How To Find the Tarot Deck That's Right For You
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My tarot deck came before my actual interest in reading tarot. I knew what tarot was and found it interesting, but I never thought I would dabble and start a practice until I found the Thoth tarot deck on the shelf of a bookstore and bought it.
Finding the “right” tarot deck, however, becomes important when you want to start reading but don’t actually any cards yourself. How do you figure out which tarot deck fits right?
Like most things tarot-related, it’s all subjective. I don’t think there’s a right answer to this and a lot of times, you have to kiss many frogs before you find your prince. But in an effort to help people start their own tarot practices (because I feel it can do everyone so much good to start), here are a few ways to zone in and swipe right on the deck that truly floats your boat.
THE RIGHT TAROT DECK… ACCORDING TO PRICE POINT
Budget is the quickest way to eliminate decks from your list of choices. If you’re determined to start your practice ASAP, then you can start your deck search with a budget pegged. I find that PhP1000 or $20 is enough for you to cast a pretty wide net, but will probably relegate your choices to mass-market decks (the kinds you find in bookstores). If you’re one of the lucky ones with some disposable income to spare, then your choices begin to multiply—you’re able to branch out from mass-market decks, which are normally cheaper, and venture into the wide array of independently published decks.
Your price point can also determine whether you need to shop pre-loved (eBay is a good option, but you’ve got to watch out for unauthorized copycat decks) instead of brand new. Not all pre-loved decks come cheap, though. A big budget can allow you to delve into OOP (out of print) decks that come secondhand but cost a lot more than the usual indie decks. You could even go all out and go for vintage / collector’s decks that cost an arm and a leg.
The Right tarot deck… according to visuals
Tarot is a visual medium so aesthetic and style is important. I’m a huge proponent of choosing decks whose illustrations appeal to you, especially if you’re starting out. When you’re beginning to learn the cards, you’re going to have to look at them over and over. You might as well pick a deck that you like looking at, right? Consider your style preferences. If you have no clue what you like looking at, go over the photos you like on Instagram—they may give you clues about the type of tarot deck that speaks to you.
Of course, just because you like how a deck looks doesn’t mean it’s going to 100% be *your* deck. You could be incredibly attracted to someone but once you meet them, find out, that you just aren’t a good match, right? That said, if you have no clue where to start, judging a book by its cover isn’t such a bad way to get your feet wet. I never bought into fantasy-romance type decks because that’s just not my thing—early on in my tarot experience, I fell in love with The Wild Unknown’s illustrations and that paved the way for me to learn how to read.
The Right tarot deck… according to tarot system
Another way to determine which deck to stick with is to go through a more scholarly approach. If you’re keen on learning the tarot the traditional / historical way, then you may want to venture into the classics. The Thoth Tarot (my first deck) is one classic system by Aleister Crowley. I bought this deck because I actually liked the imagery and because it didn’t look like the “typical” tarot I would see depicted on TV or in the movies. If you want to go with the standards, then the Rider-Waite Smith deck is a perfect choice—it’s one of the most popular decks created and has been the basis for many modern day decks. If you want to go way, way back to tarot’s roots then a Tarot de Marseille deck, which looks sort of like a playing card deck, will be more to your liking. Both the Thoth and Rider-Waite Smith were created in the 20th century, but a Marseille deck will go centuries before that.
The Right tarot deck… according to theme
Many modern tarot decks are designed according to specific themes. You’ve got everything from Game of Thrones to Alice in Wonderland, 1950’s Housewives to Zombies. If you feel like a certain theme will help you learn the tarot more (and make it more relatable), then this is a smart route to take. Google is your best friend here—type in the theme you’re interested in and add “tarot” to your search et voila. Years after I set my Thoth Tarot deck aside (and put my tarot studies on pause because I just couldn’t figure out how to use the deck—clearly it wasn’t the right one for me), I found the Tarot of Jane Austen in a bookstore. As an Austen fan, I didn’t even think twice—I bought it right away. I was inspired to learn the deck and I tried memorizing everything for a while, but it also didn’t stick. That said, it’s a proud part of my collection and now that I’m more familiar with tarot reading, I’m able to use it and understand it better.
Theme-based decks, sometimes called novelty decks, sometimes have a reputation as not being “serious” tarot decks. I have to disagree though—I feel like if you understand tarot, it really doesn’t matter what deck you use. And if someone tells you that the cards you use are laughable and illegitimate, then they’re not worth your energy! Your cards, your practice, your business.
The Right tarot deck… according to creator
Sometimes, people are able to figure out which deck they’re attuned to because they find themselves in sync with the deck’s creator and what the creator stands by. There’s a lot of conflict in the tarot world with regard to cultural appropriation, for example. You could like a deck that uses specific imagery or is related to a certain culture, then find out its creator has appropriated those themes and made money off them. That could totally turn you off a deck that you initially like!
Supporting creators from your own locale, artists whose voices aren’t normally heard, and creators who stand up for specific causes is one way of tuning into which deck is right for you. If you feel strongly about some issues, researching whether these issues have tarot decks about them can absolutely be one way of finding the right deck for you.
The right tarot deck… according to what you’re looking for
Sometimes, the right tarot deck for you isn’t a tarot deck. I’ve met people who were super excited about launching a tarot practice only to discover that they can’t wrap their heads around the actual tarot. Turns out, they want affirmations, validations, or feel-good energy—which are usually more easily found in the oracle, rather than the tarot realm. Perhaps asking yourself why you want to start a tarot practice is a good way to begin. If your interests lie in the more Oprah / life coach-y field, then you may want to break yourself in by starting with oracle instead.
Finding the right deck for you is a process, and you may have to buy some duds before finding the one that works. It’s open to keep your mind open and realize that just as you are continually growing and evolving as a person (and a tarot reader!), your tastes and preferences may change over time too. What’s right for you now may not be right for you next year or in the next 10 years. Keep things flexible and know that you aren’t obliged to sticking to just one thing. What’s fun about tarot is the collecting element—the hunt, the trial and error, the process of getting to know a new deck, and the enjoyment that comes from passing decks along to others who want to start their own practice.
If you want to start dabbling in tarot, you may want to check out the Practical Magic Starter Deck, which I designed according to my own aesthetic—lots of 90s collage, a ton of color, and easy to read definitions.