decks - much like playing cards - are a set deck. While the art can change from deck to deck, the cards will all be the same. There will always be 78 cards and each card will be the same in each deck. You have your Major Arcana and you Minor Arcana. You will always begin with 0 The Fool and end with 21 The World, within major arcana, then follow the suits - wands, cups, swords, and pentacles - 14 cards within each suit.
        Oracle decks are more loosely made. They are either made in collaboration with an artist and an author or all one person. Each card is individual to their own deck, meaning you can buy three different oracle decks with similar themes, say woodland creatures, but they won't all necessarily have the same cards or the same meanings to their cards.
        I, personally, consider oracle decks more intuitive and loose for divination. This is where I recommend beginners to start when they want to start their journey into fortune telling or intuition building. This is because they can find a deck that suits their current needs/wants and just follow the messages easily without looking too deeply into the meanings/symbolism just yet. They tend to be much more straight forward in interpretation as majority of them come with a companion book.​

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How To Choose Your Deck

        Okay! We have covered the important, but not as interesting parts. Now for what you came here for. Here is my method for how I choose the best deck for myself. Please note, this method has been what works best for me and it's what helped me find the deck that gets me the most accurate readings. You can follow all of these tips or take what works for you and leave what doesn't. I, myself, had gone through three decks before I found the right one for myself.

• If you are brand new to tarot, I recommend starting with the traditional, Rider-Waite Deck. There are plenty available that have tutorials written on them or great book companions. This deck will help you understand the symbology and meaning to each individual card before moving onto a deck that may have more abstract art on them. 
• If you are ready for a deck that is more your "style", do some research on deck themes you'd like to explore. There is quite literally a deck for everything and everyone these days. From Disney Villains to simple emote, there's a deck for it. (My personal favorite, and the one I use for almost all my readings, is the Dark Wood Tarot by Sasha Graham, art by Abigail Larson.)
• Once you find a theme you'd like to divine with, I recommend looking at the art of the tarot and, if possible, it's companion guide. You can find these either through Googling images or through reviews on Youtube. This will help you get a feel for the deck. What draws you to the deck? Take note of what it is that is popping out to you. Is it a general feeling? Make sure to look at details of the cards. Can you clearly understand the imagery and writing?
• I would HIGHLY recommend handling the deck in person if possible. Shopping in person for a deck will not only help you feel the energy of the deck for yourself, it'll help you grasp a better understanding of what the deck feels like in your hands. For example, some decks can be thicker and heavier, these I find are harder to manage when shuffling and you may fumble a lot of cards. If you are a reader that includes fallen cards, this may be a hinderance as every card will call when you shuffle so it'll be harder to grasp which to read. Also, handling the deck in person will tell you the energy of the deck. Does it feel good to you? Much like how you pick out anything you put in your home, you want to connect with the essence of the item. No different in spiritual tools.
• Pay attention to the details. Does the imagery have everything you need to properly interpret the cards? Are all the symbols present? Does the deck convey the traditional tarot story? These are things you may want to consider if you like to truly read into every symbol of each card. If you are considering a more abstract deck, I highly recommend getting a companion guide book if it doesn't come with its own.
• You've found your perfect deck and you want to see if you fully connect with it once it's home with you. The first step is to take a look at every card. Really look at each one and connect to each card. Your personal deck should feel like home to you. Properly cleanse your deck with your method of choice (I usually smoke cleanse and then leave it under a piece of selenite for 24 hours).  Once it's cleansed give it a shuffle and knock (I knock in 3s), then administer your first reading. I usually start simple with one card pulls or 3-card spreads. If you are getting clear answers, that deck is broken in and ready to go. If your answers are coming out too confusing, then it may not be the right fit, but I wouldn't give up just yet. Cleanse again and try again the next day. If your readings are still not clear or seemingly able to be made sense of, then maybe that particular deck isn't for you. 

        There is no need to rush the process into a deck with different art than the traditional. If you're finding you can't seem to find one that gives you accurate readings, then stick with the OG for a while. I'd personally take that as a sign that some learning is still needed from the traditional deck. Not always fun, but there are some traditional decks that have played around with their designs, so you may be able to find colors and designs that suit your liking.
        In the end, the most important thing is learning and connecting to your intuition and divining abilities. Maybe tarot isn't your source at all! Maybe it's runes or bones or palmistry - point is, don't be discouraged if you don't ever seem to connect to tarot. Your abilities can shine from somewhere else.

        Please feel free to comment your thoughts and let me know what you think about finding your deck. Have you found yours? Was it a process or was it instant? Let me know! Thanks for reading and happy divining!

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