How do I pick a deck?
For years I only used the most widely known tarot deck. The one I and most people learn on: the Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) deck. I found it a bit embarrassing. I would meet other readers, and they would say, “Oh, you read tarot too? I use the Esoteric Tarot of 1943 of the Cat People. [Not a real deck.] Which deck do you use?” I would say that I just used the Rider-Waite-Smith, and they would look so disappointed, “Oh,” they would say, a bit downcast. Then they would perk up again, “Well, isn’t tarot reading fun?” And of course, it is.
Other decks
I felt so much better when I discovered the Robin Wood deck. This deck is very close to the RWS, but more colorful. The costumes are gorgeous! I dabbled in other decks such as the Ancestral Path Deck, but the only deck I used very much besides the Robin Wood was the WorldTree tarot, created by my mentor Ann Cass. It is out of print now, and as my copies wore out, I went back to the Robin Wood.
I remember Ann researching tarot decks before she began her own. She told me at that time, about 2001, that she found 800 unpublished decks on the internet, with apparently more decks coming out all the time! There were also published decks; to paraphrase Carl Sagan, billions and billions of decks!
How do I choose?
So, how do you choose? Think about what resonates with you? Do you follow a religious or spiritual path? Do you enjoy herbs? Dragons? Cats? Rabbits? I am not sure about a Rabbit tarot, although someone could probably tell me about one, and I know of at least 3 cat decks. And yes, an Herbal tarot and a dragon deck.
Some people become deck collectors. On one online forum I used to belong to, there were members that had 1000 decks or more! Most are desired because the owners consider the decks to be art rather than useful as a reading tool. But some readers swear by reading with different decks. Some, like me, tend to stick to one or 2 decks that work for them.
Where can I look before I buy?
Some of the places I mentioned in my previous blog post about free readings have several decks at their disposal. Try giving yourself a reading and see if you like the cards you see. When you look at the cards, what messages do you get? Do you feel that what you know about say, the 8 of cups is what is depicted on that card? Lightseer Tarot shows only one cup, for instance, on their 8 of cups card but the vision on that card is very much what I see as the meaning of the card.
If you cannot find a deck you think you can work with, start with a RWS deck or the Robin Wood. RWS is most known, but I find the Robin Wood a little easier to read with. As you get better and more confident at reading cards, you may find a deck that works better for you. And I sincerely hope that if you do not, then at least you are less embarrassed at using “just” the RWS as your reading deck!